She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 93

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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 93. I Couldn’t Have Done That

The next day.

“Ow, my head….”

Cecilia frowned and opened her eyes.

The familiar ceiling came into view.

‘Hm?’

When she turned her head, soft sunlight was filtering through the curtains.

The furniture was neatly arranged as always.

It was the usual scene of her bedroom.

Cecilia blinked blankly for a moment.

‘What? I was definitely at the Imperial Palace.’

She had drunk wine with Mary.

She remembered the sensation of everything spinning around her.

But she couldn’t remember at all when she had returned to the Duke’s Mansion after that.

She had no memory of it whatsoever.

“Ow ow….”

She tried to sit up, but her head was throbbing.

She buried her face in the pillow again.

Just as she was about to try sleeping again.

“Cecilia.”

She heard a knock from outside the door.

It was Rainer.

“Are you awake? May I come in?”

“Huh!”

Cecilia’s eyes snapped open again.

Actually, she hadn’t made up with Rainer yet.

“Oh, w-wait just a moment!”

But having just woken up, she didn’t have time to worry about such things.

Cecilia sat up with a grimace on her face.

‘I can’t let him see me looking like I just woke up.’

She adjusted her robe and headed to the vanity.

And the moment she looked in the mirror—

“…What?”

Cecilia’s eyes widened.

Her lips were slightly more swollen than usual.

She didn’t remember bumping into anything.

‘Did something happen yesterday?’

But no matter how much she tried to remember.

Nothing came to mind.

“Cecilia?”

“Oh, I’m coming now!”

At Rainer’s voice from outside, Cecilia snapped back to attention.

She hurriedly fixed her hair with her hands, then caught her breath at the door.

Then she slowly opened the door.

Rainer was standing beyond the door.

Holding a small tray with a bowl of gently steaming soup.

“Are you feeling alright?”

“Oh, yes. I’m fine—.”

Cecilia paused again.

‘Wh-why is he like this too?’

Rainer’s lips were also subtly swollen somewhere.

Just like herself in the mirror moments ago.

“Did you have a pleasant time with The Princess yesterday?”

But Rainer entered the room with a nonchalant expression.

And set the tray down on the table.

“Um, you know.”

Cecilia asked carefully.

“Did I perhaps… make some mistake yesterday?”

“A mistake?”

Rainer’s hand paused briefly as he was placing the spoon.

Soon he shrugged his shoulders casually.

“Well.”

“…What?”

What’s that supposed to mean.

Did I or didn’t I?

Seeing Cecilia’s puzzled face.

The corners of Rainer’s mouth curved up faintly.

“You should think about it carefully, my lady.”

“What did you say? Wait—”

“Come, eat it before it gets cold.”

He took Cecilia’s shoulders and seated her at the table.

He even placed the spoon in her hand.

“….”

It feels like I’m being teased somehow.

Watching Rainer who kept grinning, Cecilia’s eyes narrowed.

Especially those slightly swollen lips kept bothering her.

“Stop teasing me—”

“My Lord! There you are!”

Just as Cecilia was about to protest.

Harry came rushing in frantically.

“Oh, my lady.”

He bowed politely to Cecilia.

Then immediately looked back at Rainer and stamped his feet.

“What are you doing here? I told you several times that there’s an important meeting today.”

“Alright, alright.”

Finally Rainer reluctantly got up from his seat.

“Cecilia, rest well today.”

With those final words, Rainer left the room.

Harry’s flustered voice faded away.

“….”

Cecilia frowned and stared at the door Rainer had left through for a while.

He left without telling her anything in the end.

‘Hmph, I’m not going to be curious anyway. I just won’t think about it.’

She deliberately scooped up a spoonful of soup.

And just as she was about to open her mouth wide to eat it.

“….”

The memories she had completely forgotten began to surface piece by piece.

‘That’s why, that’s why I hate you so much.’

‘….’

‘But why….’

“Gasp!”

The vivid memory of Rainer’s face drawing close and the sensation of their lips touching came flooding back.

Cecilia shot up from her seat.

Her hands reflexively grabbed her cheeks.

