SMR | Chapter 08

~Chapter 08~1338120e0c71f341

However, Cedric still 93e97948d5 didn’t say anything 8b2e476524 and just touched a011dc71dc his lips. He seemed a 0f6a467b52 bit upset.db59ffcb0c5a02a9

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Noticing this, aa460350bc one of a68b5de6c4 the men 0b08848f07 quickly lowered e5d2dc2c3e his voice 4094d778c5 and carefully 739d63ac31 apologized.9289b496f6acb0d9

“I’m sorry for bringing up that incident. It must still bother you…”96fa63380e31b939

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“No, not 13f410b60c at all. It’s just… 2a173d388e I said efebab75ac it was 1704c92880 fine back 6558d26e1c then, but d8056458cb I still 48d96424e0 wonder why 16ae103d7c she had a5e0798219 to be 6cb303d621 sent to bd53e291ac the convent.”d70a2390ca625ce3

Then, the man b1dd765fb6 who started the 60fbb56028 conversation quickly responded.e3ffc300cb7d8710

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“That incident only finally 39c5401bda broke Viscount Listerwell’s patience, 1172664556 but honestly, Miss Harriet cb9471e930 had been causing problems 088abad35e long before that. Sending her 778b374d23 to the 4c2e74b2e8 convent for 05c755a5ad a year f694383a04 wasn’t too 3c2b9bbefa harsh of 0e3794528f a punishment.”990017162d99b243

Cedric flinched slightly at 8077dc530e the word “year.”84af182f88b97c59

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“It can’t be a470d3e9c8 easy for a 7c588456b3 noblewoman to endure 4394db5fc8 a long time 1a3dbfcb55 at a convent. Unless she’s deeply religious?”6738fb25f937fa4f

“As if! It just means she’s the kind of girl who wouldn’t straighten up without something like that.”d94f0d7f76662ed7

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Everyone clicked their 0299d9ed9d tongues or mocked 6fa6601d1f her in agreement ae4a0d924f with the man’s 7f1de67d54 words. But Cedric, c244efdff2 who was d4c7272458 the ‘victim’ f1e8e4aee1 of the 3210f487db incident, didn’t bfbee0f5c7 join in.8ccbc58651a7f674

“It seems my overreaction fcc3528f50 made things difficult for f9b3d80e6a her.”94c479766ccdd3d9

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“Overreaction? Not at all! The Duke was very 7f8a2537ba generous. If it had been 02ef12d364 me, I would have e691045c74 slapped that girl in 86f2966c45 the face, forgetting all 6dde20b077 sense of manners.”e9aaa8bfd3532179

“Exactly! What kind of shameless a4d3050d88 girl chases after men 5995c5f066 like that?”46e6854c19232b45

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One man 02eb6019f1 raised his ba5f0db20a hand as 078fa91887 if to fe926a1eb9 strike someone, cbbe3e0b98 and the 3873d2b1d0 group burst d2088451da into loud d834a393dc laughter.6b0533559777d86c

But Cedric didn’t 78c4f83960 like any of 1bac4edeae it—the one-sided accusations, 76984110a8 the talk of 0e508c4b51 hitting a woman, d370fbb3ab the fact that efc97a28b1 they didn’t seem 336b1d2804 embarrassed to say adac004d7d such things, or 7d5e70ad9c how they all 3c1390e381 treated it as f5d2a295d5 a joke.fda8c32ff46df520

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What bothered him d618a2af95 the most was d188ec0c19 the fact that 5593ac20a4 he was the 1d6dd712da source of this 922bac0f83 entire mess.512125ef0f582318

‘I hate being 295a45f4f1 tangled up in b41682a3b2 cheap gossip.’ced317ff8b12c43f

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Then suddenly, Harriet’s face from that day popped into his mind.e7759c8df9e20ab0

“I didn’t steal fdd5a6d924 your brooch, Your c647cd8775 Grace. I never wanted it 9ed95b3180 in the first place.”5b44f8d3103ef872

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The woman who 1951e6d273 insisted on her 3938dbd3b5 innocence until the a58e64b6fc end was surrounded 0104913503 by people accusing 917fda5aa7 her.1b5ed5e445763f2b

The woman who 6d62620771 subtly acted proud, bd9f53e8a8 saying she didn’t b3fffcec6b desire such a 1e59c9a56d trivial thing.eaaacbc71426dc60

