You’ll Regret Stealing Him from Me — My Sister Who Took My Fiancé and Celebrated Was a Fool - Chapter 38

“Tonight will be the perfect evening.”

Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I was certain of it.

The finest dress, prepared especially for tonight. A deep crimson silk dress, commissioned from a master tailor. Delicate embroidery adorned the neckline and cuffs. Beautiful decorations that shimmered gold under the light. The rose-petal embroidery rose in three-dimensional perfection, as if real.

My hair, flawlessly arranged. Not a single strand out of place. The hairpiece, studded with pearls and gemstones, sparkled in the light. A perfect hairstyle, painstakingly perfected by my personal maid over three hours.

And this beautiful smile.

I was more beautiful than anyone. Far more than my sister.

I smiled in satisfaction at my reflection. The color of my lips was perfect. The blush on my cheeks, just right. My eyes, radiant.

The venue was filling with nobles. A party this anticipated was a first for me. Civilian nobles, military nobles, all invited without distinction. Just as my sister had done.

But I would prove I was better.

I would make them say it.

The last party had been “adequate.” “Sufficient.” “No issues.” “Much better than before.” Such evaluations. Words meant to encourage an incapable child.

I wasn’t satisfied with such words.

What I wanted was praise like “perfect.” “Magnificent.” “Brilliant.” “The best yet.” Sincere, reverent admiration.

Tonight was my chance to claim it.

My sister’s party at the Liebenfeld estate had indeed been praised. “Groundbreaking.” “Innovative.” It became the talk of high society. They even said she had succeeded in breaking down the barriers between civilian and military nobles.

Tch.

Just remembering it made my blood boil. Why was it always her?

My party tonight would be grander. More dazzling. More unforgettable.

I had prepared a special surprise.

Once they saw it, everyone would be stunned. They would praise me. “We’ve never seen a party like this.” “Lady Isabella is extraordinary.” They would shower me with compliments, eclipsing my sister’s so-called “groundbreaking” event.

The perfect finale to a perfect night.

The fountain last time had admittedly been a failure. It malfunctioned, flooding the venue. That was due to the staff’s poor preparation. Not my idea. My idea had been brilliant. The staff were simply incompetent.

But this time was different.

This time, it would be flawless. More impactful. A guaranteed success.

Firing the previous staff had been the right decision. The new staff listened to my instructions. None of that defiant attitude from before.

I took a deep breath.

Placing a hand on my chest, I felt my heartbeat—racing with anticipation, tension, and certainty. I looked in the mirror once more.

I formed a smile. A perfect, beautiful smile. One that would captivate anyone.

Now.

The beginning of a perfect night.

Tonight, I would become the center of high society. I would completely erase the shadow of my sister that loomed over these circles.

As I approached the venue, I saw that many carriages had already arrived.

More than I had expected. They lined up one after another at the entrance, where the reception was being held. Coachmen bustled about as nobles stepped out.

Gorgeous dresses. Impeccable formal wear. Noblewomen adorned with jewels. Distinguished gentlemen exuding dignity.

So many had come.

“My party really is the center of attention.”

My heart raced.

With these many nobles, I could unveil tonight’s surprise to an even grander audience. It thrilled me. The scale was different. The prestige was different.

I walked through the entrance toward the reception.

But—

“Please wait a moment.”

“Apologies, just a brief delay.”

“We’re confirming now.”

“May I ask for your name again?”

A long line had formed at the reception.

I stopped and stared at the scene.

Guests were lined up, one after another, waiting. Some nobles wore visibly displeased expressions. A few crossed their arms, tapping their feet impatiently.

A sight I had seen before during my first attempt at hosting a party.

Why?

The reception was supposed to run smoothly now. Just check the guest list and guide them in. Simple. It had worked fine last time.

“What’s going on?”

I hurried toward the reception.

The staff were flipping through the guest list repeatedly. Turning pages, tracing names with their fingers, then starting over. They exchanged frantic whispers, verifying something with each other.

“Your name again, please?”

“How many times must I repeat myself?!”

“O-our apologies!”

One of the guests raised his voice. The staff member bowed deeply. Trouble was brewing.

“What is happening?!”

I whispered sharply to a nearby staff member. He wiped sweat from his brow as he explained.

“There are too many guests, and the list isn’t properly organized. It’s taking time to verify.”

“What do you mean? The guest list was prepared, wasn’t it?!”

“Yes, but…”

He hesitated.

“The names are scattered, not even arranged by rank. It’s taking too long to find them.”

“Just handle it quickly!”

“…Understood.”

The staff member frantically flipped through the list, sweat beading on his forehead. But the line showed no signs of shortening.

