I Found a Husband When I Picked up the Male Lead

“By the way, doesn’t Lady Selena’s necklace look beautiful today? It suits her so well.”

Ignoring the pleas of the young ladies, Lizelle spoke casually.

The women looked at Selena and Lizelle in confusion, then quickly agreed with Lizelle’s comment.

They were now eager to stay on her good side, wanting to ask her favors.

“Yes, the butterfly design is stunning.”

“It pairs perfectly with Lady Selena’s blue dress.”

“It’s the one we purchased together from the boutique last time. Are you interested in it, Lady Wilhazelle?”

Ah, that explains it. So, this group of four all ended up wearing accessories Lizelle sold off.

Her old items must have ended up in the hands of a jeweler, who then resold them as new pieces to the young ladies.

Selena silently glared at Lizelle, her expression twisted as if asking what kind of game she was playing.

In response, Lizelle smiled slyly and spoke clearly.

“Isn’t it? That necklace was one of my most cherished pieces out of all the ones I owned.”

“What? You owned this necklace?”

“But it’s a limited edition. Are you saying you have the same one?”

The lady’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Lady, what nonsense are you saying? Perhaps you have something similar, but mine is a limited-edition piece from Libea Boutique. It’s in a completely different league than any cheap knockoff you might own.”

Selena snapped, her tone sharp with irritation.

Unlike her noble demeanor from before, her smile was replaced by open hostility.

“Yes, it’s the limited-edition necklace from Libea Boutique. I bought it and later resold it.”

Lizelle replied with an exaggerated laugh, lowering her gaze slightly. Her expression mirrored the condescending looks they had given her earlier.

“What kind of nonsense is that!”

Selena burst out in anger.

She purchased the necklace under the impression it was a brand-new limited edition product.

How dare this woman speak as though it were secondhand? It was an insult.

“I wore that necklace often, you know. Originally, it had a small floral charm next to the butterfly design. I accidentally broke it off, though. You can still see the mark where the decoration was attached, right here on the butterfly’s wing.”

Lizelle’s long fingers pointed to the wing of the butterfly on Selena’s necklace.

As if on cue, the young ladies’ eyes all turned to Selena’s neck.

They stared intently at the butterfly wing, and gasps filled the air.

“It’s true…”

“Does that mean Lady Selena bought something Lady Wilhazelle had previously worn?”

Selena’s face turned red with humiliation and anger.

“Stop making up stories.”

Selena said through gritted teeth.

Her fists were clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, and her body trembled.

Lizelle wasn’t the only source of her frustration, the young ladies chiming in made her irritation worse.

What a bunch of spineless followers.

“If you’re doubtful, feel free to confirm it later at Libea Boutique. Ask them if there was once a floral charm on it.”

Lizelle said with a soft smile as she bowed slightly and turned to leave.

And then, as if she had forgotten something, she turned around again and spoke while looking at the other young ladies.

“Oh, and by the way, the rings, bracelets, and earrings you’re all wearing? Those were mine as well. I sold them off when they went out of fashion. It looks like they’ve found good new owners.”

Though she sold them because she needed money, she didn’t care.

After all, the fact remained that the young ladies purchased her secondhand items, thinking they were new.

With that, Lizelle left with a light heart, heading toward Chase.

“What… What just happened…!”

Left behind, the four young ladies blushed in shame and embarrassment.

“Bess.”

Selena called out sharply, her breathing heavy.

“Yes, my lady.”

“Prepare everything.”

Selena bit her lip hard, her gaze fixed on Lizelle’s retreating figure.

That confident, carefree attitude of hers wouldn’t last long.

Selena swore to make her shed tears of blood.

Meanwhile, after enduring a flood of congratulatory remarks, Chase strode through the crowd.

His steps that were moving without hesitation finally stopped in front of Cedric Durico.

“W-what do you want?”

Cedric stammered, as if frightened, when Chase suddenly stood in front of him.

It was truly pitiful to see him glaring just now and then freezing like a cornered animal when Chase got closer.

“I warned you not to show yourself.”

Chase said coldly and looked Cedric over carefully.

