She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 9

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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 9. A Relationship Beginning to Go Awry

Rosena shot up and grabbed Evan by the collar.

“Did you just compare me to Cecilia? You’re defending her in front of the woman carrying your child? Are you insane? Have you lost your mind?”

“Rosena, please—”

“Don’t call me that! Why is she Lia and I’m Rosena!”

Usually, Evan called Rosena by her nickname ‘Rosie.’

Only when she heard that did she never doubt Evan’s love.

Tears welled up in Rosena’s eyes at the cold address.

She gripped tighter and wailed.

“Did you play with me? Was it all lies when you said you loved me and not Cecilia? Are you sick of me now that I’m suddenly pregnant? Huh? Answer me! Answer me!”

Rosena pressed on relentlessly while gripping his collar.

“Ro, Rosena. No, Rosie. Please calm down.”

Evan barely managed to shake off Rosena’s hands.

Unable to contain her anger, Rosena began crying like a child.

“You bastard!”

“What is this mess!”

Just then, a shout came from the doorway.

Turning their heads, they saw Count and Countess Osburn entering the room.

Count Cloud Osburn stroked his chin with a stern face, while Countess Trisha’s face was red and trembling with rage.

“Rosie, how can a young lady from a noble family make such a scene?”

“Dad! Evan says he won’t marry me!”

When Rosena screamed, Evan squeezed his eyes shut.

Cloud and Trisha were people with exceptionally strong pride in their status.

They had been the ones to oppose Evan and Rosena’s relationship in the first place.

Even after the wedding, they had tried to beat up Evan, only stopping when Rosena tearfully intervened.

“What on earth are you talking about? Not getting married?”

Trisha glared fiercely at Evan with her flushed face.

Cloud was also looking Evan up and down with displeasure.

“Evan Machi. Shouldn’t you be on your knees begging our daughter right now?”

“Exactly. How dare a commoner get our daughter pregnant and act so shameless! Are you trying to ruin our child’s life?”

“It’s not like that… I’m sorry. I have no excuse.”

Eventually, Evan bowed his head and stepped back.

If he needlessly upset the couple, he’d clearly be tormented for a long time.

He turned toward Rosena and gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

“Sigh… Rosie. I’m sorry.”

Evan looked straight into Rosena’s eyes as if trying to appease her.

“I want to have the wedding as soon as possible too, thinking of you. But the timing really isn’t good right now. Can’t you wait just a little?”

“…”

But even with Evan’s persuasion, Rosena kept her head turned away, only pouting her lips.

Finally, unable to watch any longer, Trisha stepped in again.

“So when exactly will the wedding be? Our child’s belly will keep growing – are you telling us to hide her like she’s having a bastard child?”

“…First, we’ll have the marriage vows at the church. The ceremony will be held grandly after the birth, once Rosie has recovered.”

Evan said in a tired voice.

Postponing a wedding due to childbirth wasn’t entirely uncommon.

Of course, they’d receive some disapproving looks, but it was better than having the child mistaken for illegitimate.

“Rosie, by then people will have forgotten all about it. And you’ll be able to wear a much prettier dress. How about it?”

Evan looked at Rosena with desperate eyes.

Marriage or whatever – now he just wanted to quickly wrap up this situation.

The three members of House Osburn glaring at him with crossed arms were suffocatingly burdensome.

Among them, Rosena, who had been making a particularly sharp expression, said curtly.

“Then you have to get me the finest wedding dress.”

“Sigh… Fine.”

“The venue has to be the most expensive and glamorous place in Brisen too.”

“That too… I’ll try my best.”

“Try? Not try – do it for sure!”

“Alright. Please. I got it.”

Unable to withstand Rosena’s nagging, Evan finally raised both hands in surrender.

Only then did Rosena show a satisfied expression.

“Well then, I’ll forgive you this much.”

“Ahem, the discussion ended well.”

Cloud stepped back with his hands behind his back, while Trisha approached Rosena and caressed her daughter’s cheek.

