I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 109

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

I’m a Mother-in-Law, But I Don’t Want Family Conflicts Episode 109

 

‘Strawberry Cake… it was delicious.’

 

Hurriedly climbing the stairs of the mansion, Chloe touched her lips.

 

Despite it being a fruit she truly loved, it hadn’t been easy to eat recently.

 

The last time she had eaten it… was when she ate the cake Wilhelmina brought to the recital.

 

‘How strange, they’re exactly the same.’

 

Back then, just like now, she had been lacking in physical and mental strength, when suddenly Wilhelmina appeared and placed a cake in her hands.

 

Could there be some unknown common point between the two?

 

‘Still, now that my stomach is full… I feel a little more at ease.’

 

Chloe rubbed her warm stomach.

 

Recently, the mansion’s meals didn’t suit her taste at all, and the time spent with family was uncomfortable, so she rarely had a proper meal.

 

She would have liked to sit for a moment and savor this lingering feeling, but her mother was surely waiting anxiously for her.

 

Chloe found her mother, Caine Tilim, stamping her feet in front of her room.

 

“Mother, I’m here.”

 

“Yes, I’ve been looking for you for quite a while. A child who’s already weak in body…”

 

Kaine approached with a tearful expression, stroking Chloe’s arm while muttering worriedly.

 

“They said you didn’t eat lunch properly either? You need to take care of your health.”

 

“…I’m sorry, my stomach has been hurting lately.”

 

Chloe apologized with a bitter smile.

 

While she had been watching the entrance closely since Ilina arrived, Kaine lied about having been looking for her.

 

After prohibiting Chloe from going out, Kaine’s wariness toward outsiders had increased.

 

The reason was unclear.

 

Whether it was because the retainers who came and went from the mansion with harsh words were burdensome, or because she feared her husband Edwin’s acquaintances.

 

Kaine kept surveillance on the mansion’s main gate day and night, overprotecting Chloe.

 

She probably allowed the conversation only because it was Ilina.

 

“Let’s redo your makeup before the Count arrives. You’re too pale.”

 

“…I understand.”

 

She looked sadly at Kaine, who didn’t call him by name or use the term “son-in-law,” but respectfully called him “Count.”

 

Knowing that Kaine relied on Edwin, she couldn’t show her dislike even if she wanted to.

 

“Ah, before that, may I go to the second floor for a moment?”

 

“Are you going to see the nanny again?”

 

“I want to see her face.”

 

“My goodness, with such a weak heart… go ahead.”

 

Kaine placed her hand on her cheek and sighed.

 

Her shoulders felt heavy as if she had disappointed her, but it was a daily routine that couldn’t be skipped.

 

In the corner room on the second floor, what would have originally been a storage room, Chloe’s nanny was recuperating.

 

Chloe opened the door and asked carefully.

 

“Nanny, are you feeling alright?”

 

There was no answer.

 

She hurriedly approached the bed and leaned her head close to the face of the Nanny, who was sleeping soundly.

 

‘Thank goodness. She’s just sleeping.’

 

Feeling the faint sound of breathing, Chloe let out a sigh of relief.

 

Since the spring outing last time, the Nanny’s health had rapidly deteriorated.

 

Old age and chronic illness combined made it difficult for her to even move around now.

 

Thanks to her devoted service to the Count Family until now, she was able to get a room in the mansion to recuperate like this, but everyone knew that her remaining days were not many.

 

Although Kaine and Edwin seemed to have little interest, for Chloe, the Nanny was a member of the family.

 

Hoping she would live even one more day, she visited at a set time every day.

 

Just as she was about to get up, thinking she should withdraw for today, the Nanny muttered in a hoarse voice.

 

“Young Miss…?”

 

“Nanny, are you awake?”

 

“My eyes won’t open well. Are you there?”

 

It seemed her eyelids wouldn’t lift because her eyes were dry.

 

Chloe wiped around the Nanny’s eyes with a handkerchief dampened with water. Dim gray eyes found Chloe.

 

“You can sleep more. Don’t strain yourself.”

 

“I’m sorry, Young Miss. For being such a burden like this…”

 

“No, it’s not like that. You worked hard all this time. It’s okay to rest.”

 

Though she said that, Chloe wished the Nanny would stay by her side like before.

 

She missed the Nanny’s kindness, who had always taken her side.

 

Chloe caressed the Nanny’s wrinkled hand and murmured.

 

“Don’t worry, Nanny. I’m fine. I’m managing well.”

 

It was a statement lacking confidence, as if she was trying to hypnotize herself.

 

But it seemed the Nanny, whose hearing had already begun to fade, didn’t hear it, as she looked up at the ceiling with sleepy eyes.

 

“Our Young Miss… At least I should be by your side.”

 

“It’s okay.”

 

“Poor Young Miss, you shouldn’t be with such a person.”

 

“…”

 

She could tell who the Nanny was referring to without her saying it.

 

Chloe silently held her hand and waited until she fell asleep again.

 

After the Nanny closed her eyes, Chloe quietly left the room. Then she headed to the Costume Room where Kaine would be waiting.

 

‘What kind of clothes did she bring this time.’

 

Her steps toward Kaine were heavy, unlike when she went to see the Nanny.

 

It was obvious what Kaine would be preparing in the Costume Room.

 

She would be waiting with the frivolous clothes Edwin liked and brightly colored cosmetics.

 

Kaine firmly believed that harmony between Edwin and Chloe was the best way to protect the Count Family.

 

That belief was heavy and frightening.

 

“…Let me pull myself together.”

