My Husband Caught Me Having an Affair - Chapter 57

Nicolas showing up seven years earlier than expected was a perfect example.

‘First, I’ll adopt Elodie, deal with Nicolas, and then… I’ll divorce Ethan.’

None of these tasks could be solved overnight. They would need to be addressed gradually, step by step. I already had a rough plan in my head.

***

After returning to the estate, I called for Marie.

“Can you contact the boutique and call a tailor for me?”

“Are you getting a new dress made?”

“Yes. It seems like the right time.”

“Oh my, that should have been done ages ago. Alright, which one should I call first? Warnier? Cabrita? Rollez? Or should I call them all?”

For some reason, Marie seemed a bit excited.

“Which one is the greediest for money?”

“…Excuse me? Don’t you mean the most expensive?”

“No. I want the one that will do anything for enough money.”

Marie blinked in confusion for a moment, but then her expression returned to normal. She was used to hearing strange things from me by now.

“Well, they’re all pretty money-hungry, but… if you put it that way, then Warnier would be the best choice. They’ve always been good at catering to your mood.”

“Alright, call them.”

“Yes, madam.”

A few hours later, a tailor from the Warnier boutique arrived.

“Come in. You came quickly.”

“Of course, the Duchess of Dumont has called. I apologize that I couldn’t arrive even sooner.”

The tailor, a woman named Josephine, bowed deeply, almost pitifully, though her eyes sparkled with ambition. Marie’s choice seemed to be spot on.

“So, what kind of dress do you need today? I brought samples of the latest fabrics and designs to help inspire you. But of course, if you already had something in mind, feel free to let me know.”

Josephine rattled off her prepared lines, clearly eager to land a substantial order.

I smiled and replied, “Thank you, but I didn’t call you here to buy a dress. It’s quite the opposite.”

“…Pardon?”

Josephine looked bewildered.

“I have a closet full of dresses that I don’t wear anymore. It seems wasteful to just throw them out, so I was wondering if you could help me sell them.”

“Ah… I see.”

Josephine darted her eyes around, clearly trying to hide her confusion. She was probably thinking, ‘Wasteful? Sell?’ Those words would never have come out of the old Camille’s mouth. The reason I wanted to sell my dresses was to secretly gather money for my escape from Ethan.

While my jewelry would have fetched a far higher price, the problem was that all of my pieces were extremely valuable.

Selling them through official channels would make it easy to track, and rumors would likely spread quickly.

Besides, I had a different plan for the jewelry. Selling dresses would be a better way to secure some cash without drawing attention.

I had so many that selling even a few dozen wouldn’t be noticed.

I smiled and continued, “Don’t worry. I wouldn’t call you here without giving you something in return. I wouldn’t invite someone to the Dumont estate just to take more than I give. That wouldn’t do, would it?”

“…No, it wouldn’t.”

Josephine’s face brightened immediately, as if she had been thrown a lifeline.

“Though, it won’t be as much as you’re used to. I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather since I got sick, and I’ve grown tired of attending parties and balls every night.”

“I see…”

Josephine looked like she had been plunged back into the cold waters of reality, repeating herself as though her mind had short-circuited.

“But don’t be too disappointed. Just think of it this way: instead of making ten dresses, you can put all that energy and effort into creating one truly magnificent gown.”

I tilted my head slightly, smiling as I continued, “I want you to make something worthy of the Dumont name, something so breathtaking that no one will be able to look away. And of course, I’ll pay accordingly.”

Josephine finally regained her composure and responded with determination, “I understand. I won’t let you down, Your Grace.”

“Good. Let’s start by ordering just two dresses for now. I’ll need to see the quality of your work. Don’t worry about the budget; just make sure the dresses are perfect.”

“Understood. I won’t disappoint you.”

“Great. I’ve already selected the dresses I want to sell, so take a look and let me know how much you think they’re worth.”

At my signal, the maids brought over a rolling rack with about twenty dresses on it.

Josephine examined them carefully. After glancing at me, she wrote down a figure on a piece of paper and showed it to me.

“How does this look?”

The amount was a bit more than I had expected. It seemed she was pushing the price as high as she could without risking the deal.

‘Well, she must know better than to lowball a client from a top-tier boutique like hers. Offering too little could jeopardize the whole transaction.’

“That works for me.”

“Thank you. Would you prefer I deduct the cost of the new dresses from this amount?”

“No, I’d like the payment for the dresses separately, in cash. Just bill the price of the new dresses to the estate as usual. You understand?” I lowered my voice slightly.

‘She’ll probably assume I’m trying to pocket some extra money without my husband knowing.’

It wasn’t uncommon for wealthy ladies to ask for inflated invoices, then collect the difference themselves.

The reason I wasn’t using that method was that it would require me to buy too many dresses.

‘And it would look strange if I kept buying new dresses but stopped attending events.’

Josephine smiled knowingly. She leaned in slightly and replied in a quiet voice, “Of course, Duchess. Don’t worry. I’ll handle everything discreetly.”

“Thank you. I trust you understand, but just to be clear, I expect this entire arrangement to remain confidential. I only called you, so if I hear any rumors…”

“There’s no need to worry. I’ve been in this business for 15 years, and I live by my reputation. You won’t hear a word from anyone.” Josephine tapped her chest confidently.

“Thank you. Now, let’s talk about the new dresses.”

“I’ve been waiting for that.”

Her eyes sparkled as she began flipping through design books and fabrics, her hands moving quickly. I watched with a quiet smile.

***

As promised, I ordered two dresses. The price was more than double what I had earned from selling the old ones, so Josephine had no reason to complain.

“I’ll be calling on you again soon. I look forward to working with you,” I added meaningfully.

“Of course, Duchess. I’ll do my best to ensure you don’t regret choosing me.”

Josephine left with a solemn bow.

‘Alright. I’ve secured a way to gather funds, and I’ve also arranged for new dresses to wear to upcoming events.’

The dresses Camille used to wear weren’t my style at all, so it felt like I had solved two problems at once.

Nicolas was sure to seek another opportunity to approach me. And there was no better setting for that than a banquet or ball.

If I kept staying at home like before, Nicolas would have no way of getting close. But in that case, I wouldn’t be able to predict his next move, and that wasn’t a risk I wanted to take.

So, I decided to attend events regularly, creating easy opportunities for Nicolas to approach me. He would think he was gathering information from me, but I’d be using those conversations to gather information from him.

Since attending Viscount Grandbert’s ball, I had received a new wave of invitations. I spread them out on the table and began selecting the events I would attend.