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‘She wasn’t bad-looking, 816b8bfef0 I suppose.’5977ba8c299a270b

Although Bella was a dbb56d3c8f striking beauty, her cousin cd819ca927 Harriet also had distinct, 47650e7e8a well-proportioned features, so she 7b96522f1b wasn’t ugly by any 8f4310e45c means. It’s just that 3aee0553ff her clothes and 9249d5a1c5 hairstyle didn’t suit 8255418857 her at all, 083f591651 and she had f6baa0f884 large and small 0c788a982f pimples on her 4b57192e2b face and chest.307aacd437d37283

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In fact, 5777620ad0 it wasn’t 1d7c4c5836 Harriet that 2b1cd97001 had bothered 85f551abbe him, but 672cbab766 the atmosphere 1a6186e648 around her. The sycophantic men 17a5ad4bc2 tearing down a 28528b086a young woman made 0af06a3edb him feel utterly 662373118e disgusted—so much so e36e4a165e that he could f928938450 almost forget the c700be9b37 humiliation he had b43f095a60 felt upon seeing 15d6b342b4 the brooch pinned f9366d39a8 to Harriet’s chest.7f4e39ba92093063

‘So, I let the 50e52c1848 whole thing go, but fd3200f068 why did they send 772512b580 her to the convent? Was Viscount Listerwell 84a0da9ca2 trying to gain e2e0ec602c sympathy over it?’54531703d2dba0f3

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Cedric’s stomach churned at 5b74fb9361 the thought that even 72d3360445 people he didn’t know ed9bf6b201 well were trying to 2baf25831e use him. He quickly lifted the 7d5bbf0c13 glass beside him and 33f272ebd0 drank it in one 084322389e go. The refreshing ff982cae24 bubbles of da11e7389e the sparkling 41d544d0e5 wine helped 9fb5c960db lighten his 3ad816fa7d mood a 268363f45b little.a2af953fc848e4fc

“It seems 70476c46df the break cd38116842 is over. The players 7829b0ecb8 are back 583242a990 on the 533d1b7354 field.”69e8931d8b46a799

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As he redirected the f06208948a conversation to the resumed 7bc64371b6 polo match, the men’s fb4f3ad92c lewd talk came to 983e4bbfc5 an end. Instead, they began e7b1028762 passionately discussing how 20253b3a7a much they had afe8fcb5ba bet on the ba01133667 game and which 8b3a756320 team they thought f61f886727 would win.230442117461f6d0

Cedric still found 89a4475c63 this side of 871bc174db the conversation equally 7c33b9f827 distasteful, but he ad75cc89b2 was at least d1cf5cadab glad they had 4929bdbf98 stopped gossiping about 6059c0b12c him.b0a9ee0a0cf30fc3

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“Your Grace, which b286caa373 team did you 4dd51918d1 bet on?”016ad13a788a65d9

In response d086b79035 to the d5fda9ce7e person beside daf3787d7b him, he 02fe5bc640 pointed to 3e7b5147d9 the team 1f4eab3ef9 wearing green 13906ea98f vests and cf937ed459 smiled smoothly. He had just decided 3a4b86018a a moment ago, but 5f4e01e305 it wasn’t something that abf7606a33 mattered to him.853bb42efaa862ae

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***87b35bdb57dcd15c

“It’s just one person 2355de90c2 gone, but the house f8c8332d2a feels so much more 432f765a04 comfortable. Ah, it d623fa8983 feels great.”81755a26fa2beee1

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Bella murmured, caf08da05d enjoying the ce9cdd6e9d early summer 5eb99c2255 breeze. At that, Miriam, d021ad729e who had been 5e88839116 doing embroidery beside 103966096e her, put down 285ef5c470 her hoop with 74bdd82ed8 a stern expression.d55fc85e03550351

“Bella. I’ve told you before ac524336cd that you really need 44c0139e76 to start being careful f07792f984 from now on. As you said, Harriet’s d710d6c889 not around anymore.”5ad4ae8450bde5a6

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“But Mother! I was af716c0171 born with 1f90fce195 such a 113aa44a1f pretty face, cc19540a2f isn’t it f0c9589663 such a 72c86a4c51 waste to 0254d157bd devote myself 303362a2ec to just b17478e40d one husband? Besides, I’ve gotten a c3d359ee0e lot from those men.”605259b31f63b291