 

Chloe took deep breaths and steeled her heart.

 

She must not betray Kaine’s and the family’s expectations. If only she endured, everything would work out well.

 

She etched into her mind the fact that the Tilim Family had been triumphant in business and their reputation had grown, then opened the door to the costume room.

 

Though Kaine greeted her with a bright smile, Chloe’s lips simply wouldn’t turn upward.

 

Edwin’s daily routine was mostly filled with social gatherings.

 

He would briefly handle affairs with his retainers in the late morning, then spend time at balls or theater performances.

 

He always returned home late in the evening.

 

He often came back drunk, and sometimes he would return with the scent of women on him.

 

Even so, Chloe and Kaine couldn’t say anything.

 

They knew how important he was to the Count Family now, having entered as a son-in-law.

 

“Good grief, that old man was annoyingly talkative. Just because I watched one play with his daughter, his mouth was sticking out like a frog’s.”

 

“….”

 

Late evening, in the couple’s bedroom.

 

Chloe silently poured alcohol for Edwin.

 

Even when he mentioned watching a play with a Noble Lady from another family who already had a fiancée, Chloe couldn’t voice any complaints.

 

If she tried, he would obviously make excuses that it was a meeting for business discussions.

 

And then he would curse Chloe’s incompetence, asking what she knew about anything.

 

Rather than creating unnecessary trouble, staying silent was a small wisdom she had learned from married life.

 

“Still, that old man’s mansion was splendid to look at. A garden really should be large. This mansion is getting old too, so we might as well sell it and move somewhere more spacious…”

 

“No, that won’t do.”

 

“What?”

 

At his words about selling the mansion, she found herself objecting without thinking.

 

Chloe’s eyes widened as if she was surprised at herself.

 

“Th-that is… this mansion was given to us by the Late Duke. We can’t just sell it carelessly.”

 

“What kind of law is that? If we want to sell it, we just sell it. We’re close associates who do business with the Ducal House anyway. No need to worry about their feelings.”

 

Chloe gripped her skirt and closed her mouth.

 

She couldn’t bring herself to voice such a childish rebellion as not wanting to sell a mansion filled with memories. She would surely be dismissed.

 

“…Though even if we got a more splendid mansion, with the mistress looking like this, it would be pearls around a pig’s neck.”

 

Edwin looked Chloe up and down with frozen contempt and clicked his tongue audibly.

 

“Still, I rather like today’s outfit. It would be better if the waist were more fitted, but the curves are a bit lacking, so…”

 

Feeling his gaze, Chloe covered her waist with her arms.

 

The nightgown Kaine had dressed her in used little fabric, like a costume used in theater.

 

“At least you’re making an effort. You should show this much sincerity.”

 

It was humiliating. Edwin’s degrading comments drove nails into her heart.

 

Chloe tried to comfort herself, saying it was still better than in the past.

 

When Edwin was completely drunk, he would spout lewd jokes too vulgar to repeat.

 

Still, Chloe knew from experience that if she catered to his tastes, he wouldn’t do anything too rough.

 

“Ah, come to think of it, your friend Ilina, was it? That child seemed quite nice. She’s still a bit young, but in just a little while…”

 

“That child!”

 

Startled, Chloe raised her voice.

 

“Don’t touch her. Sh-she has nothing to do with Count Tilim Family.”

 

“….”

 

Edwin opened his eyes wide and stared at Chloe. Then he slowly picked up the glass that was on the table.

 

At his gesture that seemed like he was about to splash alcohol on her, Chloe squeezed her eyes shut and turned her face away.

 

But contrary to her expectation, Edwin shamelessly held out his glass and smiled.

 

“What are you doing? You need to fill my glass.”

 

“Ah….”

 

“Can’t you take a joke? As if I would actually touch your friend.”

 

The fact that his form of address had returned from ‘you’ to the more formal ‘you’ meant he wasn’t angry.

 

Chloe picked up the liquor bottle with trembling hands.

 

“Phew, this tastes pretty good. As expected, alcohol from the Southern Region is delicious. Come on, you have a drink too.”

 

Having gulped down premium alcohol worth as much as a gold ingot, he poured alcohol into Chloe’s glass.

 

Even though he knew Chloe couldn’t handle alcohol, he would often encourage her to drink.

 

Since refusing would only lead to him questioning whether she couldn’t even accept a drink from her husband, Chloe squeezed her eyes shut and drank the alcohol.

 

“Ugh….”

 

Chloe swallowed a groan at the burning pain in her stomach.

 

Edwin, who had been watching her with interest, slowly rose from his seat.

 

“I’m getting sleepy.”

 

And he headed toward the bed with staggering steps.

 

Without even washing, he changed into his nightgown and got under the blanket.

 

He smiled and spoke to Chloe, who was staring at him blankly.

 

“Oh, if you’re going to come up on the bed, get rid of that dye smell first. Just smelling it gives me a headache.”

 

Insulting even the dye that was practically the symbol of the Tilim Family, he spoke with eyes filled with dirty emotions.

 

“If you don’t like it, sleep somewhere else. I’m fine with that.”

 

It was something he said knowing she couldn’t do that.

 

She remembered Kaine’s shocked face when he asked how a married couple could sleep separately.

 

Moreover, if Chloe left the bedroom, Edwin might use that as an excuse to bring someone else in.

 

Chloe didn’t have the power to stop that.

 

As Chloe headed toward the bed, she had the illusion that invisible chains were bound around her ankles.

 

Those chains made of responsibility and fear led Chloe to Edwin once again today.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————