I’m The Real Daughter, But I Don’t Want To Go Back To The Duke’s Estate - Chapter 35
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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That evening.
Milena, who had been restless all day, finally went to Cecilia’s room.
‘I can’t stay like this any longer—it’s making me too uncomfortable.’
Until now, since it wasn’t confirmed that she was the real daughter, she had avoided related topics, feeling like she might be getting ahead of herself.
But now there was a definitive conclusion that she was indeed the biological child.
She couldn’t keep being anxious and reading Cecilia’s mood forever.
It was time to face things directly.
‘Let me try having a conversation with Cecilia first.’
It might not be as bad as I think, right?
Milena squeezed her eyes shut and carefully knocked on the door.
Knock knock knock.
“Who is it?”
That characteristic calm voice came back in response.
Milena swallowed her dry saliva and answered in a clear voice.
“It’s me, Milena.”
“….”
A heavy silence fell for a moment.
Milena stared intently at the closed door, tense with nerves.
After a while.
The door opened silently.
Cecilia emerged, looking at Milena with an expressionless face.
“What do you need?”
At that indifferent question, Milena bit down hard on the soft flesh inside her mouth.
Get it together, Milena!
I can’t keep being distant like this forever!
“Do you happen to have time this weekend?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Actually, I made plans for tea time with Oppa Elias. I was hoping you could join us.”
Milena continued speaking in as gentle a voice as possible.
By the way, this was real.
To bring Cecilia and Elias together even a little, she had already made arrangements with Elias in advance.
‘Maybe we can start a conversation more smoothly this way?’
Milena was watching Cecilia’s reaction with that hope when she suddenly stiffened her shoulders.
The corners of Cecilia’s lips curled up crookedly.
“Ha.”
Because an incredulous laugh had escaped.
What? Why is she laughing?
Milena couldn’t hide her confused expression.
“Are you pitying me right now?”
Her pretty blue-green eyes flashed fiercely.
At that sharp reaction, a startled Milena unconsciously trailed off.
“What? Pity? What do you mean….”
“That’s exactly it. Like you’re doing charity work, offering to include me in tea time with Oppa.”
Cecilia, who had been speaking sarcastically for all to hear, thought with a feeling of emptiness.
‘I’m being unreasonable right now.’
Actually, Cecilia knew it herself.
That Milena’s proposal came from consideration for her.
Until now, she had desperately wanted to get closer to her family.
Milena, who had noticed this, was deliberately being considerate and trying to act as a bridge.
In fact, since Milena had come to the Lusert Estate, the relationship between Cecilia and her family had become much smoother.
…Even knowing this well.
‘I keep getting angry.’
Groundless anger and feelings of betrayal heated her forehead.
The reason for that might be….
‘I’m jealous of that girl.’
With the appearance of Milena, the ‘real daughter,’ Cecilia’s position had become as precarious as a candle in the wind.
Of course, she knew well that Milena was currently treating her sincerely like a real older sister.
But how long would that affection last?
If Milena became just like everyone else.
And if even that girl ended up pointing fingers at her as the ‘fake daughter’….
“….”
It felt like her heart was being torn into a thousand pieces.
She simply couldn’t control her emotions.
Cecilia finally squeezed her eyes shut and snapped sharply.
“You deliberately hung around me, didn’t you? Because you wanted to return to the Lusert Estate!”
“….”
Meanwhile, hearing that unreasonable accusation, Milena felt something snap in her head.
‘What the hell is that nonsense?!’
Does she think I came here because I wanted to come to the Lusert Estate?
She doesn’t even know what I had to give up because of this damn original story!
“That’s not true, Unnie.”
“What?”
“I was happy enough without returning to the Lusert Estate.”
I didn’t want to cry, but my nose kept stinging.
Milena looked at Cecilia with teary eyes.
“My mother who raised me all this time… was a really good person.”
My mother, who looked a bit rough on the outside but was actually very kind.
I had to send her away reluctantly to treat her illness.
‘Honestly… I didn’t want to be separated.’
If it were up to her heart, she would have wanted to chase after Mother to the South where she went for treatment right away.
Milena, who had been clenching her molars and controlling her emotions, sighed and continued.
“I don’t know if you’re aware, but I made a contract with the Duke, no, with Father.”
“…A contract?”
“Yes. A contract that I would stay at the Lusert Estate for only 3 years.”
Cecilia’s pupils shook as if an earthquake had struck.
“Among the contract conditions, there’s a clause that the Lusert Estate will support my mother’s treatment costs. She needs to recuperate in a warm region and take medicine for at least 3 years.”
Milena continued in a subdued voice.
“So I promised to stay at the Lusert Estate for those 3 years, and asked for freedom to choose my path after that.”
“That’s….”
“I don’t want to threaten your position, Unnie. So please just bear with me for exactly 3 years. After that, I’ll leave on my own.”
Having made that declaration, Milena protested to Cecilia in an aggrieved tone.
“And there’s something you’re misunderstanding, Unnie. If I really wanted to return to the Lusert Estate, I wouldn’t have needed to save you, would I?”
“….”
“I could have just gone to the Lusert Estate on my own. Don’t you think so?”
Cecilia, who was at a loss for words, bit down hard on her lower lip.
Milena, who had quickly blinked away her tears, made a victorious expression and concluded her words clearly.
“Since that’s how it is, please take care of me for just 3 years. Cecilia Unnie.”
Cecilia Unnie.
Those words stuck right in her ears.
Cecilia, who had stiffened her shoulders with a start, replied defensively.
“Wh-who’s your sister?”
Milena let out a scoff.
“Well, aren’t you my sister? You stayed quiet all this time when I called you sister.”
“….”
Cecilia was left speechless by that shameless response.
Staring blankly at Milena, she muttered as if to herself.
“I’ve really never met anyone like you.”
“You’ll be seeing me often from now on. Since we’ll be living together.”
“No, that’s not what I’m talking about right now…!”
Cecilia raised her voice in frustration, then suddenly felt a deep sense of fatigue wash over her.
What childish nonsense was she doing?
She had gotten caught up in Milena’s pace before she knew it.
Cecilia shook her head from side to side.
“Fine, let’s stop talking about this.”
“Does that mean you’re accepting me as your younger sister?”
Milena asked with sparkling eyes.
Cecilia’s brow furrowed deeply.
“Well, do I even have the freedom to reject you?”
She retorted sharply again.
“The rest of the family has already accepted you as their ‘real daughter’ anyway. A fake like me is just…”
Cecilia, who had been lashing out with sharp words again, suddenly stopped.
Because Milena was now quietly staring at her.
Clear green eyes that resembled the fresh greenery of summer.
Those eyes that always sparkled brightly were now darkly subdued, like a forest after heavy rain.
For a long moment.
“No matter what you say, sister, I want to become close with you.”
Milena concluded with those words and smiled awkwardly.
The moment she faced that expression.
Cecilia felt her heart sink.
“I, I…”
“Have a good night, sister.”
With that gentle goodnight greeting.
Milena turned around without hesitation.
Cecilia bit her lower lip tightly and watched Milena’s retreating figure endlessly.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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