CWMBR 136

Chapter 136

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*Earlier

"Oh my goodness, what on earth? This is an invitation, isn't it?"

Jane, who usually handled the mail herself, handed over an invitation beautifully adorned with gold foil patterns, making a big fuss about it.

Bridget, who had never received such an invitation in her life, was a little surprised, while Jane was even more excited than Bridget, her eyes sparkling.

Even Wayna couldn't help but look intrigued, fidgeting with interest.

"Since you were planning to start your public engagements soon anyway, this invitation is the perfect way to begin!"

"The public engagements I intended weren't parties, but business meetings."

"But usually, the faces you see at those meetings and at parties like this are pretty much the same, right?"

"...That's true."

In truth, what Bridget had been aiming for was a gathering of artists active within Glynford. As the theater owner of the Grand Theater, she needed to secure new productions and improve relations with the actors. As far as she knew, when Ronan first began managing the Grand Theater, he too had made the rounds, stamping his face at gatherings like Glynford's business circles and artist circles.

But thinking about it, as Wayna had said, attendees at such gatherings tended to mingle with power brokers of similar standing. The socializing of the powerful naturally took place at parties hosted by influential figures.

"It's Madame Hera."

The envelope plainly stated 'Former' Madame Hera. It seemed this clarification was added precisely because she had conducted so much social activity under the name 'Madame Hera' – a detail that struck Bridget as oddly peculiar. That single word made it seem as if Madame Hera felt no shame whatsoever about her divorce.

Frankly, saying divorce wasn’t a flaw unless it was your fault was just wishful thinking. For those directly involved, divorce was an event that inevitably subjected them to all manner of gossip and carried significant weight in one's life. In that sense, Madame Hera's attitude was quite impressive.

Wayna, who had been hovering around Bridget, came over to make small talk.

"Oh, she’s the very same lady who came last time, isn’t she?"

"That's right."

Opening the envelope revealed a crisp invitation. The paper shimmered as if dusted with gold powder. Bridget traced the words printed on the invitation with her fingertip.

"Freedom and liberation………………"

The party's theme was written as freedom and liberation. She had heard in passing that Madame Hera had recently won her divorce case. It was just a passing mention, so she didn't know the details, but from the circumstances, it seemed Madame Hera's husband had accepted everything, allowing the lawsuit to conclude quickly.

Anyone seeing this theme would immediately think of Madame Hera—no, not Madame Hera anymore—and her recent news.

So this invitation looked like a party celebrating a successful divorce.

"Sending me an invitation too means they're really throwing a big party, huh."

They weren't particularly close, so why send this? Perhaps because Bridget had also recently divorced? Maybe the sender felt some kindred spirit as another divorced woman. Of course, Bridget wasn't from nobility with a safety net after divorce, so they weren't exactly equals.

The distance she had mentally erected while looking at the ornate envelope crumbled the moment she saw the party's theme.

Freedom and liberation? What a powerful theme.

At a party with this theme, even Bridget probably wouldn't be subject to idle gossip.

"If it's Lady Hera's party, many prominent figures from Glynford will likely attend."

Wouldn't it be more natural to first become slightly familiar with them in this relaxed setting before formally introducing herself at the gathering?

Moreover, unlike artists' gatherings, she'd heard business circles tended to be conservative, whether consciously or not. Getting acquainted with those attending such gatherings beforehand at the party would likely be advantageous for future meetings.

Thus, Bridget sent her reply confirming attendance. It was a rational decision based on the need to maintain appropriate relationships with various people in Glynford, including Lady Hera, to continue operating the Grand Theater there.

*Present

But if she had I known Ain would be there, she would have reconsidered that decision.

"Don't you think you owe me an explanation, 'former' Mrs. Hera?"

Despite the rather cold tone, Lady Hera showed no sign of being intimidated and replied nonchalantly.

"Oh, that title is fine, but it must be a bother to say every time, right? I'm Eris Aeris. Just call me Eris."

"…………Bridget Pennington. You can call me Miss Pennington."

"You're quite wary, aren't you?"

Lady Hera, Eris, chuckled softly and turned away. Bridget, her face slightly uncomfortable, lips pressed tightly together, followed Eris and spoke in a low voice.

"Of course, it's my fault for not checking the party guests beforehand, but if you wanted to invite Ain, you didn't need to send an invitation to me as well."

