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Chapter 04
Rose noticed that the look in Doana’s eyes as she gazed at Eric was anything but ordinary. Doana stared at him brazenly, stroking her own lips. It was a habit of hers whenever she set her sights on something that belonged to someone else. Seeing Doana try to covet her husband for the second time, Rose couldn’t help letting out a hollow laugh. Of course, she didn’t feel even the slightest anger—she had not a shred of feeling left for Eric. It was simply ridiculous. To want so badly a man she herself was about to throw away.
What should I do? Should I stop you?
If you get entangled with this man, your life will be over. Rose swallowed the words she didn’t voice.
No. Why should I help you?
You’re nothing more than a traitor who deceived me and stole my husband.
Rose looked at Doana with icy eyes. She simply watched in silence, waiting to see what choice Doana would make. After a long moment of being unable to tear her gaze away from Eric, Doana smiled shyly at him. She lightly pushed Rose aside, stepped forward, and greeted him.
“My name is Doana. Rose and I are friends.”
At Doana’s blatant display of interest in Eric, Byulha was left speechless.
So you really are going to twist your own fate, Doana.
There was no surprise. Even in this life, the signs were there—she intended to steal her husband. No, Doana would surely take Eric.
Why don’t people realize that if you make others cry, you’ll end up shedding tears of blood yourself?
Rose quietly watched Doana, then swallowed a bitter smile.
Now you’ll learn properly—just how terrifying your karma is.
She merely stood by as Doana threw herself headlong onto a thorny path.
Do similar types attract each other?
Not only was Doana’s gaze toward Eric unsettling—Eric was the same. Though he looked a bit unkempt, Eric faltered when he saw Doana’s pleasing face and ample curves. Lately he had been spending many nights alone, and the sight of her stirred his instincts. Doana, meanwhile, was at a loss for words at Eric’s more handsome-than-expected appearance. His neatly slicked-back black hair and deep chestnut eyes made her heart flutter. Even from the fit of his well-tailored shirt, she could tell his build was solid. To her, Eric looked like a perfect prince. A handsome face, a great physique… and on top of that, a count. The sprawling estate, the numerous servants, even the gorgeous dress Rose was wearing—just from these fragments, it was clear the man was capable.
Isn’t he perfect? I suit someone like him far better.
Why was she the one reincarnated as a maid, while that girl became a countess? Biting her lip in jealousy toward Rose, Doana belatedly noticed Eric’s intense gaze. He was openly raking his eyes over her body.
Of course. Naturally, his eyes would turn to me.
The world revolved around Doana—or so she had always believed. Raised as the daughter of a mid-sized company’s CEO, she had grown up wanting for nothing. She was a princess in every sense. She had always gotten what she wanted, without exception. Perhaps that was why ordinary love failed to interest her. Only secret, thrilling relationships—those that might be discovered at any moment—excited her. The exhilaration of stealing love from someone who already belonged to another… only those who’d tried it could understand how intoxicating it was.
As if returning Eric’s gaze, Doana smiled. With one hand, she swept her hair aside, revealing the pale line of her neck. She looked at him alluringly, eyes lingering. Eric couldn’t take his eyes off her; her blatant seduction made his body heat up. Rose watched the two of them exchange signals, realizing she didn’t need to lift a finger.
“I’ll go in first. I’m not feeling well.”
Neither Eric nor Doana tried to stop her. If anything, they seemed pleased. Leaving the two behind, Rose strolled calmly out of the garden. The moment she disappeared, Eric and Doana began seeking each other’s lips without hesitation. What started as light kisses soon deepened into lingering ones. Eric moved closer, teasing Doana’s chin.
“Ah… wait, just a moment…”
Ignoring her, Eric pressed her down into the bushes. Doana tried to stop him as he came at her desperately, but Eric, having lost his reason, was already undoing his shirt buttons one by one. Doana grabbed his now-open shirt. Her attempts to hold him back irritated Eric. They had exchanged signals, shared heated kisses—
Is she saying no now?
To arouse him like this and then try to pull away? But Doana’s next words melted his irritation instantly.
“Not here. Let’s go inside—together.”
At her husky voice, Eric chuckled.
“You’re bold. Seducing me first.”
