~Chapter 105~
After locking Calypso in the hut, Diana ordered the family knights to guard him carefully so he couldn’t escape.
She then submitted the divorce papers to the Imperial Palace. When the nobles gathered at the debutante ball, they would surely gossip about the “unfortunate woman” who had divorced the infamous scammer.
But they didn’t know the truth: Erenshte’s title and land were now in Diana’s hands.
On the day of the debutante ball, Diana planned to reveal all the truths. Catherine’s truth as well.
Diana gently caressed the dress and jewelry she had prepared for Aisel.
The mermaid-style dress, covered with the finest diamonds along the neckline, radiated elegance at first glance.
The matching jewelry pieces were just as splendid. Large emeralds, the same color as Aisel’s eyes, were set with pearls, each gemstone outshining the other in a dazzling competition.
“A fake can never have the same as the real thing. She’s always coveted what she shouldn’t.”
“Add more floral decorations here,” Diana instructed.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The mansion was almost empty after the creditors had taken everything. But secretly, the ballroom was being decorated in lavish detail.
If it were just Catherine’s debutante, Diana wouldn’t have cared, but this was Aisel’s debutante too. It had to be perfect.
Of course, the Marquis of Pereshte’s wealth was fully supporting it.
The only person in the mansion who didn’t know how beautifully the ballroom was being decorated was Catherine. She hadn’t left her room since the creditors raided the house.
She felt utterly miserable. This was the debutante ball she had dreamed about since she was a child, but now the house was empty, and her father was a fugitive wanted by the Imperial Knights for cultivating illegal herbs.
Everything was a complete mess.
“Ahhh!”
She screamed in frustration. A startled maid rushed into the room.
At least she still had a personal maid. Her mother had given the servants enough money when hiring them that they had not abandoned her.
“Are you alright, My Lady? Should I bring you tea?”
“…Bring it.”
Catherine sipped the tea and stared at her palm. She tried using magic, but without Eclipse, her powers no longer worked.
Why did the mark still remain?
She remembered the way Eclipse looked at her. He was a demon, yet he had looked at her as if she was the demon.
She could never forget the terrifying, bloodshot eyes.
“Catherine.”
She jumped at the voice.
“I’m coming in.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Diana entered Catherine’s room holding a dress and a box.
“Have you seen the ballroom?”
“…No.”
“Good. You shouldn’t go before the debutante ball. It’ll only make you sadder.”
The servants were guarding the ballroom entrance strictly, just in case Catherine tried. But she had no intention anyway.
“…I don’t even want to go.”
Catherine’s voice was flat.
The creditors had taken everything of value; there was no way the ballroom could be properly decorated.
Catherine’s eyes shifted to what Diana was holding. Could it be a new dress? Her eyes lit up with hope for the first time in days.
“What’s that?”
“Oh, would you like to see?”
Diana smiled sweetly and spread out the dress. Catherine’s face instantly twisted in horror.
“This is…”
“It’s your dress.”
It was one of her old dresses, altered slightly. There were some added pearl decorations, but it was still painfully outdated.
Her face was full of shock.
“I tried my best to fix it. It’s better than before,” Diana said gently.
“…But…”
“Here, look at this too.”
Diana, pretending not to notice Catherine’s disappointment, handed her the box.
Catherine opened it without any hope. It was obvious it would be worthless.
“It’s your debutante. You can’t wear used jewelry, can you?”
Diana’s bright smile made it sting even more.
But when Catherine saw what was inside, her hand dropped.
“These… these are fake jewels.”
They were glass imitations.
“I worked hard to prepare even these, Catherine. Look, don’t they sparkle just like the real ones?”
Just like how you pretended to be real, Diana thought as she watched Catherine’s eyes fill with the reflection of the fake jewels.
“…Did you buy the same for Aisel?”
“Yes.”
“…I understand. I guess it can’t be helped.”
“Don’t worry, Catherine.”
Diana poured hot water into the teacup and lifted it calmly.
“As long as you don’t stand next to the real thing, no one will notice you’re fake.”
Catherine felt like there was a hidden sting in her words, but brushed it off. Diana couldn’t possibly know the truth.
