She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 59
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 59. Childish Husbands
“I’ve heard a lot about it. They say it’s a space the Duke gifted to his wife? I heard he paid very special attention to it.”
“Ahaha, well. That’s right.”
Cecilia shrugged her shoulders.
She remembered the day she first received the piano.
Back then, her skills were still quite clumsy.
But now she could play a sonata without any trouble.
Behind that were her efforts and Rainer’s encouragement supporting her.
“The Duke must really love his wife. Well, from what I’ve seen, his gaze when looking at you is endlessly warm.”
“Haha…”
At Mary’s teasing, Cecilia smiled awkwardly.
She would never dream that the two of them were in a contract marriage.
Meanwhile, Mary looked around the music room with sparkling eyes.
In front of the large window overlooking the garden’s lush greenery stood a grand piano.
The piano glowed softly in the sunlight.
Mary carefully approached and stroked the lid.
“It’s really a wonderful piano.”
Her fingertips carefully traced the piano keys.
“Piano, piano…”
Mary muttered quietly.
Her expression, lips moving slightly, began to darken gradually.
Cecilia looked at Mary with a puzzled expression.
“Your Highness? What’s wrong?”
“…”
Mary bit her lips for a moment, then took a breath as if choked up.
“…Actually.”
Mary said, suppressing her emotions.
“I was planning to invite a famous pianist to the next salon.”
“Ah, yes.”
“He was the most successful performer in the Empire. I thought everyone would love hearing his sweet performance! That was all I wanted!”
“…?”
Mary’s excited voice grew louder.
“But suddenly His Highness said absolutely not! He said if we needed music, he would come and play himself! That’s obviously not what the noble ladies want!”
“Ah.”
“He can only bang around on the piano anyway, he can’t actually play! That man!”
Mary pouted her lips and huffed angrily.
“Of course this piano has nothing to do with it… But still, this is a situation where I have every right to be angry. Don’t you think?”
“Ah…”
Cecilia only smiled awkwardly.
She didn’t know what to say in response.
She couldn’t carelessly add to gossip about the Crown Prince.
‘Even these two, who always seemed so affectionate and perfect, bicker like this.’
It seemed that repeated minor quarrels between spouses were the same even for the Crown Prince couple.
Thinking that way, Mary huffing angrily with tears welling up actually looked rather cute.
Mary wiped away her tears with her fingertips and looked up at Cecilia.
“You don’t have petty fights like this with the Duke, do you?”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, Duke Hays is always so serious about everything, and he doesn’t seem like he’d have such petty jealousy.”
Petty jealousy.
Suddenly Cecilia remembered what happened at the theater.
‘Rainer, could you move your seat a little to the right?’
‘No.’
Rainer back then was really childish and like a little kid.
Remembering that scene, a faint smile spread across Cecilia’s lips.
“Your Highness, others might not know but…”
Cecilia said playfully.
“Actually, Rainer has really childish and petty sides that make me wonder why he acts that way.”
“Oh my, really?”
“Yes, sometimes I really don’t understand what goes on in that man’s mind.”
Cecilia laughed softly.
Mary, who had been staring wide-eyed, soon burst into laughter as well.
“What do you know, I guess all men are the same after all. I thought the Duke might be different.”
The bright laughter of the two women echoed through the music room.
For a while, they continued talking about their respective husbands.
It was mostly gossip.
But it was a comfortable time like female friends of the same age, temporarily setting aside their positions as Crown Princess and Duchess.
* * *
That night.
A soft lamp was lit in Cecilia’s bedroom.
Though it was late, Cecilia and Rainer sat side by side examining Harry’s report.
“Testimonies from witnesses of the fire at that time?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“My goodness, it’s been over 10 years. Harry must have worked really hard investigating this.”
“…”
When Cecilia praised Harry, Rainer’s eyebrows moved slightly.
“It’s true that guy worked hard.”
He turned the page of the report, pretending to be nonchalant.
“But I was the one who remembered and organized the list of villa staff from that time.”
“Oh my, is that so.”
“…”
Is that all?
At her indifferent response, Rainer looked to the side.
Cecilia was focusing on the report again without any particular reaction.
Rainer let out a small sigh and moved closer to sit beside her.
Cecilia still didn’t notice.
She just pointed to one part of the report with a serious face.
“Crowley ran into the fire scene at that time?”
“Yes, like someone who had left something behind. He came back out shortly after and refused help from those around him.”
“Hmm…”
Cecilia furrowed her brow.
The testimony included speculation that he seemed to be trying to save Mariana.
But there was no reason for Crowley, who was under Elise’s orders, to do such a thing.
“I think the Dowager Duchess probably told him to bring something—”
The moment she turned her head carelessly, Cecilia froze.
She hadn’t noticed because she was focused on the report.
But Rainer was much closer than she thought.
‘Wh-what!’
Her face flushed hot.
Without realizing it, she even remembered what happened at Villa Sabina, making her even more embarrassed.
“I think the same.”
Rainer himself had a completely nonchalant expression.
He leaned in closer naturally while looking at the report.
It was such a subtle gesture that it was hard to tell if it was intentional or not.
It was the moment when Cecilia unconsciously caught her breath.
Knock knock.
Cecilia was startled by the sudden knocking sound.
Rainer immediately pulled back as well.
The door opened with a click.
“My lady, are you awake? I thought I heard footsteps from the garden and woke up…”
“The Princess?”
It was Mary who poked just her head inside.
Since she couldn’t sleep at all, she had planned to spend a girls’ night with Cecilia.
Her eyes widened as she saw the situation inside the bedroom.
“…Oh.”
Mary let out a short exclamation upon seeing Rainer.
“Oh my, I’m sorry. I’ve interrupted your intimate time.”
“Oh, no! The Princess! We just had something to discuss!”
Cecilia hastily made excuses.
In noble society, it was customary for married couples to have separate bedrooms.
Of course, some passionate couples deliberately chose to share a room to show off their intimacy.
Cecilia had no reason to make such a choice.
“Yes, yes. I understand.”
Despite her desperate explanation, Mary just nodded with a pleased expression.
She too had shown such an attitude when caught by her in-laws while staying late with Nicholas.
Even Rainer’s embarrassed coughing behind her looked familiar.
“The Princess, you’re misunderstanding.”
“Of course, of course.”
Mary smiled and stepped back.
“You two really look wonderful together. This intruder will withdraw now, so please spend tonight together.”
“The Princess, we really—”
Cecilia’s explanation was cut off by the sound of the door closing.
The sound of footsteps could be heard fading toward the corridor.
An awkward silence settled over the bedroom.
Only the lamplight flickered gently over the reports scattered carelessly on the table.
Cecilia smiled awkwardly.
“It seems The Princess has misunderstood.”
“It appears so.”
“If I go out now to explain… it would only make things stranger, wouldn’t it?”
“It would only deepen her conviction.”
“Oh dear…”
Cecilia pressed her forehead.
Of course, acting like an affectionate couple publicly wasn’t necessarily bad.
But the two of them were in a contract marriage, after all.
She was worried about the shock Mary would receive when the two of them separated later.
Then, Rainer stood up from his seat.
At that sound, Cecilia looked up again.
“Rainer?”
She looked at Rainer with a puzzled expression.
He calmly went to the bed, settled in, and lay down.
“What are you doing right now?”
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
