Chapter 20
“If she’s worked here for ten years, then this employee learned her attitude entirely from you, Kepine.”
At those words, Kepine’s face stiffened.
“My lady? Why would I…”
“I heard what you said before I came in here. That I had no intention of spending money, so there was no need for you to deal with me personally.”
“Th-That was…”
“I understand your philosophy, of course. A customer who doesn’t spend money hardly requires your personal attention. But in the end, won’t people who watch and learn from that kind of example keep causing these problems?”
Kepine shut her mouth, her face rigid.
She clenched her fists, steadied her breathing for a moment, then forced an awkward smile.
“O-Of course, my lady. I was thoughtless. I will correct my own conduct first. And what shall we do about this girl?”
Evina looked down at the woman trembling at her feet and let out a sigh.
“Forget it. It’s true she was insolent. But I don’t want to push a woman who has nowhere else to go off a cliff.”
It was a lie.
Evina simply didn’t want to be played for a fool without knowing why.
There was no way Kepine, who ran the most famous salon in the capital, would bow her head and beg forgiveness from a mere viscountess.
Something must have happened that she didn’t know about…
Probably involving the man who had just left the fitting room.
“A noble gentleman sent a gift, saying he had been discourteous.”
“…A gift?”
Therese, beaming, pulled forward a rack laden with gorgeous dresses.
They were so stunning it took her breath away.
“This season’s new arrivals. Some haven’t even been put in the dress book yet. Now then, shall we pick one out?”
Evina nodded, picturing the man’s handsome face.
‘A dream of escaping your wretched, miserable life. If there were a chance to escape this life, would you take it?’
It felt like an invitation.
She thought she should refuse.
But standing before dresses with brilliant colors and elegant designs, things she had never seen up close in her entire life, her hand reached out on its own.
“First, I should decline this gift…”
Evina touched the dress and slowly fell silent.
It was soft.
So different from the cheap dresses…
She wanted it.
She wanted to have it.
Did Evina Siollier always have to wear secondhand dresses, dug out from the back of a salon storage room?
Why?
Her eyes shone transparent under the lights.
She didn’t want to lie to herself.
The dress was so beautiful.
It was obvious it would suit her golden hair and golden eyes perfectly.
There was no reason to refuse.
This was the man’s goodwill.
So Evina decided not to decline the invitation he had sent.
* * *
A few days later, the dress arrived at the Viscount Derise’s estate.
“Wow…”
Therese marveled again, even though she had helped pick out the dress that day.
“My lady, look at this…”
Not just the dress, but a matching necklace and earrings arrived as well, as if they had been made as a set.
They were items Evina had never ordered.
“They look insanely expensive!”
As the tactless Therese ran her mouth, the butler, who had been pretending to do other work while watching them, shot a glance their way.
Evina picked up the note resting on top of the necklace.
[To the Viscountess Derise, who experienced discomfort at the Kepine Salon, I apologize once more. As a gesture of apology, I am sending accessories that pair well with the dress you purchased.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Kepine]
“She says it’s a gift sent as an apology for what happened at the salon.”
At those words, the butler withdrew his suspicious gaze.
Evina sneered inwardly.
As if she could afford luxuries. She was given no money at all, and yet they still looked at her with suspicion, knowing full well their master didn’t spend a penny on her.
“Therese, could you put it in my safe?”
“Yes, my lady!”
The butler looked like he had something to say, but Evina ignored his gaze and turned away.
Dresses and jewelry were a wife’s personal property anyway.
Something the Viscount couldn’t touch.
That was precisely why, whenever it came time to have a dress made, the Viscount never hesitated to hurl abuse at her. Calling her a useless leech, or screaming about the damned dress, asking if she planned to take them all to her grave.
And truthfully, she had already sold off all the dresses she had worn before. They were secondhand and she had altered them herself, so she never got much for them.
But she had no choice, since the Viscount never gave her a single coin.
“Do you have something to say?”
“…No, not at all.”
The butler shook his head and left the drawing room. Evina sat on the sofa overlooking the garden and sipped her cheap tea.
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