For My Husband’s New Wife

One day, Anita’s family disintegrated.

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Some may argue that it is not foolish, but it was certainly accurate.

Anita Volloni’s family fell down in one day, falsely charged with nothing.

“That’s it, Anita.”

Vlad’s countenance clouded as the middle-aged guy delivered the news.

Vlad, the lifelong business partner of her father, has known Anita since she was a child.

Vlad would only visit once every season with a big file folder in his steam-powered automobile.

His visits were consistently enjoyable.

Foreign chocolates in tins, foreign toys, foreign hairpins… Because he used to bring locally unavailable gifts.

However, today’s present is…

It hurts.

Extremely, extremely, extremely painful.

“Mister… then father—”

“I can’t find him.
I can’t find anything, so please don’t ask me for specifics.
Maybe live like you don’t know anything.
I think this is for the best.”

Anita’s father vanished while on a trip… and she was told to act like she didn’t know.

Pretend she’s unfamiliar with her sole family?

Four years after becoming an adult, she will make her debut next month.
Her father was Anita’s planned first dancing partner.

[Anita, you must not fall for those who simply talk eloquently.
They only consider young women like you to be playmates.
Find a person who is at least as serious as he seems and who says nothing but the truth, even if he is unfriendly.]

Even before her debut, he always says that.

That is what happened.

Vlad dug inside the inner pocket of his shirt and gave her a soiled business card.

“Here are my acquaintance’s contact details.
I can assist you locate a respectable job.
Just in case, I advise you to avoid places like brothels.
Because it corrupts your soul.”

Vlad heaved a heavy sigh as he just regarded her without reacting.

“Be strong, Anita.
Do you have to live even if you are sad? This is what life is all about.”

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The business card was thrust into her hand by Vlad.
Then he walked away without turning back.

Anita surveyed the house with vacant eyes.

Powerful men rushed in and started to eradicate the traces left by the Volloni family over decades and centuries.

‘A huge watercolor picture my father purchased at an auction.

Tableware is on show in a solid wood exhibition hall made of cherry wood.

White china was put on the dresser.’

“Alright, get out of our way.
I’ve been irked for a long time.”

Someone touched her shoulder and then walked away.
Anita staggered for some time before leaning against the wall and collapsing.

Everything in front of her and all of her feelings at the moment were foggy, like if she were in a dream.

How many years have gone?

Beyond the window, a scarlet sunset started to set in the blue sky.

Anita cautiously stood up inside the home, where not a single trace of warmth remained.

Even under these circumstances, she was hungry.
I moved carefully to the kitchen, which seemed to have been destroyed by a hurricane.

After a lengthy search, Anita discovered a few pieces of stale bread in the pantry.
It was the old food that staff were required to discard as bird feed.

It is tough.

It was much tougher than the jerky Anita had tried years ago out of curiosity.
As the sensation of chewing paper filled her stomach, she closed her eyes and went into deep meditation.

‘Downfall.’

There would be those who longed for Volloni’s demise.

‘False.’

Who, then, has implicated the Volloni family? Relative, fellow dealer, or foe?

‘Father.’

Father.

When Anita recalled the keen gaze, the tears she had been restraining overflowed.

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‘Nanny… I miss you.’

Anita wept for a long time with her face buried between her knees.
Spitting is more terrible than enduring.

Anita felt terrible for the father who vanished after abandoning her, and she was concerned about the silent father who vanished without a word.

‘If you cannot return, I want you to live in a remote location.
Nonetheless, I wished we could return home immediately and go through this problem together.’

Now what?

The Volloni Mansion was seized.

Even if Anita leans against the wall to fall asleep till tomorrow, the issue begins the day after.
When the second sun rises, she will no longer be allowed to reside in this home.

It wasn’t that she lacked family.

‘Sister Malina… Aunt Alexandra.’

But they will not assist Anita.

Anita’s father despised their clinging relatives like a swarm of ants.
He could not have imagined that they, who had endured his father’s indifference, would feel compassion for Anita.

Where does Anita go from here?

‘Business card.’

Anita examined the business card left there by Vlad.
It resembled a piece of folded tissue paper since he was gripping it so firmly.

[Welcome, job-seekers and seasoned personnel!]

The card was that of the recruiting agency.

Are they the same individuals that departed the Volloni home one by one after gazing into her eyes?

Even if Anita arrives early tomorrow morning, she won’t have a place to sleep for some time.

Tuk tuk. 

Tiny droplets condensed and shattered on the glass pane.

On a wet July day, Anita found herself abruptly alone.

***

The Volloni family are titleless merchants and landowners.

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This did not exclude interaction with the aristocratic upper class.

Her maternal aunt was likewise a Baron of Livonia.
The Boloni family belonged to “the upper class with no titles and a very low position,” to put it plainly.

However, it was not because of wealth.

Anita, the sole daughter of Volloni, received the family riches and was able to welcome Daryl as a son-in-law.

As the circumstances permitted the impoverished secular aristocrats to bring in their kid, some of Anita’s close acquaintances were also aristocrats.

If one loses her possessions, her closest friends will abandon her immediately.

“Haah.
It is also pretty odd.”

Boouk. 

Without hesitation, one side of the notepad with black cursive was pulled off.

‘I have no idea how many papers there are already.’

Anita’s former bedroom included a corner filled with crumpled bits of paper.

They were incomplete letters.

Anita moaned again and collapsed on the ground.
She then surveyed the room while massaging his sleepy eyes.

A few bags of her possessions and a little table clock were all that were left of the huge mansion.

“I just wasted my notepad.”

All of the letters she penned during the night were calls for assistance to her closest pals.

In the end, though, not a single letter was finished.
Probably because she is certain nobody will respond.

‘No… that was a bit short.’

Not everyone will disregard her appeal for assistance.

Only one that didn’t belong to her.

‘Lancelot.’

Anita wanted to meet Lancelot.

Three years have passed since Claunia’s departure.
Anita had no other options available to her.

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Lancelot Edenbahir, who has been with her for over ten years, will be different.
Anita herself, and no one else, was the most knowledgeable about it.

However, for him,

“Fantastic.
Let’s visit the personnel office first.
Before I can begin working, I need to have my face known.”

‘Let’s go as far as possible.
Even if you are hopeless, there is no solution.
Since time will not wait for me.’

***

Anita’s first action upon reaching the office was to change clothes.

Anita learned after the fact that the clothing she wore was unnecessary and of high quality among job-seeking women.

There was no benefit to bringing attention to her predicament.
After carefully inspecting the contents of the backpack, Anita entered the little room and changed into her most subdued outfit.

“I brought my baggage just in case it was taken.”

White shirt and navy blue ensemble.

This would not be too heterogeneous even among women.

She unwrapped her wrinkled attire and waited in the interview waiting area for her turn.
The elderly woman with a sad look gave her a license plate and remarked, “Just passing by.”

“The woman is fortunate.
Nowadays, we must wait at least one week for an interview at our HR department.
Is it challenging to find work?”

It’s been a week though, even if she did not voice it.
She was internally astonished.

‘Without Mister Vlad, I would have been absolutely destitute.’

If Anita gets the employment, she will be required to send a thank-you letter.

Soon, she would be next.

“Miss Anita Volloni? Come inside.”

Anita inhaled deeply before entering the little room.

Visible through the dense cigarette smoke is the expansive storage room’s interior.

There she goes.
A stuffed yak’s head, carpet that seemed to be from the far east, and strange metalworks.

Anita’s intuition advised her that the interview would not be simple.

“Have you ever picked up a broom?”

As anticipated.
Aggressive from the first inquiry.