That’s How I Became a Villainess - Chapter 7

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

Episode 7

“This is madam’s…!”
Anna recognized at once that it was a pearl—one of the pearls that made up Bridget’s Betrothal Bracelet.
“How did this break?”
Penelope, startled and breathless with panic, suddenly struck Anna across the cheek without warning.
“You ruined it, you wretch!”
Crack!
“Impertinent creature! What am I supposed to do now!”
She’d only meant to look—to set the bracelet back and leave with a few dresses, nothing more.
If Anna hadn’t appeared, there would have been no trouble at all.
“You broke this, do you understand? You broke it.”
Anna clutched her stinging cheek and glared at Penelope.
“But you touched it, madam! I had nothing to do with this.”
“What did you say?”
Penelope’s hand rose again.
That was when it happened.
“Enough, Penelope.”
Bridget’s firm voice cut through, stopping Penelope’s hand mid-swing.
“Bridget….”
Penelope flinched, not having realized at first that it was Bridget’s voice.
Bridget stood watching her with eyes she’d never seen before—cold and unfamiliar.
“What are you doing?”
Penelope lowered her hand quickly.
The moment Anna spotted Bridget, she rushed to tattle.
“Madam! I saw this woman sneak into your room and try to steal your Betrothal Bracelet!”
“That’s a lie!”
Penelope shot Anna a venomous look.
Bridget pressed her forehead and turned to the person behind her with an apologetic expression.
“Mariam, would you mind going downstairs and waiting for me?”
“Of course, Countess Winston.”
Only then did Penelope and Anna realize there had been a visitor behind Bridget.
The woman called Mariam glanced at Penelope with curious eyes, offered an awkward smile, and hurried away.
‘This is such humiliation!’
Penelope’s face flushed crimson.
That woman had heard only Anna’s accusation before disappearing downstairs—making it look as though Penelope had been caught red-handed, stealing.
Penelope turned to Bridget with resentment in her eyes.
“Anna misunderstood. Why would I steal your Betrothal Bracelet? This girl caused a commotion and broke it herself. I was only looking. Make Anna pay for the damage.”
“No, madam! That’s not—”
Bridget raised her hand, silencing them both.
“I understand enough.”
Bridget looked down at the scattered pearls on the floor.
“The jewels don’t matter. Anna, I want you to apologize to Penelope for misunderstanding her and speaking so disrespectfully.”
Anna’s face fell, but with Bridget’s firm instruction, she had no choice.
She pouted her lips and bowed to Penelope in apology.
“I’m sorry, madam. I was rude.”
Penelope muttered, ‘That’s what I thought,’ and lifted her chin slightly.
Bridget responded to her with unmistakable firmness.
“Penelope, I’d appreciate it if you apologized to Anna for striking her. Regardless of the circumstances, I won’t overlook you laying hands on my servant.”
“What…?”
“Apologize to Anna.”
“Excuse me?”
Penelope stared at Bridget in disbelief.
But Bridget did not relent.
Penelope trembled under the weight of Bridget’s unflinching gaze—a look she’d never seen before.
The Bridget standing before her now seemed like a stranger.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Penelope appealed with an expression of utter injustice.
“You must have misunderstood something. Do you even know how rudely Anna behaved toward me? When you weren’t here, this girl stared daggers at me and—!”
“Anna apologized for her rudeness. Now it’s your turn.”
“Are you taking the maid’s side?”
Penelope glanced at the ceiling as though the absurdity was beyond words, then fixed Bridget with a sharp look.
“You’re my friend! Not this mere servant! Whose side are you on? You shouldn’t treat me this way!”
“Penelope.”
“Don’t look at me like that—like you’re teaching me some lesson. You said I was more precious to you than anyone. You said you’d always be on my side. Was all of that a lie? I’m truly disappointed in you.”
Penelope’s fists trembled with the sting of betrayal.
Her eyes glistened with tears as she glared at Bridget, her face a mask of hurt.
But Bridget remained unmoved, simply holding her gaze.
As though tears would accomplish nothing.
She genuinely seemed determined to extract an apology.
‘This isn’t how it’s supposed to go.’
Penelope was shaken by Bridget’s refusal to yield as she always had before.
At the same moment, anger flared within her.
“So if you tell me to apologize, I have to? Are you ordering me around now? Is this why you made me stay here?”
“This is a simple matter, Penelope. Don’t agitate yourself.”
“You’ve… you’ve changed. How could you do this to me? Why? Because you’re the First Wife and I’m the concubine? Are you lording it over me? Is that why you’re looking down on me? How could you treat me this way?”
“Penelope!”
“Don’t say my name like that!”
In her agitation, no longer distinguishing between what should and shouldn’t be said, Penelope shrieked at the top of her lungs, stamped her feet thunderously, and stormed out of the room.
“Well, really…”
Anna shook her head as she watched Penelope’s retreating figure.
“Are you alright, Anna? Does it hurt where she hit you?”
Bridget examined Anna’s face carefully from different angles.
“Oh, your face is quite swollen.”
“I’m fine, ma’am. A bit of a beating—it’ll be completely gone by tomorrow.”
Anna spoke cheerfully and offered Bridget a reassuring smile.
Bridget sighed as she looked at her.
“I’m sorry, Anna.”
“Goodness, ma’am, why? It’s Mrs. Bellingham who’s at fault here.”
“No, I’m the one who’s sorry. For now, it would be best if you stayed out of Penelope’s sight.”
“Don’t worry about me, ma’am. But what will happen with Mrs. Bellingham now? She won’t say anything strange to the master, will she?”
“I’ll handle that myself.”
Anna watched Bridget with worried eyes.
Still, it wasn’t a problem she could solve for her. All she could do was leave it to Bridget.
“What a shame about this precious bracelet!”
Anna settled onto the floor and began gathering the scattered pearls.
Bridget, pretending to help, slipped the broken bracelet string into her pocket and concealed it.
On it remained clear traces of deliberate tampering—evidence that the bracelet had been made to break.

