When I Stopped Being Your Shadow - Chapter 62

Chapter 62

***

After that,

 

News related to the art exchange was featured in the Elton magazine.

 

Among them, the thing that drew people’s attention the most was that Countess of Brierton would join the management team of the exchange.

“How the hell did this happen!”

 

Ryan, who was astonished enough to pass out, clutched the newspaper today and raised his voice.

 

Ryan, with his eyes wide open, glared at the headline that appeared at the top of the Elton magazine as if he was about to eat it. 

 

{Exchange with Kaldorov confirmed! Her Majesty the Queen personally names the Countess of Brierton to join her management team!

 

Today, Her Majesty the Queen announced that an art exchange with Kaldorov will be held soon. 

 

Her Majesty the Queen is hosting this art exchange herself, and the Duke of Sussex and the Countess of Brierton will participate as a management team. The Royal Arts Association questioned Countess of Brierton’s achievements, but Her Majesty the Queen dismissed them at once…… }

 

After reading the article as if chewing on each letter like that.

 

“How, how could this be… !”

 

A sigh escaped Ryan’s lips.

 

 “Ines is in the management team of the art exchange?!”

 

The hand that was holding the newspaper tightened.

 

At least, it was clear that the Lancaster royal family attached great importance to this exchange.

 

It was to the extent that Queen Helena was going to host this exchange herself.

 

And Ines was selected to join the management team for the exchange. Considering that there has never been a history of female artists participating in the exchange before.

 

The fact that Ines was in the management team proved how important she was to the current royal family.

 

“If only I hadn’t divorced Ines…… !”

Ryan’s eyes trembled.

 

If only he had kept Ines by his side. He could have grabbed everything he wanted.

 

Fame, royal favor, and even the envy of the people.

 

All of it.

 

A genius painter and socialite, Count Brierton could do just that.

 

But what was the reality of Ryan now?

 

“I still can’t even show my face outside, and I’m being treated like trash… Ines!”

 

Ryan sharpened his teeth.

 

It hurt his bones just to lose everything he had enjoyed so far, but there was a bigger problem.

 

“……… If it continues like this, it will have a huge impact on my family.”

 

Ryan bit his lip until it bled.

 

It’s only been two weeks since Ines collected all the investment she had invested in the Gott’s family.

 

In that brief time, Viscount Gott realized in real time how much they had been parasitic to the Brierton. Although he managed not to sell off his estate, several of his buildings have already been sold to prevent the shortfall of funds.

To convince Ines, Ryan’s older brother (Viscount Gott), who had left confidently for the Brierton’s residence, came back huffing.

The appearance he had returned was still vividly seen.

 

And his brother’s irritable voice.

 

“Ines, that girl isn’t as easy as I thought.”

 

Viscount Gott tried to rebuild the business somehow, but to no avail. Like a sandcastle swept by the waves, the Gott’s business was falling apart. Viscount Gott wandered around and tried to save the business, but in vain. Then one day.

 

“Ryan!”

 

bang!

 

The door was opened with a bang.

 

Viscount Gott grabbed Ryan by the collar and pulled him up while Ryan was sleeping with his drunkenness.

 

“Ack, ack!”

 

At the sensation of his suffocating breath, Ryan struggled hard.

 

“Ahhh! Brother, what is this…!?”

 

“Do something! We have to get help from that girl!”

 

The Viscount’s eyes, waving wildly at his younger brother, glistened with madness.

 

“One of the businesses has already gone out of business. At this rate, the whole business is really on the verge of bankruptcy!”

“Remove your hand for now…… !”

“This is not the time to lie down after drinking like this!”

 

That scream was still ringing in Ryan’s ears.

 

It was the first time that his older brother, who always acted as if he was on top of his head, showed such a desperate appearance.

“……Sh*t.”

 

The newspaper Ryan was holding in his hand had lost its original shape and was crumpled.

 

To be honest, it was true that he had been as optimistic as possible up to this point.

 

‘Anyway, will the business go bankrupt?’

He was watching the situation. Their estate and properties were gone one by one and the faces of his brother and his mother were gradually deepened with wrinkles.

