The Vicious Supporting Actress Survival Manual

Chapter 10 Are you really Estella Rose ?(01)

When I returned to the mansion, it was already late in the evening. Momma Williams had prepared dinner, but I had lost my appetite due to the trouble caused by that playboy. I reluctantly ate a few bites and was about to tell them to leave when someone unexpectedly arrived.

Felix Austin walked in wearing a navy blue casual outfit, his tall figure casting a shadow in the light, and his face unusually pale. I was startled because he rarely came to my courtyard these past few months, especially not at night.

I stood up to greet him, but he pulled me up and said in a low voice, "I've told you, Estella doesn't need to be so formal in front of me." My body trembled involuntarily. He was my nominal husband, and it still felt strange to think about it.

"The old Queen said that courtesy cannot be neglected," I maintained my smile.

Felix didn't say anything else, just sat down and said, "I just came back to the mansion and haven't had dinner yet. I happened to run into you."

I had originally lost my appetite, but I had to sit down and eat with him.

"Why is your appetite so small?" Perhaps noticing my poor appetite, Felix asked.

"When Lord Jin wasn't here, I had a bit of dinner," I replied.

Feeling something was off, I wondered why he came to me today instead of flirting with Lisa Stein in the study like he usually did. If there was something different today, it was probably because of my spendthrift brother causing trouble. Was he here to demand justice?

Sure enough, he put down his chopsticks and looked at me seriously.

"Have I been neglecting you too much lately?" he asked.

What did that mean? Was it a compliment or a criticism? I couldn't help but furrow my brows.

Then he asked, "Why didn't your brother come to me about today's incident?"

His tone was too strange to be accusing. I couldn't figure out what he was thinking, so I cautiously replied, "Lord Jin already has many daily affairs to handle. I don't want to trouble him with something I can handle myself."

I tried my best to consider him, but it didn't seem to make him happy. He spoke expressionlessly, "We are husband and wife. Why do you treat me like a stranger?"

Okay, so I was complimenting him too much and making him feel like I was too independent. It made sense since the previous Estella Rose relied on him for everything, but now that I had changed so much, it might have given him a sense of disparity.

"My brother's matter is too absurd. It's not appropriate for Lord Jin to intervene, otherwise people will say that we are bullying others. At least my brother can listen to me, and I can handle it myself," I explained.

Felix stared at me, making my palms sweat. He said, "Estella, why have you become distant from me since we got married?"

This person... doesn't know how to be grateful. I don't bother you and Lisa Stein, and you blame me for being distant from you?

"Lord Jin is overthinking." I picked up a cup of tea and forced a smile to hide my discomfort.

"Since we're married, I should be responsible for you. It was my... mistake to neglect you after we got married. From now on, I will take good care of you." Felix said solemnly.

"Cough..." I choked on my tea, and Nina handed me a handkerchief. I pretended to dodge Felix's attempt to pat my back out of embarrassment.

When did this sense of responsibility come over Felix? It scared me to the point where I almost revealed the truth about replacing Lisa Stein's identity with Estella Rose when I was a child. But my survival instinct made me keep my mouth shut. I wasn't ready yet, and my bargaining chip wasn't enough to withstand Felix's wrath.

After a moment, I asked, "What about Lisa Stein? How will Lord Jin handle it?"

He visibly stiffened and hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "Since I've married you, I won't let you down."

So, he chose me over Lisa Stein now?

The reason why this novel is called a "torture text" is that Felix Austin is not like other scumbags who want to have both women. He married Estella Rose and never thought of taking Lisa Stein to his bed as well.

Before knowing Estella Rose's true identity, Felix was extremely good to her and kept his love for the female lead hidden in his heart. It was just that the male and female leads' halo was too strong, and he tried to let go but ended up getting more entangled, making the novel more and more torturous.

If Felix hadn't learned the truth later on, and if Estella Rose's true identity hadn't been exposed, he probably would have chosen to suffer himself rather than divorce Estella and run to Lisa Stein.

Although Estella Rose's character wasn't great before, she had good taste in men.

But true love will eventually come together, and this malicious supporting female character, Estella Rose, will only fade away in a cliched plot.

What Estella Rose did earlier was like a ticking time bomb, making it impossible for me to accept Felix's kindness now without guilt.

"What I want is not just for you to not let me down. Lord Jin should give himself some time to think it through, or else making a hasty decision could be unfair to... everyone." I spoke with lowered eyes. I needed time, and the ancestral ceremony in three months would be my chance to accumulate bargaining chips for myself.

After a long silence, Felix eventually left, and I wearily had the maid clear away dinner.

Momma Williams and Nina exchanged several glances and couldn't help but speak up, "Your Highness, Lord Jin clearly wanted to stay just now. Why did you..."

"Didn't you see it, Momma? His heart isn't with me anymore." I rubbed my temples and spoke up.

Momma Williams sighed and said, "Since you're already married, Your Highness, you are a wife now. How can a wife demand her husband's constant attention? After marriage, you have to weigh the pros and cons, rather than just relying on feelings like you did when you were a daughter."

"I understand what you're saying, Momma," I forced a smile. "But I just don't want to..."

Momma Williams shook her head and didn't say anything else. She was Estella Rose's accompanying maid and had watched her grow up since she was young, so her feelings were very deep. She only thought that I was still young and would understand these things eventually, so she didn't force me.

The courtyard soon became quiet, and I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Felix Austin, don't come and provoke me. Some things, if you never had them in the first place, you won't feel the pain of losing them.

For the next month or so, Felix no longer worked in his study every day, but came to find me from time to time, as if he was really trying to keep his promise to treat me well.

At the same time, Lisa Stein's eyes towards me became increasingly hostile. In order to avoid escalating our conflict, I began to avoid Felix.

But the Lord Jin's mansion was only so big, and I ended up choosing to go to the palace to chat with the old Queen to avoid Felix.

After all, Estella Rose's social circle was so large. Rather than returning to the Rose mansion, I preferred to talk more with the champion of the previous palace struggle. Anyway, getting to know people would be beneficial to me in the future, and it would also effectively avoid Felix.

At first, the old Queen was particularly wary of my attentiveness, but since I only wanted to witness the legendary palace struggle with my own eyes and had no other intentions, I didn't mind her cold treatment towards me.

I went to the palace every few days in the name of filial piety, and the old Queen gradually realized that I really just wanted to watch and had no ulterior motives, so she began to treat me more kindly.

At first, I thought this old lady was cold and unapproachable, but as I got to know her, I realized that while she occasionally had some petty temper tantrums, she wasn't a mean person.

So I started going to the palace more frequently, and after a while, I became very close with the concubines in the harem.

They were always scheming against each other, but when an outsider like me suddenly appeared, they seemed to find someone to vent to and would often pull me aside to talk for a long time.

At first, they were wary of my relationship with Beauty Rose, but after seeing me ignore her several times, causing her to become increasingly isolated, the other concubines started to get along with me very well, whether they wanted to win me over or just chat with an outsider.

So every day, I watched them set traps for each other in front of the old Queen and vie for favor in front of the Emperor. I felt like my ability to talk my way out of things had improved, and my boring days had become more interesting.

It was like a real-life palace struggle, even more exciting than "Empresses in the Palace." I almost wanted to sit back and snack on some melon seeds while I watched.

Every time Matthew Austin visited the old Queen, there would be a group of beautifully dressed women vying for his attention using various excuses. I found it very entertaining and secretly learned a lot of skills.