She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 84

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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 84. Preparing for Counterattack

“Hmph, pretending to be such a good-natured businessman.”

VIP seats at the Brisen Grand Theater.

Tira fanned herself while glaring at Naijel.

“You think I don’t know that all you have in your head is thoughts of selling medicine for even a penny more?”

“Well now, why do you say such hurtful things.”

Naijel laughed nonchalantly and shrugged his shoulders.

“What am I, digging dirt for business? When I procure medicine for people, naturally they should pay a fair price.”

He stretched out his arm and pulled Tira’s waist toward him.

“Thanks to that, I can buy jewelry and dresses for our pretty little songbird. Right?”

“Hmm.”

Tira twisted her shoulders coquettishly.

Naijel, who had been watching her with satisfaction, suddenly asked as if remembering something.

“Come to think of it, how’s the plan to seduce the Duke going?”

“Oh, that.”

Tira smiled with satisfaction.

The day she encountered the noblewomen.

Tira had ostentatiously packed her belongings and left the Duke’s Mansion.

This too was part of her plan.

To make it look as if Cecilia had driven her out of jealousy.

“It’s proceeding smoothly.”

“Really? You didn’t give up?”

“Why would I give up? The Dowager Duchess promised to give me the Duke.”

“What?”

Naijel’s mouth fell open.

Since she had returned to the hotel with swollen eyes.

He had thought she’d been properly humiliated and driven out.

“Did I hear that right? That Dowager Duchess?”

“Have you been living your whole life being deceived?”

Tira slapped Naijel’s arm.

After looking around, she pressed her body close to his.

“Soon the Dowager Duchess will host a tea party. Come with me and watch. How I take over the Duke’s family.”

“Oh…”

But Naijel’s gaze was already fixed on Tira’s neckline.

He smiled lecherously and pulled Tira even closer to him.

“Very capable, aren’t you? If I’d known you were this clever, I should have used you in my business too.”

“Oh my, if you had, your wife would have caught on immediately, wouldn’t she?”

“Don’t make me laugh. Even if that woman is the representative, I handle all the actual work.”

Naijel giggled.

Soon the theater lights went out one by one.

When the stage curtain rose and the surroundings brightened again.

“…”

The VIP seats where Naijel and Tira sat were already hidden behind thick curtains.

* * *

After the play’s curtain fell.

Michel went up to the VIP seats, leaving behind the applause that filled the audience.

It was natural for an actor to greet VIP guests after a performance, but.

Today he felt especially nervous and caught his breath.

That was because Naijel was one of Sandy’s lifesavers.

‘What should I say to start the conversation.’

His gratitude was so great that he didn’t know how to express it.

Just as Michel stood nervously in front of the curtained VIP seats.

High-pitched laughter flowed out from inside.

“Ahaha, now that I think about it, do you regret not selling that tuberculosis medicine for more? Then go ask the Duchess for more money.”

“Tsk, how could I say that.”

“Then don’t pretend to be good. Why act like you’re a hero saving people?”

“What else can I do? The Duchess insists on selling it cheap. Should I say ‘Don’t do that, just let the poor ones die’?”

“That’s what you really think anyway.”

What did they just say?

Michel’s heart sank.

Until now, he had thought of Naijel as the savior who rescued him and Sandy.

That faith was crashing down in just a few words.

Moreover.

‘…Didn’t he clearly say daughter earlier?’

But Naijel and Tira, glimpsed through the curtain gap, looked far too intimate.

Besides, Tira was calling Naijel “you” instead of father.

Michel frowned.

But the shocking revelations didn’t end there.

“Just wait a little. When I become the Duchess of Hays, I’ll pay the proper price.”

“Well now, our little songbird is getting cocky with the Dowager Duchess backing her!”

“Of course, she’s the Dowager Duchess of Hays after all.”

The sound of a fan snapping shut was heard.

“The Duchess of Hays is finished now. She’ll be driven out with nothing but the clothes on her back.”

Michel was so shocked he almost cried out.

From the recent newspaper articles, he had guessed that relations between the Duchess and Dowager Duchess weren’t very good.

But he had thought it was just common mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflict.

But they were really planning to drive her out?

