Chapter 83

On the day of Maxim von Waldeck’s homecoming party, the Waldeck townhouse was bustling with activity from the early morning. It was a momentous day, as it marked the arrival of House Waldeck’s two mistresses, who had spent most of their time in the outer territory, finally making their entrance into the royal palace.

At least, that’s how it felt for the former Grand Duchess. She might have lost some of her grandeur with age, but she was still a noblewoman down to the marrow.

She had been born into exalted blood, married into a house of comparable prestige, and not once in her life had she been anything but a part of nobility.

But for Daisy, who, until a year ago, had not even had a proper name, let alone a lineage, this day meant something entirely different.

It was simply another exhausting day of being squeezed into suffocating clothes and forced to stand around all day.

‘I don’t want to go. I just want to rest.’

Honestly, even though she was still at home, she already wanted to go home.

Daisy looked at her reflection in the mirror, trussed up and polished to perfection.

With all those expensive adornments layered on her, she did resemble a proper lady.

And as she always felt: becoming the real thing was hard, but looking the part was easy.

‘It’s not like I’ll have anything to do there anyway. I’m basically just going to stand there and suffer…’

Only a short while ago, Daisy had filled herself with determination. This party had been her “day of reckoning.” But that goal had been effortlessly resolved by external forces, very anticlimactically.

To make sure she wasn’t misunderstanding things, Daisy double-checked from every angle, but as she’d expected, she hadn’t been wrong.

“Hey, Rose, what does it mean when a man gives shoes to a woman as a gift?”

“It means ‘get lost.’ How do you not know that?”

She had asked Rose secretly, only to receive a blunt answer in return.

“Mel, what would you think if someone gave you new shoes and said, ‘Best of luck on your new beginning’?”

“I’d most likely think, ‘Ah, a beautiful connection has come to an end.’”

“…”

“Oh, now that you mention it, when I was discharged, my comrades gave me shoes as a parting gift.”

With Mary, she had asked even more directly, but received the same kind of response.

She even questioned the butler and the head maid.

They confirmed Maxim von Waldeck had indeed been staying out at night, and the shoes and letter had merely been delivered through his aide.

Daisy had been using that enormous room by herself for almost a week, just as she had hoped.

The former Grand Duchess had given Daisy a long lecture.

It was about how entering the royal palace was a tremendous honor for any noble.

According to his aunt, one needed more than a title to set foot in the royal palace. One had to possess the proper pride of a noble.

Even with that, only those who had the fortune of being noticed by the royal family could hope to be granted an audience with the king. That was the philosophy his aunt lived by.

Daisy had no idea what that “pride” was supposed to be, but she was certain it was something utterly trivial.

If even a fake Grand Duchess like her could possess it, how impressive could it really be?

“Hold in your breath, Your Highness.”

Rose slapped Daisy’s backside lightly and began to tighten the laces of her dress.

“Ugh… it’s way too tight.”

“When you wear a dress like this, there’s no way around it.”

Rose was as merciless as always. It seemed like her goal was to strangle Daisy to death, as tightened the laces even more.

“But still…”

“All nobles endure these things, Your Highness.”

Seeing her say that with a sly little smile, it looked like she took real joy in tormenting Daisy.

From the constricting undergarments to the dress tailored to cling to her every curve, Daisy—who already had trouble with digestion—felt like she might be sick, even though she hadn’t eaten a thing.

“Are you self-conscious about your tits being so big?”

Suddenly, she remembered her husband, who spouted crude nonsense at every opportunity.

Before he started having an affair, he’d said all sorts of perverted things without a second thought. Daisy let out a faint sigh.

“Haah… And for God’s sake, stop wearing such tight undergarments. That’s why you’re always so uncomfortable and bloated.”

Still, as perverted as his remarks were, there was some logic to them. Daisy couldn’t deny that.

Thinking about her cheating husband, Daisy couldn’t shake the conflicted feelings swirling inside her.

‘What do I do?’

From the moment she’d discovered her husband’s infidelity, only one thought plagued Daisy von Waldeck’s mind. How am I supposed to act as the lawful wife, even if all this was just for show?

‘What if I bump into his mistress at the party?’

She still didn’t know who the woman was, but if she was of noble standing, the chances of encountering her at the banquet were high.

But he was still, technically, her husband, and she, technically, his wife. Shouldn’t anger be the natural reaction?

“You little bitch, today’s the day you die.”

“How dare you steal my husband? You XX!”

Grabbing her by the hair… well, that would be how they handled things in back alleys.

For a Grand Duchess, perhaps something a little more classy and refined?

“Pleasure to meet you. Are you the one currently sleeping with my husband?”

“I sincerely hope you’ll do your best to satisfy my husband’s perverted desires. I’ll leave him in your capable hands.”

It’s bizarre. Trying so hard to stay composed might actually make her look even more pathetic.

Still, she had to decide on her initial reaction.

Approaching this strategically would help her secure an advantageous position in the divorce.

Maybe she should hire a lawyer and get some professional advice.

If she was going to leave because of her husband’s affair, she should at least get a hefty settlement so she wouldn’t look too pitiful. A million gold, at the very least.