From what she’d heard from Dona, Gloria had refused to accept Bella as family and thought she was taking away her only remaining family member, her brother.

So she had been desperate to torment Bella and her lady’s maid, Marie, who were mere “intruders” to her. She constantly caused trouble and slandered her, trying to drive a wedge between Bella and her brother.

Eventually, she realized that even her brother couldn’t fully take her side and was troubled between his wife and sister. Feeling deeply betrayed, she fled to the annex and isolated herself.

At that time, Gloria was only 15 years old. An ambiguous age — young but not completely ignorant, not unconditionally innocent.

Having been tormented for so long, Bella’s heart couldn’t open wide just because Gloria suddenly became docile in one day, as though she had become a different person.

Bella was clearly wary, as if Gloria might suddenly change back at any moment, just as Dona had been. She didn’t initiate conversation, and a kind voice was too much to expect.

Gloria wasn’t particularly upset either. It made sense that Bella’s affection would have faded after being tormented so much by her sister-in-law.

“No matter what you say, sister, I don’t intend to go into society……”

“Right now, you’re not choosing not to go into society — you can’t go.”

With one gesture, Bella dismissed the maids behind her. Only Dona remained, head bowed, behind Gloria.

“The invitations have stopped. After your unfortunate incident, there were briefly invitations from various places, but since you rejected them all, no one will remember you now.”

‘That’s good news. Really, if that’s true.’

Gloria barely swallowed the words that rose to her throat. She didn’t want her relationship with Bella to worsen further. Since they were already too distant to even argue, Gloria silently waited for what would come next.

“I won’t tell you to beg the Duchess for an invitation to a gathering. At least show her a good impression. I don’t want to say this, but.”

Bella took a small breath, almost like a sigh. Come to think of it, this was the first time she had spoken to Gloria at such length. Until now, they had only briefly seen each other during etiquette lessons or exchanged greetings when eating breakfast or dinner together.

“My husband doesn’t show it, but he worries about you a lot. We women waste even a little time and miss our opportunity.”

“Are you worried I won’t find a husband?”

“It doesn’t matter. You’re not going to live in the annex like this forever, are you?”

Bella was right. If she had been just an eccentric lady locked up in her room wasting her youth, that would have been a valid concern.

Gloria gave a bitter smile.

“I’ll go see the Duchess, sister. I’ve kept her waiting too long.”

“Yes. Miss, please don’t take what I said too badly……”

“I’m not upset. You were just concerned.”

Seeing Bella’s habitual behavior of checking her expression after giving sound advice, Gloria felt even more dejected.

The Bella she had seen so far was quite a decent adult. Since Gloria had no mother, Bella, who had only completed her debutante a year ago, should have been the senior who gave her proper advice.

However, the sister-in-law Bella was responsible for wasn’t just someone with a terrible personality — she was also someone who had once secretly slept with the Duke.

The issue wasn’t finding a husband. Even if Gloria changed her mind now and went into society, could she safely meet a good nobleman and marry?

She didn’t know who knew what about her relationship with Jack. If Gloria appeared in any way, the gossip that had sunk would likely resurface.

Unable to tell the truth, Gloria simply smiled silently and moved on.

Isabel was in the second-floor reception room. Standing at the door, Gloria took a deep breath. Then she knocked.

“Oh my.”

A soft voice resonated through the space. Gloria bit the inside of her cheek to keep from furrowing her brow.

An angel was sitting there.

The halo behind the woman sitting on the sofa was dazzling. She realized a bit late that it was the afternoon sunlight leaking through the window.

“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Gloria. I must have surprised you by coming so suddenly.”

Isabel Howard was cheerful and kind, always thoughtful and attentive. Everyone was completely captivated by her appearance and gentle temperament.

It felt like a natural principle, as obvious as water flowing from high to low, or the sun and moon rising alternately.

Gloria could finally understand the phrases that praised Isabel in the novel.

“Come sit over here. I’ve wanted to meet you so badly, and finally I do.”

