I May Be A Villainess, But I Won't Live My Life That Way - Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Quietly, I opened the drawer.

The drawer where I kept my precious belongings.

Among the luxurious items, a conspicuously tacky red caught my eye.

I reached out, took out the red candy, and unwrapped it, making a crackling sound.

The part with the gold lining seemed to have been indeed broken; the red rose was split in half.

I carefully rewrapped the part with the stick, set it aside, and put the fallen pieces into my mouth.

A cheap sweetness spread in my mouth. There was no deep flavor, no particular fragrance.

It was a one-dimensional sweetness that felt like stabbing my tongue and a taste that could be either strawberry or apple, or just a generic fruity flavor.

Slowly closing my eyes and savoring the meaningless taste.

In terms of taste, it was truly awful. If someone told me to buy and eat it for money, I’d rather refuse.

“Huh.”

But as it slowly melted on my palate, I found myself smiling throughout.

“Yeah.”

Finally, after the candy completely melted, I slowly opened my eyes.

And eating it, I finally finished sorting out my feelings.

I tried to prevent Megi’s death, but I couldn’t. I failed.

I decided to accept that fact.

Maria, who followed me, became my enemy. I also decided to accept that.

In the current high society, rumors about me were boiling. It was a clear fact, and I decided to accept that too.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s okay.”

But because of these facts, I couldn’t accept sitting still.

It was no longer possible to stay only at home, fearing what Maria might do, when she would poison me.

“I can overcome this.”

Father angrily said he would inquire with Wensbury right away, and Mother worried if I was not just heartbroken.

Panya said I was not that kind of person.

Ricardo said he believed in me.

My precious ones were still on my side.

“I am Bianca Croft. Nothing of mine will be taken away.”

And the most important and reliable ally.

I was forever on my side.

***

“Hello, Bianca.”

The hospital director’s expression as he greeted me was noticeably less pleasant than when we had met before.

Whether it was due to the poisoning incident at his hospital, the revelation that the deceased had connections with the powerful, or simply because I had come to visit, I couldn’t discern.

I didn’t particularly want to know either.

“Yes, thanks to you, I’ve been doing well. I hope you’ve been doing well too, Director.”

“Yes, yes.”

Exchanging pleasantries that neither of us cared about, we falsely smiled and greeted each other in an insincere manner.

We were certainly not socially upright individuals.

“I understand that you must be busy running the hospital, so I’ll quickly get to the point of not taking up much of your time.”

Even before the coming here, I was already thinking of getting straight to the point.

“I need the medical records of the patient Megi who died recently.”

“Oh…”

It wouldn’t be a surprise if he had already suspected that my visit was related to Megi.

Even if it was a hospital sponsored by the Croft family, he probably wouldn’t have expected me to come personally to collect a sponsorship check right after a murder had occurred.

However, he seemed unaware that I would ask for the medical records, and upon hearing my request, he rolled his eyes.

“That’s a bit difficult.”

He looked at me with a vague and awkward smile.

“Why?”

“Patient records are written to prevent future infections or contagions. Disclosing that personal information is not in accordance with medical law. Moreover…”

Stopping there, the hospital director glanced discreetly at me.

“Aren’t you not even a family member of the patient, Miss Bianca?”

From his gaze, I realized that he was not looking at me but at the Wensbury family’s interests. Previously, he might have thought I was just admitting one known patient to the hospital.

But now, a lady who appeared noble, calling herself the mother of the patient and making daily visits, would have seemed suspicious to anyone with some sense.

And now, the patient turned out to be a past lover of the Wensbury Marquess, bore his illegitimate child, and that child had even entered the Wensbury estate.

I had learned all this after the patient had already died.

It was natural that he would be cautious now, potentially pressured by the Wensbury family or fearing what Maria might have done.

“So, because I’m not a family member, you can’t tell me. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes. If you obtain the consent of the patient’s family, then…”

“Director.”

Interrupting his attempt to suggest a compromise, I cut him off.

I didn’t need to hear his story. He needed to hear mine.

