The Reason Why the Forsaken Fake Returned Chapter 37

The fish that had been eagerly awaited took the bait sooner than expected.

 

“Milady!”

 

Shailoh’s eyes widened at the urgent report from Jenine, who had rushed over, panting heavily.

 

“Claire is accusing Elza of seducing her husband?”

 

“Yes! She called her a filthy prostitute in front of all the other maids and servants. Elza pleaded her innocence with tears, but the baroness coldly told her to pack up and leave.” Jenine, with his face flushed as he delivered the shocking news, continued. “Why is this happening? What on earth happened? Did you cast a spell, Milady?”

 

“If you could call it a spell.” All she had done was toss a small pebble into a calm lake.

 

The script Shailoh had written involved three characters: a wife who was overly obsessed with anything concerning her husband, and her close confidante. The perfume secretly placed in Ines’s room was not meant for her to use, but as a gift for Elza. It was an expensive perfume that a mere maid could never afford, making it a suitable piece of evidence for an affair.

 

Shailoh was wearing the same scene, then deliberately interacting with the count at the restaurant was to set the stage. Picture the unfamiliar scent of a woman’s perfume on her husband. And if, over time, the same scent began to emanate from the maid closest to her? For someone else, it might have been dismissed as a mere coincidence, but it was Claire’s distrust that ignited the fuse. Perhaps with some behind-the-scenes maneuvering by Ines as well.

 

“So, you’re saying Elza was kicked out just yesterday?”

 

“Yes. She packed in a hurry, and Ines complained about how difficult it was to sort out her things.”

 

“So, Ines is taking over the room Elza used?”

 

At Shailoh’s words, Doris, who had been listening to the conversation, perked up. The two turned to look at each other as if on cue and almost simultaneously exclaimed,

 

“The diary!”

 

* * *

Ines let out a sigh of relief and held Jenine’s hand tightly.

 

“Thank you so much, Jenine! I was worried about how I’d handle all this without you.”

 

Besides, there wasn’t much value. She had taken a few pretty clothes, but the room was a mess from packing in a rush.

 

“The madam insisted on throwing away all of Elza’s belongings, but it’s such a mess that it’s hard to organize. I was at a loss.”

 

“That’s understandable. We all help each other in times like this. You have a lot on your plate, so leave the odd jobs to me.”

 

“You’re such a good boy!” Ines kissed Jenine on both cheeks and then stood up. “Then I’ll leave it to you. The madam is calling.”

 

With Elza gone, Ines was now the undisputed favorite. All thanks to the perfume someone had left in her room. At first, she was just bewildered, her heart fluttering at the thought that it might be a gift from someone who cared for her. But no matter how long she waited, she couldn’t find anyone who might have given her the gift, and meanwhile, Claire’s harassment only intensified.

 

“Instead of whining, why don’t you take my advice from last time to heart?”

 

“How could you say that to me, Elza?”

 

Initially, Elza had subtly helped her, but as time went on, she became increasingly indifferent to her complaints. This only fueled Ines’s jealousy and resentment.

 

It was around this time that she began to ponder deeply about the card labeled ‘Opportunity.’ And it was also around this time that she happened to overhear a conversation.

 

“There was definitely perfume on him. He must have met another woman during our dinner.”

 

“How could that be, Milady? It must be just your imagination.”

 

Ines’s body moved before her mind could catch up. Unlike herself, Elza was favored by the madam, so she wanted to play a trick on her. She repackaged the perfume as if it were a gift from the madam and left it in Elza’s room. Unaware it was a trap, Elza happily wore the perfume, leading to the current situation.

 

“I’m still uneasy about who gave me the perfume.”

 

“Ines?”

 

Ines snapped back to reality at the gaze fixed on her. “No, it’s nothing!”

 

The important thing was that she now held the power. She no longer had to worry about being bullied and could choose only the easy tasks.

 

“Well, I’ll be off then. Please handle the cleanup. We plan to gather everything and burn it in an hour.” Ines smiled brightly, turned the doorknob, and left.

 

As soon as the door closed and Jenine was alone, he wiped his face with his hands. “An hour isn’t much time. This is bad.”

 

“We need to find the diary, Jenine. Elza has been known for her habit of writing in her diary every day for years.”

“Then there must be a lot of diaries. Which one should I look for?”

“Three years ago. We need the diary from three years ago.”

 

The diary from three years ago. Whatever magic Miss Shailoh had used to drive Elza away, it was clear that this was her plan from the start. There might even be something about Oliver in it.

 

“I have to find it.” With a determined expression, Jenine began to sift through the mountain of diaries. They were piled haphazardly, some dating back ten years, and without opening them, it was impossible to know when they were written. It was clear it would take some time unless he focused. Jenine rolled up his sleeves and concentrated on finding the diary from three years ago.

 

* * *

Exactly one hour later, the men arrived on time to burn the items. With more to burn than expected, Jenine and two others carried everything to the courtyard. It took three trips to move it all. Wiping the sweat from his brow, one of the men confirmed with Jenine.

 

“Is this the last of it?”

 

“Yes. There’s nothing more.”

 

Jenine nodded, his hand brushing against the diary hidden beneath his clothes. He had almost given up, but she found it just in time.

 

“They said to burn everything without leaving a trace, so we’ll gather the logs and straw and light it up. Good job, kid.” The man, who had been patting his sore shoulder, ruffled Jenine’s hair.

 

“It’s nothing. Well, take care. I have to run an errand now.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Jenine’s heart raced, and cold sweat trickled down his back as he deceived and stole. He awkwardly smiled, quickly said his goodbyes, and distanced himself from the pile of items. All that was left was to deliver this to Miss Griche. Once that was done, his task would be complete.

 

Jenine wiped his sweaty palms repeatedly on his pants. He held the diary close to his chest, trying to leave the mansion unnoticed. Just then, someone grabbed his shoulder.

 

“Hold on, you there.”

 

“Y-Yes…?” Jenine almost bit his tongue as he turned his head with a creak.

 

“What’s that in your hand?” A servant he had seen a few times before looked down at him menacingly and extended his hand.

 

“Ah, this.” Jenine almost bit her tongue again and forced a smile. “It’s an errand. The madam asked me to deliver it secretly.”

 

“I asked what it is.”

 

“It’s supposed to be a secret, so it’s hard to say.”

 

“Oh, really?” The man gave a faint smile and showed his palms. “Then I guess there’s no choice.”

 

Relieved by his unexpected surrender, Jenine turned his back, only to be struck on the back of his neck with a thud.

 

“Ugh!”

 

“I’d rather not use force, but my master wants this.”

 

“Master…?”

 

“There’s no need for you to know who.”

 

Jenine collapsed onto the ground. As his vision faded, he saw feet moving away.

 

“N…o…”

 

* * *

When he opened his eyes again, the sun had already set. Startled, Jenine checked the time and hurriedly ran to Shailoh’s townhouse.

 

“It’s me!”

 

As he knocked on the door, Shailoh, who had been waiting expectantly, immediately opened it. However, seeing Jenine’s troubled expression, Shailoh froze.

 

“Jenine?”

 

“I’m sorry… hic…”

 

“Let’s get inside first.”

 

As soon as they entered, Jenine, now in tears, explained his situation with empty hands. Shailoh listened with a serious expression, biting her nails. Doris, who was beside them, anxiously stomped her feet.

 

“Could it be that you were discovered? If they put a tail on you, we need to hide right away!”