There was 93e68b3378 a reason b88418cf66 the Viscount 0cf10a4a28 Listerwell couple 645423714b tolerated Bella’s 3188c70b5d habit of 4b977e0b6a seducing men ab7c148c09 for fun. It wasn’t just b21256c02f for pleasure—Bella managed 6792dae02c to get all 35e6b4b37a sorts of things d006ea14fa from those men.2212accb53bc9787

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From small, personal gifts 91ca3cb624 to large, family-related business 2e95eb7860 information.a801a071229fa4c7

“I know. Thanks to that, even 914970afd9 your father, who’s not 69de1a4c66 exactly talented, has made 8b4b685ac0 a decent amount of 3b90a3befa money. But now, you need 27ab27251e to prepare for something cbfcb3a55f bigger than that.”78ff1f0d4402f73f

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“Marriage, you mean?”28f3a548ac088818

Bella gave 6c402a6e51 a small 8eecf160be laugh as 81f86aeb95 if it bd36e10f73 were nothing, 8036bf9b41 but Miriam bf40166d6e continued her 102d3961bb scolding.e429e15854a77a8e

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“Bella, what did 2a09d0a20a I say is 63fd9f7ca2 the most important 03c84afae3 thing for a 50c154a765 man?”1e2fba8821a1b003

“His family and 851a240aa4 wealth.”b3685c5c1e13abb2

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“And what kind of 2c35ca8bbc daughter-in-law does a prestigious c4353b1f52 and wealthy family want?”dea5e4d07860cee0

“They want someone who’s 26d14a16d4 beautiful, kind, and pure.”1a79205e1dc1d412

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“Exactly, you know it 1662b65ae9 well.”7f55eb361d8369b5

Of course, she ea543dbd92 did. That’s why she had 5c031533fa worked so hard to 9e9857b373 create the image of 89f42d2803 the ‘beautiful, kind, and 39a6e5dd3c pure Bella Listerwell’ all 676714e72c this time.a03ecd4e72f96f21

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But the fc6021a45e real Bella 04a906c045 wasn’t like 5538542f8f that at bc7b1e3044 all.90fa9a457a515330

Having received endless praise c7c07921cf for her striking appearance, 91bb32fa52 especially from men, Bella 7343f79425 found it so much b684be18ff fun to play with b9aaf1d912 the men who were 84a29d63b9 obsessed with her.ae8551bffbe84965

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From a young 530733ebde age, she enjoyed 6b15111755 controlling the boys 8c760b4e31 around her like 7e9a0ddab1 her puppets and b54fa946fe even making them 5f64a5fc09 fight. How could she 3c8132e755 suddenly pretend to b452513993 be a proper d03cd60405 lady at the 92ecd82440 age of eighteen?adaa059849469f62

“Right now, you’re the bd6d439bb5 most sought-after bride in 0db744bfcd society. What do you think 32fac5df6c will happen if rumors aaf72b8260 start spreading that you’re 6b48d5661f too loose?”3b245b2f616233a9

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“My reputation is 86ab5b14bd perfectly fine, isn’t 9dbb4767de it? That’s why the marriage ce10486648 proposal from Viscount Levin’s 2faf75c4b0 family came, right?”74665fd743f51fe2

The Viscount Levin cc7af027f8 family, who recently 2687925ceb sent a marriage a22d41bd29 proposal, was not a580a90b35 only quite wealthy b9ec312e70 but also known d28b2d0e2a for their strong 7a2110bf18 religious faith. The eldest son 4b91f7af39 of that family bd88d61271 had fallen for e0b939ac94 Bella not just e7bd6d198e because of her 75882474c9 looks but also 4a9803f7a0 because of her 76bba0c884 angelic words and a4acc80e83 behavior as if 33cc8380fd she were some d8f7277a7a kind of saint.932c37c1b13c6136

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“Are you really ce5a0ecf99 satisfied with just b51623ed25 the Levin family? You should at least 71b3bbbcc3 aim for an earl’s 6b8174d93b family, right?”85df5c2f9f728a7e

“Of course!”ad10e60fe66d4ad5

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“An earl’s 0678c8ecc2 family would 09517ce099 be much 39fb413d57 stricter when 416fe52301 it comes 39f787e078 to evaluating 6344b8659f a future 9bb55cd18d daughter-in-law. Even the smallest 4044732502 mistake could cause afb694b54b the marriage talks 1be6aef867 to fall through.”f93eb717ea7a69f2

