About Becoming My Ex-Husband's Mistress - Chapter 51

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 51. A Secret Between Us
As the styling began, the way people looked at me gradually transformed.
Admiration and reverence.
I wish it had remained that way throughout, but it was fleeting. Soon, I felt jealousy, competitive fervor, and envious glances creeping in.
By the latter half, what I sensed was the sigh of resignation.
It was nothing new to me.
Before my regression, when I worked in the modern era under the nickname “Priscilla,” I had often received such looks from other stylists.
Back then too, everyone marveled at first, grew envious in the middle, and resigned themselves by the end.
When someone’s skill is too exceptional, jealousy itself becomes impossible to muster.
But those who passed through my hands loved me dearly.
It was only natural—I had made them the stars of the stage.
I found myself wistful for that life once more.
Had I not regressed and simply maintained my career, I might have been walking a path of undeniable success by now.
About four hours had passed since the styling began.
The grandfather clock chimed six times.
The model’s styling was perfectly complete.
The model stood radiant in a bright yellow satin dress, every detail flawlessly executed.
“Is… is… is this really me?”
The model stammered as she gazed into the mirror, doubting her own eyes.
The sunken cheeks had plumped with vitality, and the protruding cheekbones had transformed into lovely contours.
All traces of blemishes had vanished, and her skin now radiated a luminous glow.
Her sparse eyebrows had been drawn into elegant crescents, and lashes that hadn’t existed before now appeared long and beautiful.
“Come on, turn around for us.”
At Madame Laber’s instruction, the model grasped her skirts and spun.
Her curled brown hair rippled and caught the light, cascading beautifully. More than that, her hair appeared fuller, as though volume had been magically restored.
The designers around us murmured softly in awe.
All traces of the Slums had vanished from the model without a trace.
To anyone’s eyes, she looked like a noble lady.
“Excellent.”
Madame Laber’s lips curved upward with satisfaction as she turned to address her staff.
“First, I’m taking volunteers. Who will assist our Priscilla with full commitment during the Royal Elegance Contest?”
“Me!”
Before the words had even finished, Irina stepped forward first. The usually composed Irina’s expression had completely transformed.
She continued without drawing a breath.
“And also… my roommate wants to transfer to our Salon. Could she also assist Priscilla?”
One of Madame Laber’s eyebrows arched upward.
“What are you suddenly talking about?”
“She’s from the same village as me.”
She was referring to Misha.
But Madame Laber, unfamiliar with Misha, clicked her tongue.
“I acknowledge your skills are good, but I won’t accept you simply because you’re roommates. You need to prove yourself.”
“She’s a friend who works at Eleonora Salon.”
“An employee of Eleonora Salon, you say? That changes things somewhat.”
Madame Laber paused thoughtfully before asking again.
“But you’re switching salons just because your friend asked?”
“She’s been handling Countess Bilsty recently and is absolutely exhausted.”
The designers stirred quietly at those words.
“My goodness, handling Countess Bilsty?”
“That must be incredibly difficult.”
“I heard some designer recently got slapped and had her hair pulled.”
Madame Laber raised one hand.
Once the murmuring ceased, Irina continued.
“That’s right. That designer who suffered recently is my friend. So when I call, she’ll come immediately. Since arriving in the Capital, she’s followed me like an older sister. She even joined Eleonora Salon on my recommendation.”
“Then she’ll be useful.”
“Yes. She’ll definitely be helpful.”
Madame Laber looked at me.
“What do you think?”
Irina and Misha.
Since we’d lived together on the island, I was fine with it.
But I wondered if it was wise to accept them both while keeping my identity hidden.
Just then, Irina clenched both fists tightly.
“After seeing your skills demonstrated, I want to learn by assisting you from the side. My friend and I will be of great help to you.”
Until moments ago she’d called me Priscilla, but now she used the title “teacher.”
Irina seemed to have guessed my identity through her own perceptiveness.
‘At this point, I should ask her to keep quiet about it.’
I didn’t want to let Misha suffer under Matilda Bilsty’s tyranny, so I nodded to Madame Laber.
“Please do that.”
* * *
The next day.
Misha immediately submitted her resignation from Eleonora Salon and rushed to Raber Salon.
Madame Laber arranged a space for us to greet each other properly.
Misha, who had grown more mature in the time since we’d last met, greeted me as though we were meeting for the first time, treating me as a stranger, while occasionally glancing at Irina’s expression.
There was no doubt some conversation had passed between them.
“Then let’s all three work hard to achieve good results in the Royal Elegance Contest. I’m counting on you.”
After finishing her words, Madame Laber left, and with only the three of us remaining, Irina, who had been sitting quietly, carefully opened her mouth.