“Ahhh, no way!”

It was shocking enough that her lips had touched Rainer’s.

But she was the one who had leaned in!

Cecilia couldn’t help but be horrified.

“H-how could I do such a thing!”

How was she supposed to face Rainer from now on!

Cecilia threw herself onto the bed.

And just like before, she pulled the blanket up over her head.

‘Ahhhhh! No! It can’t be!’

She struggled desperately to deny it.

But the more she did, the clearer the forgotten memories became.

In the end, her silent anguish continued for quite some time.

* * *

That afternoon.

Cecilia visited Michel’s house.

He had recently moved to a new home.

It was a modest house with one room, kitchen, and bathroom each.

Though not spacious, it was incomparably cleaner and cozier than his previous place.

“Duchess, why does your face look like that?”

Michel tilted his head as he looked at Cecilia.

Her face was unusually flushed.

“A-ahem. It’s nothing.”

Cecilia cleared her throat awkwardly.

All the way here.

In the carriage, she had been clutching her cheeks and writhing in embarrassment.

“Shall we get to the main point then?”

Cecilia changed the subject.

Soon, she regained her composure as if nothing had happened.

“What is it you want to give me?”

“Ah.”

Michel also became serious.

He gulped nervously.

“This… I felt I absolutely had to give this to you, Duchess.”

Michel pulled out a bundle of papers from his jacket.

Cecilia received it with a puzzled expression.

“It’s Father’s diary. My father Jean Raviere, who worked as a coachman at your maternal home.”

“…!”

At this belated confession, Cecilia’s hands froze.

She looked up at Michel.

“Michel, you mean…”

“Yes, I’m sorry it’s so late.”

Michel scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

“I won’t ask for your understanding. If you want compensation, please tell me. I’ll pay whatever you want, as much as you want.”

There were no excuses or evasions in his words.

Michel sincerely wanted to apologize to Cecilia.

Because of this, hadn’t the Duchess been living without knowing the truth about her parents’ death?

“…”

Watching Cecilia, who couldn’t bring herself to unfold the papers and only touched them with her fingertips.

Guilt seeped into Michel’s heart.

What had he done to such a woman?

“No, Michel. I don’t need compensation.”

Soon Cecilia smiled gently and shook her head.

“I’m just grateful you told me now. For now, let’s look at this.”

Cecilia bit her lip and took a moment to steady her breathing.

This was the moment she had been waiting for so long.

Her heart was pounding wildly.

“Whew.”

With a determined heart, Cecilia opened Jean’s diary.

And slowly began to read.

「Count Osburn came to see me. He told me directly that the carriage accident was his doing. He said he also forged the handwriting on the will. I felt my mind go blank.」

「He says if I testify that the accident was all my doing, he’ll guarantee my family’s livelihood.」

「I buried the promissory note with the Count’s signature and the horseshoe beneath the prison.」

The whole story became clear at a glance.

With each page she turned, Cecilia’s slender fingers began to tremble.

‘…Osburn.’

They were already hateful and terrible people.

But seeing the evidence with her own eyes like this, her disgust and anger could only deepen.

‘I won’t let them be. I’ll make sure they meet an end more painful and miserable than my parents.’

Cecilia bit her lip hard.

“Madam, are you alright?”

Michel carefully observed Cecilia’s complexion.

He worried that the fragile woman might collapse from shock.

“I’m fine. My heart is beating a bit fast though.”

Cecilia placed her hand on her chest and slowly steadied her breathing.

“I need to deal with them even more ruthlessly from now on, so I can’t collapse over something like this.”

“R-right.”

Michel nodded.

His hope that she might rely on him, even briefly.

That expectation now felt foolish.

He stood up abruptly as if to hide his embarrassment.

“Is there any need to delay further? Then let’s go right now and get the evidence—”

“No.”

Cecilia calmly stopped him.

“I’m sorry, but please wait a little longer, Michel.”

“What? Wait?”

“Rosena still has some use left.”

Cecilia’s eyes sparkled.

“Once I take away her last weapon, then I’ll completely destroy them with this.”

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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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