After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 195

“What are you talking about? I’m just a commoner now. I don’t dream of such things.”

Sebelia shook her head, and Dehart twitched his eyebrows. Leaning on the windowsill without showing emotion, he said again.

“Well, once you finish your tea, people will come to the dressing room. Prepare yourself.”

“Are they going to make me try on clothes? I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“First impressions don’t decide everything, but they set the foundation.”

“……”

“Tonight, let’s make sure everyone remembers you not as the lost, pitiful daughter of Marquis Wheddon, but as the beautiful and strong Bella Appenz.”

As he stressed repeatedly, striking first was winning. At his low voice, Sebelia shook her head.

“It can’t be helped.”

He was just doing his best to help her seek revenge. Sebelia decided to take the optimistic view.

“It’s not ‘can’t be helped’—it’s natural. You know how cunning our opponent is.”

“……”

“So don’t worry too much. Everything will be fine. No one will ever take you back to that damn Wheddon.”

Before she knew it, Dehart had leapt over the windowsill and knelt before Sebelia. She tried to pull him up but stopped—he was about to kneel on the other knee as well.

He’s picked up a strange habit.

But kneeling before her and looking up, Dehart seemed more confident than ever. The disheveled man she had known was gone, replaced by someone sharp and composed.

His golden eyes and smooth, clean-shaven cheeks shone brightly. Even Sebelia’s heart wavered for a moment.

“Alright, get up now. We’re not going alone to the grand theater—we have to bring Mr. Watts and Mr. Claude.”

Sebelia stood, brushing off Dehart’s sulky face. Ignoring him, she left the sitting room with Denisa. Their footsteps echoed faintly down the hall and then faded.

“Haah.”

Standing mid-hallway, Sebelia sighed. Her father was surely plotting countless schemes to capture her, yet for a moment she had been distracted by his appearance. She felt ashamed.

But really, he’s a perfect man for his looks.

Not the easiest personality, but not rude either. He had managed reasonably well with a contract marriage partner.

If he had married someone else, he’d have lived well.

Thinking how Dehart would be furious if he knew, Sebelia went upstairs to freshen up before the dressers arrived.

* * *

As evening fell, the grand theater was illuminated. The rose-colored marble building, bathed in flickering light, adorned the capital like a blooming red rose—befitting the name of the beloved Empress Elisha.

“Don’t you think the name Elisha sounds a bit too provincial, Nathan?”

In a hall adorned with gold and jewels, the twins of the Wheddon family stood—Nelia and Nathan Wheddon. Nelia, basking in the attention, whispered into Nathan’s ear.

“When I become Empress, the grand theater will be named after me—Nelia.”

Nathan chuckled softly. Lately, she had been talking as if she already knew what she’d do once she became Empress. She seemed quite hopeful about her engagement to the Prince.

“Do as you wish, sister. But remember, there’s something we need to do first. Don’t forget.”

“Oh, of course. How could I forget something so easy? Remember, she was always weak against me.”

Earlier that afternoon, Nelia had received a request from Silas to go to the grand theater and persuade Sebelia to come along if she appeared.

Nelia, who hadn’t cared much about Sebelia’s fate, was somewhat surprised to learn that the missing sister Silas sought was actually alive—but she nodded obediently.

“By the way, are we sure she’s coming to the theater?”

“Yes. All the staff from the costume shop on Elit Street have been flooding the Inverness estate. There’s no way a commoner like her would attend the ball without an invitation. Since a box seat was reserved in the Duke’s name, she’s bound to show up.”

After a while, the hall grew crowded. Most were nobles from the capital or wealthy commoners, but occasional faces appeared that seemed from other regions.

Shortly after, staff emerged to usher the audience to their seats. By now, Nathan, confident that Sebelia would arrive at the grand theater, began to feel impatient.

“Those with tickets for the first floor, this way please…”

People murmured and started moving toward their seats. As the crowd shuffled about, their gazes suddenly fixed on one spot—and then froze, as if paralyzed.