“…Yes. I’m really looking forward to it,” Catherine lied with a forced smile.
Diana’s smile was bright and flawless as she looked at her.
“Are you ready, Aisel?”
“Yes.”
The cloth covering Aisel fell away.
Diana’s lips curved in pure delight.
“This is incredible…!”
“Isn’t she beautiful, Your Grace?”
Milan, Shane, and Belinda all smiled proudly.
“I can’t believe she’s my daughter!”
Diana couldn’t hold back her admiration.
Aisel’s platinum blonde hair was braided to the side, and a silver tiara studded with large emeralds and tiny diamonds completed the look.
She looked more elegant than ever, especially in the unique dress she wore.
“Do I look okay?”
“You’re so, so beautiful, Aisel.”
Diana’s voice trembled with emotion. But she didn’t cry. Today was too joyful for tears.
Today, Aisel would no longer be her adopted daughter. She would be her real daughter.
“Now, I’ll see you soon. The main character always enters last.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Aisel answered with a radiant smile.
Diana left the room, heading for the ballroom. In the distance, Catherine was approaching, dressed in her inferior gown and jewelry.
“…Mother.”
She looked deflated and self-conscious.
“My daughter, you’re truly beautiful.”
Diana stroked her hair gently, spouting meaningless compliments. But that didn’t lift Catherine’s mood.
“The event will start soon. Go wait in the ballroom.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Diana treated Catherine completely differently than Aisel. Catherine was the fake who believed she was the main character, and fakes should enter accordingly.
Diana smiled broadly as she watched Catherine’s lonely back heading to the ballroom.
Catherine walked slowly. Through the large windows, she could see carriages arriving one by one.
This was not the debutante ball she had worked so hard for!
She clenched her teeth in frustration, her fists so tight her nails dug into her palms.
“Phew…”
She took a deep breath, trying to calm the anger boiling inside.
She stood before the ballroom. Knights were guarding the doors.
“Please enter.”
When they opened the door, Catherine’s eyes widened.
“What…?”
The ballroom was nothing like the empty mansion. It was decorated so lavishly it seemed almost excessive.
A grand chandelier dripping with hundreds of crystals, velvet curtains, and gold-trimmed tables filled the room.
Catherine’s eyes darted around in shock.
Her mother had said there was no money to buy even a dress, so how could the ballroom be so extravagant?
“Are you surprised, Catherine?”
“M-Mother!”
Diana had appeared behind her.
“This is just the beginning. There’s a special surprise I prepared for you.”
If she had this much money for the ballroom, why didn’t she buy me a new dress?!
Catherine’s expression said it all, but she didn’t voice her thoughts.
Even if she disliked the dress and jewelry, at least the ballroom wouldn’t embarrass her in front of the guests.
“The guests are arriving. Let’s greet them together.”
Diana guided Catherine to the entrance.
“…Where’s Aisel?”
“She’s running late, it seems.”
Catherine stood with Diana at the entrance, her face stiff. Soon, the guests began entering. Among them was the Duchess of Iverck.
“Your Grace!”
“Madam!”
They held hands warmly like close friends. Catherine swallowed nervously when she saw Serena with Sawyer.
She had good reason to be anxious.
“Congratulations, Lady.”
“…Thank you for coming.”
Catherine’s eyes wavered with unease. Sawyer’s gaze was colder than usual.
“Where is Lady Aisel?”
He looked around before asking Diana.
“She’s… Ah, there she is.”
Diana’s eyes softened as she spoke. Aisel was walking toward them from afar.
The moment Catherine saw her, she froze like she was under a spell.
“Oh my, she looks just like an angel!”
Serena praised her. The other guests couldn’t take their eyes off Aisel either.
She truly looked like an angel, as pure as could be.
Aisel smiled more gracefully than ever as she approached Catherine. She leaned close and whispered just loud enough for Catherine to hear:
“What is that look you’re wearing?”
“You, how…!”
“You look exactly like a fake diamond standing next to a real one.”
The fake jewels on Catherine’s ears glittered, but next to Aisel, who was adorned in real diamonds, their falseness was obvious.
Aisel’s smile was soft and angelic, so radiant that no one could imagine she had just delivered such cruel words.