Ryan also began to feel a sense of crisis.

 

“I have to reunite with Ines somehow, otherwise…!”

 

But he couldn’t think of a way.

 

Ines continued to be cold to Ryan, and things were even more complicated because of Charlotte. 

“D*mn it!”

 

Ryan felt like he was going crazy, and threw the crumpled ball of the newspaper on the floor.

 “D*mn it, d*mn it…!”

 

Not enough, he stomped on and trampled the newspapers.

 

But there was no sign of any relief from the suffocation.

 

***

Meanwhile, at that time.

 

Today, there was another person whose eyes were turned over after checking Elton magazine.

 

“Aaaah!”

 

That person was Charlotte.

 

Unable to contain her anger, she pulled her hair and let out a loud scream.

 

“Ines, what the hell is that girl?!” 

While she was being thrown into the corner of the room like garbage, but Ines was winning every time?

 

“What? Art Exchange’s management team? Management?!”

 

A fever rose in her head.

 

Charlotte stared at the newspaper with wild eyes.

 

A fine detail in the newspaper caught her eyes.

The Queen was smiling brightly, and Enoch and Ines were standing next to her.

 

It was as if they were making fun of Charlotte in the picture.

 

“No, no!”

 

Charlotte couldn’t stand it anymore and she tore the newspaper to pieces. Newspaper fragments fall around as white as snow.

 

“What the hell was the Queen thinking? Ines is such a boring girl!”

Charlotte had a reason to be angry like this.

 

Basically, it was very honorable to be acquainted with the royal family.

 

The fact that the Queen, who was the center of the current Lancaster social circle, to be by her side also meant that that person’s influence on the social circle would increase at once.

 

In other words, the one chosen by the Queen will become a celebrity in the social world. And Charlotte had always wanted to be the queen of the socialites.

 

“I, I have never… … … !”

She couldn’t even talk to the Queen, let alone have a proper conversation!

 

Anger and despondency burned her eyes white, Charlotte’s shoulders shook.

 

After teatime at Baroness Wickham’s residence, Charlotte was never invited to any of the many social gatherings.

 

All the ladies scurried away as if Charlotte had become like a plague patient.

She showed her face at social gatherings, but people wouldn’t look at her, and only a cold response was returned.

“Am I the only one who feels uncomfortable with Lady Jason?”

 

“Me too. Even when we ignore her….”

 

“Why does she keep pretending to be close?”

 

“Even if you don’t have a clue, it’s enough.”

 

People who once talked about all kinds of sweet things to get close to Charlotte and even men who liked her cut off contact at once.

Even Ryan was ignoring her call because he was conscious of Ines.

“How could everyone do this to me, how!”

 

Charlotte screamed once more as she pulled her hair.

 

But the reality in front of her was still disastrous.

 

***

On the other hand, Ines’s participation in the art exchange caused various waves in various parts of society. Representatively, there was the Royal Art Association, where established artists gathered.

 A club full of cigar smoke. 

 

“No matter how much Her Majesty the Queen believes in the Countess of Brierton, the art exchange is a major event between the two countries.

 

When one of the gentlemen spoke up, the other gentlemen also followed suit like a swarm of bees

 

 “You’re right. Of course, I don’t doubt the Countess’s  artistic talent, but…… ”

 

“Well, is it true that the Countess has never had a social life?”

 

“She only stayed in the house.”

 

 “I have a lot of doubts whether she will be able to carry out her duties properly.”

 

In addition, dissatisfaction with the art exchange’s idea suggested by Ines also surfaced.

 

“Besides, this exchange will be held in the form of a festival, right?”

 

“Isn’t this too frivolous to host the distinguished guests?”

 

 “Everyone seems to have high expectations for this exchange, but I don’t think it will be good for the position of the Countess if she makes a mistake.”

 

“If Kaldorov’s envoys laugh at us, it’s a big deal…”

 

Numerous complaints, and words of checks disguised as worries.

 

If they had to remove all of that and express only their blatant true intentions, it was roughly like this.

 

 “’It’s not a good thing that the Countess of Brierton, a woman, plays an active part in the art exchange that used to be the domain of men.”

 

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