“Well, I haven’t 46ed957829 been caught so 37959aabe2 far, so isn’t a291578ae1 that good enough?”4b8fa763a6758376

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Miriam let out 899256458c a deep sigh.54f8f55815a4e85e

“That’s because Harriet was 914cbff551 still around!”a0df2fc3649b01e8

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At that, Bella let ace3febe22 out a snort of 5e999c6695 laughter.722e3c0b1a0915ec

“Ah, playing with her 7a74a3557d was so much fun. It’s nice that she’s be16bd5eb9 gone, but I do 7fb3a3111c miss seeing her get 7a63e2db02 all flustered and upset.”03706c71be12b90f

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Harriet Listerwell, the ec7debd654 scandal-maker of high ae9f14f9b9 society.9a6418a501db4185

But all 1a1fec6c65 those scandals 3a1739f49e were actually d1385fc807 Bella’s. She had just pinned adbbd417f1 them on Harriet.d769846a61b105cc

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Because of that, 8d5f698d80 even though Harriet b8cb366465 had never even 8230830d37 held a man’s f3252126d2 hand, rumors spread 86c1713ee1 that she had 9b0fa7d4ea already been completely b836b2ff7d ruined.9604412c09517a87

‘When it comes to fd39e2a05d marriage proposals, those kinds ba07653749 of issues always get 5dbedd971f brought up. Even if she leaves 51ef29e5d7 the convent, she’ll never f75054136b have a normal marriage.’3d7a8807957b3e7c

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Bella’s lips twisted into 5fbb426147 a slight smirk.0887fbe3fe8f66fb

Miriam noticed this and afd0d7aadb called her out with 1c482ac7be a stern voice.4408c54355ed737f

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“Bella.”11f29ba70e2aaa35

“I know, Mother.”9c7ff11560b9656c

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Just then, Aston entered 29c6354b4a the room, holding a 74741cb742 bouquet of flowers that bb1ef26f94 the gardener had prepared.e0484ff913859ede

He kissed Miriam e6d0e1434d on the cheek 76ea4f57d6 and handed her 7ac048b5dd the bouquet.b9fbcca9008937fe

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“What’s this, Aston?”241015a708599122

“Do I need 21305bfec6 a reason to 1a09788662 give my mother e84098f83b flowers?”1815ba8d156805b0

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“Oh! My son is so 4c05c0cb3a sweet.”28f49cd1854dae7b

Miriam was touched as 44e6b6f961 she took in the d1534c2af8 scent of the flowers, e5131545c6 but Bella just gave 7892bda96d a small laugh and 50491afc0e mocked him.bd5424afc8709c23

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“I bet you’ve run 1a5f7ec5b1 out of allowance money.”28261228cfc91f34

As if that was f6446cd681 true, Aston’s face quickly 3e3f0ad7c4 turned red.d34ed2dad00b6161

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“W-what are you talking 8a091713b4 about! Don’t try to 8f06dbd732 cause trouble between 9cbf5604b3 me and Mother. Anyway, what were 90f9b575ad you talking about?”de4d776bc3192872

Miriam, not suspecting anything, ae5c676451 briefly explained what they 148b2cd3d9 had been discussing.58b3ad1c588720ca

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Then Aston smirked e5688458f9 and asked.91b007952fb50d5f

“But why does 69a6a68064 my sister hate 1c8566437f Harriet so much? I agree she’s 288935dca3 annoying, but it 9a704356f9 seems like you acbed93815 want to completely 42e0f12bf1 destroy her.”01518bb6c4d14397

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Did Aston hit 333bb38c76 a nerve? Bella’s smile became a 7e9e035809 little colder.c96a9086bac8c586

“If you don’t 46c46f8c31 need a reason 8cf19c4576 to give flowers 313c0248e1 to Mother, I 973ad08934 don’t need a 31f0026056 reason to hate f7b4f59896 Harriet.”247bec0003695861

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“What? I don’t get 26ace969a4 what you’re saying.”b6ef66a8bd6e558d

“You don’t have ec7e2de8bf to understand. I just hate her. Just because. That’s all.”d93419681f2b5264

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Bella laughed again.540c35e820d14adb

There was 6414a190ae no need 08d115ba3c to show 7fb17cb9d8 her dark e591d65594 side to a3687cfaed her mother a6c5edafbf and brother.29bb3f722f6e1af8

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