CWMBR SS3

Side story 3

****

"Shouldn't we report him to the police and get him banned from coming near us?"

Jane burst out laughing at Wayna’s sulky remark.

"Oh, come on, Wayna."

"We should have banned him from Glynford from the start. I knew he was trouble from the moment he started hanging around."

"Why are you so angry?"

“Why am I so angry? Just look over there!”

Wayna, who had been muttering under her breath, pointed out the window. Her finger pointed to Bridget, who was inspecting a vase placed on an outdoor table in front of the mansion.

“That bouquet has finally invaded the mansion!”

“Oh, the flowers aren’t to blame, Wayna.”

“The person who brought those flowers is to blame!”

Wayna pounded her chest as if in frustration. Bridget seemed to think of herself as very level-headed, but Wayna didn’t entirely agree. Bridget was far too soft-hearted. The fact that she hadn’t thrown away a single bouquet Ain had ever given her was proof of that.

Of course, even to Wayna, the flowers looked incredibly fresh and beautiful. Plus, the man who brought that beautiful bouquet was, at least on the surface, perfectly fine—and lately, whatever kind of regimen he was following was making him look more and more presentable…

“Why does that man have to look so pointlessly flashy?”

Honestly, if she hadn’t known about his and Bridget’s past, Wayna would have been rooting for them long ago, watching them with a fluttering heart. After all, there was no denying that they looked great together when standing side by side.

That made Wayna feel even more stifled.

They were a perfect match! At least on the surface, definitely! So much so that a sigh of regret escaped her lips without thinking!

"I had no idea there were so few decent men in this world."

Could it be that there really was no one new who could fend off the persistent Ain Wise?

While Ain was away in the New Continent, Wayna had wholeheartedly rooted for her friend Gilum’s pitiful unrequited love. Gilum was a promising young man with a handsome appearance, and the fact that he had held onto his pure, devoted feelings for years made him seem quite trustworthy. However, Gilum had one critical flaw: he was far too cautious and timid.

What a fool. He should have made his move the moment Ain Wise was gone and quickly won her heart!

Wayna sighed, thinking of her friend, who was as clueless as a fish out of water and couldn’t even manage to set up a single proper date. To top it off, he backed down without a word when Bridget rejected him—the guy had no backbone. Maybe it was only natural that he got pushed aside by that persistent Ain Wise, who showed up every day with a bouquet of flowers, brazen-faced.

Wayna pressed her hand to her forehead. Was she asking for too much? All she wanted was someone who was better-looking than Ain Wise, richer than Ain Wise, had a better personality than Ain Wise, and was more devoted than Ain Wise.

………………Well, maybe hoping he’d be richer than the Wise family was a bit greedy, but wasn’t the rest reasonable to ask for? Jane, who had been quietly listening to Wayna’s lament while drying the plates with a dry towel, nodded as if in agreement.

“Hmm…. I do feel a bit sorry for the young lady’s taste.”

“Right?”

Wayna looked at Jane with sparkling eyes. Jane carefully set down the cleanly dried plate and gazed out the window. Bridget, sitting in an outdoor chair with her chin resting on her hand, was lost in thought as she gazed at the vase. Her calm, composed gaze gave no hint of what she was thinking.

“She’s always had a strong sense of adventure since she was young…... Just as I expected, she’s more drawn to things that seem exciting and dangerous than to peace and stability.”

Jane muttered to herself, clicking her tongue.

“If a man who’s even more wicked and better-looking than Mr. Wise were to appear, she might just fall for him.”

Wayna, who had been blinking blankly, turned pale with horror.

“……That would be even worse, wouldn’t it?”

She’d known something was off ever since she heard that Bridget had loved Ain Wise, but she never imagined Bridget would have such a dangerous and tragic taste!

Seeing Wayna’s horrified reaction, Jane shrugged her shoulders.

“So there’s no choice. We’ll just have to use Lord Wise to block those scoundrels from getting close to her.”

There were countless men who wouldn’t even dare to approach Bridget simply because Ain Wise was hanging around her. It wasn’t that Ain had taken any specific action; it was just that those who felt inferior—simply because they fell short of Ain Wise in various ways—gave up before even trying. Jane seemed to view this phenomenon very positively.

No wonder Jane had promptly fetched a vase when Ain Wise had casually slipped a bouquet into her arms and walked away on her way home yesterday.

