I’ll Be the Heroine’s Competent Divorce Partner - Chapter 126
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 126
“Ah, so that’s why Marchioness Lucerno is wearing it?”
“As expected of Bella Dress Shop.”
“They never fail to meet expectations.”
The noble ladies each nodded their heads, but only for a moment.
One young noble lady who had been reading the atmosphere quietly approached Isabel.
“Um, Countess Delainey.”
“Ah, yes.”
“I’m sorry if this is an impertinent question, but would it be possible to place an order with Bella Dress Shop in advance?”
The noble lady looked at Isabel with sparkling, bright eyes.
“I mean the dress that the Marchioness is wearing. I’d like to have one made for myself too.”
At that moment.
The attention of the other noble ladies suddenly focused on Isabel.
“My goodness, is that possible?”
“If so, then I too…”
“I-I’d like to have one made for my daughter as well.”
In an instant, the noble ladies crowded around Isabel in a bustling manner.
Overwhelmed by such intense attention, Isabel unconsciously took a step back.
It was because she felt somewhat overwhelmed.
‘Have I ever received this kind of attention from noble ladies before?’
The answer to that question was ‘no.’
Even when she held the highest position as the Duchess of Laventess, she had never once received this kind of attention.
She had always been overshadowed by Marisa, who acted as if she were the lady of the house.
But now…
‘Ah, I see.’
Isabel suddenly realized.
The goodwill directed toward her now.
The interest in the dress she had designed.
All of it had been achieved through Isabel’s own power.
It meant she was no longer overshadowed by Laventess and could shine brightly on her own.
The moment she recognized that fact.
A bright smile spread across Isabel’s lips.
“Of course, if you let me know in advance, I’ll pass it along to the dress shop.”
Isabel answered energetically.
Naturally, the noble ladies’ expressions brightened even more at her cheerful response.
* * *
A silver moon like a mirror hung round in the dark night sky.
Standing alone on the balcony, Richard leaned his arms against the railing and gazed up at the sky.
The sound of waltz music played by the orchestra drifted faintly from beyond the closed balcony doors.
As he listened to that faint music.
The image of Elodie and the Crown Prince embracing each other and gracefully stepping through the waltz came to mind.
‘Those two looked so well-matched together.’
The Crown Prince treated Elodie preciously, as if she were a porcelain doll that might break at any moment.
Actually, that wasn’t surprising.
The Crown Prince had already clearly expressed his feelings for Elodie.
What was more shocking to Richard was…
‘She could make such an expression.’
Blue eyes that looked up only at the Crown Prince.
Cheeks blushed red like a ripe apple.
Rose-colored lips holding a gentle smile.
Elodie at that moment had the face of someone completely in love.
…An expression she had never once shown to Richard until now.
‘Since when have His Highness the Crown Prince and the Marquess been in such an intimate relationship?’
‘Well, they do look good together.’
‘It doesn’t seem like they’re just dancing out of courtesy, does it?’
Moreover, there were the words the gentlemen had been chattering about regarding the two of them earlier.
Richard’s eyes darkened deeply.
His decision to give up his feelings for Elodie was still valid.
However, it seemed that from the beginning, she had never once recognized him as a man.
It seemed that for her, the only ‘opposite sex’ was the Crown Prince alone…
But then.
“Oh my.”
The thick curtains separating the balcony from the banquet hall were suddenly swept aside.
The balcony doors opened wide.
A blonde noblewoman poked her head out from beyond, then immediately stepped back with an embarrassed face.
“Oh dear, I’m sorry. I disturbed your rest.”
Isabel von Laventess.
She was the co-representative of Bella Dress Shop and the head of Count Delaney’s House.
Privately, she was Elodie’s former sister-in-law.
Now they shared an intimate friendship that went beyond the relationship of sister-in-law and sister-in-law.
Richard shook his head and asked back.
“Not at all. Did you come out to get some fresh air, Countess?”
“Well, yes, but…”
Isabel quietly rolled her eyes.
That was understandable, since normally it was proper etiquette to withdraw from a balcony if there were prior occupants.
At the same time, Richard took a step back.
“Please, come in.”
“Pardon?”
“The other balconies are probably all full of people anyway. And it would be troublesome for you to go all the way down to the garden, wouldn’t it?”
At those words, Isabel carefully stepped onto the balcony.
“Thank you.”
Isabel bowed her head in greeting and approached the railing with quick steps.
She gently closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Whew.”
She had been so tormented by the noble ladies that she felt like her mind was about to slip away.
Still, feeling the night breeze made her head feel somewhat clearer.
A considerable amount of time passed like that.
During that time, the two didn’t exchange even a single word of conversation.
‘Hmm, isn’t this a bit awkward?’
With that thought, Isabel glanced sideways at Count Disraeli standing beside her.
It seemed Richard had no particular intention of diluting this awkward atmosphere.
He didn’t seem to have such a warm personality normally either.
“Um, aren’t you going to enjoy the banquet more?”
Isabel gathered all her social skills and carefully tried to start a conversation, but.
“No.”
Richard only responded with a curt answer.
Isabel felt somewhat embarrassed.
However, Richard was too much of a gentleman to leave the Lady feeling uncomfortable.
“Come to think of it, how is the Bella Dress Shop doing these days?”
It was a tone that clearly meant he was asking out of politeness.
The problem was that Isabel became extremely excited as soon as she heard that question.
“Ah, our dress shop?”
Isabel’s face lit up brightly like a lantern being turned on.
Surprised, Richard reflexively stiffened his shoulders.
Isabel continued with an excited voice.
“Did you see the dress Elodie was wearing earlier?”
“Ah, yes.”
Actually, he hadn’t looked closely.
Watching the two people being affectionate like lovers in a famous painting made his chest ache for some reason.
So he had ended up looking away.
“That’s our Bella Dress Shop’s new product. The noble ladies keep requesting advance reservations, so I slipped away because it was becoming burdensome.”
Isabel answering like that had a quite confident expression.
How should I put it, it was an expression that showed no self-doubt whatsoever.
That was probably why.
That was the reason why the question burst out of my mouth without me even being conscious of it.
“How can you do that?”
“Pardon?”
“Not doubting your decisions at all, I mean.”
The decision to run away from the Laventess Ducal House.
Establishing Bella Dress Shop and jumping directly into business as a woman.
And finally becoming the head of Count Delaney’s House.
Making all those decisions and carrying them out surely couldn’t have been easy, yet Isabel just had a bright expression.
She looked refreshed as if she had no trace of anguish whatsoever.
…Completely different from Richard, who continued to waver even after already making his decision.
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
But then.
Isabel looked up at Richard with a serious expression.
Her eyes were bewildered, as if asking what kind of absurd nonsense he was spouting.
“Not doubting? Do you know how much I worried, agonized, and struggled?”
“What?”
“It’s common sense, isn’t it? Laventess is considered one of the top noble families in the Empire, so how could I be at peace while making enemies of such a family?”
Isabel shrugged her shoulders and smiled with her eyes.
“Still… I did feel a bit relieved.”
“Relieved?”
“Yes. After all, it was my own decision.”
Isabel continued speaking gently.
“Various results came from that decision. I’m no longer the Duchess of Laventess. Instead, I’m Isabel of Delaney, and the designer and co-representative of Bella Dress Shop.”
Her words flowed like water.
This was something Isabel had been contemplating for a long time.
“I was lucky and got generally satisfying results. If my results had been bad, I surely would have been very sad. But still.”
Isabel straightened her back.
Her refreshing green eyes, like midsummer foliage, looked straight into Richard’s eyes.
“I wouldn’t have any lingering attachments or regrets.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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