Exactly two years ago, the news of Levedi Ophelia’s divorce and return to the capital was splashed across the front page of newspapers.

A woman’s divorce wasn’t unprecedented, but among cultured ladies, it was taboo.

Divorce was considered an irresponsible act that betrayed one’s God-given partner and precious family.

Levedi Ophelia was the flower of social circles and a role model for many young ladies.

With the news of her divorce, her reputation plummeted instantly.

Consequently, ladies who were fans of Matilda began to taunt those who had supported Levedi.

“Oh my, are you alright? I heard that the Countess of Floredo… no, Lady Levedi Ophelia has divorced.”

“How surprising! They say you never know about people! Acting all noble and modest in public, who would have known she’d be so scandalous behind closed doors?”

“What a disgrace, really.”

“To think such a woman was the flower of social circles—I’m glad I never met her.”

The worst taunting came from Elena Bliston, Matilda’s cousin.

She was the same age as Olivia and a viscount’s daughter, but she swaggered through social circles backed by the power of her uncle, Marquis Rolls.

Olivia’s group all disliked Elena, and Elena’s group disliked Olivia.

They were so divided that they wouldn’t even set foot in clothing shops frequented by the other group.

‘Being told such things by her is still humiliating when I think about it.’

Olivia’s blood would boil even in her sleep when she recalled that incident.

Now, at the thought of seeing Levedi again, she felt a strange emotion.

Once an object of admiration and emulation, but now someone who had made her a laughingstock.

As she was lost in these thoughts, Duchess Filiche excused herself to go to the bathroom.

Immediately, whispers could be heard from nearby.

“No matter how much she’s the Duchess of Filiche, I don’t understand. Why is she defending that woman so much?”

“Oh my, didn’t you know? Their relationship is famous.”

“In what way? I’ve been recuperating in the south, so I don’t know much.”

“There was a time when Duchess Filiche was called the godmother of Ophelia… no, Duchess Esteban.”

“Ah! So that’s why……”

Hearing the voices from beside her, Olivia bit her lower lip with her head lowered.

‘……I don’t like this.’

How much time had passed? When Duchess Filiche returned and the venue quieted down again, a servant’s voice announced the Crown Princess’s arrival.

At that moment, everyone rose from their seats, including Olivia.

“We greet Your Highness.”

Everyone greeted Crown Princess Estelia in unison. Receiving their greetings, Estelia trudged to her seat at the head of the table.

“Everyone, please be seated.”

As everyone sat down simultaneously, all eyes turned to Estelia.

Estelia rarely attended balls except those held at the imperial palace.

The women who saw her up close all had curious looks in their eyes. Olivia was no exception.

‘She’s more impressive than I’d heard……’

The Crown Princess, with golden eyes and golden hair, symbols of the imperial family, was tall and larger in build compared to ordinary women.

At a glance, her figure might not seem particularly feminine, but why?

Due to the dress sewn to reveal her shoulders, her broad shoulders and long neck appeared as advantages.

Also, the flowing hem might have looked like an upside-down sack at first glance, but perhaps because of her height, the straight fit accentuated her healthy figure.

A large belt cinched her waist, bringing out feminine lines, and her long straight hair and large sapphire earrings matched the dress perfectly, creating a fantastic combination.

‘This is the first time I’ve seen such fashion. She really dresses well……’

“Thank you all for responding to my invitation. This is my first time hosting such a gathering, so I’m quite unfamiliar—does it show?”

The place erupted in laughter.

Her voice and manner were refreshing, and she seemed outgoing just by looking at her.

‘She seems to have a good personality.’

As Olivia was once again lost in private appreciation, the conversation had already deepened, and one lady asked Estelia,

“That’s a design I’ve never seen before. May I ask which clothing shop you got it from?”

“……!”

Since Olivia was also curious about this, she listened attentively with wide eyes.

And the words that flowed from her lips were unexpected.

“I attended Black Rose’s fashion show. I liked the clothing there, so I commissioned a custom outfit.”

“Then perhaps the dress you wore at the last party was also made there?”

“That’s right. This outfit wasn’t specially tailored, but they suddenly sent it as a gift yesterday, so I wore it out.”

“Oh my, a gift from Black Rose? It’s a place where even getting an appointment is difficult for us……”

Voices of agreement could be heard from here and there, and finally, the one who spoke up was Marquis Rolls’s daughter, Matilda.

“It seems Your Highness has good taste. I’m also wearing Black Rose’s clothes today.”

Olivia’s brows narrowed as she looked at the boastful Matilda.

‘……Ha, showing off again.’

Matilda was a braggart. She was so similar to Elena’s cousin that it was uncanny how they resembled each other even in this aspect.