“At first I was disappointed. Someone other than the person I expected came. But when I witnessed your technical demonstration, I understood why Madame Laber gave me the money she promised.”
Just as I thought—her tone was one of certainty about my identity.
“As far as I know, there’s only one person with those hand techniques. Even Director Eleonor doesn’t possess such exceptional skills.”
I wasn’t sure where or how to begin explaining.
I simply folded my hands together, rested them on my lap, and listened to what Irina had to say.
“I have many questions, but the fact that you’re changing your appearance like this must mean you have a good reason for it.”
Irina spoke first, and now Misha opened her mouth.
“I was really shocked when I heard about it from Irina. We just need to pretend we’re seeing you for the first time and act like we know nothing, right? Only we can recognize your hand techniques, so if we keep quiet, no one will ever know.”
In the end, I nodded.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I can’t explain the circumstances, but to sum it up—yes. Irina seemed to have already figured out it was me, and I wanted to ask for your discretion. I want to live a completely new life.”
When I admitted I was Priscilla, Misha and Irina jumped up from their seats and sat down beside me, one on each side.
The two of them grasped my hands firmly and spoke with earnest conviction.
“I’ll take this secret to my grave.”
“Yes, it’s a secret between us. We’ll never breathe a word of it!”
“And from now on, you need to speak comfortably with us.”
“That’s right. The main designer speaks casually to her assistant designers!”
* * *
I took Irina and Misha on as assistant designers and began my work.
The two of them assisted with genuine passion, which allowed me to perform at my best without any reservations.
After finishing my day’s work, I thought I might stop by the tavern that Walter operated.
That’s when someone came running toward me.
“Teacher! Could you teach me just a little? I’ll give you half of what I earned today!”
It was the model I’d seen yesterday who came running up to me.
The desperation in her eyes made it impossible not to ask about her circumstances.
The model’s name was Jeanne.
Working at a tavern in the slums, she didn’t just serve—she also sold her body to drunk customers for pocket change.
“If I don’t, I’ll be forced or beaten to death.”
Though her environment was truly hellish with no dreams or hope, Jeanne scraped by caring for her ailing mother.
Hearing Jeanne’s tragic story, I found myself seeing Madame Raber in a new light.
It was Madame Raber who brought her here and showed her a new direction in life.
I had only thought of her as a dangerous figure to powerless women, given her involvement in the pleasure district.
But considering the burden of theft, it was Madame Raber who employed people from the slums.
‘She can’t be called virtuous, but she does provide her own form of salvation.’
However, the form was transaction rather than charity.
While it seemed calculating at first glance, the method of giving what the other person needs and receiving fair compensation in return appeared good because both parties could feel dignified about it.
I decided to teach Jeanne how to groom herself to a certain degree.
I had no intention of taking her earnings as tuition.
But it wasn’t free either.
I intended to receive compensation in the form of other conditions I needed.
* * *
I spent about three weeks busily adapting to the Raber Salon and the trends of the Capital.
While staying in the lodging provided by the salon, I did my best to follow Margaret’s advice, and everything she told me proved to be genuinely good counsel.
Occasionally, socks I’d carelessly left behind would disappear and never return.
And the noble ladies who received my styling were uniformly satisfied and would book their next appointments.
They said they would gladly vote for me if I entered the Royal Elegance Contest.
However, their influence on the competition was negligible.
Most influential noblewomen patronized the Eleonora Salon, after all.
But from what I had gathered, opportunities still existed. So for now, it was ideal to steadily build a loyal clientele.
Time passed in this manner, and a week before the Royal Elegance Contest.
Before lunch hour ended, I sent Misha on an errand and entered the powder room ahead of time.
Since Irina had the day off, Misha was my only assistant.
Above all, the guest arriving soon was an important figure for the Royal Elegance Contest, so I needed to prepare in advance before receiving her.
Yet there was already a woman seated on the sofa, sipping tea.
Today’s client was Baroness Meldear, who had earned the nickname “Speaker” in high society for her loud voice and the many women who followed her lead.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Baroness Meldear. I’m Priscilla, the lead designer handling your grooming today.”
After greeting her respectfully, I assessed her appearance.
Baroness Meldear, who had frowned upon seeing me, had pale skin and greenish hair tinged with yellow, with a thin and irritable expression.
“Your looks are passable, but… surely you didn’t assign a newcomer to me?”
She muttered as if speaking to herself, set down her teacup, and pulled the bell cord.
Margaret, who had been minding the front, entered and bowed respectfully.
“What is it, Baroness Meldear?”
Baroness Meldear began pointing accusingly at Margaret.
“Didn’t I specifically ask for Irina to be booked?”
Margaret hurriedly checked the ledger.
“Irina has the day off today. We did inform you of that at the time.”
“You did say that, but shouldn’t she come if I demand it?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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