Madame Violetta was a figure often seen at high society tea parties among noblewomen.
Her specialty was swiftly catching on to the interests and habits of noblewomen at tea parties and presenting them with satisfying outfits and accessories. This was one of the reasons why her designs commanded such high prices.
She also played the role of entertaining the often bored noblewomen with intriguing stories, making her a popular figure among them.
Madame Violetta glanced at her watch and began to hurry, preparing to leave. It was time for her to attend the tea party of the Duchess Ingrid, her most important client.
Duchess Ingrid was a woman who had entered into marriage with the aging Duke Ingrid, coming from a declining baronial family. The lonely Duchess, especially fond of the love stories told by Madame Violetta, was a valuable customer who often placed generous orders for outfits after enjoying Violetta’s entertaining tales.
“Greetings to the Duchess.”
Upon arriving at the Duke’s residence, she greeted the Duchess courteously.
“Oh, Madame, skip the formalities and come sit down.”
Before the tea was even served, the Duchess eagerly pressed Violetta for information.
“Tell me, why were you at the Duke’s residence yesterday?”
The Duchess already knew about Violetta’s visit to the Duke’s estate. Pretending to be surprised, Violetta steered the conversation.
“My goodness, the Duchess’s sources are really quick.”
“Isn’t there no woman at the Duke’s estate to fit for Violetta’s dresses?”
In the Empire, the Duke of Torpheo was the only duke.
The fact that Madame Violetta was visiting the unique residence of Duke Cassis, known for having no fiancée, sparked curiosity in the Duchess’s eyes, shining with intrigue.
“Yes, well, it seems that Duke Torpheo…”
As the Duchess and other ladies invited to the tea party looked at her with curiosity, Madame Violetta excitedly began to detail what she had seen and heard.
“He has taken a commoner woman as his mistress.”
“The Duke of Torpheo?”
“Tell us more, Madame.”
The noblewomen, shocked by Madame Violetta’s words, stared wide-eyed and fixated on her. Violetta relished in their attention.
“Oh, the Duke had an accident and lost his memory, nearly dying. But this woman nursed him back to health without knowing his true identity. They fell in love and have already promised to marry.”
Violetta eagerly continued her story, driven by the noblewomen’s interest.
“But there’s a difference in status, right? Currently, that lady is living as the Duke’s mistress.”
“Is the cold-hearted Duke different with that commoner?”
The noblewomen bombarded Violetta with questions, captivated by the unexpected love story of the Duke.
“Oh, you wouldn’t believe it. I doubted my own eyes.”
“Madame, tell us more in detail.”
“The Duke is so smitten with his mistress. Even while fitting the dress, his gaze was so intense that I thought I would melt. He couldn’t bear other men looking at his mistress and had to find a reason to avoid exposure.”
“A reason? What was that, Madame?”
“Just thinking about it still makes me blush. ”
“Madame, please tell us!”
Knowing just when to feed the noblewomen’s eagerness, Violetta waited before softly continuing her tale.
“Well, there were red marks all over the lady’s body… The Duke, unable to restrain himself even while observing the fitting, had to change the design to something that covered her entire body.”
“Oh my, how scandalous.”
“Oh, I never knew the cold Duke could be so passionate with a woman.”
The noblewomen’s faces flushed with excitement at Violetta’s vivid narration, as if the scene was unfolding before them. They fanned their faces with their fans as if to cool down the heat radiating from their cheeks.
“I wonder what kind of woman she is, to have the iron Duke so uncontrollably smitten with his mistress.”
“Indeed. Lady Larié’s reaction would be priceless to see if she heard this. Ho ho ho.”
Such topics were always a staple at noblewomen’s tea parties, where marriages among high society were more about family alliances than love.
The ladies attending the tea party were thoroughly engrossed in the mistress’s story, seemingly living vicariously through the Duke’s passionate affair.
“Oh, I must be the only one knowing this story. I need to meet Lady Larié as soon as possible.”
Starting from the tea party, the story of the Duke’s passionate love for his mistress spread rapidly throughout the capital, carried by the lips of noblewomen.
After the fitting, when the maids left, Adeline felt like she was about to burst into tears she had been holding back.
Once they were alone, Adeline sent a resentful look towards the Duke.
“What exactly do you want?”
Adeline swallowed back her tears and asked the Duke, unable to comprehend why he was doing all this to her.
She felt extremely uncomfortable with the hot, red marks on her collarbone and began to scratch them recklessly.
Seeing the scratches forming around the red spots, the Duke grabbed Adeline’s wrist suddenly.
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
