She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 162

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Side Story 1. What Happened in Peloux (7)
“No! Young Lady! It’s dangerous to stand up so suddenly!”
The Boatman’s cry fell on deaf ears as Sosie paid him no mind.
‘If only you were gone, the Duke would be mine…!’
Her eyes gleamed with avarice as she thrust her hand forcefully toward Cecilia’s back.
But then.
“…What?”
In that fleeting instant, Cecilia twisted her body.
Sosie’s hand sliced through empty air.
Her legs buckled, and she lost her balance.
The boat lurched violently, and her body tilted precariously.
“Young Lady!”
The Boatman called out urgently.
But it was already too late.
Splash!
Water erupted skyward with a deafening crash, spraying in all directions.
The impact sent the boat reeling.
The Boatman and Cecilia grabbed the railing frantically.
“Good heavens! Someone has fallen in!”
“Who was on that boat?”
“The Duchess and Della were on that boat!”
Chaos erupted in an instant throughout the area.
Even the Noblewomen seated on the grass sprang to their feet.
The pleasant boating excursion had transformed into pandemonium.
“Gasp!”
Sosie’s head broke the surface of the water.
“H-help—! Blubblublub!”
Sosie flailed her arms, struggling to pull herself out of the water.
Her body was swept along by the current, sinking and rising repeatedly.
“What are you doing! Get a boat here at once!”
“Hurry! Bring ropes!”
The servants scrambled about in confusion.
However, because Penelope had deliberately hidden the supplies needed for rescue,
the rescue effort was delayed beyond expectation.
A larger boat finally approached the center of the Lake.
A servant extended his hand.
“Young Lady! Grab on!”
But as Sosie thrashed about in terror,
her hand remained just out of reach.
After several attempts at grasping, they finally managed to catch the tips of her fingers.
Several of them immediately joined forces to pull her onto the boat.
“Are you all right? Young Lady! Come to your senses!”
But Sosie had swallowed water and was already unconscious.
Her limp limbs swayed helplessly.
“Hurry and take her to Marquis Martin’s Estate!”
The moment the boat touched land, the servants hoisted Sosie onto their shoulders and rushed toward the manor.
“Good heavens….”
“S-she’s still breathing, isn’t she? Surely she’s not dead?”
“She’s still full of water—what should we do?”
The gathered onlookers murmured in bewilderment.
Among them, Cecilia stood quietly.
She gazed silently in the direction Sosie had been taken.
‘My suspicions were correct after all.’
Penelope and Sosie were clearly targeting me.
I never expected them to resort to such an obvious ploy.
If that were the case, the tragedy of the Barmeo Marquis Family was likely no accident either.
Cecilia’s eyes grew cold and sharp.
I had gathered enough circumstantial evidence.
Now it was time to obtain proof.
‘I need to corner them further.’
When cornered, any person reveals their weaknesses.
Cecilia glanced around her surroundings.
The noblewomen were still gathered in small groups, whispering about what had just transpired.
“Shall we head to Marquis Martin’s Estate as well?”
Cecilia spoke naturally.
“I’m quite worried about Della.”
* * *
Sosie was immediately taken to Marquis Martin’s Estate.
The maids removed her wet dress and lit a fire in the fireplace.
Her cold body gradually regained its warmth.
“C-cough, cough….”
“Young Lady, are you coming to?”
“W-where am I…?”
Along with her coughing, Sosie’s consciousness slowly returned.
“Heavens! My daughter!”
At that moment, Penelope rushed in upon hearing the news.
“Sosie! Are you all right?”
“M-mother….”
Sosie continued to shiver from the cold.
Her eyes were bloodshot from swallowing so much water.
“Good heavens, what is this! What if she catches pneumonia!”
Penelope examined Sosie’s face with exaggerated concern.
Then.
Cecilia, the Marquise Martaine, and others entered the room.
Rainer had also arrived, having come to collect his wife.
‘The Duke!’
Penelope’s eyes gleamed with sudden interest.