Amelia, who was sitting nearby, chimed in,

“Oh my, isn’t this the limited edition outfit from the newly released White Velvet? I tried to get one but couldn’t.”

“I got it by going directly to the fashion show. I had to wait in line for an hour, though.”

“Oh my, you really have good taste. How did you know it would become a limited edition…!”

“Yes, it’s amazing.”

Amelia and other women one by one praised Matilda’s clothes.

Estelia scanned the scene and then smirked.

“Everyone seems very interested in Black Rose’s clothes.”

“Of course. It’s one of the capital’s top brands along with La Fleur.”

“Then this is fortunate.”

“Pardon?”

All the ladies at the gathering sent puzzled looks. Olivia was no exception.

‘Why is it fortunate?’

As she was wondering inwardly, surprising words flowed from Estelia’s lips,

“Actually, I’ve invited the head of Black Rose to this gathering.”

“……What?!”

As everyone stared at her in surprise, she looked at the clock placed on the table and said,

“She should be arriving about now……”

It was at that moment.

“I apologize. I’m a bit late.”

When a woman entered through the opening door, all eyes turned to her, and then everyone wore expressions of shock.

And looking around at these women, Estelia calmly said,

“Let me introduce you. This is the head of Black Rose you’ve all been talking about so much.”

❀❀❀

“I apologize. I’m a bit late.”

The moment I entered the party venue through the door, cold sweat formed in my palms from nervousness.

Perhaps I anticipated the cold response from the public that would befall me. Sure enough.

“Let me introduce you. This is the head of Black Rose you’ve all been talking about so much.”

The surprised gazes of the gathering turned toward me. Most of those gazes were surprised, but only briefly before turning cold.

“Ah, of course, she’s also the Duchess of Esteban.”

“……”

A heavy silence hung over the place for a while. Somehow feeling like I had ruined the atmosphere, I felt awkward when Estelia pointed to the seat on her left and said,

“Sit here.”

“……!”

At that moment, everyone had a surprised look. I was equally taken aback.

Duchess Filiche was sitting on the Crown Princess’s right side, and seating me on her left meant treating me as equal to her.

Also, offering a close seat at a tea party signified a display of friendship.

‘Does she really want to be friends with me?’

Well, otherwise, she wouldn’t have truly followed my words.

I suddenly recalled what happened a few days ago.

❀❀❀

After being invited to Estelia’s party, the first thing I did was make and send her clothes.

Of course, I didn’t just send clothes.

「I remember Your Highness said you wanted to be friends with me. But I think friendship is a relationship that requires trust. If you show me trust first, I think I can trust Your Highness too.」

I also enclosed a letter.

The letter deliberately avoided stating the main point.

The next day, Estelia visited the trading company, and I made a proposal to her.

“Why have you called me here?”

“I’d like you to help me.”

“Help? What kind of help could you possibly need from me?”

“I’m planning to reveal my identity in front of people.”

“……!”

Estelia showed surprise, but soon she calmly asked,

“That’s what I wanted too. So, what’s your proposal?”

“On that day, please support me. It might sound a bit cowardly, but social circles operate on the logic of power.”

“Is that all you called me for?”

“Pardon?”

Just as I thought she might be offended by the idea of being used, she unexpectedly said,

“Of course I can do that much. Thanks to you, my love has also been realized. Actually, I met that boy yesterday too. He gave me a ring with a shy face and then ran away.”

“……Is that so?”

“Yes. So such a request is nothing to me. Well, specifically, how would you like me to help?”

“Please wear Black Rose’s clothes in front of people tomorrow. And I’d like you to help me announce that I’m the head of Black Rose.”

“I’ll gladly help.”

Estelia readily agreed to my proposal, and I conveyed the specific plan to her.

And today, after several days, I came to the tea party.

❀❀❀

‘I didn’t expect her to help so openly……’

I thought as I sat down on Estelia’s left side. Just then, Estelia’s voice was heard,

“Have you been well, Duchess?”

Perhaps due to nervousness, I turned my head in surprise, and there was Estelia with a smiling face.

“I’ve been well thanks to Your Highness. Have you been well?”

Estelia grinned and replied,

“Yes. I’ve been fine, of course. I’ve benefited in many ways thanks to the clothes you made.”

She spoke freely in front of me, but her words were filtered in front of others, which made me chuckle.

The “benefit” she mentioned must surely refer to that young lord.

But thanks to that, I felt much more relaxed.

“I’m glad to hear that. Though Baroness Dupont did most of the work.”

It was at that moment. A familiar voice was heard,

“……Duchess Esteban, are you really the owner of Black Rose?”

I turned my head. The person who asked was a familiar face. I couldn’t forget the person who had tried to discredit and suppress me by printing false news.

Matilda Rolls.

‘No, she’s married now.’

