Chapter 07
I had to put an end to this absurd situation immediately.
“Move aside. I’m going to find Gloria myself.”
Dragging my heavy body, I ran out into the hallway.
Behind me, I heard my father shout, “Gloria Ernst!” but I didn’t stop.
‘How bold. How dare she impersonate me in my mansion, among my people?’
That was something only possible when we were children.
Back then, if Gloria pretended to be me and fooled our parents, I would laugh and brush it off as a joke.
“This is insane.”
But now, this was no joke. This had crossed the line.
‘How could she tell such an unbelievable lie?
And how could everyone fall for it? Look at the doctor and my parents—they all think I’m a crazy woman.’
My anger toward Gloria briefly turned into betrayal toward the servants and my parents.
But I pushed those emotions aside. They wouldn’t help me solve this problem.
Holding my throbbing head, I tried to think through how this had happened.
‘There’s no way she did this alone. Someone must be helping her.’
Someone who could take control of this mansion. Someone who would stand by Gloria’s side.
‘Of course. There’s one person.’
Cedric Drake—my insane husband.
I grabbed a maid who happened to be passing by.
“Where is she?”
“P-Pardon, ma’am?”
“Where is she?!”
“D-Do you mean the madam? She’s in the rose garden right now…”
I didn’t wait for the rest of her sentence.
I ran straight to the rose garden, not bothering to grab a shawl or cover my nightclothes.
Etiquette, dignity, all the noble customs I had learned my entire life—none of that mattered anymore.
The sun shone brilliantly, a cruel contrast to the storm raging inside me.
And there, among the blooming roses, I saw them.
Gloria and Cedric, leisurely enjoying tea.
“You… How could you…?”
As I staggered closer in disbelief, they both rose from their seats.
“Oh my, Ria. Are you awake? The doctor said you needed rest after your terrible injury.”
Gloria mimicked my tone, my voice, and even my concerned expression.
She was wearing my dress. My accessories.
She wasn’t just imitating me—she was me.
A perfect copy of ‘Marieanne.’
“Your Grace, are you feeling better?”
Cedric, standing beside her, dared to look concerned.
For the first time, I truly understood what it meant for your mind to go blank from shock.
‘So this is how far they’re willing to go.’
I wasn’t even disappointed or betrayed anymore.
I was just furious.
“You should stop this nonsense now. I’m not going to play along with this ridiculous act.”
I took another step forward.
Immediately, Cedric shielded Gloria behind him, looking at me with open disdain.
The eyes of a man I once knew were now filled with nothing but contempt.
“You both know exactly what you’re doing. But this has gone too far.”
“Please stop, Duchess Ernst.”
Cedric suddenly addressed me with that false title.
I noticed his eyes twitch slightly.
I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.
“This is madness.”
Then again, if they were the kind of people to admit the truth easily, they wouldn’t have done this in the first place.
I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm.
“So? What’s your plan now? You’ll throw me out and make her the lady of this house?”
I turned to Gloria.
“And you—you’re bold enough to go along with this insanity?”
By now, the commotion had drawn the attention of the servants.
One by one, they gathered around us.
My parents arrived as well, looking concerned.
Then, all of a sudden, Cedric shouted for everyone to hear.
“Enough of this!”
With the dramatic gestures of a stage actor, he put on his performance.
“I still can’t sleep at night, thinking about how Mari fell down the stairs because of you.
It makes my blood boil. And now, you expect me to believe that you are Marieanne?”
The gathered servants murmured amongst themselves.
“Not a day of peace in this house…”
“Did you hear? I guess she hit her head so hard she thinks she’s the madam now.”
The voices buzzed in my ears, but Cedric wasn’t finished.
“Please, come to your senses. How much longer must I tolerate this?”
Tolerate?
I snapped.
“Tolerate what, exactly?”
I glared at him.
This man, who had been unfaithful behind my back, who was now trying to steal my very identity—he had the nerve to talk about tolerance?
“I was stupid to try to handle this quietly. I thought I could just divorce you and move on.”
I had planned to endure it for the sake of my family’s honor.
I thought that as long as I stayed silent, everything could be resolved peacefully.
But while I was trying to cover up their sins, they had no hesitation in throwing me away.
My breath came short. My emotions spiraled out of control.
And so, I did the only thing I could.
I slapped Cedric across the face.
SMACK.
The sharp sound rang through the air.
The entire garden fell into stunned silence.
The gathered servants froze, their expressions filled with shock.
“Ria! What are you doing?!”
Gloria immediately rushed to Cedric’s side.
His head remained turned for a long moment, the impact still lingering.
“You’ve hit me…”
Slowly, Cedric turned back to face me. His eyes burned with fury.
“Then prove it.”
“…What?”
“Prove that you’re my wife.”
A ridiculous demand.
How was I supposed to prove I was myself?
That had always been an obvious truth—something I had never even thought to question.
“What’s wrong? Are you afraid you can’t?” Cedric taunted.
“Afraid? Hardly.”
I shot back immediately, though inside, my mind was racing for evidence.
Then, I found it.
“The perfume business has become highly competitive. That’s why our family is looking for new strategies.”
Cedric scoffed.
“Everyone knows that. It was even in the newspapers.”
True. But there was something more.
“But only I would know the next step. I was the one who proposed and managed it.”
His expression flickered.
“Our goal is to go beyond selling perfumes—we plan to offer customized scents for individual customers. That’s why you’ve been meeting with perfumers recently.”
I paused, then delivered the final blow.
“And once the business is ready, we’ll first gift a personalized scent to Lady Celine. As a marketing strategy.”
Only someone truly involved in the project would know that.
“The proof is in my study. There’s a document detailing everything. Sophie—go fetch it.
The key is on the third shelf, the first compartment.”
The maid hesitated.
Then, to my horror, Gloria calmly nodded.
“You may go, Sophie. And if the document isn’t there, check the left drawer. That’s where I keep all the important files.”
A chill ran down my spine.
How does she know that?
Minutes later, Sophie returned, holding a stack of papers.
She walked right past me.
“My lady, here is your document.”
She handed it to Gloria.
“Just as you said, it was in the left drawer.”
No.
That was impossible.
“That can’t be! I put it in the right—”
“Enough, Gloria,” she interrupted. “Stop pretending.”
Gloria sighed as if exhausted.
“Alright then. If you’re Marieanne, tell me this—where is Cedric’s scar?”
She smirked.
“Which leg is it on?”