She immediately shifted her demeanor.
“Oh dear, whatever shall I do!”
Penelope covered her face with both hands and without hesitation threw herself into Rainer’s arms.
It happened in an instant.
“Your Grace, our dear child nearly came to terrible harm…!”
She sobbed while leaning further into his embrace.
Cecilia’s eyes narrowed at the transparent ploy.
‘I’ve seen this situation before.’
Had not Tira Russ performed a similar act not long ago?
Cecilia had no intention of falling for such tricks a second time.
She reached toward the back of Penelope’s neck.
“Madam, stand properly.”
“What? Wha—?”
Penelope’s body was instantly separated from Rainer.
Seeing this, Cecilia withdrew her hand with a flick.
Penelope’s body trembled at the cold glint in those eyes.
“According to my physician, Sosie’s condition is merely a common cold—there is no cause for concern.”
In the interim, the Marquise Martaine stepped forward.
She had taken measures, given that the incident had occurred near her estate.
Yet her expression betrayed profound displeasure at this commotion.
“M-Madam…”
Penelope, belatedly grasping the atmosphere, shrank back nervously.
“Then…that is fortunate.”
She forced a smile.
Yet the corners of her mouth trembled faintly.
Her mind raced rapidly.
‘Blast it, how did things become so complicated?’
She had yet to secure anything of value.
If she fell out of the Marquise’s favor now, all would be lost.
“I-I sincerely apologize for the trouble caused.”
She immediately bowed deeply.
She needed to end this encounter quickly.
“I shall attend to Sosie myself. So if we might conclude here—”
“Wait a moment.”
But Penelope’s attempt to conclude the matter was cut short by Cecilia’s words.
Every eye in the room turned toward the Duchess.
“There’s something I need to clarify.”
Penelope’s brow twitched.
“My lady, w-what do you mean?”
“What happened at the lake just now.”
“…!”
Had this woman discovered something?
Penelope’s composure began to crack.
“It, it was an accident! The boat was rocking―”
“No.”
But Cecilia shook her head firmly.
Her gaze shifted to Sosie on the bed.
Sosie, who had been peeking out from beneath the blankets until now, flinched.
“Young Lady, you tried to push me into the lake, didn’t you?”
In that instant, the air in the room froze.
Rainer’s brow furrowed.
Penelope stood speechless, her mouth agape.
After a moment of silence.
The Duchess and the others began to murmur.
“What did she just say?”
“That Della tried to drown the Duchess in the lake?”
“Now that I think about it, it was Della who first suggested we take the boat.”
“What? Then could it really be…?”
The whispers grew louder.
All eyes turned toward Penelope and Sosie.
The rumors that had circulated behind closed doors began to surface one by one.
Rumors that Penelope frequented the Black Market.
That she was connected to deaths involving the Barmeo Marquis Family.
“Th-that’s absurd! What are you saying?”
Unable to contain herself any longer, Sosie threw off the blankets and sat up.
Her eyes blazed as she glared at Cecilia.
“I would never do such a thing! This is a false accusation!”
“A, false accusation?”
Cecilia laughed briefly, as if amused.
Sosie’s frustration only deepened.
‘This woman knew all along!’
Now that I thought about it, when I had dodged Sosie’s hand, Cecilia had seemed to mock her.
Just as she was doing now.
‘She was trying to make a fool of me!’
Sosie’s face flushed a deep crimson, like an overripe octopus.
Unable to contain herself, she thrust an accusing finger toward Cecilia.
“If you hadn’t suddenly twisted your body, none of this would have happened!”
Her shrill cry tore through the room.
Penelope, her face drained of color, rushed toward her daughter.
“Sosie, compose yourself, I beg you!”
She desperately tried to silence her daughter.
But it was already too late.
“You’re the one who should have sunk to the bottom of the lake in the first place! You knew everything and avoided it, didn’t you? Did you think I wouldn’t figure it out?”
From Sosie’s lips, stripped of all reason, a bombshell detonated.

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