* * *

Mariam was an assistant at the Dressmaking Atelier where Bridget commissioned her gowns.
Since Bridget usually ordered dresses by correspondence alone, today was the first time Mariam had seen her in person.
It was unusual for this regular customer to visit in person, and so early in the morning at that.
Just as Mariam was puzzling over this, Bridget finished her conversation with the head designer and approached her, asking if she could accompany her home to take measurements for a pregnant woman who had difficulty moving about.
‘Surely she could have sent a messenger for such an errand. Why did she come herself?’
Though puzzled, Mariam readily agreed to follow Bridget.
And then she witnessed what had just transpired.
As Mariam descended the stairs to the first floor, she heard Penelope’s voice ringing sharply from outside Bridget’s room.
“Why? Because you’re the First Wife and I’m the concubine? Are you playing mistress to me now?”
‘What on earth is this?’
Her ears pricked up.
‘A domestic quarrel?’
The words the maid had spoken earlier came back to her.
“Ma’am! I saw Mrs. Bellingham sneak into your room and try to steal your Betrothal Bracelet!”
In truth, Mariam had become curious from that point onward and had been descending the stairs slowly when Penelope’s outburst reached her ears.
Hearing Penelope’s footsteps thundering down the corridor toward the staircase, Mariam quickly rushed down to the first floor to avoid an encounter.
‘The way she walks with such vigor—she doesn’t seem to have any difficulty with movement at all.’
But this was no time to dwell on such trifles.
She had Bridget’s permission, so she considered heading to the drawing room before changing her mind and making instead for the Servants’ Rest Room.
Mariam frequented such grand manors often enough, taking measurements for ladies of rank, and she’d learned that the Servants’ Rest Room in any estate tended to be situated in much the same fashion—easy enough to locate without being shown the way.
“Good afternoon. I’ve come from the Dressmaking Atelier on Mrs. Winston’s commission. She asked me to wait on the first floor, but I wonder if I might trouble you for a cup of tea?”
“Of course, do come in.”
Several housemaids were seated in the rest room, taking their turns at leisure.
They made room for Mariam without fuss, accepting her as a laborer hired for the day.
The Servants’ Rest Room was by custom open not merely to the household staff, but to messengers from outside, visiting merchants, and delivery boys alike.
The maids, who’d been passing the time in boredom, took notice of Mariam.
“Is the mistress having a new Dress made? We don’t usually see seamstresses brought into the house, do we?”
“I heard she asked them to come in person because there’s a pregnant woman in the household?”
“Ah.”
At the mention of pregnancy, the maids’ expressions soured.
“Is that pregnant woman perhaps Mrs. Bellingham?”
Mariam had heard talk of Mrs. Bellingham before.
She recalled the ladies who visited the atelier gossiping about how the woman had married some elderly man old enough to be her grandfather.
One of the maids shrugged.
“That’s the one. Well, it’s hardly a secret, is it?”
‘Excellent.’
Mariam silently applauded herself.

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