In the Midst of Revenge on Cinderella (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 15
Ginger’s face instantly brightened. Turning her head, she looked down the stairs to see Floria covering her mouth with a shocked expression.
“My goodness.”
Floria hurried up the stairs and examined me from head to toe.
“What on earth happened…? How did this happen, sister?”
Her worried gaze overlapped in my mind with that venomous expression I’d seen back in the courtyard. Knowing it was all an act, I was genuinely amazed by her acting skills.
“It’s nothing serious…”
“I’m so sorry for causing a commotion, Your Highness. It was entirely my fault—I accidentally spilled the water…”
Ginger rushed down the stairs and knelt at Floria’s feet.
‘What’s going on?’
Ginger’s eyes welled up with tears as she choked back a sob.
“I understand Reneola is angry, but I swear I didn’t spill it on purpose.”
Watching Ginger force tears out, I shook my head inwardly.
‘Hey, compared to Floria, you’re an amateur.’
Though I wasn’t the least bit moved by this baseless accusation, it seemed I was the only one. Ginger sobbed while speaking clearly and loudly enough that people had already gathered around us, drawn by the commotion.
“I’m sorry, Reneola. It really was an accident. No matter how poorly we get along, I’d never do something like that. Please believe me.”
The maids filling the hall whispered among themselves as they watched Ginger plead with me. Though everyone knew her nasty disposition, right now, I was undoubtedly the one with the worst reputation.
News of what I’d done to the maids had spread throughout the entire castle, and my unflinching demeanor during the silent dining incident hadn’t helped.
‘Should I accept her apology here, or should I protest?’
Floria probably expected me to protest—that’s likely why Ginger was making such a scene. In that case…
“Don’t lie! I saw you spill it on purpose!”
I shouted at Ginger, then turned to Floria with an aggrieved expression.
“Please believe me, Your Highness! She definitely spilled it on me on purpose!”
“Reneola, that’s not true at all! I swear I didn’t do it deliberately!”
Ginger shook her head roughly. I shot her a venomous glare and tattled to Floria.
“She’s been tormenting me every single day. Last time, she put a stone in my bread—I nearly lost all my teeth!”
Of course, I’d noticed and switched the bread back, so it was Ginger’s teeth that actually broke, not mine. But before she could open her mouth with that flabbergasted look, I cut her off.
“If we let this slide, next time she’ll definitely spill hot tea on me instead of just water!”
I raised my voice even more dramatically and lowered my eyebrows toward Floria, pleading for sympathy.
“Although I’m currently working as a maid, I am still the daughter of a count and a member of Your Highness’s family. She showed absolutely no respect for an Ayn noble. Insulting me is no different from insulting Your Highness yourself.”
“N-no… that’s absolutely not true, Your Highness!”
Floria, who would never dirty her own hands, probably hadn’t personally instructed Ginger. Shan-na must have convinced her it was for Floria’s own good, twisting the situation skillfully. That’s why Ginger was now shaking her head desperately, terrified of being misunderstood.
‘This should make it look like I’m trusting Floria and playing along.’
My plan seemed to work—the maids’ gazes toward me grew even fiercer. If I’d had any room to argue, maybe it’d be different, but right now I was a noble in name only with a terrible reputation.
Moreover, I’d openly looked down on them despite working alongside them, which only fueled their anger further.
Glancing quickly at their icy stares, I spotted Silvia among the maids, wringing her hands anxiously. Unsure what to do, she started stepping forward as soon as our eyes met, her lips trembling.
I gave her a look telling her to stay put. Thankfully, quick-witted Silvia hesitated and stopped.
‘It’s about time someone stepped in.’
Just as expected, Floria draped the shawl she’d been carrying over my shoulders and spoke.
“Calm down. I understand you’re upset, but it seems there’s been a misunderstanding. Since she’s apologized so sincerely, why not forgive her?”
“But…”
Floria cut me off with a gentle smile and helped Ginger to her feet.
“Be more careful next time so this doesn’t happen again.”
“Your Highness!”
I cried out, clearly displeased that Ginger was being forgiven so easily. Floria took my hand.
“Sister, of course you’re precious family to me. But the people who work for me are also very dear to me.”
Though her answer sounded rehearsed, it was enough to move the courtiers. They all gazed up at Floria with admiration.
“You should dry off first, sister. Come with me.”
Floria linked arms with me and patted my back reassuringly.
“Your Highness, there are many eyes watching.”
