Soon the two entered the dining room for lunch. One wall was entirely made of glass windows, usually captivating attention with a beautiful garden.
“Elizabeth, is that the woman?”
But today, what caught Elizabeth and Isabelle’s eyes was a woman looking at them with slight tension.
With thick, luxurious golden hair that reached her waist and clear blue eyes, she resembled a doll that young girls play with.
Elizabeth realized Nicholas Portrion’s taste in women was getting more refined.
Where on earth did he meet and find such a woman?
“Over here is Edith Portrion.”
As Sophia introduced her, Edith forced a smile. Portrion. It was the name of the Count’s house but it was not honorable at all.
She remembered what she had heard from Vivian, trying not to grimace.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Elizabeth Portrion.”
With her brilliant red hair and golden eyes, she was the second wife, born the illegitimate child of a family based in the capital, who caught the Count’s eye.
“Nice to meet you, Edith. I’m Isabelle.”
With her very bright blonde hair and emeraldcolored eyes, this twentyyearold was the third wife.
‘I’ve heard they’ve been married for nearly two years, but the Count’s conscience….’
It was absent. That was certain.
Edith felt distant as she looked at Isabelle, who seemed much younger than she had thought. It was a relief, at least, that the Count did not touch his wives.
“Shall we discuss something important over lunch?”
At Sophia’s gesture, the chefs brought out the prepared dishes. Edith was nervous as this was her first time with such a meal, but she soon followed what the others were doing, using her unique insight.
Sometimes when Isabelle glanced at her with interest, she smiled without knowing how to react.
“As you know, Count Portrion is in critical condition now. It feels like my heart is being torn apart every day.”
As Sophia began to speak, Elizabeth let out a scoff.
“With that face, you seem to be sleeping quite well.”
“What’s that…….”
When Sophia momentarily lost her words, Edith also became delightfully spirited.
“Here, look at Isabelle. Her eyes are swollen from crying every day. If you want to pretend to be heartbroken, you should at least cry like this, Sophia.”
Sophia expressed slight irritation in response to Elizabeth.
“Isabelle’s honest appearance is nice, but since childhood, my mother and governess taught me that a lady must never openly display her emotions.”
Sophia pointed out again that the other wives were not of noble birth, but the other wives didn’t seem to get angry.
“Is that so?”
“Anyway. What I want to say is that we must not show our disheveled appearance to others. Even if the Count is on his sickbed, we must show that Portrion is fine. That’s what I mean.”
“How are you feeling well, Sophia? You are the head of the Portrion family, after all.”
This time, Izajelle joined in, and Sophia looked tired.
“Of course, I know that the lord of this house is the viscount, but I would like everyone to maintain composure at the Harvest Thanksgiving banquet the day after tomorrow.”
Edith, raising her voice but still observing etiquette as she looked at Sophia using her utensils, thought to herself,
‘I know exactly why they are bothering to use me to present a fake heir to the viscount.’
Sophia’s control over the other wives was weaker than expected.
Representing the wives and handling Portrion’s accounts was the extent of her power.
For one, the viscount often frivolously courted new wives and roamed outside instead of settling ranks, and her provincial noble parents seemed unable to act as a shield.
If the viscount died, it was obvious that people related to the upper ranks and acquaintances would come asking for their share.
‘So if I use this, I can strike at Sophia.’
Edith recalled the contents of the ledger hidden under her dress.
What she had carefully examined was the section detailing the expenditures of the Portrion mansion, and it seemed that the number of employees listed was three times more than what she had seen over the past few days.
If they had inflated the payroll by listing nonexistent employees…
‘It’s embezzlement. Sophia and the head butler, Whitman, must be accomplices.’
According to Vivian, it seemed that the butler personally delivered the wages, so it seemed like the two were manipulating the documents, and the butler was embezzling the money.
Sadly, Edith did not have the authority to boldly request Portrion’s ledger.
So she was looking at Izajelle from time to time during the meal. The third wife, who was bright with numbers being a merchant’s daughter, and who could easily access the accounting ledger.
Cold Male Lead Became My Clingy Husband (Female-Dominant)
Feng Bai Su transmigrated into a matriarchal novel, becoming the sister of the female protagonist and the Seventh Princess of the Feng Ling Kingdom.
After working herself to death in her previous life, finally reincarnating as a princess, she only wanted to be a lazy fish who could eat, sleep, and play.
Until she met the male protagonist from the book, Wei Jing Mo, and he took a liking to her!
Wei Jing Mo is the top young man in Feng Ling City, talented in both appearance and ability, from a prestigious family, with a cold and otherworldly appearance, a figure like the bright moon in the hearts of noble ladies. It was thought that only the most powerful and talented noble lady in Feng Ling City would be worthy of such a brilliant young man. Who knew that this young gentleman would secretly admire the infamous Seventh Princess?
Short scene 1:
Feng Bai Su looked at the young man crying like a pear blossom in the rain before her, and couldn’t help but doubt her life.
Wasn’t the male lead described as a cold and otherworldly figure in the book?
Then who was this poor little thing crying with swollen red eyes and tear-stained face?
Short scene 2:
Wei Jing Mo stared intently at Feng Bai Su who was about to go out, wanting to say, “Be careful on the road.”
Before he could speak, Feng Bai Su suddenly bent down and bit his cheek.
Her peach blossom eyes were full of disdain: “Tsk! You’re so clingy!”
Wei Jing Mo: “…”
A talented fox spirit female lead with a flirtatious appearance but actually abstinent VS A cold-looking but actually naive and clingy little jealous male lead