“Are we still waiting?”

“How much longer must we stand here?”

“We have our invitations. Shouldn’t this just be a quick check?”

“I wasn’t told we’d be kept waiting like this.”

Murmurs of discontent rose from the nobles in line. The area around the reception grew noisy.

A cold sweat broke out on my forehead. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

The last party, the one before there had been no chaos like this. It had gone smoothly. Hadn’t we improved?

“Isabella.”

A voice from behind made me turn. Roderick stood there, frowning. His expression was unmistakably uneasy—no, closer to irritation.

“The reception seems to be in chaos. Is everything under control?”

“Y-yes, of course.”

I forced a smile.

“It’ll settle down soon.”

“I see.”

Roderick’s expression remained stiff. He didn’t believe me.

“There seem to be more guests than expected. Can you handle it?”

“Absolutely. Everything was prepared perfectly.”

“…Right.”

With that, Roderick glanced back at the reception. The line still stretched on. The crease between his brows deepened.

“Report to me if anything else happens.”

“Everything is fine. Don’t worry. Leave the party to me.”

I smiled again. But Roderick’s expression didn’t change.

He usually never interfered. Yet today, he was oddly insistent. Suspicious. Watching me with doubt in his eyes.

He used to trust me.

As he walked back into the venue, his retreating figure felt strangely cold. What was his problem?

“Lady Isabella!”

Another staff member rushed over, breathless and flustered.

“About the seating arrangements inside, there are discrepancies from the plan. The table placements have been altered, and it doesn’t match the serving routes for the dishes.”

“Later!”

I snapped before I could stop myself. The staff member flinched and stepped back, staring at me with frightened eyes.

The reception was still in disarray, and now this?

Deep breaths.

Stay calm.

The party had only just begun. There was still time to recover.

The reception chaos would settle soon. And the surprise was ready.

Once they saw it, everyone would be too amazed, too delighted, to remember the initial disorder. It would be fine. In the end, my party would be a success.

It had to be.

But—

As I stared at the line, a tiny seed of unease sprouted in my chest. Just a little. Things weren’t going entirely as planned.

Just a little.

After some time, the reception chaos finally began to subside.

The staff worked desperately, and the line gradually shortened. Though not completely resolved, I decided to enter the venue for now.

Tonight’s plan involved greeting key nobles first. Both civilian and military, without distinction.

With the guest list and schedule in hand, Roderick and I began making rounds.

“Let’s start with the duke and duchess over there.”

I spoke, and Roderick nodded silently. His expression remained rigid. The first greetings went smoothly, as planned.

“Thank you for coming tonight.”

“The honor is ours. We’re delighted by your invitation.”

Smiles. Polite exchanges. A good start.

On to the next noble. Then the next. Without pause, the greetings continued.

But another problem awaited.

There were far too many people to greet. There wasn’t enough time.

Of course, with so many nobles invited, this was expected. But seeing the venue in person, the numbers were overwhelming.

A greeting here, a brief conversation there just that alone ate up the minutes.

Another greeting. Another exchange. The schedule was already far behind.

I checked the list. So many important nobles still ungreeted.

“We don’t have time.”

Roderick’s voice was icy.

I looked up to see clear irritation on his face. Arms crossed, he glared down at me.

“Isabella, at this rate, we won’t finish.”

“I know. But it would be rude not to greet them.”

“Last time went much smoother.”

The words stung.

Last time?

Last time… yes, it had been smoother. The rounds had gone as planned.

But last time had been on a much smaller scale. The guest count had been a fifth of tonight’s.

And last time.

I had followed my sister’s schedule as reference. This time, I had revised the plan myself. Adjusted the order, redistributed the time, accounted for more guests.

Yet in practice, it wasn’t enough. Just greeting each person took longer than expected. A brief conversation stretched the time further.

Maybe I had miscalculated. I should have been more selective, planned the greetings better. I thought I had. But even this number was impossible.

No, it wasn’t my fault. There were just more attendees than anticipated.

“Let’s just hurry.”

I urged Roderick on, desperate to stick to the plan as we moved to the next noble.

Elderly guests. Influential figures in high society. So many still ungreeted. The ones who absolutely needed acknowledgment.

But time was running out. The schedule was collapsing under the delays.

I checked the list. Only about halfway through. At this rate, it would drag on until the party’s end. And then the surprise’s timing would.

“Change of plans. Let’s skip ahead to the next segment.”

I made the call and instructed the staff.

For those I couldn’t greet, I’d catch them later. During the meal, perhaps. Improvise as needed.

I told myself that. I had no choice.

But the unease in my chest grew, little by little.