What’s Wrong With My Marriage? I Was Bought as a Wife, Yet My Husband Is Madly in Love With Me! - Chapter 29

Lately, nothing had been going Mirella’s way, and her frustration was reaching its limit.

“A dress? …Mirella, didn’t I just buy you one recently?”

“But Father! I’ve been invited to a tea party by my friends. I can’t possibly wear the same dress as last time.”

“…Then you should have one of Cassandra’s dresses altered.”

“What suits Sister Cassandra and what suits me are two completely different things! Please, oh please, I want the new dress—the one adorned with Semopsen lace! Father, I beg you!”

Normally, if she asked like this, her father would smile, pat her on the head, and buy her the dress.

“I’m sorry, Mirella. I’d love to buy it for you, truly. But Cassandra is also pestering me for a dress. You’ll have to wait until next time.”

Her request was rejected, just like that.

Mirella stomped her feet in a tantrum as she watched her father walk away. In the past, her brother Ideon would have comforted her immediately, but even he wasn’t around.

For a while now, her brother had been frequenting gatherings of young entrepreneurs. He claimed it was a special assembly where they even discussed politics.

He said it was a gathering where only the “specially chosen” could gain membership.

She felt it was only natural for a kind and brilliant brother like him to be invited to such things. However, it made Mirella feel lonely; she wanted him by her side at times like this.

Ideon was the only one in the mansion who really doted on her.

Her sister, Cassandra, was always dressed up and heading out to evening parties. Their mother did the same, leaving Mirella who was not yet of age with nothing but tea parties with friends to attend.

While her friends praised her as “cute,” Mirella was reaching the age where she wanted to hear such words from the opposite sex. Preferably from someone handsome.

(Speaking of which, Sister Luce’s husband…)

Remembering the sight of Count Barth from the other day, Mirella couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

A round, stout man with a heavy build—he looked like a commoner.

(A perfect match for the shabby Sister Luce.)

Mirella couldn’t stand the fact that Luce was her sister.

After all, she wasn’t pretty in the slightest.

She was always looking down with a gloomy face, doing nothing but nag and bully Mirella. She was a constant nuisance to their kind parents, their handsome brother, and their beautiful sister.

Even when Mirella begged for help, Luce never lifted a finger.

It was the same when they hosted a tea party at the Orlov house.

Their mother had provided a proper budget for the party. With that money, Mirella and Cassandra had chosen dresses to show off to their friends and had everything ready to go.

Since Luce kept insisting there were many other things to prepare, Mirella had “generously” let her handle the chores. After all, Luce had no friends to invite to a tea party anyway. She probably just wanted to play pretend.

It was a mistake to think she could handle even a little help.

All she had to do was buy sweets, but for some reason, Luce prepared handmade ones. And even though Mirella told her to get brand-new tea sets, Luce ignored her request and intentionally brought out the old ones used by their grandmother.

(…She’s so mean, it’s revolting.)

That was why Mirella hated Luce.

Mirella went out of her way to be “worried” about her, yet Luce didn’t have a shred of kindness in her.

Surely, with a personality as twisted as hers, Count Barth would soon serve her divorce papers. Both her brother and sister had said it was bound to happen.

(I won’t be kind to her when she comes crawling back crying.)

Mirella decided she wouldn’t even let her into the mansion, no matter how much she apologized.

(I suppose I could hire her if she’s willing to work as a lowly servant, though.)

But Luce was so incompetent that hiring her would probably just be a waste of money, Mirella thought with a sneer.

“Mirella, you’ll catch a cold standing there.”

“Sister Cassandra!”

The one who called out to Mirella as she stood alone by the window was her pride and joy: her beautiful older sister, Cassandra.

She wore a dress that emphasized her curves and wore alluring makeup. The flashy jewelry suited her perfectly.

“I asked Father to buy me a dress, but he refused.”

“My, how unfortunate.”

“You should talk to him for me, Sister. I want to be told I’m beautiful, just like you.”

“Oh, Mirella, you’re still a child. It’s better to be called ‘cute’ for now.”

“Hmph!”

Mirella pouted, and Cassandra smiled as she stroked Mirella’s hair.

“Just wait a little longer. Once Father’s business gets on the right track, he’ll buy you whatever you want.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes. Besides, we’ve made a connection with Count Barth. It’s only natural for him to give preferential treatment to his own relatives.”

As Cassandra began to smoke her pipe, Mirella mentioned that she thought that might be difficult.

“Oh? And why is that?”

“Because he’s Sister Luce’s husband. I’m sure he’s a totally inconsiderate person. He was incredibly fat and hideously ugly.”

Mirella laughed again at the memory of Count Barth. However, Cassandra furrowed her brows.

“He’s the talk of the town at all the evening parties. The entrepreneur, Count Barth… they say he’s wealthy and a very handsome man.”

“What?! That man?!”

At Mirella’s shock, Cassandra let out a thoughtful hum.

“Perhaps the man you saw wasn’t Count Barth after all.”

“What?! That means Sister Luce deceived us! How horrible!”

As she calmed the indignant Mirella, Cassandra spoke.

“I’ll go find out the truth for you, Mirella.”