ITAYA 44

~Chapter 44~

Bang!

Madam Rosemarlin came into her room, slamming the door and breathing heavily. She had forgotten all about the manners and etiquette she used to care so much about.

“Ah!”

Again, Anais had gotten the better of her. She could only shake with anger and couldn’t say a word back to Anais.

Furious, Rosemarlin grabbed and pulled at her dress.

How could such a wild girl have entered this house! Just thinking about how Anais looked her straight in the eye and never lost an argument made her blood boil.

What made her even angrier was that Baldwin protected Anais, even in front of her.

“Ungrateful child. This is why having children is useless!”

Rosemarlin’s chest heaved. No matter what she did, she couldn’t calm her rage.

She took off her shoes and paced around the room.

Rosemarlin bit her lip. She felt she wouldn’t be satisfied until she made Anais kneel before her, no matter what it took.

Rosemarlin threw open the door to her dressing room. Expensive dresses and jewelry she’d collected were everywhere.

She searched through them, looking for something more expensive and fancier than anything Anais owned.

Just thinking of herself as less than Anais drove her crazy. Rosemarlin had spent so long trying to become the perfect Lady Constantine.

For years, Rosemarlin was shy and couldn’t say what she wanted.

‘You must act like a true lady, Rosemarlin. More noble, more dignified!’

Her mother-in-law’s nagging voice echoed in her ears. Rosemarlin had obeyed every single word.

She was always tense, afraid she’d fall short.

That stress even affected her marriage.

But Anais was different.

‘Why?’

Rosemarlin grabbed a dress off the rack—a dress with the Constantine crest on the shoulder. She remembered all the years she had struggled to be worthy of that crest.

“What’s so special about her? What makes her different!”

Rosemarlin was also the daughter of a baron.

Baron Tully wasted all his money on gambling, drinking, and women. So Rosemarlin had to sew and do embroidery to earn money. At local festivals, she set up a stall to sell her handmade things.

There, she met the late Duke—handsome and dazzling, like he was made of sunlight.

Rosemarlin climbed up to the clouds by holding onto the line he offered her. Constantine was like a castle in the sky to her.

She ended up living in the grandest mansion on the richest street.

The joy she felt back then!

But Anais never seemed to care about any of that.

Rosemarlin thought Anais should be just like her—trembling at every word, always afraid of being pushed out.

Anais should suffer the same unhappiness Rosemarlin had. That would be fair.

When she first heard that Anais would marry Baldwin, Rosemarlin felt a thrill deep inside.

She was glad someone would be dragged into that hell. She was determined to pull Anais down.

Before Anais could stain Constantine with dirty blood.

Going back to work after a long time made me excited. The bright sunlight felt like it was celebrating my new start.

“How have you been?”

“Good, boss. You look well. Did you have a nice trip?”

Hares greeted me with a cheerful voice.

“Of course. You look well, too, Hares.”

“Yes. Ever since you got married, there haven’t been any annoying customers coming to the bank.”

Hares grinned.

I thought so.

With a new powerful family behind us, it was only natural. The Constantine duchy was higher ranked than the Graham marquis, so any troublemakers would be too scared now.

“That’s good. By the way, where’s Mr. Janus?”

“He’ll be here soon.”

Right after Hares said that, Janus arrived. I greeted him warmly too.

Maybe it was because I had a good rest, but I felt full of energy.

“There are a few things I need to tell you. First, Hares.”

“Yes?”

“Some unwelcome guests might come. I hope you can turn them away, but if you can’t, you can send them to me.”

“Unwelcome guests…?”

“Yes. Madam Rosemarlin.”

I smiled brightly.

I thought I explained it clearly, but knowing her, Rosemarlin wouldn’t give up easily.

Her angry face looked determined to “fix” me.

“I’ll do my best,” Hares nodded.

“And Mr. Janus.”

“Yes, Your Grace. Please go ahead.”

He had changed the way he addressed me. It made me smile shyly.

“It’s possible that Hedges Bank will cause us some trouble.”

Hedges Bank used to work with Constantine. With Baldwin moving a lot of money through my bank, Hedges probably suffered.

“It’s not impossible,” Janus said.

“Please prepare any materials we might need, and watch the news closely.”

I had worked hard to protect Graham Bank’s reputation through the wedding. I couldn’t let Hedges ruin it now.

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

“Any interesting news while I was away?”

“There is!” Hares raised his hand like a student eager to answer.

“This quarter, there’s a company preparing to expand overseas, boss.”

“Overseas, huh.”

My eyes lit up.

“It looks like more people will need investment money. Please make a list of solid companies.”

“Yes, boss!”

This could help Baldwin too, since Constantine controls much of the transportation business.

More companies would need ships.

Our marriage really was a win-win.

It was a good start to the week.

Sophia stared at the sign for Graham Bank, her eyes puffy from crying and her breathing heavy.

Egbert hadn’t come back since he left the mansion. She heard he was staying at different hotels.

Now Sophia had to admit it. She meant nothing to Egbert. She was just someone who entertained him when he felt like it.

She was easy to throw away, easy to use.

It took her a long time to accept this bitter truth.

The happy marriage she dreamed of was just an impossible illusion.

Sophia let out a sigh.

She wondered what she could do.

Finally, she made up her mind.

‘Go back to the past.’

To the time when Anais was still there.

Back then, Sophia was happier, even though jealousy hurt her inside. At least Egbert was there, too.

If Anais returned, Egbert would return too.

With trembling hands, Sophia opened the door.

“Um, I’m here to see the Duchess.”

“Go upstairs and look for Hares.”

Sophia nodded and went up to the second floor. She asked a passerby, who took her to Hares.

She flinched when she saw Hares’s tough face.

“What brings you here?”

“Uh, I’m here to see the Duchess.”

“Did you make an appointment?”

“No. But… she’ll see me. I’m Sophia.”

“Who?”

Sophia blinked.

‘He doesn’t know me? Why?’

Sophia was the woman who gave birth to the marquis’s son. How could he not know her?

‘How should I introduce myself?’

Sophia’s face fell as she realized her situation. She didn’t have a single proper sentence to describe herself.

The Graham marquis’s mistress.

Or the mother of the marquis’s illegitimate child.

Sophia took a shaky breath. None of those were honorable. Tears welled up in her eyes again.

She couldn’t bring herself to say the words.

Sophia lowered her head, not knowing what to do.

“Ma’am? Could you please tell me who you are and what your business is? I’ll need to confirm with the boss and make an appointment.”

“…Well…”

Sophia scratched at her dress with her fingernails.

It felt like the ground was opening up under her feet.

She couldn’t get the words out.

For the first time, she felt ashamed of her relationship with Egbert, and of everything she had done. Sophia’s face filled with shame.