She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 45

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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 45. An Unimaginable Identity

 

The one who entered was Crown Prince Nicholas.

 

“We greet Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

 

The noble ladies all bowed in unison, and Michel also knelt on one knee, showing proper respect.

 

Nicholas, leisurely receiving the greetings as he entered, immediately approached Mary.

 

His chin had sparse facial hair growing on it.

 

It seemed he had reached some kind of compromise since Mary detested thick beards.

 

He also gave Cecilia a light nod in greeting before turning to look at his wife.

 

“Are you having an enjoyable time?”

 

“Yes, Your Highness. Today’s performance received a very good response.”

 

“Hmm, from what I can see, it doesn’t seem to be just because of the performance.”

 

His gaze fixed on Michel.

 

It was a beauty that made the noble ladies’ enthusiasm immediately understandable.

 

The corner of Nicholas’s mouth twitched slightly.

 

“You, was it Michel?”

 

“Yes, Your Highness. I am Michel Eimos.”

 

Michel quickly stepped forward and bowed his head.

 

Nicholas looked him up and down once.

 

“Eimos… that’s a rare surname. Your appearance is as uncommonly handsome as your name is rare.”

 

“You flatter me.”

 

“How modest. Anyway, since you’ve come to the Imperial Palace, make good memories with many people. …But excluding the Crown Princess.”

 

Nicholas interlocked his fingers with Mary’s hand as he added jokingly.

 

Small laughter erupted among the people.

 

“Your Highness, really.”

 

Mary lightly tapped her husband’s arm with her fan.

 

But her face showed she didn’t dislike her husband’s cute jealousy.

 

Watching the Crown Prince couple bicker for a while, a smile also formed on Cecilia’s lips.

 

Those two had been like this at the dinner they shared together last time too.

 

A relationship where they leaned on each other, took care of each other, and even while grumbling, seemed most comfortable when together.

 

‘Someday… will I be able to meet someone like that too?’

 

She couldn’t gauge how much longer she would have to run breathlessly ahead.

 

But still, she hoped that when everything was over, she too could find such ordinary happiness.

 

A small wish bloomed in Cecilia’s heart.

 

* * *

 

After Rosena appeared at Mary’s salon together with Elise.

 

Related rumors spread quickly through high society.

 

“I heard the Dowager Duchess of Hays is going around with her granddaughter-in-law instead of her daughter-in-law.”

 

“Really? But the Duke’s wife and the Young Duke’s wife don’t get along, right?”

 

“That’s why they say the family has split in two.”

 

Rosena carried Elise on her back and acted boldly as if she had become the mistress of the family.

 

She used Elise as an excuse to refuse the etiquette lessons she had been receiving from Cecilia.

 

That wasn’t all.

 

“Madam, we will take the young master with us.”

 

When Cecilia returned from an outing, Elise’s maid greeted her while holding Jeremy in her arms.

 

In front of her stood Margaret with her back straight, standing firm.

 

“You’re taking Jeremy away?”

 

“Yes, the Dowager Duchess said so. She said children should be cared for by their ‘real mother.'”

 

“…Oh, is that so?”

 

“Yes, since it’s the word of the Dowager Duchess, who is the family’s elder, she said the Duke’s wife would have no objections.”

 

“…”

 

As she said, there was no way to directly refute Elise’s logic.

 

When she first brought Jeremy, she too had invoked the Hays family traditions.

 

Of course, that didn’t mean she wanted to meekly let the child be taken away.

 

Moreover, Margaret, who was still acting brazenly even after causing that commotion at the villa last time, was irritating.

 

“That means…”

 

Cecilia stepped forward.

 

Even if she had to send Jeremy away, she had no intention of handing him over to Margaret while being intimidated.

 

“I suppose that comes from the Dowager Duchess’s experience?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“The saying that children should be cared for by their real mother. So I was wondering if that’s how the Dowager Duchess treated the Duke in the past.”

 

“…Please watch your words.”

 

Margaret’s expression contorted.

 

Insults toward her master were unbearable for the loyal her.