“Hey, Michel!”

Just then, when his name was suddenly called from behind, Michel jumped and turned around.

The Theater Owner was approaching.

“You weren’t in the dressing room, so I wondered where you’d gone. You were here?”

“Yes? Oh, yes! I, I was going to greet Mr. Ruth…”

Michel said while glancing at the inside of the curtain.

“What’s gotten into you to have such a thoughtful idea?”

The Theater Owner laughed heartily and patted Michel’s shoulder.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to notice that Michel had been eavesdropping on the conversation inside.

“…”

The inside quickly became quiet at the sudden noise from outside.

Soon Naijel opened the curtain and came out.

The Theater Owner, looking at Michel, smiled brightly.

“Oh, Mr. Ruth. How was the performance?”

“Ah, it was good. Splendid, and the songs were good too.”

“…”

Naijel also seemed unaware that Michel had overheard their conversation.

“Father.”

Then Tira also came out from inside.

Michel could clearly see traces of her hastily adjusting her clothes.

But he showed no sign of it.

Meanwhile, Tira looked Michel up and down.

“Oh my, but who is this handsome gentleman?”

“Yes? Oh… you didn’t recognize me because I removed my makeup. I’m Michel Eimos, who played the lead role in today’s performance.”

It didn’t make sense that she wouldn’t recognize Michel who had been on stage.

But the theater owner skillfully smiled and led the conversation.

“Come now, Michel. What are you doing? You should greet them properly too.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you so much for coming to see us.”

“Oh my.”

Tira’s eyes sparkled as she looked up at Michel.

Her face showed no hint that she could imagine he had been eavesdropping on their secret just moments before.

Michel also put his mask back on, pretending nothing had happened.

“It’s truly an honor that you both visited our theater today. Today will surely remain in my memory for a long time.”

“Really?”

For Michel, those were pointed words.

But Tira was simply overjoyed and didn’t know what to do with herself.

Perhaps this handsome actor had also fallen for her.

She already had the Duke of Hays.

But dating such a docile man wouldn’t be too bad either.

‘I’m going to become the Duchess anyway. Women with wealth and honor naturally receive such rewards.’

Tira deliberately turned her body slightly and extended her hand for a handshake.

“We might see each other often from now on. I’m the one who should ask for your favor.”

“…Yes.”

Taking that hand, Michel pressed his lips tightly together.

The stories he had just heard wouldn’t leave his mind.

Actually, looking at these frivolous people before his eyes.

They weren’t particularly threatening.

The problem was that the Dowager Duchess was behind them.

If things continued like this, the Duchess would obviously be in danger.

He could no longer pretend not to know about the crisis facing the woman who had saved Sandy’s life.

‘There’s no time. I need to relay this story quickly.’

* * *

Cecilia stood in the music room, gazing at the sunset.

Though Tira had left this house.

The aftermath she left behind was greater than expected.

The Dowager Duchess of Hays had treated her counterpart coldly as soon as she finished the contract she wanted.

Rumors were circulating that behind this was an inappropriate relationship between the Duke and Tira Russ.

‘This must be the Dowager Duchess’s work.’

On that very day, the elderly ladies close to Elise had coincidentally all visited the Duke’s Mansion at once.

Tira had also known about this fact in advance.

Looking back, the sequence of events was drawn too clearly.

Why hadn’t she realized this beforehand.

‘…What’s done is done.’

Cecilia steadied her breathing and organized her thoughts.

‘Let’s focus on what I can do going forward.’

First, Elise was planning to hold a tea party soon.

On the surface, it was supposedly to celebrate the recovery of Tira, who had been a guest of the Count’s Family.

But in reality, the intention to humiliate Cecilia in front of everyone was quite evident.

‘I can’t let things go according to the Dowager Duchess’s wishes.’

Just as Cecilia was planning for what lay ahead.

“My lady.”

Wendy carefully knocked and entered.

“A guest has arrived.”

“A guest? At this hour?”

Cecilia tilted her head at this unexpected event.

But soon her eyes widened greatly at the identity of the guest Wendy told her about.

“He says he’s the lead actor performing at the Brisen Grand Theater. He said he absolutely must speak with you, my lady.”

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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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