Uncover the Death of the Villainess - Chapter 4

Laura’s funeral was held in the annex of Paine’s mansion. The annex was crowded with people.

I felt my heart crumble again as I looked at the coffin where Laura lay.

The mahogany coffin lid was tightly closed. Usually, the bereaved family applies makeup to the chemically treated body, making the deceased look as they did when alive. It’s a consideration to allow people to say their final goodbyes to the deceased. But unlike other funerals, the fact that the coffin lid was closed meant that she must have met a harsh death.

‘I came all this way, but I can’t even see my friend’s final appearance.’

There was a time when Laura and I were so close that we couldn’t live without each other. I wondered what happened to make such close friends grow so distant.

As I sighed with a miserable feeling, I overheard people talking.

“I heard her head and face were severely damaged from the fall?”

“The morticians reportedly refused several times, saying it was beyond their skills to restore.”

“Sigh. What could have been lacking that made her make such a choice?”

“Poor Marquis Paine.”

My tears welled up again as I listened to their conversation. I kept wiping my eyes with a handkerchief.

‘If I had known you would end your life so early, I would have visited you and stayed by your side no matter how much you pushed me away.’

It was a belated regret, but at that time, I was also busy with my business, and Laura was preoccupied with her bridal lessons.

I was stroking the coffin and crying for a while when someone tapped my shoulder.

“Charlotte, stop crying. People might think you’ve lost a family member.”

I turned around to see the socialite women who had once gossiped about Laura to me. Back then, I desperately defended my friend, which made this group dislike me. Someone sneered at me.

“They might actually be family. Isn’t Laura the illegitimate child of Baronet Liv, as the rumors say?”

“Ah, so that’s why they were so close all this time.”

The women in black clothes chuckled among themselves and gossiped lightly.

“Being close is just temporary. As soon as Laura became the Marquis’s fiancée, she was immediately abandoned.”

“Oh, really?”

A woman with wavy blonde hair raised her eyebrows, her eyes widening. She acted as if she was hearing this for the first time, even though it was a fact known to everyone, including me.

‘Even if they hate me, bringing up my late father is crossing the line.’

At that moment, my tears dried up. As I continued to listen to their conversation, I felt my blood starting to boil.

At the same time, the blonde woman gave me what seemed like sincere advice, as if worried.

“Charlotte. You won’t hear anything good if you stay here longer. You must know by now, right? How cruel Laura was.”

“That’s right. Even Marquis Paine always looked at his fiancée like a stone.”

“So please leave now without running into the Marquis.”

Anyone watching would think you were the mistress of this house.

The eyes of the woman standing in front of me were already burning with ambition. I smirked at her.

‘What? Were you wary of me?’

People’s preferences don’t change easily. These women wanted to quickly send me away from the funeral because I had brown hair, green eyes, and a build and appearance somewhat similar to Laura’s. Judging by their behavior, they didn’t want me to encounter Marquis Michael.

“It seems you all covet the position beside Marquis Paine.”

At my blunt words, most of the people gathered here flinched, their faces contorting.

Come to think of it, the guests here now had a much higher ratio of women to men. Older women brought their young daughters, dressed up nicely, trying to somehow connect with Marquis Michael, their eyes gleaming.

“How can you say such things at a funeral?”

“You’re being disrespectful, Charlotte.”

To the flustered women fanning themselves, I retorted,

“You’re the ones being disrespectful. This is Laura’s funeral. If you couldn’t wear modest black clothes, why did you come with such flashy jewelry? How long has it been since my friend died? How many hours has it been since the coffin was closed, and you’re all acting so vulgar?”

They were adorned with rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and even jade accessories imported from the East. Even the black dresses they wore for mourning were so beaded and glittering that it hurt my eyes.

‘People should have some decency.’

Laura was a cruel woman? Until her marriage, she was the kindest and most gentle friend to me. People who used to flatter Laura when she was alive suddenly changed their attitude after her death. I couldn’t just stand by and let my dead friend be criticized.

“And my father died honorably as a naval officer on the battlefield. It’s thanks to him that you all live safely. Don’t insult a hero of the empire!”

As I was fuming and panting, the surrounding noise suddenly stopped. Feeling strange, I turned my head to see Marquis Michael Paine walking towards me.

“I didn’t expect you to come.”

“……”

“I heard you were once close to Laura. I guess it’s true.”

Michael also seemed to have been greatly shocked by his fiancée’s death. His once beautiful appearance had deteriorated a lot over the past three years.

The women who had been confronting me quickly turned their heads and left. It seems I’m the villain here. Well, since I’ve already upset people, should I go further? After all, unlike these people, I had no intention of trying to impress Michael.

“Marquis. Did something happen between you two while Laura was staying here? Did you two fight before this happened? I can’t understand my friend’s death. Could you please explain it to me in a way I can comprehend?”

As soon as I made eye contact with Michael, I regretted it. I wondered if I had said something too rude to someone who had lost his fiancée.

He frowned and cleared his throat repeatedly.

“This isn’t a conversation for here. If it’s not too presumptuous, would you join me for a cup of tea upstairs?”

I quietly nodded and followed him. Behind my back, I could hear women’s sighs and sneers.

“What? Is she making a move right after his fiancée died?”

“I know. It’s such a waste. I should have spoken to him first.”

“It’s not too late. Surely he won’t look for another similar woman.”

“That’s why I said we should have chased her away earlier.”

The women who had confronted me earlier were glaring at me with burning eyes.

‘I should keep the conversation short and return.’

Otherwise, my body might burn up from their jealous gazes. I followed Michael up the stairs. His honey-like blonde hair and clear blue eyes still seemed to be captivating to the opposite s*x. I felt angry on behalf of my dead friend for no reason.

As we entered the reception room, a butler approached with porcelain teacups on a silver tray. He placed the teacups and a plate of simple snacks on the low table between Michael and me. The plate contained a mix of various nuts.

I slightly pushed the plate aside, and Michael asked me,

“Do you not like these?”

“I’m not particularly fond of them. I prefer sweeter snacks like cake or chocolate to go with tea.”

Hearing my words, the butler lightly bowed his head and left the reception room with the plate of nuts.

Now, only Michael and I were here.

“It’s been a long time.”

I wasn’t even invited to the engagement party, so the last time I properly talked with Michael was three years ago, or was it before that? The conversation in Mrs. Roland’s garden was the last one I remember having with him. After that, I only occasionally saw his face at charity events. At those times, he intentionally avoided me, not giving me a chance to speak to him.

‘Back then, I had no idea that vagrant was Michael.’

The Michael I met at Mrs. Roland’s party looked quite different from now. Remembering that time, a bitter taste filled my mouth.

I had seen Michael and Laura a few times passing by on the street or at social gatherings. We were too far apart to speak, and they would disappear from the gathering as soon as I appeared. I remember that after that, the two of them didn’t engage in any official public activities together.

“I thought you were intentionally avoiding me all this time. It’s awkward and I’m at a loss for words now that you’ve asked to talk like this today.”

“I’m sorry for all this time.”

“Ha.”

A weak laugh escaped my lips.

Avoiding my contact and hiding in this grand marquis mansion. I thought I had committed some great sin against this couple. Of course, my pride was hurt too, so I didn’t particularly come here to confront them. I visited here directly just once, but after being rejected, I only sent a few letters through other people afterward.

In this small capital, Michael would pretend not to see me and disappear.

So he probably didn’t know. That the more obvious it became that this man was distancing himself from me, the more misunderstandings the socialite women had, looking at me with sharp gazes.

At Michael’s apology, sharp words spilled from my mouth.