Choosing The Villainess As My Mother

Chapter 68 - Drama

(Unless that man's in a hurry... but then again, he'd probably be shouting at me to move...)

(Wait... why am I still sitting here, letting my dress get ruined by mud?!)

"A-Ah! Le-Let me help you—" Lady Auriane stuttered as she reached out a hand, but I casually swatted it away, not too forcefully.

"Please, spare me with your friendly manner, Lady Auriane. I have little patience for those with hidden agendas," I remarked, fixing her with a pointed stare as she smiled innocently at me.

"W-What do you mean, my lady? I only wanted to assist you. I-I even saved you," Lady Auriane protested, her expression now morphing into one of feigned sadness. Yet, I caught her whispering under her breath, calling me an 'ungrateful bitch.'

I couldn't help but smile at hearing her mutter those words. The way she's always honest with me, yet hides her true nature from others, has always amused me.

"My lady, are you alright?" a man's voice broke through the commotion. We both turned to see who it was, but to my surprise, it was the face of the man who I met when I was buying flowers. I believe he's a noble.

"Allow me to give you a hand, my lady," he offered, reaching out to help me up.

"Oh, thank you, my lord, but I can manage on my own," I declined, rising to my feet unassisted.

"I should probably mind my own business, but would this lady kindly inform me of what's happening here?" he asked, turning his attention towards Lady Auriane, who had been glaring at me moments ago but quickly composed herself before the man caught on.

(When I say she's a two-faced bitch, I mean it.)

She only reveals her true colors around me, maintaining a facade of innocence and sweetness with others, like some perfect butterfly.

(To them, she's all innocent and angelic, but with me, it's a different story...)

(I have fond memories of her from our past life... one of my favorites was when she pretended to drown in the lake.)

(And then there was her "knight in shining armor," Prince Lucien, and Bosworth.)

(That time, it was just her and me. Yet somehow, I ended up accused of things I never did.)

(Accused of pushing her into the lake and almost drowning her, when the truth was the complete opposite of what she told them.)

(I fought tooth and nail to defend myself, but she always came out on top.)

(She jumped into the lake of her own volition, so why the hell should I bother saving a bitch who's willing to kill herself just to frame me?)

(I'd rather let her drown than save a stupid, two-faced bitch who's willing to sacrifice herself just to accuse me of pushing her.)

(If she really wanted to die that day in our past life, she could have just asked me.)

(I mean, if she was truly planning to die and frame me...)

(Why didn't she just let me do it for her? It'd be quick, clean, and no evidence would be left behind.)

"I-I only wanted to save the lady from being hit by the carriage," Lady Auriane stammered.

"Was it in a hurry?" I retorted, arms crossed, as the man whose name I can't remember glanced between Lady Auriane and me.

"Uhm... I guess? It was moving really fast, so I just acted to save the lady, and that was the only thing that came to mind," Lady Auriane explained.

(She's just guessing? She's not even sure if the carriage was speeding?)

(Even if it was, I'm pretty sure the driver isn't blind and could see two people in the middle of the road.)

"You're only guessing," the man remarked, eyebrows furrowed.

"And I'm pretty sure the carriage driver isn't blind. He must've seen both ladies in the middle of the street," he added.

"Besides..." He scanned the area.

"The road's pretty wide. He could've easily avoided or stopped and asked you two to move," he continued, fixing his gaze on Lady Auriane.

"Unless... unless someone, or that driver, had something dangerous planned," he says and thought.

"I-I didn't plan it! I'm not plotting anything dangerous," Lady Auriane protested as we both stared at her.

"Pardon?" I interjected, fixing her with a pointed gaze.

"I didn't say that the lady was plotting something," the man clarified, causing Lady Auriane to fall silent, frozen in place.

"But it's as if the lord is already accusing me," Lady Auriane muttered.

"No, I clearly said that someone could have planned something to harm both ladies, or maybe someone else was plotting it," the man explained.

"And that man was merely tasked with carrying it out. I hope you didn't misunderstand my intentions, my lady," he added, to which a smile formed on the corner of my lips.

"I-I..." Lady Auriane faltered, glancing at me, and I simply smiled in response.

"P-Please excuse me," she mumbled before hastily retreating from my sight.

(Ha...I see how it is.)

"Are you hurt anywhere, my lady?" the man asked, turning his attention back to me.

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