She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 30

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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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Chapter 30. Exposure (1)

 

“…!”

 

It was Wendy, who had been mercilessly beaten by Countess Osburn not long ago.

 

She was looking down at Rosena with a mocking expression.

 

“You!”

 

At the thought of being ignored even by a maid, Rosena flared up and tried to spring from her seat.

 

“This…!”

 

“Sit down.”

 

However, Cecilia’s cold and firm voice put a stop to it.

 

Rosena stopped awkwardly mid-rise, but didn’t want to obediently follow Cecilia’s words.

 

Cecilia looked up at Rosena coldly while holding her teacup.

 

“Can’t you hear me? Should I call someone to forcibly press down on your shoulders to make you sit?”

 

“….”

 

In the end, Rosena slumped back down into her chair.

 

Cecilia swept over Rosena with cold eyes.

 

“You’re a complete mess. How on earth did Count Osburn educate his daughter?”

 

“What, what did you say…?”

 

Rosena was left speechless.

 

Unlike the trembling Rosena, Cecilia had a leisurely expression.

 

“I suppose I’ll have to call Count Osburn to the Duke’s Mansion. As in-laws, I need to have a word with him about not properly educating his daughter.”

 

“Are, are you saying you’re going to discipline our parents? Do you think that makes sense?”

 

“Why wouldn’t it?”

 

Cecilia put down her fork and elegantly straightened her back.

 

Her green eyes stared directly at Rosena.

 

“Actually, I don’t like that you’re my daughter-in-law. Compared to Hays, Osburn is far too beneath our station.”

 

“Ha….”

 

“I’m only staying quiet because Evan likes you. Otherwise, I would have already looked into other families.”

 

Rosena’s vision spun at the sharp words Cecilia casually uttered.

 

There are many mothers-in-law who disapprove of their son’s spouse.

 

But she never expected to hear such words from Cecilia.

 

The stupid Cecilia who used to always stand behind her as a child, unable to even lift her head.

 

Now their positions had completely reversed.

 

“And fix that bad habit of speaking informally to your elders.”

 

“Elders? You and I—”

 

“Rosena, there are still many nobles who wish to marry into our family. If you want to give me grounds to kick you out, I won’t particularly stop you.”

 

“….”

 

At Cecilia’s words, Rosena could only bite her lips tightly.

 

She couldn’t even get angry.

 

Cecilia was now a person who had enough power as the family’s mistress to drive her out.

 

“…Yes, I understand.”

 

In the end, Rosena lowered her gaze with a servile expression.

 

After that, she had to endure Cecilia’s stern education for quite a while longer.

 

* * *

 

“Haa, I thought I was going to go crazy.”

 

Rosena returned to her room completely exhausted.

 

Even though it was just learning table manners, her whole body was worn out.

 

But the suffering was just beginning.

 

‘You still have a long way to go. To educate you properly will take a full month.’

 

‘A, a month… you say?’

 

‘Yes, a month. And that’s rushing it.’

 

Thinking that the same thing would repeat tomorrow and the day after made her future look bleak.

 

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

 

“It’s Harry. Are you inside?”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Ah, my lady.”

 

Harry, who entered, bowed his head politely.

 

But his face was grinning.

 

“I’ve come to fetch the young master.”

 

“You’re taking Jeremy? I didn’t hear anything about that!”

 

Rosena asked sharply.

 

But Harry turned away from Rosena’s words and approached the cradle by the window.

 

He carefully picked up Jeremy, who was sleeping soundly.

 

“Now, young master. I shall attend to you.”

 

“W, wait!”

 

Rosena, who had snapped to attention, rushed over and blocked Harry’s path.

 

“Where are you taking Jeremy? My son, without my permission!”

 

“Ah, didn’t you hear?”

 

Unlike the frantic Rosena, Harry wore a bright expression.

 

“According to Duke’s Mansion tradition, the education of all children staying here is the mistress’s responsibility. Naturally, the person to care for the young master would be the Duchess.”

 

“What? Ce, Cecil… I mean, the Duchess?”

 

“Yes, the Duchess just asked me to bring him. I have the Duke’s permission as well.”

 

Harry nodded.

 

Rosena felt all the strength drain from her body.

 

“Well then, the Duchess is waiting, so I’ll be going now.”

 

Harry left the room carrying Jeremy.

 

Rosena stood frozen in place.