Before coming here, I had received a list of the ladies and women who would be attending from the Crown Princess.

According to it, Matilda had recently married Duke Icalion, from a martial family.

‘Now she’d be Matilda Icalion.’

Mulling over this fact, I nodded.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“……”

“By the way, that dress you’re wearing, it looks like White Velvet’s limited edition dress, is that correct?”

White Velvet was a brand planned for a younger age group, but for some reason, it was highly preferred by those around my age.

I never expected even Matilda would buy that dress.

“Well, that’s right, but……”

It was at that moment. Another familiar voice was heard,

“I envy you, Duchess!”

It was a lively voice. The owner of that voice was also a familiar face.

Amelia Richard. No, Amelia Eppel.

‘She recently married Viscount Eppel.’

“Pardon?”

Confused by the sudden remark, I asked, and she looked at me with wide, bright eyes and said,

“I think Duke Esteban is truly a capable person! Black Rose was also conceived by the Duke, right?”

“……”

“Oh my, how happy you must be to have such a capable husband.”

Ah. And at that moment, I realized.

‘Is she mocking me indirectly……?’

I wondered why she suddenly said she envied me.

It seemed she thought I was sitting here due to Assel’s ability, not my own.

I felt a bit annoyed, but I tried to suppress it and said,

“He is quite capable. Thank you for the compliment. But……”

“Surely there must have been a reason for your divorce. That was truly a wise choice.”

But my words weren’t allowed to finish. The one who interrupted was Lady Duffel.

According to the information Estelia provided, she was the daughter of a margrave and would turn nineteen this year.

Also, she was engaged to the heir of House Isnel, which operated a large trading company.

With such a solid background and an upright character, she was popular in social circles.

“The problem is that she’s too honest.”

“According to her close associates, she has as many enemies as friends.”

And as Estelia had hinted, she seemed to have a very straightforward personality.

“Isn’t that right, everyone?”

But was it because of her background, or was it because of my position?

Everyone laughed here and there as if agreeing with what she said.

“Oh my, that surely wasn’t her intention.”

“Then what was her intention?”

“Being so beautiful, she couldn’t just be with any man. Beauty requires a lot of funding to support it.”

“Ah, so that’s why Lord Floredo……”

Though I had anticipated such reactions, facing them in reality gave me a strange feeling.

Something hot bubbled up from within me.

Estelia glanced at my reaction and showed signs of wanting to mediate, but I gestured to her invisibly.

‘Please don’t.’

This was a problem I had to solve. After a moment’s consideration, I began with a smooth smile,

“Everyone is welcoming me so warmly after such a long time.”

The reason I could earn the title of the flower of social circles was partly due to my background and appearance, but also because I was never taken lightly.

To avoid being taken lightly, one shouldn’t easily show anger or reveal when one’s feelings are hurt.

The same goes for refuting everything.

I just smiled brightly as if nothing was wrong and said,

“By the way, you all have such sharp intuition.”

I smiled and looked toward Matilda. When our eyes met, Matilda’s gaze trembled, but soon she made a hostile expression. Her demeanor was clearly visible despite hiding behind a mask of smiles. She asked,

“Oh my, what are you trying to say?”

She clearly wanted me to be trampled, and when it didn’t go as she wished, she seemed to find it vexing. I chuckled and replied,

“My husband has been helping my business a lot. He’s especially invested a lot in the Single Mothers’ Centers.”

“Single Mothers’ Centers……?”

The one who asked with curious eyes was a lady sitting nearby who had been quiet.

Let’s see. Brown hair with green eyes… ah, was her name Olivia?

Fragments of memory surfaced, and then her full name crossed my mind.

‘Ah, that’s right, Olivia Garnet!’

“Lady Garnet seems to have a lot of interest in that area.”

“No, I don’t know much about it. By single mothers, do you mean women who have children without husbands?”

“That’s right. And as you know, the jobs available to women in the Empire are limited, so most of these women find it financially burdensome to raise their children.”

“……”

“At Black Rose, we employ single mothers to create jobs for them. But since it tends to run at a deficit, we needed sponsors.”

“Ah……”

Olivia’s gaze deepened. Not just hers, but most of the gazes, except for Matilda and Amelia, softened, clearly moved by the good deed.

‘Of course, I didn’t start this way to exploit it like this……’

The reason I operated the Single Mothers’ Centers was for one simple reason. After my divorce, I realized how hard it was to live as a divorcée, and I wondered how much harder it must be for single mothers.

Since I had plenty of money to spend anyway, I decided to use it for a good cause while expanding my business.

Of course, by now, it has brought me a lot of profit.

Because there were many talented women among the single mothers.

After glancing at the reactions around me, I continued,

“And one of the sponsors I met through this was my current husband.”