Gloria followed the silky smooth touch that guided her, momentarily halting all thought.

Isabel kept smiling for some reason, while Gloria wanted nothing more than to strangle herself right there.

She felt she would do anything to avoid Isabel’s gaze right now.

The reason her emotions were so intense was partly because Isabel was violently beautiful, but also because she was certain Isabel knew nothing.

Would the situation have been better if she had thrown water or slapped Gloria’s face as soon as she opened the reception room door?

In her current state of impaired judgment, she thought that might have been better. It wouldn’t have improved the situation particularly, but at least she wouldn’t have wanted to die from guilt as she did now.

‘Was I always someone who couldn’t live with guilt?’

Thinking about it, she was. She hadn’t lived particularly conscientiously, but she hadn’t committed any great sins in her life either.

She hadn’t had the luxury for deviance. Despite knowing her family’s difficult circumstances, she had gone to art school and had never even skipped classes like others did occasionally.

She had never gotten drunk and caused trouble because she had no money. She always caught the last train home before getting properly drunk because taxi fare was too expensive.

When her mother had scraped together enough money to provide a semi-basement room near school, she had lived thinking only of graduating, gritting her teeth.

Gloria suddenly began to reflect on her life under Isabel’s light.

‘What sin did I commit to deserve this?’

Meanwhile, Isabel kept chattering away.

“I heard about what happened to you through the grapevine, Miss Gloria. Although we’ve never met privately, I’ve seen you at public events once or twice. I was truly distressed by the sudden news, but I was so happy to hear a miracle had occurred.”

Her voice seemed to emit a fragrance. Like spring flowers, or like down.

Gloria was mentally lamenting her life, visually admiring Isabel’s appearance, and aurally listening to her words, completely overwhelmed.

“I heard you lost your memories. Is that true?”

“Yes…… I’m sorry. I don’t remember you, Duchess……”

“What’s there to be sorry about? You must be having the hardest time.”

She wasn’t just angelic in appearance. She was truly perfect inside as well.

Gloria had never seen someone so beautiful in her life. No, even the expression “beautiful” seemed inadequate. Even “gorgeous” felt clichéd. She wanted to use every adjective and metaphor to describe her. Or to paint her.

The beautiful celebrities on the internet who were praised as having different genetics weren’t even comparable. Though she might have been able to compare if she had met those beautiful celebrities in person.

Gloria hadn’t had many opportunities to meet extremely beautiful people in her life.

There was a world of difference between seeing someone in a novel and confronting them directly.

If she hadn’t been a damned adulteress, she would have immediately befriended her and begged her to model for a painting just once.

If she could paint her standing next to Dale, like when they were children……

Thinking that Jack and Gloria had ruined all this made her so irritated that her insides boiled.

As she was suppressing her anger, Isabel’s hand suddenly overlapped hers. At that moment, Gloria’s bottom lifted slightly from the sofa.

“You probably haven’t fully recovered, both physically and mentally. I can’t possibly understand, but you must have been very confused, and also very lonely.”

“Ah, no. I……”

To avoid stammering like an idiot, Gloria cut off her words for a moment. Then Isabel continued.

“Still, I thought you would be very sad if the season ended without attending a single party. Of course, I would be too. So I’m planning to hold a tea party soon. It’s not too large, and I’m inviting young ladies and gentlemen, so I think it will be less burdensome for you to attend, Miss.”

Isabel slightly lowered her head to meet Gloria’s eyes, as if truly trying to gauge her feelings. Sitting side by side on the long sofa, there was no way to avoid that gaze. It was too cruel.

“I, I appreciate the offer, but.”

Bella would want Gloria to return to society and would think this was a very fortunate opportunity, but Gloria didn’t. She still had no intention of going into society.

But she shouldn’t turn away Isabel’s goodwill either. Meeting her directly made it clear.

‘What a piece of garbage……’

She wanted to open Jack’s head and see how he could have thought of meeting Gloria when he had such a wife.