At those words, Eris glanced back briefly. Her gaze was fixed on where Ain stood.

After narrowing her eyes to confirm Ain's position, she led Bridget toward a table set up at one side of the party hall.

"Would you like to come this way? Let's talk over a drink."

A man who had been creeping toward them stopped short at Eris's glare. Eris picked up two champagne glasses from the table, handed one to Bridget, and said in a calm voice.

"My ex-husband is also at this party."

"......Huh?"

Bridget, doubting her own ears, repeated the question. She then turned her head absentmindedly, following Eris's gaze. The party hall was crowded, yet in one particularly deserted corner, someone stood alone, seemingly detached. His demeanor bore a slight resemblance to Ain.

Bridget realized that man was Eris's ex-husband. As proof, he too was glancing this way, wearing a pitiful expression.

"Reading the newspaper just made me so angry. I decided to vent my petty grievances and meddle a bit. Sorry if I went too far."

Eris explained somewhat curtly, tilting her glass. The sweet scent of champagne instantly enveloped the two of them. After sipping her champagne and falling silent for a moment, Eris suddenly frowned. Her red-painted lips twisted into a pout.

"But no matter how I think about it, it's infuriating, right?"

Eris, who had briefly averted her gaze elsewhere, now glared fiercely at her ex-husband.

"The one who did wrong walks around shamelessly with his head held high, so why should we be holed up at home living quietly?"

"...."

"A few pennies in alimony won't ruin that man's life. He's capable, so he'll probably recover his losses quickly. It's ridiculous. Someone suffered irreparable damage, and they think a few pennies will make it go away."

Her voice was low, barely audible even to Bridget. Yet the deep resentment and sorrow seeping from the words, forced out through clenched teeth, came through clearly. It was the same emotion Bridget had glimpsed in her when she first arrived at the mansion.

"That's why I arranged this gathering. To drag him into a place where he'd be mocked by others, to humiliate him."

Eris, who had filed for divorce immediately upon learning of her husband's infidelity and hosted this party the instant the divorce was finalized, appeared outwardly unaffected. Yet inside, she was no better.

It was never the kind of pain one could shake off so easily. Naturally.

"Of course, my ex-husband and Lord Wise are in different weight classes, so the blows they take are different too."

Eris added coyly, pursing her lips, then swallowed her sorrow and sipped her champagne glass again.

She glanced sideways at Bridget, as if testing the waters.

"Wouldn't it turn his stomach a little to see his ex-wife so happy after escaping the vicious husband? Don't you want to show a little spite?"

That 'vicious husband' must surely refer to Ain Wise.

At this point, Bridget couldn't help but wonder what exactly the divorce article about the Wise couple had said. She might have to collect every newspaper published over the past few days as soon as she got home.

Thinking this, Bridget calmly asked.

"What did you see in the paper?"

"What did I see? I saw everything."

Eris's answer wasn't particularly helpful. Bridget, narrowing her brows to hide her confusion, spoke in a calm tone.

"If you're treating me this way because of a sense of solidarity as a divorced woman, then..."

"That's right."

Eris cut her off, answering casually, and looked at Bridget with puzzled eyes.

"Is that not okay?"

Well, technically, it wasn't forbidden. It was just that Bridget was a bit flustered. She'd imagined she might face resentment for causing discord in a once-happy home, but she hadn't expected someone to approach her so freely, asking to be friends.

But thinking about it, it wasn't really that strange. Especially if Eris had no one else around her in the same situation.

"Be my friend. Not only are we neighbors, but we also got divorced around the same time. Since you made me a divorcee, you have to take responsibility."

"I made you a divorcee...?"

Strictly speaking, wasn't that Eris's choice? Bridget stopped mid-rebuttal. Honestly, since she was the one who exposed her husband's affair, it seemed true that she had lit the spark for the divorce.

Bridget pursed her lips and exhaled sharply. It was awkward, but perhaps this was how human connections could begin. As Eris said, what reason could there be for two divorcees not to feel a sense of kinship?

"Call me Bridget."

At that, Eris chuckled. She shot another sharp glance at her ex-husband before pulling Bridget along.

"Come on, Bridget. Let me introduce you to my friends. They're all curious about you. It's nothing bad, so don't be scared."

Well, whatever works.

Bridget decided to just think that.