Revenge Comes with Interest - Chapter 67

Everyone was aghast at the story of Lady Armand’s divorce. The end was so foul that it was hard to believe they had lived as a loving couple for five years.

“It seems Emily Lant told my husband she wanted to break up because I had grabbed her by the hair.”

The story that followed was even more appalling.

“I know it was wrong of me to behave so uncouthly by grabbing and shaking her hair. But my husband has no idea what Emily’s true nature is.”

Even when told of the woman’s true intentions, he refused to believe it. Instead, he didn’t hesitate to call Lady Armand ugly, telling her not to frame an innocent person.

“What kind of woman is she?” Pauline whispered to Lea.

“They say she’s been sending love letters to Terran for years, asking to meet him even if she has to be his mistress.”

“She’s out of her mind! Knowing full well he has a fiancée…!” Pauline fumed at Lea’s reply.

Lea added one more detail: that Emily had even given Terran a love letter at the Bellis banquet.

“Augh! Why only grab her hair? You should have just snapped her legs…!”

Pauline was unusually indignant. At this, Chenera giggled as if it were entertaining. Even to the naive Chenera, it seemed like Pauline was empathizing so strongly because of her own romance with Tom.

“Did you receive alimony?”

Sonya, who had been listening silently, asked a very practical question. All eyes immediately turned to the lady.

“There is an estate my family gave as a dowry when we married, but he hasn’t returned that either. Honestly, my husband is, how shall I put it, stingy with money in everything he does.”

“Still, since the husband is the one at fault for the divorce, he should naturally return the dowry, shouldn’t he?” Sonya pressed, her temper rising. Lady Armand began to sob sorrowfully again, lamenting her fate and saying she had nowhere to go and no money to live on.

In that moment, many thoughts flashed through Lea’s mind. It wasn’t that she felt burdened by suddenly having to take responsibility for Lady Armand. The problem was that she was empathizing with the situation just as much as Pauline. She realized that she felt an extreme sense of betrayal toward a man’s infidelity, whether it was someone else’s business or her own.

While Lea was seething inwardly, James arrived.

“The Duke is looking for the Young Lady and Lady Sonya.”

“I’ll be there in a moment, James,” Lea replied, immediately smoothing her stiff expression into a gentle one. “Pauline, Chenera! Lady Armand must be hungry after her long journey. Please see to her meal.”

“Don’t worry, My Lady.”

Lea was about to leave the room with Sonya but turned back to Lady Armand. She took the lady’s hand firmly and spoke.

“Don’t worry about anything. I will find a way.”

“Thank… thank you, Lady Vizak.”

Lady Armand was overwhelmed with gratitude.

Terran welcomed Lea and Sonya warmly when they entered his office. He soon handed a photograph and a letter to the two women.

“This is the younger sister of a friend of mine in Galdensia. She will be participating in the upcoming selection.”

“I see.”

Lea examined the photo Terran gave her carefully. She was a lady with a graceful appearance. Lea soon handed the photo to Sonya.

“The letter contains Adele’s measurements, her preferred dress color and design, and various other requests.”

Lea and Sonya took turns looking at the photo and the letter. The client’s name was “Adele Wellington,” a daughter of an Earl. However, Sonya’s complexion didn’t look very good. It was the same for Lea.

‘Her beauty falls far behind Allen’s sister, Rivette.’

Of course, a Crown Princess isn’t selected by beauty alone. Character, scholarship, culture, and family background would all be taken into account.

“She looks very ordinary,” Sonya sighed while looking at the photo. Her graceful appearance was, quite literally, plain and modest, with no particular charm to be felt.

“Adele is a total bookworm. I believe she wears glasses,” Terran added.

Sonya’s expression worsened at his words. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed Rivette was destined to be selected. However, his plan was different.

“Madam, please use those ‘hands of a god’ to your heart’s content to ensure Adele is selected as the Crown Princess.”

At his words, Sonya turned pale. No matter how well a dress is made, the wearer’s appearance has to provide some foundation for it to truly shine.

“We will do our best, Terran,” Lea answered on Sonya’s behalf. If they put their heads together and researched, there would surely be a way.

Sonya stood up first, carrying the photo and the letter. At that moment, Lea made a request.

“Sonya, please ask Lady Armand to come here.”

“Understood.”

Once Sonya left, Terran looked at Lea with a puzzled expression.

“Lady Armand?”

