She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 78

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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 78. Tira’s Scheme (1)

“Medicinal herbs known as New Continent specialties discovered in the Kingdom of Herdin!”

Naijel read and reread the newspaper several times as if he couldn’t believe it.

The confident face of the Duchess from when she had spoken overlapped with the newspaper page.

To think this was actually true.

“Give me that!”

Tira snatched the newspaper away as if grabbing it.

She frowned.

Just moments ago, hadn’t she been eagerly telling Rainer how reckless the Duchess’s choice was?

To be so thoroughly overturned in less than half a day.

“Ahahahahaha!”

Naijel burst into laughter beside her.

“Isn’t this fortunate, Tira? Thanks to the Duchess, we avoided a huge loss, didn’t we?”

“Is this really something to laugh about? Thanks to her, we had to hand over the distribution rights at half price!”

“Huh?”

Naijel opened his eyes wide with a bewildered expression.

“No, in the end this is profitable. Business is about looking at the overall picture, you know.”

“That damn business talk again! Enough, really!”

Without even knowing what the problem is!

Tira roughly crumpled up the newspaper and threw it on the floor.

Then she stomped off to the bedroom.

Naijel’s losses or gains didn’t matter to her.

She was planning to break up with him and start a family here anyway.

That’s why she had rather hoped the Duchess would be wrong.

She had hoped the woman would be branded with the disgrace of causing great losses to her family by meddling without knowing her place.

“Hah…”

Tira sat down on the bed with a displeased expression.

“This way, the Duke has even less reason to divorce!”

After meeting the Duke today, her longing for him had grown even stronger.

A man who captured the attention of everyone who passed by.

She had felt proud of her position to have a private audience with such a man.

‘I trust my wife’s judgment.’

Though the Duke’s single statement had shattered all those fantasies.

“Hey, Tira. Are you still angry?”

Naijel’s voice came from outside the door.

“Don’t be like that. How about we go look at dresses? The Duke’s family will probably hold a banquet to commemorate the contract, so we should prepare in advance.”

Naijel suggested in a gentle voice.

“I’ll buy you jewelry too. Pick whatever you like.”

“Hah…”

Tira let out a hollow laugh.

Naijel was always like that.

He never wondered why she was angry.

He just tried to appease her with expensive clothes and jewelry.

‘Nothing more or less than a doll that fawns over him from the side, I suppose.’

Well, it was ridiculous to expect more from the position of a mistress.

It was also true that she had been satisfied with dazzlingly gorgeous dresses and jewelry.

But.

After seeing the firm trust the Duke showed the Duchess today.

A new desire began to take root in Tira’s heart.

‘I want to become the wife of such a man too.’

Not a lowly mistress who receives people’s pointing fingers.

But a dignified noblewoman who receives a man’s trust.

And that man had to be the Duke of Hays.

‘To make that happen…’

She would need to meet the Duke again after all.

The banquet Naijel mentioned would surely be an opportunity.

Tira’s mind began racing again.

“Hey, songbird. Are you going to keep sulking?”

“I’ll go.”

She stood up, smoothing her dress.

“Buy me the most expensive and beautiful dress in this place. One that will make any man want to have me.”

* * *

The Hays Ducal Palace Ballroom.

A banquet was held to commemorate the contract between the Count’s Family and Nigel Russ’s Company.

The banquet hall was bustling with the sounds of clinking glasses and laughter.

“Well, I’ll be frantically busy for the next few weeks.”

Naijel raised his glass with a flourish.

Beside him stood Cecilia and Rainer side by side.

Rainer clinked glasses with Naijel and said.

“I’m glad everything worked out well, Mr. Russ.”

“Ah, yes! Of course. It’s entirely thanks to the Duchess.”

Naijel immediately raised his glass toward Cecilia.

“If it weren’t for you, madam, I’d be losing sleep over inventory concerns by now.”

“I’m glad I could be of help.”

Cecilia smiled gently and raised her glass in response.

Naijel brought the glass to his lips and took a sip.

While doing so, he scrutinized her with sharp eyes.

