My Dear Husband, Let's Keep It Business-Like! ~Countess Anastasia, Raised in The Downtown, Won't Give Up Her Way~ - Episode 76

Why?

Why do I have to go through this?

Feeling emotionally unstable, I suddenly realized I was about to bite my own nails and quickly pulled my fingers away from my mouth in a panic.

My nails, beautifully polished and gently glowing pink.

I have to be beautiful down to the tips of my nails.

That’s right. It’s unacceptable that my nail got chipped because of that woman, Anastasia.

I am currently under house arrest in my room at the ducal residence.

My father was trying to comfort me by saying, “It’s just for show,” but this is the first time I’ve ever experienced such humiliation.

That ball was specifically arranged by ingratiating ourselves with Al to drag Anastasia out of her territory.

The crown prince of this country, Alphonse, is my older childhood friend.

The bond between the Fairfanville royal family and the Fairfanville dukedom is strong, and unless in official settings, I am even allowed to call the crown prince by his nickname.

The position of crown prince is useful in many ways, so on the surface, I pretend to be a cute childhood friend and act sweet, but in reality, I dislike Al. That man pretends to be refreshingly charming on the surface to deceive everyone, but I know his true nature.

That man is a “blonde lover.”

Al is a narcissist who loves himself dearly, so he adores the color gold, which symbolizes absolute power in this country, just like himself.

When I was little, I was told that when I grew up, I would marry Al and become the queen of this country. I will never forget those words.

“If Tina had been blonde, I would have made her my queen.”

If it had been up to me, that day I would have poured wine on that woman who became a laughingstock because she couldn’t even prepare a decent dress, shoved her into the dressing room, and left the rest to Al.

Al was enthusiastic as well. The moment he found out that Anastasia’s hair color was golden, he became obsessively attached, so it was just right.

And as for me, I just need to wait for the right moment, take Eugene to the waiting room, and catch them in the act of infidelity.

Incredibly, it seemed like Eugene-sama cared for that woman, but seeing that scene would make any light sympathy vanish, right?

When dealing with the crown prince, there’s no choice but to suffer in silence, but if I gently comfort him during such times, he will surely become infatuated with me.

I couldn’t stop laughing just imagining the expression of despair on that woman who was toyed with by Al and abandoned by her husband.

——And yet.

I instantly understood that my plan had been ruined when I spotted that woman on stage.

What, that dress…

It was clear to everyone that the woman’s dress was something extraordinary. Not just the dress. The woman herself had become even more beautiful than when I saw her at the count’s mansion before.

Eugene, who is snuggled up next to me, is looking at his wife with eyes that seem to melt. It’s obvious. That’s not mere sympathy. It’s adoration.

What, why? What’s going on?

My irritation with that woman, who gracefully dealt with the noble ladies approaching her with malice while her golden hair fluttered and drew the attention of the venue, continued to escalate.

At first, the nobles who mocked her for being raised as a commoner are increasingly changing the way they look at her. The feared reality is coming true.

I couldn’t hold back any longer and went straight to pour wine on them, and that’s what happened.

It was the first time in my life that I had gone through something like that, and I couldn’t understand what was happening to me. I got flustered and made mistakes in my words and actions, and that woman skillfully took advantage of that.

She is completely different from the gloomy woman who had been at the mercy of the duke’s family for two years.

That over there was the true form of that woman—Anastasia. I was completely outsmarted.

With my hair and makeup all messed up and wine spilled all over me, I leave the venue, only to be met with giggles and curious stares.

I was so frustrated and angry that when I looked back, I saw Anastasia being protected by her beautiful husband and cared for by her brother.

Why, big brother? I’m your real little sister, aren’t I?

Ah, but.

While doing that, Anastasia, that woman seems like a real little sister.

Because it’s the same color as gold.

I felt something inside me snap.

From there, the situation progressed from bad to worse, as if it were rolling downhill.

The operation failed, so he should just give up, but Al barged into his brother’s waiting room, and to make matters worse, it seems he was caught red-handed by his own fiancée, the princess of the neighboring country.

Moreover, they even mentioned my name during the investigation, so it’s hopeless.

They managed to get through by using the lack of evidence as an escape route, but now they say there are suspicions of abuse against the adopted daughter Anastasia in the duke’s family.

It was my older brother who made the accusation.

You completely chose Anastasia over me, brother.

If I had known it would come to this, I should have quietly married into the Hamilton family.

Looking at the door of the room locked from the outside, I stand up slowly.

If only I had done that, then being loved by that beautiful count, standing there in that wonderful dress, being worried about and protected by my brother, all of it should have been mine.

Yes, actually, it was all supposed to be mine.

“Ahaha, I feel so stupid…”

At this point, at least.

——— At least, let that woman experience despair…