 

But this was the Duke’s Palace in the Capital.

 

She couldn’t carelessly lay a hand on Cecilia, who was the mistress of this place.

 

Margaret gritted her teeth and swallowed her anger.

 

Seeing that, Cecilia inwardly cheered.

 

“I don’t particularly agree, but since the Dowager Duchess has lived her whole life with such narrow views, I have no choice but to understand.”

 

The moment Margaret opened her mouth to retort, Cecilia raised her arm to quietly block her.

 

And then pointed directly at the door.

 

“Please take him quickly. The Dowager Duchess must be waiting eagerly.”

 

* * *

 

In the end, Jeremy returned to Rosena’s arms.

 

‘But at least with the Dowager Duchess there now, she won’t treat him carelessly.’

 

At least Elise was someone who had a pathological obsession with the Hays bloodline.

 

She decided to take comfort in the fact that Jeremy wouldn’t be harmed for the time being.

 

‘I’m sorry, Jeremy. Aunt will come get you again soon.’

 

Cecilia gripped her skirt tightly.

 

It was frustrating, but acting emotionally wouldn’t bring Jeremy back.

 

What she needed now was a cold strategy.

 

For now, she had to lay low and find Elise’s weaknesses.

 

‘First, I should dig into the relationship between Rosena and Elise.’

 

Since the two were incompatible, there must be points where they clashed.

 

She was thinking about what that might be when.

 

“Madam! Madam!”

 

Wendy came running in, panting heavily.

 

Both her cheeks were flushed red, and her hands trembled with excitement.

 

“We finally got word from the information broker!”

 

Wendy had a thick envelope clutched in her hand.

 

Cecilia’s eyes lit up.

 

Wendy, who was beside her, wiggled her hips as she spoke.

 

She too had come flying like a bullet, curious about the contents.

 

“They said they found a clue about the carriage accident from the past.”

 

“…!”

 

At those words, Cecilia hurriedly opened the envelope.

 

Inside the stiff envelope was a neatly folded report.

 

“To my dear client.

 

I have investigated the Panning County carriage accident you requested last time.

 

The coachman who drove the carriage at that time was a man named Jean Raviere…”

 

Cecilia read through each line carefully.

 

The information broker wrote that Jean Raviere was from Peloux and came to Listea to get married.

 

Cecilia had only known that the coachman was executed, but this was the first time she heard about his personal details.

 

‘…He was from Peloux?’

 

Cecilia’s gaze naturally stopped.

 

Her mother was also from Peloux.

 

The letter said that Jean was originally a servant of Cecilia’s mother’s family, and came to Listea with her when she married.

 

‘This is completely different from what’s publicly known.’

 

All responsibility for the carriage accident at the time was pinned on Jean.

 

The verdict recorded that his motive was resentment that had built up from working at the County since childhood.

 

Jean had continued to deny his guilt, but in the end confessed that he had indeed done it.

 

But wasn’t this completely wrong information?

 

‘Count Osburn forcibly made it fit. To pin everything on Jean.’

 

His final confession must have been his doing too.

 

Cecilia bit her lips tightly and continued reading.

 

“Even after Jean Raviere’s death, his family still remains in Listea. Both children use the surname of distant relatives… (omitted) According to our confirmation, Jean Raviere’s eldest son’s current name is—”

 

Cecilia turned the last page with trembling hands.

 

For a moment, her heart sank.

 

“Michel Eimos.”

 

…Michel Eimos?

 

Wasn’t that the actor she saw at the Crown Princess’s Salon recently!

 

She clearly remembered the Crown Prince showing interest, saying it was a rare surname when he heard his name.

 

That man was Jean Raviere’s son.

 

The surname, given name, and age range.

 

There couldn’t be another person who matched all these conditions exactly.

 

‘Could the world be this small…’

 

It felt as if fate was mocking her.

 

Cecilia stood up from her seat, clutching the report tightly.

 

Whatever fate had in store, there was only one thing important to her now.

 

‘I need to find out the truth about the carriage accident from him.’

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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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