CWMBR 73

Chapter 73

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*Present

How could she ever forget that?

After spending the night with Bridget, Ain, sensing something was wrong with his body, had secretly undergone tests through his primary physician and came bearing the results. Declan had accompanied Ain that day, and he demanded a list of everyone present at the scene. Judging by the atmosphere alone, it wouldn't have been surprising if the Grand Theater had shut its doors the very next day.

………………It was Donna who clung to Ain and calmed the situation down.

"But this time, it won't be resolved with just a few words like last time. Because of you, the royal family has even sent investigators."

"So?"

"It's a good offer for you too, Miss."

Donna lifted her chin confidently, as if proposing a brilliant solution.

"I become Lord Wise's lover. I am his first love, after all? He'll fall for me in no time. Once that happens, he'll look after this Grand Theater for me. If he steps in properly, what can the royal investigators possibly do?"

Seemingly oblivious to Bridget's stunned expression, Donna continued in a triumphant tone.

"Besides, if that happens, Lord Wise will also have grounds for the marriage's failure, so you won't have to bear the burden alone, Miss. You won't need to make such a fuss about selling the estate."

Bridget, who had been watching her, lost her words at the sight of Donna speaking as if she were doing her a huge favor, and let out a hollow laugh. It was certainly true that Ain had overlooked the incident at the Grand Theater after talking with Donna in the past. Judging by Donna's past record of condemning Bridget based solely on her words, there was definitely a difference in how she treated ordinary people. 

But that was all. Bridget found Donna's plan utterly preposterous. If Ain truly wanted to be Donna's lover, he wouldn't have married Bridget in the first place. He could have advanced his relationship with Donna without leaving such a record. He never did anything that didn't benefit him.

The Grand Theater affair wasn't simply something he overlooked after talking with Donna; it was more complicated, involving a tangled web of interests that coincided with Bridget's pregnancy. And now, if Donna's plan went through, it would create grounds for fault against him. Wouldn't he be even more reluctant? With the lawsuit still pending, he had no reason to deliberately create a situation that would put him at a disadvantage. 

"Donna, are you out of your mind?"

"Just set up the meeting. I'll handle the rest. You have a legitimate reason to meet with Lord Wise because of the lawsuit, don't you?"

Dona wore an expression that suggested she truly believed she could somehow manipulate Ain. Bridget addressed her in a cold tone.

"My marriage fell apart because of you, Donna. Because you lied."

"Me?"

"You were the one who lied using my diary in the first place, and you were the one who brought him that ridiculous photo. And then you pushed me into that room, yet told him I went in there myself?"

Bridget's words made Donna's eyes widen. She twisted her lips into a sneer and shook her head.

"Good heavens, young lady. When exactly was this diary business? Do you really think it matters that much that it was your diary? That you wrote you visited Elber briefly? Surely you weren't trying to use that as an excuse to get involved with Lord Wise? Good grief. His first love was blonde, wasn't she? It’s me."

Even though she had no memory of meeting Ain, Donna didn't doubt for a moment that she was his first love. It was especially true since Ain's first love was known to have blonde hair and green eyes.

"As for shoving you into the room... well, honestly, I did it because I felt so sorry for him. I mean, look at him. He got caught up with a lady like you and ended up completely mired in the mud."

Dona seemed completely unaware that this wasn't a valid reason for lying. She pouted her lips and shrugged her shoulders.

"And the photo wasn't doctored either. Do you have any idea how much trouble I went through because of that?"

Donna snapped back irritably, then suddenly narrowed her eyes.

"But where did you hear about the photo? Did you actually see it?"

Instead of answering, Bridget stared at Donna. Then, abruptly, she asked.

"You were the one who gave him the pills that day, weren't you, Donna?"

"What? Why are you suddenly bringing that up?"

"There's no one else who would do something like that."

Donna, arms crossed, let out a hollow laugh.

"Ha, young lady. Back then, I didn't even know his true identity. Wouldn't it be more reasonable to assume that you, the only one who knew his true identity, did such a thing?"