He was wondering if Cedric had some kind of hidden agenda.

The sharp gaze examined Cedric as if it was going to devour his bones, but he found nothing particularly suspicious.

“I… I was merely attending the banquet!”

“A mere count dares to speak so informally to me?”

“N-no, that’s not what I meant…”

Cedric faltered, his words trailing off. He looked visibly resentful about the situation.

He had never expected to run into Chase, who rarely attended banquets.

“Don’t show yourself again. This is your final warning.”

Chase glanced at Cedric as if he were looking at an unworthy creature, then quickly turned around.

“You… You…!”

Cedric trembled with rage and humiliation.

The nobles nearby overheard the exchange and were whispering amongst themselves.

Due to Halos unilaterally cutting off their dealings, Durico was on the verge of bankruptcy.

And now, it was clear that the reason he got so angry and told him to get out, and the reason for their fallout, was because of that woman.

The moment Cedric saw the woman introduced as Chase’s fiancée, he remembered the girl he once saw in the garden of his house.

Cedric realized only now that the reason Chase had been so angry with him that day was because of a careless insult Cedric made about that woman.

To abandon a close friend and break the trust between families that had lasted for a long time just because of that one woman.

Cedric ground his teeth in anger. He couldn’t suppress his anger any longer.

“The only reason you abandoned your best friend was because of that one woman.”

Chase, who had been walking away, stopped dead in his tracks.

His expression was icy, as if he was about to stab someone.

“Are you saying that you can sever a deal like this just because of one woman?”

Cedric shouted, unaware of the weight of his words. All the anger he had built up exploded.

Unless the Halos family opened up a deal with them again, there was no way for his family to recover.

They would end up on the streets, perhaps as soon as tomorrow.

“Count Cedric Durico.”

Chase turned back and headed toward Cedric.

“W-what is it!”

Cedric’s face turned pale as he saw Chase approaching with an intimidating aura.

Although he acted out in a fit of anger, he immediately regretted his hasty actions when he saw those intense red eyes.

“It seems the Count lacks the ability to learn.”

“W-what are you talking abou—ugh!”

Chase grabbed Cedric’s shoulders with a crushing grip.

“Ahhh…!”

Cedric let out a sharp cry.

His sheer strength felt like a boulder had been dropped on him, pinning him down and crushing him.

“This is my final warning.”

Chase’s fiery gaze glared at Cedric as if he was going to kill him.

A cold chill radiated from his body.

Though he wanted nothing more than to snap Cedric’s neck, he restrained himself—it wasn’t appropriate to shed blood at someone else’s banquet.

However, there would be no mercy for a man so ignorant and insolent.

“From today onwards, anyone who helps the Durico family will be considered an enemy of the Halos family.”

A chillingly cold and merciless voice spread quickly.

His remarks sent shivers down the spines of all who heard it.

“C-Chase, why are you doing this? Let’s talk this over…”

Cedric, who had become noticeably thinner in an instant, pleaded desperately.

Chase’s words literally meant that he would bankrupt the Durico family.

The Halos family was the economic cornerstone of the empire.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the entire empire operated on the wealth and resources distributed by the Halos family.

And, if anyone were to help the Durico family, they would end up at odds with the Halos family.

Even the imperial family wouldn’t be able to help the Durico family now.

In other words, no one would dare side with them.

“If you wag your tongue, be prepared for the consequences.”

He turned away, as though Cedric was no longer worth his attention.

A storm passed.

The gathered nobles held their breath until Chase disappeared, then finally let out sighs of relief.

But Cedric could find no solace.

His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor.

All the wealth and fame that he accumulated so far could disappear in an instant, like a bubble.

Chase’s eyes, which had been burning as if he was going to slit his neck, were sincere.

He intended to completely destroy the Durico family.

‘All this… over that woman…!’

Cedric’s face twisted in rage.

His tightly clenched fists were shaking violently, like an earthquake.

***

Scrappy: Alright eveyone… Back to hibernation for me… See you all in another week… Maybe two…

On the bright side though, I’m all caught up with the webtoon and even surpassed it by a couple.