She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 69
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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 69. Crack (1)
Michel slowly scanned through the article again.
So was Count Penning’s daughter really in an antagonistic relationship with Osburn?
‘Wait, then?’
Suddenly, a possibility crossed his mind.
If he informed Count Penning’s daughter about Count Osburn’s affairs, she too would—
“Cough! Cough!”
Just then, a loud coughing sound broke the silence.
Michel put down the bread and newspaper he was eating and hurriedly stood up from his seat.
“Sandy! Are you okay? Did you take your medicine?”
He patted his sister’s back while examining her face.
The coughing sound was much sharper than usual.
“Oh no… Do we need to change the medicine again?”
Sandy’s condition was getting worse day by day.
But they couldn’t afford proper treatment.
The cure said to come from the New Continent didn’t even enter the Empire.
And bringing it in through brokers was financially impossible.
In the end, all they could do was use medicine that would at least suppress the coughing.
‘The stronger medicine costs twice as much…’
Michel bit his lips nervously.
Fortunately, the Duchess’s sponsorship money was scheduled to come in soon.
If he made a good excuse to the theater owner, an advance should be possible.
‘Don’t create any unnecessary gossip anywhere. You understand what I’m saying, right?’
Recalling the theater owner’s warning from a few days ago, Michel let out a short sigh inwardly.
‘Right, now isn’t the time for me to think about other things. Sandy comes first.’
The Hays Ducal House, Cecilia, Count Osburn.
In the face of cold reality, none of it mattered.
What was important to him was tomorrow’s medicine money.
* * *
Rosena had never hated being at home as much as she did these days.
She had returned from labor, but there was no time to recover her exhausted body.
Taking care of Jeremy was waiting for her immediately.
After the banquet, Elise had fallen ill, and Evan was doing labor.
Childcare was entirely Rosena’s responsibility alone.
“Waaaah!”
Sharp crying filled the room.
Rosena looked down at the cradle with her brow deeply furrowed.
“Why are you crying again?”
“Oh, yes! It’s probably the diaper—”
“Didn’t I tell you to change it on time?”
Rosena scowled fiercely.
“I’m, I’m sorry, Young Duchess! I’ll change it right away!”
Even as the maid hurriedly approached and picked up Jeremy, her expression didn’t soften.
The child cried until his face turned bright red, but she didn’t feel like comforting him at all.
Rosena deliberately slammed the door as she left the room.
The child’s crying could be heard leaking through the door.
‘Really, my ears are going to burst!’
She once believed that child would solve everything.
That he would protect her and Evan’s family.
That he would solidify her position in Hays.
But reality was the complete opposite.
Now that her reputation in society had crumbled and her dignity as a noble had hit rock bottom.
The child was just an annoying burden.
‘Why did I have that bastard Evan’s child!’
But no matter how much she regretted it.
She couldn’t divorce him now.
Filled with vanity, she could never throw off the glamorous outer garment called Hays.
‘I’ll stick with it to the end somehow. No matter what I have to do.’
Rosena walked down the corridor, roughly gripping her skirt.
Then, she noticed a maid carrying a letter.
“Hey, what’s that?”
“Oh, Young Duchess.”
The maid approached her and bowed politely.
“It’s a letter from the Dowager Duchess to the Young Duke.”
“To my husband?”
“Yes.”
She must be worried about her grandson working at the labor camp.
Rosena snorted inwardly.
Then suddenly, she became curious about the letter’s contents.
‘Maybe it contains methods for revenge against Cecilia and the Duke?’
Rosena took another step closer to the maid.
“You’re working hard. I was planning to visit my husband tomorrow anyway. I’ll deliver it for you.”
“Oh my, really? If you could do that, I’d be grateful!”
“Yes. Don’t tell Grandmother. She’s someone who values principles greatly.”
“Yes!”
The naive maid handed over the letter without any suspicion.
Rosena entered an empty room and opened the envelope.
‘It would be even better if she’s giving cash or land.’
She unfolded the letter with inner anticipation.
