The Stand-In Villainess's Contract Marriage: I Was Divorced After a Year, But For Some Reason, My Ex-Husband Seems to Be Looking for Me - Chapter 8

The Karota residence, where Liana returned alone, was dark with the lights turned off.

Currently, there were only a few servants in the Karota household. Most of them had been serving since her parents’ time, and they were informed to rest when events would run late into the night.

Thus, no one was there to welcome Liana back home. After thanking the coachman who had brought her back, she returned to the dark mansion.

Once in her room, she quickly changed and suddenly felt exhausted. It seemed she had been more nervous than she had thought.

It would take some time for her sister to return.

Just as she was thinking of resting for a bit, her gaze fell on the dress left in her room.

(Ah, I have one more thing I need to do for my sister.)

The preparations for the wedding, scheduled for a year later, were to be managed by the Hord family, but the dresses had to be arranged by them.

So, Liana planned to alter the dress she had inherited from her mother, adding decorations and embroidery to make it more extravagant.

Now that the engagement announcement party had taken place, she needed to prepare the dress as soon as possible.

Although she felt tired, it seemed she was still quite anxious from attending the first party, and sleep wouldn’t come easily.

Liana decided to sew the dress until her sister returned.

With a prayer for her sister’s happiness, she carefully moved the needle forward.

As she focused, time passed quickly.

When she noticed a carriage stopping in front of the mansion, indicating her sister’s return, Liana put down the dress and stood up.

“Welcome back.”

Her sister, having received many blessings and being cherished by Naje, looked happy.

However, the moment she saw Liana, her smile faded.

She probably remembered that Liana had attended the engagement announcement party as the “Wicked Lady Rana.”

“…I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”

“Sister.”

Liana interrupted her sister’s apology with a smile.

“Aren’t you tired? You should change and rest for today.”

Forcing her sister, who was still about to apologize, into the bedroom, Liana insisted.

Her sister had prepared in advance for this day and seemed quite nervous from the morning. She would likely fall asleep quickly due to her exhaustion.

Then, Liana returned to her own room.

While she wanted to stay with her sister until the wedding, for her sister’s happiness, it might be better to leave this house as soon as possible.

(I need to finish the dress quickly…)

Her sister’s happy smile.

And the guilt directed at her.

Thoughts of their deceased parents.

Despite feeling tired, Liana couldn’t sleep as those thoughts filled her mind, and she worked on the dress until morning.

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A few days later.

Liana attended a ball that her sister and Naje participated in, disguised as Rana.

“Why do you insist on attending the same ball as Esrie?”

Naje, having officially become her sister’s fiancé and frequently visiting the Karota household, directly asked her this.

Of course, it was to ensure that the distinction between her sister and the “Wicked Lady Rana” was widely known, but she had no intention of telling him that.

“Wherever I go is my freedom, isn’t it?”

Dressed in a flashy outfit after changing, Liana provocatively smiled at him.

“This concerns the reputation of the Karota family. Once I become the head of the family, I won’t allow such freedoms anymore.”

He told her this with a serious expression.

That was to be expected, but Liana intended to leave before that.

“Right. But you’re not the head yet.”

It was necessary for her sister’s future happiness.

But there was no need for Naje to understand that. So, when she retorted, his gaze grew even harsher.

“Esrie has been struggling to repay the debts left by your parents. And yet, you deceive the late count by claiming to be his deceased daughter, spending money lavishly with it. Don’t you feel ashamed?”

Liana was taken aback by this line of conversation.

It was true that her sister had struggled to repay their parents’ debts.

However, it was the Count who had begun calling her sister by the name of his deceased daughter. All the dresses and accessories she wore belonged to that daughter.

Naje didn’t realize that the flashy dress and accessories were antique and that Liana had been just an eleven-year-old child back then.

Not just him.

Surely no one would point out that contradiction.

“That doesn’t concern you, does it? Also, if you continue to treat me with disdain, my sister will be saddened.”

That was not a threat but a fact; every time Naje blamed Liana, her sister suffered from guilt.

She didn’t want to make her sister sad.

So she wished he would leave her alone.

The words she said with that desire seemed to have appeared to Naje as if she was threatening him by bringing her sister into it.

“How cowardly. Your late parents must be disappointed in you.”

“…I suppose so.”

Laughing bitterly, Liana distanced herself from him.

It was painful to hear such malicious words, but this was something her sister had experienced for the past five years.

The contemptuous gazes directed at her when she appeared as Rana. And the lustful stares from some men.

Since her sister had endured it, she too had to persevere.

For the sake of that happiness, she thought this was nothing.