The maids behind her tried to stop Floria, clearly worried that someone might criticize the Crown Princess for walking arm-in-arm with a mere maid.
Floria simply smiled warmly, as if such concerns meant nothing. Her attendants—and the other courtiers—clearly adored her even more for it.
Meanwhile, I was silently applauding my own flawless performance. Floria’s lips curled into a satisfied smirk—today’s incident would surely make me even more disliked among the courtiers, but it had bought me a little more time to stay alive.
‘Good.’
Now you see just how useful I can be. So please, for the love of all that’s holy, drop any thoughts of marrying me off to that lunatic Palong.
[This is the timeline separator]Floria brought me to her room and readily lent me her clothes. As I changed into the light dress Eileen handed me with a sour look, I checked the dressing room thoroughly for my heart—but, as expected, it wasn’t there.
‘Of course—they wouldn’t leave something so important lying around carelessly.’
I wasn’t sure whether to take comfort in knowing my heart was safely hidden somewhere or to despair over it.
“Would you like a warm cup of tea?”
When I came out to the sitting room after changing, Floria asked with a gentle smile. I deliberately kept a sullen expression.
“Are you still upset?”
“To forgive that insolent girl so easily… I thought Your Highness would take my side.”
I complained with a hint of disappointment, and Floria took my hand, guiding me to sit at the table.
“If I’d punished her right there, everyone would have resented you, sister. I’ll quietly reprimand her later—please let it go now.”
Pushing further might only provoke her, so I decided to stop here. When I nodded obediently, Floria gave Shan-na a meaningful glance.
Silence filled the sitting room for a while until Floria set down her teacup, breaking the quiet.
“Sister, they say the First Prince will return in a few days.”
My eyes snapped open at Floria’s words. I’d just been wondering how to bring this up naturally. I kept my expression neutral and nodded.
“The castle’s been very noisy lately because of it.”
“Everyone’s excited—it’s been years since his last visit.”
“But I’m not happy about it.”
Frowning with displeasure, I voiced my complaint, and Floria tilted her head in confusion.
“Why not?”
“Because it delayed Your Highness’s royal wedding! I’d much rather see your wedding procession than the First Prince’s homecoming parade.”
Ah, a perfectly timed bit of flattery slipped through the cracks. I mentally patted myself on the back.
“Oh my… I had no idea you were so eager for my wedding, sister.”
Floria surely knew I was flattering her to win favor—but that only made it more pleasing to her. It reminded her of our respective positions.
“There will be a victory banquet on the day the First Prince returns. Would you perhaps like to attend, sister?”
Not at all.
Right now, I was one of the kingdom’s most talked-about figures—infamously so. Attending such a gathering would draw every eye onto me, and the First Prince himself might even be watching.
Dealing with Floria was already overwhelming enough—I had no desire whatsoever to get entangled with the First Prince.
‘But the real Reneola Violet wouldn’t back out here.’
She’d go absolutely crazy for a party. Damn it.
“I’m curious, but how could someone like me possibly attend such an event?”
I let my tone imply it was utterly unthinkable for a mere maid to show up, hoping Floria would agree. But she’d clearly planned all along to bring me to that party.
“Why do you say that? You’re a count’s daughter and my family—you absolutely deserve to attend. You’ve always loved parties. After so many years, this victory banquet is sure to be incredibly grand and fun.”
Floria gave me that same pure, kind smile.
“…May I really go?”
“Of course!”
Damn it. Now I was stuck going to the banquet.
Floria’s reason for taking me was obvious. I could already picture the nobles lining up to humiliate me in front of everyone. And I’d have to deliver another spectacular display of outrageous behavior.
“Don’t worry about a dress—I’ll prepare one for you.”
“Thank you, Your Highness! A banquet—I’m already looking forward to it!”
I made my eyes sparkle like the real Reneola Violet would, and Floria’s lips stretched into a satisfied smile. Watching her already seem delighted at the thought of me being publicly humiliated, I casually broached another topic.
“By the way, have you chosen the dress you’ll wear, Your Highness?”
“Yes, I’ve decided to coordinate with the other royal ladies.”
“Really?”
I widened my eyes in feigned surprise. Floria tilted her head, puzzled by my reaction.
“What’s wrong?”
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
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Girlboss. YEAH LETS GO PLAYING VILLAINESS UNTIL THE END!
Shes really got caught by the demon king. Good luck for the grim future
Boy u going to hell. Just wait until karl come and get you, you psycho