“Well, I think it was the count who started the seduction.”
Doana brushed her hand lightly down his shoulder.
Back in her room, Rose smiled in satisfaction. She didn’t need to see them to know what they’d be doing now. How perfectly in sync they were, without her having to intervene.
“As expected…”
Rose’s gaze turned cold as she murmured a name she never wanted to speak again.
“Gyeru…”
Why did you fall into this novel with me? I thought I’d never have to face someone like you again. Even so, Rose briefly thought of Lee Dohyun, who must have been left alone—but quickly shook her head.
“What does it matter? Scum like that deserves to die along with Gyeru.”
Seeing Doana covet her husband again—both in her previous life and in this novel—Rose laughed hollowly.
“Go ahead. Desire him as much as you want.”
She murmured with a faint smile.
“I’ll be leaving this place.”
A problem she’d been agonizing over had resolved itself in an instant; of course she felt good. Perhaps God wasn’t indifferent after all, but offering Rose a chance—to stop being a fool, and to take revenge. The first button had been fastened successfully.
But one problem remained. After abandoning the position of countess and divorcing him, how was she supposed to live? Rose was the daughter of a fallen family, and after marrying Eric, she had even cut ties with her parents. When they refused the marriage, she had threatened to die, and her parents had severed their relationship with her as a result. That was why the novel never mentioned where her family was or how they lived. Even if she searched them out, she’d likely be turned away at the door.
“If I divorce him, will I end up living on the streets?”
She didn’t want that… Rose recalled the tiny studio apartment she’d fled to in her previous life. She didn’t want to live like that again. Even if the Wens count family was destined to fall—and those two wouldn’t enjoy prosperity for long—she still deserved to live well.
“…Should I demand a huge settlement?”
Rose seriously considered divorcing quickly, while the Wens family was still stable.
To live well in this world, I need information. Then I should start studying in advance.
She cracked her door open and called to the maid standing outside.
“Excuse me.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“I have something to discuss with the butler. Could you tell him I’ll be waiting in the reception room?”
“The butler?”
The maid was puzzled. The lady who always sought only Eric—why was she suddenly looking for the butler? Still, she nodded.
“Yes, I’ll let him know.”
Watching the maid leave, Rose was about to head to the reception room herself—then stopped.
“…Wait, where is the reception room?”
She had only been reincarnated for a day and hadn’t yet figured out the layout of the house.
“You want to hire a private tutor?”
“Yes.”
At Rose’s words, the cup in the butler’s hand nearly slipped. Hastily setting it down before it shattered, he asked,
“May I ask your reason?”
“I am the countess, after all. I think I should at least know how the world works. If I’m to enter high society, I need to be at a level where I can mingle with them.”
The butler’s eyes widened in shock.
“High society as well?”
“Yes.”
Unlike the startled butler, Rose sipped her tea with an air of ease. His reaction was understandable. Though Rose and Eric were officially married, she had never been acknowledged as a member of the Wens family. They deliberately excluded her from banquets, acting as though Eric were still unmarried. Naturally, Rose had fallen out of society—but she hadn’t cared. As long as she had Eric, that was enough.
If asked why Eric had married Rose despite his family’s opposition, the answer was simple. Eric neither stopped women who came to him nor held on to those who left. Amusingly enough, among countless women, Rose had simply proposed first. Despite her family being on bad terms, their marriage went through in an absurd fashion.
At least the household staff don’t treat me like I’m invisible.
Aside from the days when the count’s parents visited and everyone walked on eggshells around her, the staff generally treated her humanely. Of course, there were always one or two who openly disdained her—but far more who did not. Perhaps this was the heroine buff. Rose lived no differently from other countesses, save for lacking a personal maid and being ostracized from society.
Hearing her, the butler nodded seriously. He had always felt sorry for Rose, who was about the same age as his son—treated like she didn’t exist by her in-laws, ignored by her husband, begging only for love.
Has she decided to stop focusing solely on her husband and move forward?
“I’ll speak to the count about it.”
“Thank you.”
Rose smiled in relief. She had worried he might refuse, but things seemed to be going well. While Eric and Doana were tangled together on a bed, Rose took her first step toward a new beginning.
