The Reason Why the Forsaken Fake Returned Chapter 33

“It was inevitable. How could I act differently in that situation? You too, were at the front, helping to frame here just as the lady wanted, weren’t you?”

 

“Ah, Ines.” Elza, with a cold smile, spoke in a chilling tone. “Let’s be honest. It wasn’t just because of the lady’s pressure, was it? You enjoyed tormenting her too. You were envious of a lady who was supposed to be on the same level, or even lower than you, wearing satin dresses and eating only the finest things. Isn’t that right?”

 

Terrified, Ines retorted. “So what? The fake lady is dead anyway. Why bring this up now? Are you trying to make me feel guilty now that we’re in the same boat?”

 

“Of course not.” Elza shook her head and whispered softly. “I meant that it’s nothing new for the lady to pick someone to take out her anger on. If you want to avoid being her target, just find another scapegoat.”

 

“…”

 

“You have more than a few mouths to feed, don’t you?”

 

“That’s…”

 

“Think about it.” Without waiting for a response, Elza knocked on the door. As soon as she heard a voice inviting her in, she entered.

 

Ines, who had been staring at the closed door, was about to leave when she suddenly stopped.

 

“Ines, if you know how that person, Elza, treats the madam, couldn’t you do the same?”

 

“That’s certainly a valid point. Jenin is a smart boy.”

 

Elza and she were essentially cut from the same cloth. Both were daughters of mere knights, not even barons. Yet, while Elza had gained trust and become the right hand of the madam, she had become nothing more than a target for venting frustrations, despite being better off than the other maids. The difference between them was like night and day.

 

“There must be something going on.”

 

Elza stealthily opened the door a crack and pressed herself against it. As soon as she listened, her eardrums were assaulted by a thunderous roar.

 

“Why are you only coming now!”

 

“I apologize, Milady. I intended to come quickly, but I was delayed.” Elza, who had previously given advice with an air of superiority, now bowed her head before her mistress and gently soothed Claire.

 

“That girl Ines was being annoying again today.”

 

“Milady, please calm down. Today is an important day. It wouldn’t be good to let trivial matters upset you. The duke wouldn’t like it either.”

 

“Well, that’s true.”

 

At the mention of the duke, Claire averted her gaze, her anger subsiding.

 

“Besides, today is the day you’re dining out with the baron after a long time. Cheer up.”

 

“What’s in the box you’re holding?”

 

“It’s a dress prepared by the baron. He asked me to tell you that you’ll look dazzling in it.”

 

“Ah, that man is something else.” Claire quickly set aside her irritation and opened the box, smiling brightly.

 

* * *

“Ines is being bullied by Claire?”

 

“Yeah. According to Jenin, she gets called in every day to be scolded and ends up with tea spilled all over her. She complains to Jenin every time she sees her.”

 

“I don’t know what Ines did to provoke Claire, but it’s unfortunate.”

 

As Shailoh flipped through the script, she picked up a candy from the gift box and popped it into her mouth. The sweet taste spread through her mouth, bringing a smile to her face. Watching her from the side, Doris pouted.

 

“Unfortunate? Milady, you’re not feeling sorry for her, are you? Ines is a nasty one. She’s just as bad as Elza, who incites trouble by sticking close to the master. I nearly fell into the well once because I sided with Milady instead of them. It was actually satisfying.” She shivered as if the memory was right in front of her.

 

“Isn’t it strange when you think about it? Claire is so cold to Ines but so lenient with Elza?”

 

“What?”

 

“In my opinion, Elza is the one controlling Claire right now. I think she’s going back and forth between the Diponz family and the Elton family.”

 

“Are you saying the duke is secretly spying on the baron?”

 

“It’s possible. Claire is already head over heels for her husband, so she probably can’t think straight.”

 

“That could be true.”

 

According to Jenin’s report, Claire hadn’t even fully learned the household affairs of the Barony of Elton and had entrusted about half of them to Elza. This meant she was heavily relying on Elza, who was merely a maid.

 

“Putting Oliver aside, whatever happened over the past three years, Claire relies on Elza.”