Lea briefly explained Lady Armand’s situation before she arrived. However, there was one strange part. Terran must have received a love letter from Emily at the banquet, yet he acted as if he didn’t know her well. Or perhaps he was just pretending.

“So, what is it that Grace wants?”

“Well, I don’t have a proper chaperone. Pauline is working as the head of the workshop, so the maids have been taking turns attending to me. So, about that…”

When Lea hesitated, he crossed his long legs and leaned his forehead against his hand.

“Are you saying you want to bring Lady Armand in as your chaperone?”

“That’s right.”

“But it’s not that simple. As Grace’s chaperone, she needs to be experienced and, above all, have a good reputation in society. I can’t just place anyone by your side.”

For some reason, Terran was becoming unusually talkative. As he spoke, he pulled a piece of paper from his jacket. He unfolded the paper with the bunch of grapes and let out a long sigh.

“Whew! I wonder when these grapes will finally be filled.”

Lea almost burst out laughing. If she hadn’t covered her mouth in time, she would have. Still, her eyes were beaming as she looked at him.

‘What am I to do with this cute man?’

Terran looked as serious as a person with the gravest concern in the world. Lea waited until her laughter subsided and then spoke in a low tone.

“If I sign it, can I hire Lady Armand as my chaperone?”

“I suppose so.”

He immediately pushed the paper toward Lea and handed her a pen.

“Oh my! There are only five left now?”

‘Only five are left.’

Terran hoped she would sign all five remaining grapes right then and there. And it seemed his wish came true. Lea signed them without hesitation.

‘Finally…!’

Terran was swept with a great emotion as he watched the long journey of patience come to an end.

‘Three, four… what about five? Why is she stopping with one left?’

He looked back and forth between the paper and Lea with wide eyes.

“Grace, why did you leave… one left?” he asked as politely as possible. He tried his best not to sound too excited or to show that he was disappointed after being so happy.

Just then, Lady Armand arrived at the office, and Lea ran to the door in one bound and took her hand.

“Lady Armand, please meet Duke Terran Courtois.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace.”

Lady Armand bowed politely, and Terran nodded with a forced smile.

“From today, Lady Armand has been hired as my chaperone. Terran has given his permission.”

“My goodness! Such a wonderful thing…!”

‘What a damn shame.’

Terran smiled awkwardly and folded the paper, putting it back in his coat. Had there ever been a time she was as spiteful as this moment? A woman who dangled a candy right in front of his eyes.

‘I’m not disappointed.’

Still, he hoped the day would come soon when he could finally corner and “catch” that sly rabbit.

Lea and four other women were having a serious conversation.

“We must take revenge.”

The first to speak was Sonya. She was particularly angry about the fact that Lady Armand hadn’t received her dowry back. Knowing full well how difficult it is for a woman to live alone in this society, she cursed the husband as a scoundrel for not giving her a single penny.

“How do we take revenge?” Lea asked.

This time, Pauline stepped forward. “We have to break them up so they can’t get married.”

“How?”

The desire to split them up was immense, but there was no concrete method. Pauline’s gaze moved toward Chenera, who was busy eating cookies.

“We can just tell Grandpa Rapa to kill them both.”

It seemed Chenera wouldn’t be providing a clear answer today. Suddenly, a bright light flashed through Lea’s mind.

“There are the love letters. Lady Armand, you said your husband believes Emily only loves him, right?”

“Yes. He doesn’t know she spreads love letters to every man she sees. No, he chooses not to believe it.”

“Then we just have to show him with his own eyes.”

Pauline’s eyes sparkled as if she too had found the way.

“If that woman has been sending love letters to our Duke for years, James must have collected them all.”

But the problem was that James was Terran’s loyal servant. He was not the type of person to easily give up even a single document, let alone anything related to Terran’s private life. It might be faster to ask Terran directly.

However, Lea’s pride wouldn’t allow that. She didn’t want Terran to even know that she was aware of the love letters.

“Uncle James went to the watch shop a few days ago, but he came back empty-handed.”

Like a ray of light in the dark night sky, Chenera provided the answer once again. As expected, she did not disappoint Lea.

“To a butler, nothing is as precious as a watch. Besides, watches are very expensive items.”

“Augh! That won’t work. He might have already bought one.” Pauline replied skeptically.

But the James Lea had seen was not such a rash man. Since he had such an attachment to his belongings that he would try to fix even a broken watch, he wouldn’t have bought a new one so hastily.

“Sometimes, there is nothing like a high-end bribe,” Lea replied with a smirk.

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