‘For the dress she’s wearing now, it would be better to emphasize the waistline more, and for the blue dress earlier, it would be good to expose more of the shoulders.’
Now that such a lovely model was wearing the dresses, the flaws started to become more apparent. Rosana could feel her creative passion igniting for the first time in a long while.
‘Since it has come to this, I might as well enjoy it.’
She made up her mind and pulled out a notebook and pen. She wanted to jot down notes on the adjustments needed for each dress Ariadeline tried on.
Next dress.
“Perfect!”
And the next dress.
“How does it suit you so well?”
And the next dress.
“You look lovely in white, too!”
While Carlothian, who had brought Ariadeline, remained silent, Rosana stood up and applauded enthusiastically.
Ariadeline blinked at her fervent reaction and then chuckled softly.
That gentle smile made Rosana’s heart swell with emotion. What hardships had she gone through for her bad temper to disappear like that?
The dark bruises on her neck now looked pitiful rather than unsettling. Rosana had her staff bring out her jewelry box.
“This necklace will look elegant with this dress and help conceal the bruises.”
“Oh, you didn’t have to…”
Ariadeline blinked in surprise as Rosana fastened the necklace around her neck, assuring her it was fine.
‘Up close, the bruises look even worse.’
And then she noticed.
‘There are wounds on her wrists, too…’
Rosana caught a glimpse of her collarbones and the numerous scars lining the insides of her wrists. Rosana had to restrain herself from letting out a scream.
‘The scars are so bad!’
Does that man know? Rosana glanced briefly at Carlothian.
With a solemn expression, he was still looking at Ariadeline, who was trying on a new dress.
‘Wouldn’t it be nice if he told her she looked pretty, even if it was just an empty compliment?’
Rosana subtly glanced at Carlothian. Carlothian merely nodded his head slightly each time she emerged in a new dress, legs crossed elegantly.
Ariadeline seemed oblivious to Carlothian’s reactions, as if she had given up. Rosana thought to herself.
Ariadeline’s obsession with Carlothian was frightening, to the point of even tarnishing the reputation of Dorothea, who was a renowned saint even before becoming the Crown Princess.
“Madame, how about this dress?”
“Absolutely! It suits you very well!”
But now, there was only Ariadeline asking about the dresses and giggling, with Rosana around without a single glance towards Carlothian.
Well, considering the situation, it’s probably better that she’s not clinging to a man who clearly dislikes her.
‘Of course, the fact that they came together is a bit bothersome.’
There must be some reason. Rosana thought so as she brought out all the dresses that were piling up since she couldn’t find a suitable model.
No matter what she wore, Ariadeline looked beautiful. Especially with her brightened expression, she exuded a lively atmosphere.
“How…?”
Her dress shop was literally a trove. That meant she had no high-ranking noble guests to entertain.
Of course, Ariadeline was now considered a sinner, but she was still from the Duke’s family. And the man who accompanied her was also a Duke.
There were many beauties, but noticeably beautiful ones were few.
The society knew only Ariadeline, Dorothea, and Princess Yermondi as exceptional beauties.
‘Of course, Miss Ariadeline can no longer enter society to promote my dresses.’
Nevertheless, a splendid model was always necessary. A muse to inspire her!
At first, she felt like she had fallen into the abyss, but as she watched Ariadeline emerge in each dress, her thoughts changed.
‘I can make even better dresses.’
Although she couldn’t reveal that Ariadeline was her muse, Rosana aimed to create more beautiful and exquisite dresses because of her.
That was Rosana’s goal. Therefore, now she could smile brightly and face Ariadeline.
“Do you have a particular dress in mind?”
Rosana asked Ariadeline. But the answer came from elsewhere.
“I’ll buy every dress she tried on.”
“Excuse me?”
“Finish them all and send them to the mansion.”
What kind of behavior is this again? It’s like lines from a man who seems deeply infatuated with a woman. But his expression remained indifferent, and Ariadeline didn’t seem particularly surprised.
Ariadeline was probably thinking it would be a hassle to keep coming back for fittings, so this worked out well for her.
“And we’ll continue to do business with you, so send someone every month.”
“Yes, yes?”
“Did you not hear?”
“Oh, no. I heard you correctly.”
Rosana stumbled over her words. Anyway, she had just secured a deal with a high-ranking nobleman. She looked at Ariadeline with a bewildered expression.
Ariadeline simply smiled brightly, as if unaware of what was happening. Whether it was because of her or not, Rosana inwardly sighed.
And then she thought.
‘People need to know about this change in Miss Ariadeline.’
It was also necessary for her own dress shop. If rumors spread that she made dresses for the villainess, it would be detrimental to her, no matter how much she traded with high-ranking nobles.
‘Ariadeline has become good!’
She had to spread that rumor to the guests. Rosana clenched her fist in secret.
“Then I will have the dresses completed and sent by the end of this week.”
“Please do so.”
Ariadeline came out again wearing the dress she had on earlier.
Rosana felt bad for her.
‘She said she borrowed someone else’s clothes, didn’t she?’
Rosana suddenly remembered that there was one dress left in the wardrobe without an owner.
“Please wait a moment!”
Ariadeline nodded cheerfully. Rosana hurriedly entered the dressing room and came out with a white dress.
The design only fit slim people, so it was left without an owner, but who would have thought it would find one here?
“Please wear this and go home.”
“Oh, are you sure, Madame?”
“It’s an ownerless dress anyway.”
“Oh, thank you.”
“No problem.”
She smiled softly as Ariadeline changed back into the white dress and came out again. The dress shone brightly, as if it had found its rightful owner.
“Then please be careful.”
Carlothian reached out his hand to Ariadeline. She took his hand and soon left the dress shop. Rosana and her staff watched their retreating figures intently.
‘I still don’t know if their relationship is good or bad.’
With that, the two disappeared from the dress shop, leaving behind only the piled dresses. Rosana paused for a moment, then began giving orders to her staff.
“To finish everything by the end of the week, we must work fast!”
“Yes!”
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
After a few days, dresses began to arrive one after another from the dress shop. I narrowed my eyes at the abundance of dresses.
“Isn’t that too much when I have nowhere to go anyway?”
“It’s too late to say that now.”
Carlothian, who had been observing the dresses being delivered nearby, made a comment. For some reason, he was watching the dresses arrive instead of locking himself in his office.
‘The dressing room in the annex doesn’t seem that spacious.’
As I pondered, Carlothian instructed the dress shop staff carrying the dresses.
“Take them to my room on the main building’s top floor.”
“Yes?”
He looked at me as if asking what the problem was. What’s the problem?
It was a big problem. We’re divorced, sir! But Carlothian went on, as if finally explaining himself.
“I’ve decided to move your room to my room.”
“What? Why?”
“Why, you ask. It’s because I haven’t been able to sleep in my own bedroom lately due to your fits of madness.”
“Well, that’s…”
He was right. Although the madness that haunted me every night had weakened significantly over the past month, I still couldn’t control myself.
It was up to Carlothian to hold me down, soothe me, and comfort me.
Suddenly, I noticed the dark circles around his eyes.
“Seems like you have a sense of responsibility in your own way.”
If he found it bothersome, he could simply order the servants to tie me down.
“Isn’t it natural?”
He seemed to take it seriously that his madness had transferred to me, so he comes to my annex room every night.
“But are you going to be okay?”
“What.”
“What if word gets out that we’re back together?”
