CWMBR 48

Chapter 48

****

Sponsored by Curufin. Thank you ❤️ (5/5)

***

*The present

"And the person who can prove that you slept with me is Donna Green."

Bridget's words made Ain's eyebrows shoot up. He seemed a little surprised.

"She was the one who told me that you were drunk and causing a disturbance. She pushed me into the room, saying that as the theater owner, I had a responsibility to resolve the situation."

Of course, Bridget knew that Donna wouldn't testify in her favor. And when Donna and Bridget's stories conflicted, Ain would probably choose his first love.

"You didn't say that."

"I didn't know you wouldn't even give me a chance to explain."

She knew it was not just Ain's fault. Still, she had no choice but to timidly express her grievances. On that day, she didn't know that he had been drugged with an unknown substance. She just thought he had drunk too much, and even when she found Ain unable to remember anything the next day, she thought it was simply because of the alcohol.

If Ain hadn't suspected something was wrong with his physical condition and the circumstances of that day and called his personal physician to conduct a secret examination, she would never have known about the drug. The investigation took about a month. And just as the exact nature of the drug he had taken was revealed, Bridget was diagnosed with pregnancy. Coincidentally, that was.

Later, before Bridget could talk to Ain, Ronan came to see her, looking pale. He said that if it became publicly known that Ain Wise had been drugged at the theater, it would cause great trouble for the royal family. Ronan said that this issue must be covered up somehow. In that sense, Bridget's pregnancy was a very good excuse.

"Miss, did you know that Mr. Sherman was Ain Wise?"

It was the day she had been examined by Magnus because of her unusual physical condition and confirmed her pregnancy. Bridget returned to the theater in an indescribable mood, and Donna, who had been chasing after her, asked her loudly. 

Did you know that Patrick was actually Ain? So you waited for him and slyly climbed into his bed? How could you do that? You must be happy that you raised your price so high. She said something like that.

Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. Bridget didn't know how Donna had found out about Ain's true identity, but she thought that Donna's interrogation at that moment was probably half venting her anger. The problem was that people have ears and mouths, and rumors spread faster than anything else in the world.

"If the child had been born, you would have definitely recognized him. Who it resembled, whose blood it carried………………”

Throughout her time at Bradford Manor, she had been consumed by unfounded certainty. This child was the key to ending their conflict. It was the only answer that could resolve his misunderstandings and suspicions. How naive and futile that delusion had been. Looking back now, she wondered how she could have been so reckless. 

She overestimated her own judgment. Even though he was angry with her now, she believed that once his emotions subsided, he would look back on the everyday life they shared in Glynford. She believed that even if everyone else pointed fingers at her and called her crazy, he would know better.

“But it’s over now.”

The breath that escaped with her words felt too hot. She was really dizzy.

Bridget blinked slowly. Her body temperature had risen so high that her brain was fried, and she couldn’t even tell what she was saying.

“I just want to rest now.”

Parents, children, love. Why did she have to be crushed by losses she couldn't handle?  

"Bridget."  

Like a fool, she had tried to rely on someone else, only to lose everything and realize she had no right to do so. Perhaps the staff's judgment was correct. Bridget Pennington was a well-bred young lady who knew nothing of the world. She had been showered with her parents' love, daydreaming romantically and scribbling with a pen, but beyond that, she had nothing useful to offer.

Her eyelids felt heavy. Bridget sighed. She felt as though the ground beneath her feet was crumbling.

“Bridget!”

Why had it come to this?

***

Bridget was sick for ten days.

She wasn't unconscious the whole time. At first, she lost consciousness due to a high fever, but after regaining consciousness, she gradually recovered. Whenever she woke up, she could see Jane and Magnus taking turns watching over her.

"Mr. Ronan is very angry."

Jane casually relayed the message, and the next day, an angry Ronan burst into Bridget's bedroom. He poured out his anger at Bridget, whose face was red from her fever.

"Does it make sense that all the employees at the theater are suffering because of your personal life?"

He had been neglecting the theater for a few days and seemed to have heard the news about Gilum late. Since the investigation was not supposed to be completed in a day, there was a high possibility that Gilum was still causing trouble for the theater staff at that moment.

"Besides, weren't we supposed to let it go quietly? It's already over, isn't it?"

The fact that the incident in which Ain Wise had been drugged had resurfaced seemed to fuel Ronan's anxiety. With Bridget unable to respond due to her illness, he kept urging for a solution.

"Talk to Lord Wise again. What does the annulment of the marriage have to do with that incident? If you deceived him, you should kneel down and beg for forgiveness! What if the theater really goes under? You don't want that to happen, do you? Right?"

After venting his pent-up anger, Ronan finally accepted that Bridget was not in a state to give him an answer right away. He told Bridget to pull herself together and get up to take care of the situation, then left the bedroom. Just as things had quieted down a bit after he left, Donna barged in.

Ignoring Jane’s advice that she should rest because she was sick, Donna barged into the bedroom and raised her voice.

“Miss Bridget, have you lost your mind? A lodging bill? You want me to pay that now?”

Oh, she saw the bill.

Even though she had been given a week's notice, she didn't seem to have any intention of leaving, so Bridget had asked Jane to deliver the bill first, and it seemed that she had come running as soon as she saw it. Bridget sighed.

The only good thing was that she had recovered a little more energy than when Ronan had visited, so she had the strength to say a few words.

"You're selling the mansion? What on earth? No! Litigation costs? Alimony? Do you think the prestigious Wise family would demand alimony? Selling this mansion won't even bring in a few pennies!"

Dona looked stunned, as if she couldn't believe what she had heard. So Bridget couldn't help but wonder if her words had sounded that strange.

The lawsuit with Ain was common knowledge, and lawsuits cost money. Of course, depending on the outcome of the lawsuit, the amount could skyrocket. So what was so strange about saying that she wanted to prepare for that in advance? Moreover, Donna was the one who contributed to this disaster. Wasn't it strange to separate Bridget's property from her life and push her around?

"No, of course I knew that the owner of this mansion was the young lady."

Donna, who had been acting as if the mansion belonged to her, eventually backed down without asking any further questions.

After Donna left, Sanna and Gilum came to see her.

"Thanks to your cooperation, the investigation is progressing very quickly. The reason we are contacting Lord Wise separately is because there is a separate matter under investigation unrelated to your marriage. There is an overlap between the two cases. I apologize if you misunderstood."

They immediately apologized, as if they had heard something from Ain.

"There will be no unfair situation, so please don't worry."

Sanna promised her again in a strong tone. Bridget didn't really trust her words, but she didn't want to have a long conversation, so she just nodded quietly. She was still too exhausted to worry about the lawsuit.

Magnus watched Bridget receive guests one after another with anxiety. He had been constantly worried about her health since the miscarriage, and as soon as Sanna and Gilum left, he sat down next to her bed and gave a long speech.

"Please rest. Okay?"

He sighed repeatedly at the sight of Bridget arguing that she had no choice but to receive the visitors who had come to see her. Even without that, his white hair and face, which had aged dramatically in just a few days, made him look even older.

"Pregnancy itself takes a toll on the body. Your health wasn't in good condition to begin with.”