CWMBR 98

Chapter 98

***

Sponsored by Elisa. Thank you ❤️ (4/10)

****

Sanne, having received lilies from Jane, whispered something to Gilum. Gilum nodded, listening intently to her words.

Meanwhile, Jane quickly moved the vase to another spot and prepared simple refreshments for Bridget and Sanne. It was herbal tea with tender, vibrant green leaves floating on the surface. Thanks to that, the headache caused by the lilies' scent eased a little.

Bridget, calming her mind for a moment by inhaling the herbal tea's fragrance, looked at Sanne sitting across from her. Gilum had moved somewhere else after talking to Sanne, so only Sanne and Bridget remained in the parlor.

"So, what is it you need my help with?"

Sanne smiled faintly at Bridget's question. She opened her mouth without hesitation, seemingly unwilling to beat around the bush.

"Well, actually, evidence of illegal drugs being distributed has been discovered at the Glynford Grand Theater."

Bridget couldn't hide her bewilderment, having never expected such a direct approach. Sanne continued her explanation to the bewildered woman.

"The royal court consistently enforces severe punishment for anything associated with illegal drugs. The ultimate goal is complete eradication."

"I obtained information through a reliable source suggesting there are suspicions of illegal gatherings being orchestrated at the Grand Theater."

Donna's words came to mind. She had asked for help luring Ain away, citing the Grand Theater's survival as the reason. Even then, Bridget had sensed something was off, but truthfully, she'd been so overwhelmed by the immediate tasks at hand that she'd momentarily forgotten Donna's warning-like words.

"Because of that, addicts who were active in the capital are now shifting their operations to the provinces. The gatherings too."

Sanne said with a distinctly irritated expression. She looked thoroughly fed up, as if she'd been racking her brains over this problem for ages.

"If the Grand Theater is exposed as a hotbed for illegal drug addicts, it won't just close its doors—it'll be erased from the map entirely. Naturally, it'll go down in Glynford's history as a disgraceful chapter."

"If it's deemed a hazardous facility, the Grand Theater must close!"

"That's..."

Bridget, speechless, closed her mouth in anguish. If it were mere suspicion, Sanne wouldn't have made such a direct statement. This was likely a suspect raised based on some evidence.

Since its opening, the Glynford Grand Theater had always operated as a space for poor, dream-filled artists. At least, that had been her parents' operating philosophy. Less than five years after their passing, it felt like that entire philosophy had been trampled underfoot, leaving her heart heavy.

The one silver lining was that Sanne was telling Bridget about this. If there were absolutely no chance of recovery, Sanne wouldn't have gone out of her way to seek Bridget out unnecessarily. This was the only positive sign she could find in this situation.

"That's why I'm asking for your cooperation, Madam."

"What can I possibly do?"

Sanne undoubtedly knew Bridget was willing to assist in any way to clear this false accusation.

"We suspect Ronan Pennington. But his whereabouts have become rather unclear recently."

Sanne spoke leisurely, taking a sip of tea to moisten her throat.

"After he raised his voice in an argument with you."

"You don't think I hid my uncle, do you?"

"Of course not."

Then again, she probably already knew about the extent of Bridget and Ronan's conflict without needing to be told. Perhaps Sanne had come to see Bridget at this point precisely because the conflict with Ronan had surfaced?

"We want to apprehend Mr. Ronan. Could you assist us?"

Bridget narrowed her eyes. She was essentially demanding she reveal everything she knew. But Bridget didn't even know which club Ronan frequented. Honestly, when Ronan met with local dignitaries under the pretext of business, it was Donna who accompanied him. If anyone knew anything, it would be Donna...

Thinking that far, Bridget suddenly lifted her gaze.

"Honestly, I didn't see my uncle very often either. He was always so busy with outside work. However..."

Bridget licked her lips and continued calmly.

"I think you should pay attention to Donna Green. You might already know this, but my uncle took her everywhere with him. Probably because she's his own child."

“Donna Green.”

Sanne murmured Donna’s name and nodded. Judging by her expression, she too had been keeping an eye on Donna. Given that Donna had been centrally involved in the annulment case between Ain and Bridget from the start, she must have done some preliminary research.

“My uncle worked tirelessly to raise Donna. That’s how he ultimately made her a star at Glynford.”

Ronan invested heavily in connections with influential figures, and Donna grew up backed by those connections. But to maintain them, Ronan worked hard to please them alongside Donna—it was a mutual effort to build each other’s power.

"The two are in a relationship where they must coexist. If you keep an eye on Donna, you'll be able to track down my Uncle's whereabouts."

"Donna Green hasn't been seen recently either."

That was true. Since the day she received her dismissal notice from Bridget, Donna hadn't set foot in this house. Naturally, she hadn't been seen at the Grand Theater either. However, judging by her recent interview article, it was clear she was secluded somewhere in Glynford.

Bridget, who had been fidgeting with her hands clasped on her lap, cautiously opened her lips.

"Actually, I know a few places Donna might go."

Donna was the kind of person who believed everyone at the Grand Theater should be at her beck and call. Naturally, that included Bridget.

Because revealing the whereabouts of such an important actress representing the Grand Theater couldn't be entrusted to just anyone, Bridget often took it upon herself to personally attend to Donna's needs. It was thanks to this that she learned Donna was close with local dignitaries. Because whenever Bridget went to see her, Donna was never alone.

"There are a few mansions I usually use when I want a comfortable meeting place."

"From what I've heard, Donna Green doesn't have any particularly large properties in her name."

Since the residence Donna originally lived in was provided by the Grand Theater, she hadn't bought a separate house in Glynford. Bridget shrugged in response to Sanne’s puzzled muttering.

"Well, obviously... those are the mansions for maintaining anonymity. There's no apparent connection on the surface. Donna didn't buy them outright either."

That was why she maintained separate residences despite having several high-end homes she could freely come and go from. Donna enjoyed considerable favors from influential figures who showered her with affection, but these were strictly 'temporary' perks. While they doted on her, they wouldn't tolerate her climbing beyond a certain level. The role they expected of Donna was clearly defined.

For Donna to make a luxury mansion truly her own, she would have to cater to their whims 'even more'. She couldn't endure a life spent catering to others' moods all day long, let alone just for a short while.

Donna always resented that. Whenever she did, Ronan would fret and soothe her, saying she could climb higher. 

"You'll be famous soon, just hang in there a little longer. Soon they'll be begging on their knees for a single strand of your hair."

Looking back now, it was a strange sight. She couldn't understand why she hadn't found that scene the least bit odd at the time.

Shaking off the fleeting memory, Bridget first listed all the hideouts she knew of for Donna to Sanne.

"That's more than I expected?"

"Donna hasn't been home lately. She hasn't found another residence either, so she's probably at one of the places I mentioned. Or she's moving around periodically within them."

Bridget personally thought the latter was more likely. After all, this was Donna, who grumbled that even a luxury mansion got boring after visiting it a couple of times.

Sanne, who had listened carefully to Bridget's words, smiled and murmured.

"If we can tie Donna Green to this, it'll conveniently solve Madame Wise's worries too."

Her tone was utterly nonchalant, but Bridget easily detected the sharp edge beneath the words. Bridget lowered her gaze and readily agreed.

"If that's possible, I couldn't be more grateful."

Sanne nodded and rose to her feet. Having apparently gathered all the necessary information, there was not a trace of lingering hesitation in her movement.

"Thank you for the information. I'll take it into consideration."