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Chapter 4
“I’ll start brushing your hair, miss.”
Swish, swish—my beautiful blond hair flowed as Jerry brushed it with a wooden comb.
I looked up at the mirror.
The girl’s blue eyes slowly opened.
She really did look like a doll. Maybe because I’d died seven times, it didn’t feel real anymore.
‘Ha.’
Just thinking of repeating that tiring past made me sigh.
My role was to marry Noah Lenister and then bully my sick husband.
But if I did that, I’d die for sure.
Hurting a sick person is wrong, and if I harmed Noah, it would only lead me to death.
‘If I’m inside a novel, at least let me know which one!’
I told myself I could handle it, but still felt a little frustrated.
‘If I knew the whole future, I could handle it perfectly.’
But I had no choice. I just had to do my best.
I stared at the mirror with no expression, organizing my thoughts.
-
Marry Noah and stay as the villain (die as a villain)
-
Run away and don’t marry (in the third life, I tried to run and get revenge on Baron Rotten, but died)
-
Be nice to Noah, then ask for a divorce (died after divorce)
All those choices had led me to the afterlife.
‘If I want to live, I have to stay by Noah’s side no matter what.’
But sticking to Noah forever just to survive was selfish.
My life was important, but I didn’t want to ruin Noah’s life—he had been my husband many times.
I want to fall in love for real, get remarried to someone I really like someday. I can’t cling to Noah forever, even when I’m an old lady.
‘First, I need to marry Noah again.’
If Noah dies, I die too. So, to survive, I have to keep him alive and take good care of him.
‘It’s lucky I became an herb expert in my sixth life.’
After accidentally poisoning my husband in my fifth life, I went crazy studying herbs the next time.
Even if I died, the memories and experience from the last life never went away.
I wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
‘Every time I was possessed, the timing was random. But this time, it’s actually a good moment.’
First goals: get rid of Jerry and marry Noah quickly.
While I was making my plans, Jerry twisted her mouth as she searched the basket.
“Now I’ll put waves in your hair, miss. It’ll be hot, so sit still. And don’t whine like last time when you got your shoulder burned.”
Like a doll, I just said, “Okay,” and Jerry pulled a metal rod out of the basket.
It was a tool made of two neat square irons connected by special wire, kind of like an old-fashioned curling iron.
She grinned as she played with the heated rod.
‘She still has that nasty look on her face.’
Staring at the mirror, memories came back from my second possession.
Two days before my wedding, Jerry burned my right shoulder on purpose.
The scar, the size of two fingers, was very noticeable.
If I had called a healer with a lot of money, it would have healed, but Jerry hid my injury.
I missed the chance for first aid, so the scar stayed. After that, I hated off-shoulder dresses.
Even before then, when she was in a bad mood, Jerry would threaten me with the hot iron.
When my wedding was close, she finally lost control and hurt me.
I could still clearly remember her eyes sparkling and her mocking smile.
As the baron’s maid, I didn’t have enough power to fire Jerry right away.
Just kicking her out of the house wasn’t enough.
It would be better for everyone if Jerry was kicked out of the maid business for good.
‘What should I do now…’
I tilted my head and frowned a little.
“This left side of my hair looks bad.”
“What? What do you mean…?”
“It’s not even. The waves should look the same, but the right side is bigger. Make the left side match.”
“W-what did you say? Did you sleep badly last night? You always said everything was fine and just sat quietly!”
“That was then. How long are you going to be lazy?”
I gestured for her to fix it, and Jerry gave a fake laugh.
If this was at a real salon, I’d be called a “problem customer.”
But she was the worst child abuser.
Either way, I’d die, so there’s no point in putting up with it anymore.
I decided to push Jerry’s jealous button.
“I told you to do it right. Aren’t you supposed to be a veteran? You can’t even do simple styling?”
Jerry looked like she was trying to hold it in, but then she exploded.
“Hey! Are you crazy? Do you think I’m easy? Just because you think you’re a real noble, you act so rude!”
She pointed the hot iron right at my face.
“Yeah, you are easy. You have no skills and no personality.”
I smiled, my eyes softening. The hot metal glimmered right in front of me.
“W-what?! What did you just say?!”
Jerry was shocked by my unexpected attitude.
She was used to bullying and making me cry, but now I was fighting back.
“Apologize! Say sorry for talking to me like that! Who do you think you are? Everyone knows you’re only a noble because your dad spent money! How can you treat people like this?!”
Jerry waved the hot iron at me, almost crying.
She tried to hit me, but I dodged quickly. She stomped her foot in anger, then scratched my shoulder with her long nails.
I stared at the mirror with a blank face—without a scream.
It was Jerry who looked scared.
“Gasp… You’re crazy, you’re crazy!”
Now it was Jerry who looked terrified, staring at me like I was a monster.
I glanced at the hot iron lying on the floor and stood up.
Instead of shrinking, I straightened my back and walked to the door.
“Are you done?”
I looked back, standing tall. Jerry looked pale.
“…What?”
Jerry was so dumb she didn’t even know what had happened.
“I’m asking if you’re done taking your anger out.”
I asked politely, like a noble girl, and Jerry turned white as a ghost.
“Y-you’re crazy! You never acted like this before!”
“That’s right. Thanks for everything, Jerry.”
I spoke calmly and turned the doorknob.
Before leaving, I looked her up and down like she was a bug.
“You’re fired.”
My steps were light as I walked out the open door.
Truth is, I was scared.
I was so scared, I thought I might die. I almost cried, but I held it in.
I didn’t want to cry like a child in front of the person who ruined Solia’s childhood.
Leaving Jerry kneeling behind, I walked faster toward Baron Rotten’s office.
Tap.
“…Haa.”
Finally, I let out the breath I was holding.
A tear rolled down my cheek.
Being afraid was something I could handle—I was used to it.
I was good at holding it in.
The silk dress rustled softly as I walked.
Slap!
Jerry’s cheek was slapped hard.
“Hic, sob. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Please, please spare me!”
Jerry, shaking after being slapped by Baron Rotten, fell to her knees and begged.
She didn’t even look at me.
She probably still didn’t know what she did wrong.
“How dare you touch my daughter?! Do you know what you’ve done?!”
Baron Rotten was furious. His chest heaved with every breath.
What a joke—he’s done worse himself, yet now he yells at the maid.
He lifted his hand and looked at me with disappointment, as if asking, “Did you really get bullied by a maid?”
While I met his gaze, Jerry tried to butt in.
“M-my lady threatened me first! She pushed her shoulder at me…”
“Father.”
I cut her off and called Baron Rotten.
Worried I might be hurt, he called a healer to check my shoulder, but thankfully I was fine.
I wasn’t hurt, but I really didn’t want to see anything hot for a while.
“Fire her.”
My calm voice echoed in the office.
Baron Rotten’s eyes shook in surprise at my new attitude.
He shouted, “I was going to do that anyway! She can’t be forgiven!” and slapped Jerry again.
“Is this enough for you?”
He hit her, then glanced at me, as if checking my reaction.
It felt weird.
Honestly, that wasn’t the point.
I shook my head, face blank, and spoke.
“I heard you need a reference letter to get another noble job. Will you write one?”
Basically, I was telling him not to write Jerry a reference.
Without it, her maid career would be over.
Baron Rotten looked surprised at me, and Jerry finally understood what was happening.
She crawled over and begged.
“…I-I won’t ask for a reference. I’ll just leave quietly.”
I bit my lip, trying not to laugh at how pathetic she looked.
She wouldn’t feel sorry—she’d just complain about her bad luck.
