PHATFO 95

~Chapter 95~

‘…Bella should be showing up around now.’

Abigail had bribed one of Lady Wellington’s maids to tell Bella the tea party was starting an hour earlier than scheduled.

‘She couldn’t have noticed my trick, could she?’

But Bella made Abigail wait another hour and twenty minutes before finally appearing.

“Is this the place?”

Guided in by the bribed maid, Bella spotted Abigail sitting alone in the empty hall. She immediately scolded the maid.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Bella’s dress looked plain at first glance, but Abigail could see the fabric was of the highest quality. Bella’s complexion, too, was clear and healthy.

It was proof Bella had been living in luxury at the Grand Duke’s estate.

Jealousy twisted inside Abigail, but at the same time she realized Bella might be the very key to solving her own problem.

To Bella, the money Abigail wanted might be no more than pocket change.

“I just wanted a short talk. It won’t take long, so sit.”

“I wonder… are we really the kind to meet privately like this?”

“It’s in your best interest to sit. I won’t say anything that harms you. And you—bring us tea.”

Abigail ordered the maid out.

Bella gave her a displeased look, then sat at a seat diagonal from her.

“Speak.”

Her tone was like someone speaking to a servant. Abigail nearly lost her temper but held it back.

The tea party would begin in just forty minutes—she couldn’t risk ruining her plan.

“You know most of the ladies attending today are mothers with daughters, don’t you?”

“And so?”

“And so? You’re still stupid. Think—if a mother misses her daughter and wants her at home, which noble lady would dare oppose her wish?”

Abigail outlined her scheme.

“If I declare I want you back at House Rohiltern, the other mothers will side with me. If you want to stay in a place above your station, you’d better avoid giving me an excuse to drag you home.”

She threatened Bella: once she set foot back in the Rohiltern estate, she’d never escape again, and would return to a life of isolation and scraps.

“So what you mean is… if I don’t want to go back, I should give you one million gold?”

“I know you don’t have that much at hand. Give me the contract papers and your earrings as a deposit, and I’ll keep quiet at the tea party.”

Abigail thought Bella would tremble or rage. After all, she had known both luxury and hardship—surely she’d fear losing comfort.

But instead…

‘She’s laughing?’

“Why do you think I’d be afraid of that, Countess?”

“What?”

“If you were truly my ‘mother,’ as you’ve been claiming in court, then wouldn’t you care for me as if I were your own daughter?”

“……!”

Bella clicked her tongue openly.

“You shouldn’t have filed the lawsuit. Until the verdict comes out, you’re trapped by your own claim—that you always treated me like a precious daughter. Which means you must treat me well until then.”

She smiled as she added,

“If you mistreat me again, you’d be handing me proof of abuse yourself.”

Her voice was calm, almost playful, but it stung Abigail like poison.

“I don’t care what you choose, Countess. So when should I return to House Rohiltern? Today? Tomorrow? Since you raised me like a jewel, I’m sure you’ve already prepared a room for me. I could move in today.”

Abigail realized Bella had changed greatly from two years ago… and yet, in some ways, she hadn’t changed at all.

“You insolent brat!” she shouted.

“I always knew you dreamed above your station. You rejected Charlotte’s gifts, you mixed with Karina, and still I forgave you many times—”

In truth, she hadn’t acted because of the Count, but Abigail twisted the past in her favor.

“How dare you—”

“Speaking of Charlotte, Countess,” Bella cut in coldly, “do you think her being expelled from Eastern society was just coincidence?”

“What did you just—”

“And if I add a personal thought…” Bella curved her lips into a smile.

“Do you think what’s about to happen to you will also be coincidence?”

“You’re spouting nonsense, I—”

Before Abigail could finish, Bella suddenly clutched her throat.

“Urgh…! K-Kugh!”

Bella coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Abigail, who had been ready to scold her again, froze.

“What—what is this!?”

‘Poison?’

The tea—could it have been poisoned? But Abigail had drunk it too, out of anger earlier.

Then why was she fine while Bella collapsed?

Before she could think further, voices filled the hall.

“You came early.”

“Of course. How could I not support Lady Wellington’s return to society?”

“It’s enough for you just to attend, dear. You’ve done more than enough.”

“Well, still—”

The noblewomen had arrived.

As Abigail panicked and stood, the heavy doors opened.

A silence stretched—

Until screams erupted.

“KYAAAAA!”

“Blood! Blood!”

One fainted, another gasped in panic.

And one voice accused:

“It’s poison! The Countess tried to poison Lady Bella!”

Abigail shook her head violently, recalling Bella’s earlier words.

“This—this is a trap!”

Yes, it had to be. Bella had planned this to ruin her.

“But Bella drank the tea I drank too! Why am I unharmed while she suffers like this? Doesn’t that seem strange?!”

Yet as more guests poured in, chaos spread.

“Call a physician! Save her first!”

Since Bella was soon to be the Grand Duchess, the Imperial Palace quickly sent a poison expert.

“This is… Arkazahn. A poison that disrupts magic in the blood.”

He examined Bella carefully.

“To explain simply—it only harms mages. It can cripple their powers permanently, even kill them. No sane person would drink this on purpose.”

Relief rippled as he added,

“Fortunately, she was found early. Her life is not in danger.”

As healers prepared the antidote, whispers spread through the noblewomen.

“But why would Lady Bella try to trap her aunt? Isn’t Countess Rohiltern basically her mother?”

“Yes, I heard she was raised like a jewel in their house…”

“Unless… the rumors were true?”

“What rumors?”

“That the Rohiltern family mistreated her.”

The whispers grew, glances cutting toward Abigail.

She had always denied the rumors, but now—this spectacle would make them spread like wildfire.

“Th-that’s not true! I never—”

But the more she tried to defend herself, the colder the ladies’ eyes became.