That was what mattered.

“I previously asked my maid to make a ‘small request’ to the hospital director.”

“A request?”

“Yes. I asked him to erase any traces of my visit to Megi.”

“Ah… I see.”

“But it seems that Maria, or rather Lady Maria, found out about my visit. In fact, there was a slight misunderstanding between Maria and me, so I took the initiative to handle it in advance. Unfortunately, the hospital director didn’t handle it cleanly, and I’m very sorry for that.”

“I did handle it. I erased the record of your visit. However, with so many people in the hospital, I couldn’t do much about it…”

“Ah, so you mean you’ve erased my traces as I requested?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

The hospital director nodded firmly, trying to emphasize that he hadn’t made any mistakes.

It seemed genuine, judging by how confidently he spoke.

“Hmm…”

I nodded with a somewhat serious expression, as if contemplating something.

He looked at me anxiously, unable to decipher what I was thinking.

“So, back then, you willingly handled matters related to the patient’s record, even though I wasn’t a family member. But now, you’re saying you can’t show me the record because I’m not a family member?”

“W-well, that… the situation has changed, hasn’t it?”

“What situation?”

“Back then, it was simply a patient you entrusted to us, and it was a sudden incident. I didn’t confirm the guardian definitively, and moreover, the person claiming to be her daughter for everything…”

“Director.”

I cut off his stammering excuses.

I had no interest in hearing justifications. What I wanted to hear from him was a simple ‘yes.’ I didn’t want to hear anything else.

“Earlier, you mentioned it as well. I entrusted the patient to you.”

His mouth, slightly open as if about to speak, fell silent upon hearing my words.

“Megi was a patient I entrusted to you. I personally wrote the introduction letter, covered the medical expenses, and even came to ask about her medical condition. She was that kind of patient.”

Emphasizing how much attention I had given to that patient, he now wore an even more bewildered expression.

“You… you’re saying the patient I entrusted to you… you killed her, Director.”

“K-killed? No, it’s not like that.”

The words that finally came out of my mouth were rather provocative, and the hospital director’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Then is Megi still alive?”

“It’s true that the patient has passed away, but it wasn’t due to any mistake on our part. It was an external factor, poisoning…”

“She was poisoned. I trusted you, Director, and admitted Megi to this hospital, to this room.”

“T-that’s…”

“A patient who came to get better ends up being killed inside the hospital. It’s truly ironic, isn’t it? I tried not to say these things, but honestly, I’m starting to doubt whether you’re running this hospital well.”

“W-what?”

“Don’t you think so? I entrusted a patient, especially one I cared about, to this hospital, and she easily falls victim to poisoning. If I knew that the hospital would manage patients so poorly, I would never have admitted Megi here.”

“B-Bianca.”

“Maybe I should look for another hospital where I can trust. A hospital that doesn’t just stand idly by while people are dying.”

“W-wait, Bianca!”

Now the hospital director was sweating profusely. He couldn’t hide his completely flustered expression.

Even though he came from a noble background, he should have been trained to hide such expressions and act composed in front of people since he was a child. However, now he was faced with a dilemma.

Whether to maintain good relations with both prominent families in Sprendo or make a choice.

Croft or Wensbury.

And the answer was obvious.

“I will… show you the medical records.”

After a brief moment of hesitation, the hospital director gave his answer.

It was the expected result.

Without the support of the Croft family, the hospital would not function properly, and he would have to take responsibility for failing to maintain the financial support as the director.

“Just to clarify, I’m showing you the medical records solely as an action driven by the sense of responsibility, repaying the trust you’ve placed in me, not for any financial gain.”

In his final attempt to salvage his pride, the hospital director explained that his actions were motivated by a sense of responsibility and trust, not money.

“I appreciate your responsible actions, Director.”

Smiling, I looked at his forehead, still covered in cold sweat. It was a smile that conveyed the message that the director’s position wouldn’t change.

Of course, I couldn’t predict when it might change. There was a sense that the change might come soon, but I didn’t need to tell him that.

“Smile Love”