MWPSBT Chapter 05

Chapter 05

 

 

“You’re the one who sneaked into the study last night, aren’t you?”

Gloria sneered at me, and I was left speechless.

As I opened and closed my mouth, unable to say anything, Gloria spoke with a smug expression.

“It was just a mistake. We were both drunk, and we just lost control for a moment.”

“Are you seriously saying that…?”

“Come on, Marie. Can’t you just forgive me this once? Everyone makes mistakes like this at least once in their life.”

Her face was too shameless for it to be called an excuse.

Gloria showed no sign of guilt—just selfish justification.

“I’m speechless. If you’re going to talk nonsense, at least beg for forgiveness. 

Or at least shed some tears.”

“Beg? Cry? Why would I? Honestly, isn’t it better for your husband to stay inside the house rather than fool around outside?”

“You’re completely insane.”

“What? Am I wrong? If he was going to cheat anyway, isn’t it better that it was with me, someone who looks just like you—”

Slap.

Gloria’s head snapped to the side as my palm struck her cheek. My hand burned as if it had touched fire.

“Ha!”

Gloria glared at me with a fierce look, holding her swelling cheek.

“Did you just hit me? Are you out of your mind?”

Who was really out of their mind here?

I met Gloria’s eyes directly and spoke firmly.

“The one who’s lost her mind is you, Gloria. How could you do such a thing and still act like this?”

Gloria truly didn’t seem to understand what was wrong. 

She saw me as nothing more than a foolish wife who had just lost her husband to another woman.

But she should know better.

She was my twin. And the man she had slept with was my husband.

“You call it a mistake? You did something only street prostitutes would do, and you call it a mistake?”

“What did you just say? A street prostitute?”

“Is that what bothers you the most right now?”

“Do you expect me to just stand here and take that insult? You’re comparing me to some cheap—”

Gloria was shouting hysterically, but I didn’t even feel like arguing anymore.

How did things come to this? How did she turn out like this?

“I thought my husband’s long-time mistress would be some cheap, vulgar woman. 

Not my twin sister who looks just like me.”

“…Wait. You knew?”

“Knew what? That my husband has been cheating on me for a long time? 

Or that you’ve been subtly making it obvious that you were his mistress?”

Silence filled the air.

Gloria stood frozen, looking as if she had been struck. 

Then, suddenly, she burst into laughter, wiping at her eyes.

“Wow, Marie! You’re smarter than I thought.”

I watched in disbelief as she laughed.

“And much, much dumber than I thought.”

“What?”

“No, actually, this works out great. Now that everything’s out in the open, we can make things simpler. Marie, let’s just live together, the three of us. Nothing has to change, right? We can just—”

Slap.

For the second time, I struck her. This time, I didn’t even think—it was pure instinct.

Gloria hadn’t expected to be hit again. 

She looked at me, startled, her eyes shaking slightly. But even that small flicker of emotion disgusted me.

“I spent all night sitting in my room, thinking. Should I grab the hunting rifle on the wall and shoot both of you? Or should I turn it on myself and end this misery?”

My whole body trembled with rage and disgust.

“But even after all that, you still stand here, humiliating me like this…”

Gloria pressed a hand to her cheek, then smirked.

“That’s why I’m giving you a solution, Marie. This is the best way for everyone to be happy, isn’t it?”

“…”

“And think carefully—if you kick me out, do you think Cedric will just stand by and let that happen?”

“You… You are the worst…”

Anger surged inside me so fiercely that my vision blurred.

For the first time, I understood why high-society wives shared secret guides on how to deal with their husband’s mistresses.

Though I doubt any of those guides covered what to do when the mistress was your twin sister.

“You’re mistaken about something, Gloria. I don’t need his permission to throw you out of this house. 

But if you insist on staying, then I guess I’ll have to pack your things myself.”

I turned away from her, heading for the door.

I called out to a maid standing in the hallway.

“Sophie, tell the butler to prepare a carriage immediately. And send two maids to the duchess’s room.”

I glanced back at Gloria, who was still standing in the drawing room, staring at me in shock. Then, loudly and clearly, I declared:

“The duchess has decided to leave.”

As I climbed the grand staircase to the second floor, heavy footsteps thundered behind me.

I turned around.

Gloria, her face red with fury, was running after me.

“You’re doing this, huh?”

She smirked as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

And then—

Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!

I watched, stunned, as Gloria began slapping herself, hard.

Her face swelled up within seconds.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I’m going to beg Cedric to let me stay.”

“And what does that have to do with this?”

“The more pitiful I look, the harder it’ll be for him to throw me out.”

I was speechless.

Her cunning knew no bounds.

“You feel no guilt at all, do you? No regret?”

“You’re the one who’s mistaken about something, Marie. Cedric was mine first. So I have no reason to feel guilty.”

Gloria shoved past me, heading up the stairs.

She was moving so quickly that her long dress tangled around her feet.

And then—

She stumbled.

“Gloria…!”

I instinctively reached out to grab her.

For a moment, time seemed to slow.

Our eyes met midair.

And then—Gloria grabbed onto me.

We both lost our balance.

The grand chandelier above spun in my vision as we tumbled down the stairs together.

Screams echoed around us.

When I opened my eyes, everything was blurry.

The only thing I could see was Gloria, unconscious in my arms.

“Call the doctor! The duchess and the madam are badly hurt!”

Darkness swallowed me whole.

Hours later, Gloria woke up in her room.

The doctor had examined her and left, saying she was lucky to have regained consciousness quickly—unlike me, who still lay unconscious in bed.

“Gloria!”

Cedric burst into the room, frantic with worry.

He didn’t even realize he had called her name first.

He dismissed the servants, then took Gloria’s hand.

“Are you okay?”

“The doctor says I’m fine, but my whole body hurts. My face is ruined.”

“Your beautiful face… What are we going to do?”

“Cedric…”

“You have no idea how terrified I was. I couldn’t think straight.”

He hugged her, soothing her gently.

After a moment, he asked, “What happened between you two? I heard you had a huge fight this morning.”

Gloria hesitated.

Then, she took a deep breath and spoke.

“Marie knows about us.”

Cedric’s face turned pale.

“What?”

“She saw us. Last night. In the study.”

Panic flooded his expression.

If this scandal got out, his reputation would be ruined.

‘Dammit. I should have controlled myself last night. But she looked so beautiful…’

His eyes roamed over Gloria’s face.

She was still breathtaking, even now.

‘She looks just like Marie. But why… why is it her I love?’

A thought struck him.

“Gloria. Are you sure Marie is the only one who knows?”

“She hasn’t told anyone.”

Cedric suddenly grinned.

“Then there’s only one solution.”

“What solution?”

“Tonight… you’re going to become Marie.”