 

Claire, deeply in love with her husband, and Elza, who stands by her side. It was easy to see a crack to exploit. Sometimes, even relationships that seem solid can shatter from the smallest fissure.

 

Lost in thought, Shailoh murmured with her hands clasped together. “Perhaps Elza knows more about Oliver than Ines does. And probably other important things about the duke’s family as well.”

 

“Even so, we don’t know how long the reprieve will last.”

 

“It’s time to throw a stone into the calm waters.”

 

After tidying up a stray lock of hair, Shailoh surveyed the line of perfumes on the vanity and selected one, giving it a spritz. A somewhat overpowering rose scent filled the air. Satisfied, Shailoh turned to Doris.

 

“Tomorrow, buy this exact perfume at the department store and give it to Jenin.”

 

“Huh? This expensive perfume?”

 

“Leave a note with it that says ‘Opportunity.’”

 

While Doris widened her eyes in confusion, Shailoh, having tidied her stray hair, stood up.

 

“Practice is over for today, so let’s go have dinner.”

 

“Huh? Where to?”

 

“A place suitable for a man and a woman to dine.”

 

Caleb’s face flashed in her mind. She was momentarily entranced by the thought of him, but quickly shook her head to dispel his image. He was working just as hard as she was to be her steadfast support. To keep the promise they made to be together after finishing their tasks, she needed to act swiftly now.

 

“There’s no appointment with His Highness today, is there… Milady?”

 

Shailoh, who had quickly grabbed her coat, suddenly picked up two veiled hats. “Put one on.”

 

* * *

The place they arrived at was a dimly lit upscale restaurant. Candles were placed between the tables, but it was difficult to recognize who was sitting at the next table unless you were directly facing them. Though some glanced at Shailoh and Doris, who arrived together, people soon returned to their own conversations. Only Shailoh and Doris seemed unable to focus fully on their meal and conversation.

 

“Why did you come to a place like this? And with me, no less.”

 

“It’s not like the entrance says only nobles are allowed.”

 

“Normally, you’d have to wait a long time after making a reservation!”

 

As Doris’s voice rose in agitation, people’s gazes turned towards them. While Doris blushed and shrank under the attention, Shailoh calmly cut her steak and responded in a low voice.

 

“Luckily, the manager here is one of my fans. They sent an invitation, so we got in right away. Enjoy yourself.”

 

“Are you not going to tell me the reason until the end?”

 

Doris was on the brink of losing her patience when Shailoh subtly gestured toward a particular spot. There sat a picture-perfect young couple at the spot Shailoh gestured toward. It was Claire Elton and her husband, Baron Elton.

 

Doris nearly spat out her water. Her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest, yet Shailoh’s expression remained calm.

 

“Staring like that will get us caught, Doris.”

 

Among the elegantly dining patrons, Doris was the only one who felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles, nervously wiping away her cold sweat. “Milady, what are you thinking? What if we get caught? Are you really looking for trouble?”

 

“Just wait a moment.”

 

While Doris felt as if she might need to start planning her own funeral, Shailoh, indifferent to the situation, continued her meal unperturbed.

 

Doris, who could barely bring herself to touch her food, finally felt a sense of relief when Claire, who had been dining happily with her husband, temporarily left the table. Shailoh wiped her mouth with a napkin, adjusted her hat so her face wouldn’t be seen, and stood up. Doris, struck by a sudden thought, grabbed Shailoh’s arm.

 

“I get it now. You’re planning to follow Claire and warn her in the powder room, aren’t you?”

 

“No.”

 

With a light shake of her head, Shailoh, without giving Doris a chance to stop her, approached Baron Elton. Doris, now pale as a ghost, watched as Shailoh nearly stumbled just as she reached him.

 

“Ah!”

 

“My goodness.”

 

The baron reached out just in time to catch Shailoh. Letting out a startled scream, Shailoh clung to his arm.

 

“Are you alright, Lady?”

 

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you.”

 

With a gentle smile, Shailoh changed direction as if heading toward the powder room. She made it seem as though she was going to a different powder room to avoid running into Claire. As soon as the baron’s attention was elsewhere, she quickly returned to her seat.