‘Hmm, just how did the Duchess know about that matter?’

She must have considerable skills.

He was dying of curiosity since she wouldn’t tell him anything.

Then, noticing Naijel’s gaze, Rainer pulled Cecilia’s shoulder closer to him.

“In any case, we look forward to working with you, Mr. Russ.”

“Ah, yes…”

Naijel unconsciously shrank his shoulders at Rainer’s look.

The Duke seemed to cherish his wife tremendously.

‘It won’t be easy for Tira to win.’

Not just beauty, but judgment and courage too.

Everything seemed too much for Tira to handle.

‘I should tell her to look for someone other than the Duke. I need to find her a match quickly while we’re staying in Listea.’

Naijel was inwardly clicking his tongue and shaking his head when.

“Father!”

Tira approached with a bright smile.

With each step, the ornate dress decorations fluttered, drawing attention.

The men around couldn’t take their eyes off Tira.

“Oh, Tira. What brings you here?”

“The music is about to start.”

Tira beamed with a full smile.

“We’re the guests of honor, so we should dance first.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

It was customary for the host side to open the ball first at banquets.

Naijel extended his hand to Tira.

“Then let’s go—”

“No.”

But Tira passed by his hand and stood in front of Rainer.

She curtsied slightly as she spoke.

“I read in a book that at banquets hosted jointly by the Two Families, they sometimes dance together mixed. As a symbol of harmony.”

“Hey, Ti, Tira.”

Naijel panicked and broke out in a cold sweat.

But Tira didn’t care at all.

Her gaze was looking straight up at Rainer.

“Your Grace, would you please dance just one song with me?”

At Tira’s bold request, all eyes in the Banquet Hall gathered at once.

People began whispering with curious looks.

“Oh my, it looks like Mr. Russ’s daughter and His Grace are going to dance.”

“Well, if you think about it, isn’t this a gathering for cooperation between the Two Families? It’s perfectly possible.”

The guests seemed to regard it merely as something interesting.

“…”

Rainer didn’t answer immediately and looked back at Cecilia.

Cecilia briefly surveyed her surroundings.

She too didn’t like the idea of Rainer dancing with another woman instead of her.

But This place wasn’t the right setting to show personal feelings.

‘There’s no need to deliberately damage Nigel Russ’s dignity.’

Besides Naijel, there were other businessmen from the New Continent at this gathering.

If they refused Tira’s request, there was a chance that Listea’s nobles might think they were being looked down upon.

Cecilia stepped forward first.

“Then let’s go out together.”

Cecilia looked at Naijel.

“Mr. Russ, it would be better if we danced together too.”

“What? Oh, yes yes!”

Naijel, who had been stunned by Tira’s behavior, hurriedly extended his hand.

Cecilia took it and nodded toward Rainer.

Rainer still looked displeased, but decided to willingly accept his wife’s choice.

“…Let’s go.”

“Yes! Your Grace!”

When Rainer extended his hand, Tira eagerly grabbed it as if she had been waiting.

Her face couldn’t hide her joy.

Soon the four of them stepped out to the center of the Banquet Hall side by side.

The melody of string instruments slowly filled the space.

“Your Grace, I’m happy to be able to dance with you.”

“Yes.”

Even at Tira’s words, Rainer only nodded curtly.

He led the dance with efficient movements.

Precise steps, a posture that considered his partner.

He was the perfect ballroom partner.

However.

“…”

His gaze was following only Cecilia.

Tira was also aware of that persistent stare.

‘Ha.’

A man who was distracted even with her right in front of him.

For Tira, this was an unfamiliar and humiliating situation.

But she wasn’t one to back down like this.

Today, she was determined to catch Rainer’s attention.

“Your Grace… I…”

Tira deliberately made her breathing labored.

And with slightly trembling hands, she grabbed Rainer’s sleeve.

“Suddenly… I feel so dizzy…”

And the next moment.

“Hey, pull yourself together!”

Before Rainer could finish speaking.

The strength slowly drained from Tira’s hands.

Soon her body tilted forward and collapsed into Rainer’s arms.

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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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