But her ambitious expectations were shattered the moment she read the first sentence.
“Evan, do you know how foolish you’ve been? Not only did you dare tarnish the Hays name, but you even deceived me. I’m disappointed in your recklessness.”
She could almost hear Elise’s sharp rebuke in her ears.
Rosena grumbled with a disappointed face.
“What? It’s just nagging?”
Something she could say when Evan returned.
She thought Elise was being excessive, going so far as to write a letter to deliver her lecture.
Rosena clicked her tongue and read the next sentence.
“Above all, I find your foolish and vain wife disagreeable. It wasn’t that I trusted that girl and entrusted her with work.”
“…What?”
At the sudden gossip about herself, Rosena’s insides began to boil.
But the words that followed were even more shocking.
“And Osburn at that. Even at this moment, he’s not being of any help to you. I think it would be good to find a new family that could give you more wings.”
“Ha, this crazy old woman.”
Rosena cursed under her breath.
Wasn’t it Evan who stole the imperial jewels and made fake ones?
Why was she turning the arrow of blame toward her?
‘Just how are you supporting your husband?’
Remembering the words she heard last time, Rosena’s fingertips trembled.
‘So what, what am I supposed to do? Get divorced?’
Rosena had absolutely no intention of doing that.
She roughly tore up the letter.
She glared at the scattered pieces of paper while breathing heavily.
‘Do you think I’ll back down just like this?’
By any means necessary, she would survive in the Hays Ducal House.
And she would become the Duchess and even the Dowager Duchess.
Rosena clenched her fists tightly.
‘I won’t forgive anyone who interferes with my plans! Even if it’s the Dowager Duchess!’
* * *
“Come now, Mother. You need to eat to regain your strength.”
At the same time.
Elise was sitting propped up against her bed.
In front of her sat Cecilia, holding a bowl of soup.
“Is it too hot? Please wait just a moment, Mother.”
Cecilia scooped up some soup with a spoon and blew on it gently.
Nearby, Margaret was watching nervously, not knowing what to do.
It was clear that Cecilia hadn’t come here out of goodwill.
But there was no justification to stop the Duchess from nursing her mother-in-law.
“It should be fine now. Come, please eat, Mother.”
Cecilia brought the spoon close to Elise’s lips.
On the surface, she looked like the most affectionate daughter-in-law.
However, Elise’s face sitting before her was completely twisted.
“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you suspect I’ve poisoned it?”
Cecilia’s eyes widened in surprise.
Soon, pity appeared in her eyes.
“Oh my. Suspicion is also a symptom of senility, I hear.”
“You…”
Elise glared at the top of Cecilia’s head with gritted teeth.
There sat the Hays tiara, which until recently had been her pride.
The peridot caught the sunlight and glowed serenely.
That unwavering light seemed to symbolize the eternal glory of Hays.
The problem was that it happened to be on Cecilia’s head.
“Oh my. You were looking at this.”
Cecilia seemed to notice Elise’s gaze only then.
She smiled innocently and tucked her hair behind her ear.
“How is it? Pretty, isn’t it?”
“Ha!”
Elise let out a hollow laugh as if she couldn’t believe it.
But Cecilia smiled even more brightly.
“It’s even more meaningful because you gave it to me directly, Mother. I’ll treasure it as a family heirloom for life.”
“Are you mocking me right now?”
“Oh my, mocking you?”
Cecilia tilted her head.
She rested the spoon on the soup bowl and sighed.
“Your memory is still this cloudy, what should we do? You still don’t remember the day you gave this to me?”
“Lies!”
Elise spat out in a hoarse voice.
Her fists trembled violently.
“That, that’s mine. I—”
“Shh.”
Cecilia quietly set down the soup bowl.
And placed her hand over Elise’s wrinkled hand.
“If you feel wronged, why don’t you run to the Imperial Palace right now?”
She smiled gently.
But her eyes weren’t smiling at all.
“Go and tell His Majesty the Emperor that you personally gave this crown to Evan.”
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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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