The General's Wife Wants to Leave-Chapter 204: Happiness

"What an honor to meet you here, Lady Joanna." A voice broke the tranquil air, making Joanna lift her head, breaking her gaze away from the water that flowed to rinse the foam of soap in her hands. A beautiful and alluring figure in a maroon dress with exposed shoulders and deep cleavage was reflected through the mirror that was placed in front of her.

"An honor to meet you here too, Lady Clara," replied Joanna with a small smile, calmly keeping on washing her hands before bringing her gaze back to the flowing water that rinsed her hands.

"Do you have anything to say to me since we are meeting here now?" Lady Clara inquired, closing the door of the powder room before leaning against the wall on her side with her hands folded over her chest.

"Do you have anything to expect from me to talk to you here now?" responded Joanna, still looking at Clara de Lorn through the mirror while wiping her wet hands with the handkerchief that she took out of her pocket dress.

Not long later, she heard laughter that came from the stunning lady that stood a few steps away behind her. The sound of clapping hands soon followed to echo through the previously tranquil air in the powder room.

"You are finally revealing your true nature," Clara de Lorn chimed in, clapping her hands once again as if praising the quiet lady that had now changed into a vocal one. "The pretending to be shy lady has lifted her mask," she commented more cynically, pushing her back off the wall to walk slowly towards Joanna. "Showing off to me as the famous General von Rodega’s wife by humiliating me! Don’t you have any consideration to at least say sorry for that?!" The pitch of her voice increased as she spoke further, gritting her teeth while her hands were formed into balls on either side of her skirt.

Turning to face the raging Clara, who was now standing one step away next to her, Joanna said, "I apologize for anything that happened in the park. It was my fault. I am sorry." There was no hesitation from Joanna to deliver her apology for what she had done to both Clara de Lorn and her husband because it was purely her fault. She initiated that, so she should take responsibility for what she had inflicted.

Joanna was not completely absorbed in surprise when she found Clara de Lorn suddenly emerging in the powder room. She was aware of her intention to see her now, considering her through the characters that she grasped when she interacted and conversed with her friends during the social events they had gathered.

The gossip that she heard in the front hall before the banquet began spoke volumes about her characters that were not hard to decipher—an arrogant lady with overbearing attitudes of superiority. Therefore, without her approaching the arrogant lady first to ask for an apology, which she believed would not be welcomed in a good way, that lady would chase after her when she got the chance to do so.

The arrogant lady seemed to know that she was still here in the great hall, waiting for the right moment for her to be alone to pour out her rage that she had kept quite a long time since their encounter in the park around where Mr. Simone resided.

It was when her husband left for a meeting with the King that, right after the sight of his back could not be seen again, Joanna told her father that she was going to the powder room.

Nonetheless, in this situation where she faced Clara de Lorn at the moment, Joanna considered that to be good as she could talk to this arrogant lady, conveying her apology to her and removing all the guilt that still limited her steps to move forward until now.

She wanted to be free, not enveloped by the guilt that burdened her in her marriage life. She also wanted Clara de Lorn to get calm after that, wishing her to move on, letting go of all the hate and grudge in her heart and mind.

"Good to know you still remember that very well and have the conscience to ask for an apology," Clara remarked. The smirk that appeared on her face represented her satisfaction with what she heard from the lady across from her.

"So, now tell me what your purpose was to do that. Are you not happy to be his wife?" Inquired Clara, twirling a lock of hair on her shoulder that was not set together in her updo. Her other hand rested above her stomach, below her ample bosom.

Letting out a sigh as if knowing the purpose of her bringing up this conversation, Joanna answered, "I just wanted to know if you still have any feelings toward my husband. That’s why I asked you that." Joanna reasoned, folding her damp handkerchief and putting it back on her pocket dress.

Taking one step back to lean her back against the wall while keeping on facing Lady de Lorn, as if wanting to maintain her relaxed composure, Joanna resumed to utter her answer to the question that was given to her. "And I am happy to be his wife."

Being silent for a moment, Clara observed Joanna’s demeanor only to find her composed, in contrast to what she caught during their meeting in the park.

"But you don’t look happy at all," Clara remarked, stating the opposite of what she actually saw with one corner of her lips tugging up.

"Is my happiness a matter to you?" Joanna replied nonchalantly, staring straight at Clara, gathering herself not to be shaken by her intimidating look.

"It is." The blonde lady gave a single nod. "That’s why you should give your place to me. Wasn’t that your main purpose in agreeing on my request for us to have a conversation in the park?" said Clara.

Having her heart skip a beat upon the surprising words uttered by Lady de Lorn that were uttered without any slight hesitation, Joanna tried hard to remain composed.

Smiling, she said, "Are you sure that you will be happy if you take my place as his wife?"