 

Just a few days ago, she had been receiving devoted service from the maids.

 

Until then, she believed the world was in her hands.

 

But now even her child was being taken away.

 

She couldn’t accept it at all.

 

‘Cecilia. So this is how you’re going to play it?’

 

Rosena gritted her teeth.

 

But before long, her situation fell even deeper into the mire.

 

* * *

 

Two days later.

 

The morning sunlight gently illuminated the Music Room.

 

Cecilia sat at the piano, playing a quiet lullaby.

 

In the cradle by the window, Jeremy was sleeping soundly.

 

The melody continued gently in rhythm with the child’s breathing.

 

“My lady is really too kind-hearted.”

 

Wendy, who was listening nearby, shook her head.

 

Honestly, she could have understood if Cecilia had thrown Jeremy into the river.

 

But the reality was the opposite.

 

Cecilia cared for Jeremy devotedly, hardly relying on the maids’ help.

 

Even late at night, when the child wouldn’t sleep and fussed, she would personally hold and soothe him.

 

She probably couldn’t have devoted this much care even to a child she had given birth to herself.

 

Wendy, who found this disagreeable, pursed her lips.

 

“If you just leave him with the maids, he’ll grow up fine on his own. Why create trouble for yourself? What’s so precious about him.”

 

“Don’t be like that. The child is innocent.”

 

Cecilia smiled gently and reasoned with Wendy.

 

She turned the pages of sheet music, selecting the next lullaby to sing for Jeremy.

 

“By the way, what happened with what I asked you to look into? About the people who worked at Panning County and the fire at Hays Estate.”

 

“Oh, that—I commissioned the information broker you mentioned, my lady. But it’s a newly established office… can we really trust them?”

 

Wendy tilted her head with a dubious expression.

 

In contrast, Cecilia nodded with confidence.

 

“Their skills will be reliable. You can trust them.”

 

“How can you be so certain, my lady?”

 

“Well… intuition?”

 

“Pardon? What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

When Wendy frowned, Cecilia laughed lightly.

 

Of course, her choice of that place wasn’t based on simple intuition.

 

‘Old madam, what kind of disgrace would it be if people found out you burned your husband’s lover to death in your old age?’

 

In her past life, that office had once blackmailed Elise with evidence of her misdeeds.

 

Of course, since Elise had kept it hidden until the end, even Cecilia didn’t know what evidence they possessed.

 

However, she had witnessed firsthand Elise paying a large settlement to cover up the incident.

 

‘Since I confirmed it with my own eyes, I can definitely vouch for their abilities.’

 

In this life, Cecilia planned to use them as her tools.

 

Of course, Wendy couldn’t understand such inner circumstances.

 

Still, kind-hearted Wendy patted her chest with her palm, telling her to trust only her.

 

“Anyway, they were quite confident about producing results soon, so I think we just need to wait a little longer.”

 

“Alright, please have them hurry if possible.”

 

“Understood!”

 

“M-my lady!”

 

Just then, the music room door burst open and a maid rushed in frantically.

 

“You need to come out quickly. Count and Countess Osburn have arrived… and they’re very angry.”

 

* * *

 

“Come out right now! Cecilia!”

 

The Count and Countess’s shouting echoed through the Duke’s drawing room.

 

The maids were breaking into cold sweats trying to restrain them.

 

Since they were Evan’s father-in-law and mother-in-law, they couldn’t simply throw them out.

 

“Still as vulgar as ever.”

 

Then the door opened and Cecilia entered.

 

With her back straight, she looked down at the Count and Countess.

 

“You…!”

 

Countess Trisha glared with both eyes and pointed accusingly.

 

“You’re the one who locked Rosena in the annex and prevented us from meeting her, aren’t you? And on the day of the banquet, you had the servants find fault so we couldn’t even enter!”

 

“You know well. I thought you didn’t have the brains to figure such things out.”

 

“What, what did you say?”

 

Trisha’s face turned red at Cecilia’s sarcasm.

 

Count Cloud Osburn, who had been listening from the side, shouted angrily.

 

Since the usually docile Cecilia was talking back, he found it even more infuriating.

 

“How dare you! What kind of way is that to speak!”

 

“Did you just say ‘how dare’?”

 

Cecilia sneered at Cloud.

 

She even felt sorry for these people who still hadn’t grasped the situation.

 

“Do you two even know whose presence you’re causing a disturbance in front of right now?”

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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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