My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 19

Audrey nodded warmly, smiling. “Of course. There’s no need to apologize to me. And I’ll certainly help with what you’ve asked.”

“Really? You’ll help me?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly with emotion.

“Absolutely. If there’s anything I can do to help, I will.”

“Thank goodness…” I said, my eyes welling up with tears.

After my conversation with Victor, I had spent hours practicing in front of a mirror, determined to perfect my act. It seemed my efforts were paying off, as Audrey’s eyes were also glistening with tears.

Audrey, like Victor, was known for her compassionate nature. I had judged correctly that this approach would be most effective with her.

“Shall we start right away? Here, this name, Count Dominique Bustillo…” I began.

“Oh, Count Bustillo? Well, let me tell you about him…” Audrey said, moving to sit beside me.

Her enthusiasm exceeded my expectations. She truly embodied the character described in the original story—a person who couldn’t ignore someone in need.

Out of Audrey’s sight, I allowed myself a small, satisfied smile.

***

After about an hour of meticulous note-taking, the guest list was now filled with detailed annotations, leaving almost no white space. It looked even more thorough than my old study notes.

Audrey’s descriptions of the guests were detailed and memorable, reflecting her keen observation skills. She had indeed been a perfect chaperone for Elodie.

“Thank you so much. I owe you a great debt, Viscountess,” I said, bowing my head in gratitude.

“Oh my, please don’t say that. It was nothing significant,” Audrey responded, waving her hands dismissively, looking flustered. “I’m just glad I could help you. If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Well, there is one more thing I’d like to ask,” I said.

“Of course, what is it?” Audrey replied.

“Could you keep our conversation today a secret from others?”

“Naturally. Don’t worry about that,” Audrey assured, placing her hand over her heart.

“I trust you, Viscountess. Could you also ensure that the servants keep this quiet?” I asked.

“The servants?” she asked, looking puzzled.

“Yes. The butler, the maid, and the servant who prepared the tea. If anyone tries to bribe them for information about our conversation today, have them omit the part about the guest list and report it to you immediately. Tell them you’ll give them double the amount they were offered. I’ll provide the money for it.”

“……”

Audrey’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly wondering why I was taking such measures.

I hadn’t asked Viscount Rochefort to keep our conversation a secret because I didn’t trust him to do so, and it might have raised suspicions with Ethan. Just having the guest list wouldn’t arouse specific suspicions. But this situation was different.

Everything I had told Audrey was a lie, and Ethan didn’t know about my supposed memory loss.

‘There’s no way he would ever imagine that someone else’s soul has taken over my body… but it’s better not to leave any unnecessary room for suspicion.’

“To be honest, my husband doesn’t know that I’ve lost my memory. This is the first time I’m telling anyone,” I said in a lowered voice. “But I think he’s noticed that I’ve changed. He’s been suspicious, asking me questions constantly. If he finds out the truth… he might want to divorce me.”

“What? How could that be…,” Audrey gasped in surprise. “I don’t think the Duke would do such a thing. Your memory issues are because of your illness…”

“You don’t know him like I do,” I replied with a somber expression. “My husband has long thought I’m unfit to be the Duchess of Dumont. And we’ve been married for five years now without any news of an heir…”

I let my voice trail off, allowing the weight of my words to sink in.

“If he finds out that his already useless wife can’t even remember the names of the people at the ball… Ethan will surely cast me aside.”

“No, Duchess. You’re overthinking it. Surely, he wouldn’t…”

“Please, Viscountess Grandbert. Ethan is an extremely meticulous person. He will already be wondering why I came to see you, someone I don’t usually have contact with. We need to be prepared for anything, so please help me.”

Audrey looked bewildered but soon nodded her head. “Alright. I’ll do as you ask, Duchess.”

“Thank you so much. I will never forget the kindness you’ve shown me today.”

Afterward, I left a generous amount of gold with Audrey, instructing her not to contact me unless absolutely necessary and that I would retrieve the remaining amount later. I knew her well enough to predict that she would never keep the gold for herself, even if I told her to. Advising her not to contact me was a precaution; if Ethan discovered any trace, it would defeat the purpose.

Upon returning to the Dumont Mansion, I spent several days memorizing the details from the list.

‘Good, this should be sufficient.’

It felt like the solution came much easier than I had initially worried. Now, the next challenge was deciding what to wear to the event.

In my past life, I always faced the dilemma of “nothing to wear” despite having a full closet. This life, however, presented the opposite problem: an overwhelming abundance of dresses. The wardrobe alone, the size of a typical 28-pyeong[1] apartment, was brimming with dresses of every kind.

[1] A pyeong (abbreviation py) is a Korean unit of area and floorspace, equal to a square kan or 36 square Korean feet.

To my surprise, Marie had naturally arranged an appointment with the tailor when she heard about the upcoming event.

“Wait, who’s coming?”

“The tailor from Warnier boutique.”

“What? I didn’t call for a tailor.”

“But, Madam, you mentioned attending the ball this weekend. You need a new dress for that, don’t you?”

“With all these dresses, why would I need a new one?”

“But… you always had new dresses made for every event.”

Marie’s expression was more confused than mine, and she seemed almost aggrieved at my reaction.

I nearly asked, “Really?” in genuine disbelief. The mystery behind the mountain of dresses was finally solved.

‘Camille probably attended at least three or four events a week. If she bought a new dress each time, it’s no wonder they piled up like this…’

It was astonishing that Ethan hadn’t reined in her spending.

‘How wealthy is the Dumont family?’

I knew from the original story, but witnessing it firsthand was another matter entirely.

Marie, noticing my expression, asked cautiously, “If Warnier’s isn’t to your liking, should I call someone else? Cabrita, perhaps? Or maybe Rollez? Oh, but you did say never to call Rollez again after the tailor made that remark…”

‘…What did he say?’

I was curious and apprehensive at the same time.

“No, it’s fine. Cancel the appointment. I’m not getting a new dress this time.”

“…Are you sure?” Marie seemed anxious, as if anticipating another whimsical change of mind.

“Yes, instead, call Lola.”

Lola was one of the maids responsible for managing Camille’s dresses.

“You called for me, Madam?” Lola entered, curtsying politely.

“Yes, I need a dress for the ball this weekend. Could you pick out a few suitable options for me?” I asked.

Honestly, I couldn’t face going through the wardrobe again myself.

“Sorry? But…” Lola hesitated, looking confused.

“Madam has decided not to have a new dress made this time,” Marie interjected swiftly.

Lola blinked in surprise but quickly nodded. These maids, having survived under Camille, were exceptionally perceptive.

“Any particular color or design in mind?”

“Hmm, something subdued and elegant.”

From my brief survey of the wardrobe, it seemed that nearly all of Camille’s dresses were excessively ornate.