My Vengeful Former Lover

would forever stay in the recesses of her mind.

Contempt.

That was what she felt after Amelia’s death.

Feeling free from the shackles for a moment, she felt a little lost.
She had only ever known to continuously heal her mother in that temple.
As a result, this made Deatrice more attached to going to the temple even after her mother’s death.

There were fleeting moments where she would recall the faint memories of her mother that she wanted to keep—like the two of them joining their hands together as they walked towards the temple in the distance.

Shaking her head to cleanse her mind, Deatrice took the things she needed and left.

Upon arriving, familiar priests greeted her and led her to a prayer room.
As she entered, a priestess, who’s always looked after due to her divine powers, greeted her.

“You have arrived.”

The appearance of priests with their heads bowed deeply was something she had always seen since childhood.

She heard that this woman was the daughter of some nobleman.
However, after her divine power was discovered, she decided to become a priestess.
After that, she lived a life away from the secular world.

“You’re already known for coming here every holy day, you might as well fully entrust yourself to the temple.”

Deatrice suddenly remembered the words she had heard at the ball.
If she really had done as the priestess said, she wouldn’t have to play-pretend with Lucius anymore.

Two failed engagements.
Then, she reunited with her first fiancée and had gotten herself engaged for the third time.

After checking her state, the priestess withdrew.

Deatrice sat in the prayer room for a long time, asking whoever was up there the reason as to why she was experiencing all of this.

But, like all other times, there was no answer.

After sitting for a long while, she suddenly heard a conversation between two ladies who passed her by without.
They didn’t recognize who she was with the white cotton cloth covering her head.

“Haven’t you heard? Turns out, Eva Way is Count Mendez’s mistress!”

Eva Way was the one who called her ‘cursed’ during the last ball.

As much as Deatrice was surprised by the sudden news, the other lady listening in seemed to be surprised as well.

“Mistress? But Count Mendez was famous for being loyal to his wife!”

“That’s why it’s even more shocking.
The countess had fainted, and I even saw a priest from here go to her place.”

“Oh my—! She must’ve been really shocked! She was the woman who believed in the Count more than anyone else!” then she whispered inquisitively, “But, how was it revealed?”

“I heard that it was revealed when a mysterious document arrived at the tea party held by the Countess Mendez.
It contained a pocket of letters and hair.
A lot of people wondered who gave it to the countess, but they speculated it was probably Eva Way herself who had sent it.”