“Oh my, my poor daughter. You must have been so shocked, especially in your condition. Are you hurt anywhere? Hmm? Anything you want to eat? Should mommy call Brisen’s finest chef?”

At that excessive behavior, Evan sighed and scratched his head roughly.

Thinking he’d have to live watching this for the rest of his life, he already felt suffocated.

‘Ha, in this aspect, it was convenient that Cecilia was an orphan.’

Anyway, Cecilia was the heir to a county, and there were no bothersome in-laws.

She didn’t nag annoyingly while screaming like Rosena was doing now.

‘What a waste. Such a damn waste.’

If only his relationship with Rosena hadn’t been discovered, he’d be enjoying a sweet honeymoon by now.

Evan clicked his tongue while dwelling on the missed opportunity.

Then he suddenly became curious.

Several days had already passed since the wedding fell through.

After leaving the shared house that was supposed to be their newlywed home, Cecilia had completely vanished without a trace.

‘Where the hell is she and what is she doing now?’

* * *

Gilbert’s death was officially announced not long after that.

「Breaking News! Duke Gilbert Hays Death Suspicions! What is the Truth?」

「Where Will the Dukedom Go? Brother Rainer Hays Likely as Successor」

Having received anonymous tips, the empire’s media competitively poured out scoops.

The mansion at Hays Estate where Elise resided was bustling with reporters from early morning.

“Dowager Duchess! Please make a statement regarding public suspicions!”

“Is it true that the Duke has really passed away?”

“We understand the Duke had no children after his wife’s death. Who will be the next duke?”

“Look here!”

Just then, among the reporters shouting with notebooks and pens, Margaret, Elise’s head maid, rolled up her sleeves and stepped forward.

“Details will be delivered in writing, so please all return home!”

“Hey, don’t push, don’t push!”

When Margaret gestured, servants rushed out and pushed the reporters away.

The surroundings instantly became chaotic.

Meanwhile, a carriage quickly left the Hays mansion.

“Look there! A carriage!”

“The Dowager Duchess must be in it! Follow it! Hurry!”

The reporters shouted, but the carriage was already disappearing beyond the hill.

Inside it, as the reporters expected, was Elise.

She gritted her teeth while watching the group of reporters growing distant outside the window.

All of this was surely Rainer’s doing.

“That vulgar thing dares…”

She should have acted when Rainer was talking about corpses and such.

She seemed to have underestimated him too much.

She regretted being complacent, thinking he wouldn’t readily step forward without substantial evidence.

“How much longer?”

“About 20 minutes left, my lady.”

“Hurry up!”

Elise nervously struck the carriage wall with a bang!

She intended to go straight to the Duke’s Mansion and confront Rainer.

Occupying the capital’s Duke’s Mansion all by himself, he must think he’s something special.

As soon as the carriage arrived, Elise stepped down as if jumping out.

“Lady Elise, you’ve come—”

“Get out of my way!”

Unbecoming of a noble family’s dowager duchess, she pushed past the greeting Harry and entered the Duke’s Mansion.

She went straight to Rainer’s office and kicked the door open.

Rainer was sitting at his desk reviewing documents.

Even when Elise approached right in front of him, Rainer didn’t lift his head.

“What brings the Dowager Duchess here without notice? Seeing your face so often makes me feel like even my lowly dignity is rising.”

Rainer asked without still raising his gaze.

When he sarcastically threw back the exact words he’d heard a few days ago, Elise’s hands trembled with rage.

She threw a newspaper onto Rainer’s desk.

“This is all your doing!”

Thwack!

The newspaper fell right in front of Rainer’s eyes.

The breaking news headline in large print clearly read “Duke Hays Dead.”

“Why did you presumptuously publish an article about Gilbert! Without even consulting me!”

Only then did Rainer lift his head and slowly unfold the newspaper.

After checking the front page, a satisfied smile spread across his lips.

His attitude showed he had no intention of hiding that he was behind this situation, nor any desire to make excuses.

Still keeping his gaze fixed on the newspaper, he said indifferently.

“Rest assured. I omitted the story about how the Dowager Duchess went senile and spent weeks embracing her son’s corpse.”

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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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