Simply put, that was true. That’s why Ain didn’t dwell on it and didn’t immediately brand Bridget as the culprit.

But Bridget wasn't the culprit. There were people who wanted to make Bridget the culprit, though.

“Dona hates me, doesn't she? She absolutely hates seeing me smile.”

Come to think of it, it seemed that way from the very beginning. From the first day Donna arrived at the Grand Theater. There was no reason for her to harbor a grudge against a complete stranger, so she wondered if it was just her imagination. But now that she thought about it, it wasn't.

"I heard the Grand Theater is struggling, yet you laugh so carefree. You must have grown up without a care in the world, still unaware of how scary it can be. Life must be easy for you. I envy you."

Dona's gaze remained unchanged. Disapproving and full of irritation.

"I don't know why you're acting this way, but you didn't think I'd ever realize your malice, did you?"

"Ha! You think I gave Lord Wise the drug because I dislike you?"

"He looked after me quite well back then. Even if it was at your request, seeing it actually happen must have made you feel terrible."

Ain was the only person Bridget could rely on back then. Within the Grand Theater, where she felt increasingly adrift, Bridget found emotional solace in him, regardless of his intentions. Even if he truly looked after her because of Donna's request, it was a huge help to Bridget. It probably showed on the surface too. From some point on, she found herself following Ain with her eyes, wandering the streets around the Grand Theater, wondering when he would arrive.

How irritating and ridiculous that must have looked to Donna, who disliked Bridget.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Why are you jealous of me?"

"Jealous? Me? Ha!"

Donna laughed loudly, as if she'd heard something absurd.

"Not funny at all, really."

Her eyes, made larger and more prominent by her heavy makeup, narrowed fiercely as she glared upward.

"Isn't it you, young lady, who's jealous and acting this way? Unlike me, who can calm him with just a few words, you couldn't even get him to treat you well after marrying him. I can understand why you feel that way. But what can you do? It's been proven you have a useless body, incapable of bearing even one child like everyone else does without trouble! It's only natural you were driven out of the mansion…!"

SMACK!

A fierce slap sent Donna's head whipping around. Stopping her torrent of angry words, Donna blinked dazedly before slowly looking at Bridget.

"Did you just hit me?"

Donna looked utterly bewildered. Bridget, gritting her teeth and glaring at her, replied in a cold tone as she caught her breath.

"Yes. Don't believe it?"

Smack!

The second slap, equally unexpected, landed squarely on Donna's cheek. The repeated blows to the same spot left her cheek red and swollen.

Was it because she only remembered the past Bridget who couldn't assert herself properly until she married and left the Grand Theater? Donna looked genuinely shocked, speechless. Bridget asked her in a frozen voice.

"So now does it feel real?"

Just as Donna, her lips trembling, was about to utter something with a twisted expression,

Thud.

"Donna is here...! Donna? Bridget?"

Ronan burst through the door and stared at the two women facing each other, bewildered. In that instant, Donna instantly changed the fierce expression she had been about to twist into a pitiful, sorrowful one.

"Boss!"

Calling out to Ronan in a voice thick with tears, Donna rushed to him, tears welling in her eyes as she looked up at him. Ronan, who had been looking back and forth between Bridget and Donna as if trying to grasp the situation, soon spotted Donna's reddened cheek and gasped in shock.

"Donna? What happened to your face?"

"The young lady... hic."

Donna glanced at Bridget through her tears. That glance alone made Ronan understand what she was about to say. He widened his eyes and turned to Bridget.

"Good heavens, Bridget! An actor's face is their livelihood! What on earth have you done! Are you out of your mind? She's practically our only source of income keeping this Grand Theater afloat!"

"Boss, I'm truly heartbroken. Is trying to do something out of concern for the Grand Theater's future really something that deserves a slap?"

"No, Donna. How could I not understand your feelings? Calm down."

Seeing Donna sobbing, shoulders heaving, Ronan quickly patted her back and soothed her in a gentle tone. Bridget, who had been staring at them with an unreadable expression, asked sternly.

"Uncle. Did you notify Donna that she’s fired?”