“I didn’t realize Mrs. Ottertz thought of Ain Wise as an insect repellent.”

“Oh my, I didn’t say it like that. But isn’t that a fitting role?”

Jane burst out laughing at Wayna’s words.

“Rather than watching unverified people swarm around the lady, I’d much prefer to have one Win Wise lying flat on his face, watching her every move. It’s true he treated her badly, but he’s also saved her on more than one occasion since then.”

A look of concern flickered in Jane’s eyes as she spoke.

Jane harbored a quiet gratitude toward Ain Wise, who had saved Bridget from being committed to a mental hospital while she was away on a short vacation. On top of that, he’d been making a point of trying to impress her lately without even hiding his feelings for Bridget, so her previously wary gaze has gradually softened.

It’s not easy for a person to change, but some people do.

“But the most important thing is what’s in her heart.”

Jane took her eyes off Bridget and picked up the plate and dry towel again.

“She doesn’t seem particularly uncomfortable with it, does she? Then that’s fine.”

“Still, I feel like there must be someone better out there somewhere……………….”

As Wayna muttered, unable to let go of her lingering doubts, Jane replied with a hint of a smile in her voice.

“Some people might prefer a partner who’s seen them at their best and worst, rather than just a ‘good’ person. With someone like that, there’s no need to put on a facade.”

Wayna didn’t seem entirely convinced. But she soon slumped her shoulders and let out a resigned sigh.

There wasn’t a single word of Jane’s that wasn’t true. In the end, wasn’t Bridget’s own heart what mattered most? No matter the issue, no matter how much you stood by and offered your two cents, the person involved’s own will was always what mattered most. And just as Jane had said, Bridget didn’t seem particularly uncomfortable.

“By the way, isn’t it almost time for you to go out? I’ve set the basket of cookies aside in the kitchen.”

“Oh, it’s already this late? Thank you, Mrs. Ottertz!”

Wayna checked her watch and hurriedly turned to leave.

***

“Ah, why did you come all the way here yourself…….”

Wayna’s eyes widened at the voice muttering absentmindedly.

“You should say thank you if our young lady delivers it personally!”

“I’m just saying I’m not grateful.”

Iliont, holding the basket of cookies, replied in a voice laced with a sigh. Just as Wayna was about to retort with a flushed face, Bridget interjected with a smile.

“I heard you’ve been a great help to Mrs. Ottertz’s son in many ways. I came out to thank you in person, Mr. Iliont. Thank you for always looking out for Mrs. Ottertz.”

Bridget had heard that Jane had recently faced some troublesome issues involving her son, and that Iliont had stepped in to handle them. Since Iliont was about the same age as Jane’s son, he had apparently been able to help in various ways. Having heard about this, Bridget, as Jane’s long-time employer, decided she should personally thank Iliont.

She also wanted to take the opportunity to give him a basket of Jane’s cookies, which he loved.

Of course, Bridget’s desire to express her gratitude was entirely one-sided. When Iliont stepped out of the office briefly to receive the cookie basket, he was taken aback to see Bridget there in person.

“It’s not like I did anything particularly great…You know I’m not doing this out of some grudge, right?”

“I know.”

Iliont’s voice was barely audible. The way he kept glancing around made it seem as though he was extremely wary that someone might witness this scene.

Wayna clicked her tongue at the sight of Iliont. Wasn’t it obvious he was tiptoeing around, afraid his boss might find fault with him? She wondered if someone so timid would ever be able to hold his own as a man. Though, judging by the way he helped Jane, he did seem smart.

As Wayna looked at Iliont with disapproval, Bridget added casually,

“Mrs. Ottertz made plenty of them. It’ll be perfect for sharing in the office.”

“Why don’t you stop by the office for a moment? You could have some with us before you go.”

“I can’t interrupt you when you’re working without a day off. I told you before—I’d feel too self-conscious to come to your office myself.”

“………………You don’t need to be more careful than anyone else.”

Bridget said her goodbyes, seemingly oblivious to Iliont’s mutterings.

“I’ll be going now.”

At those words, Wayna quickly followed right up beside Bridget. Anyway, whether it’s Ain Wise or Iliont working under him, why was it that they were all so hopeless?

How could there be so few decent men in this world? Wayna sighed sincerely.