She Became My Friend’s Mother-In-Law - Chapter 95

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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 95. Prelude to True Revenge

“….!”

Cecilia’s gaze immediately turned toward the box.

She caught sight of the name engraved on the heavily soot-stained amethyst brooch.

「Mariana Hays」

Cecilia swallowed hard.

To think that Elise really had all the evidence in her possession.

While she was momentarily unable to speak.

“Alright, that’s enough for now.”

Rosena quickly covered the box and retrieved it.

She wasn’t foolish enough to hand over such evidence so easily either.

“I’ll be keeping this until the decisive moment.”

“…You’re going to keep it?”

“That’s right, I need to have some insurance too, don’t I?”

How cunning.

But pressing her to hand it over right now.

Would obviously be of no use.

“Fine, do as you wish.”

Cecilia quietly nodded her head.

Anyway, that box coming into her hands was only a matter of time.

There was no need to be impatient.

“Listen….”

Rosena’s eyes, thinking she had gained the upper hand, sparkled with subtle anticipation.

“Are you really planning to drive out grandmother this time?”

“Of course.”

“Then… the evidence I have today will play a big role too, right?”

Rosena’s eyes gleamed greedily.

“Cecilia, when grandmother steps down this time. You won’t forget my contribution, will you?”

“Ah.”

Cecilia inwardly chuckled at Rosena’s calculating words.

But she didn’t show it outwardly.

“Of course, Rosena. I remember everything you’ve done for me.”

“Really? Well, you were never someone completely shameless from the start.”

Without even noticing the barb in those words.

Rosena just laughed cheerfully, feeling excited.

Cecilia watched her and smiled quietly.

“Yes, I’ll definitely give you your due. So you don’t need to worry too much.”

* * *

That night.

Though it was late, Cecilia was hurriedly walking down the corridor.

She wanted to tell Rainer about the evidence she had confirmed today.

Before the day was over.

‘Good, he’s still awake.’

Dim light was seeping through the gap under the bedroom door.

Cecilia paused in front of the door to catch her breath.

“Whew….”

It was a place she usually entered and left without reservation.

But somehow she felt more nervous today.

‘It’s probably because I need to talk about important evidence.’

That was all.

Telling herself it was absolutely not for any other reason, she knocked on the door.

“Rainer, it’s me.”

“Cecilia?”

After a moment, the door opened and Rainer appeared.

He was wearing a robe, as if he had been about to sleep.

Not having expected Cecilia’s visit, his eyebrows rose slightly.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

“Could we talk for a moment?”

Rainer looked down at her for a moment.

After avoiding him all day from morning to evening.

Now she was coming to him at this late hour asking to talk.

She was a woman who was hard to figure out.

Of course, that didn’t mean he intended to send her away.

“Please come in.”

Rainer stepped aside to make way for her.

Cecilia carefully entered inside.

Soft lighting was on in the bedroom.

Documents were neatly organized on the desk.

“Shall I prepare some tea?”

“No, it’s fine. It’s late too.”

“Don’t tell me you’re disappointed it’s not wine.”

“What, what did you say?”

Cecilia opened her eyes wide and glared at him.

Rainer briefly suppressed his laughter.

“I’m joking.”

“If you keep doing that, I’ll go back.”

“Go ahead.”

“You really!”

Cecilia flared up.

Rainer finally burst into laughter.

“I told you not to laugh!”

“It hurts, ahaha.”

Her face reddened as she hit Rainer with both hands.

He dodged while laughing, then soon caught both her wrists.

“I said it hurts.”

Though a smile still lingered on his lips.

The atmosphere in the room subtly changed.

Each other’s body heat was fully transmitted through their touching skin.

“Ra, Rainer….”

Cecilia unconsciously swallowed from the tension.

Was it because of what happened last time?

Her gaze kept drifting to Rainer’s lips.

Her heart was pounding.

“….”

Rainer was also quietly looking down at her.

Something about that gaze made Cecilia’s ears feel hot.

“So, so why do you say things that deserve to be hit?”

Cecilia turned her head away, blushing.

“Please let go of this now.”

“If you wish.”

Rainer obediently released her wrist.

Rolling her wrist slightly, Cecilia opened her mouth with a sullen expression.

“I came here today because there’s an important matter I absolutely must discuss.”

“An important matter?”

“Yes, the evidence we’ve been searching for while pursuing Crowley has finally come in. Evidence that the Dowager Duchess harmed your mother.”

The air in the room instantly grew heavy.

The traces of laughter that had remained until moments ago vanished without a trace.

“…Where is it now?”

“Rosena has it. She only showed it to me and took it back. She says she’ll present it at the decisive moment.”

“Ha, she’s a woman with more brains than she appears.”

Rainer muttered lowly.

His eyes grew coldly distant.

“What kind of evidence was it?”

“It was a charred amethyst brooch. It had Lady Mariana’s name engraved on it.”

“…”

“And a letter. It contained the Dowager Duchess’s direct instructions to Crowley to start the fire.”

“I see.”

Rainer murmured quietly.

He knew all too well what that amethyst brooch was.

It was the gift his father Kenneth Hays had given his mother on her thirtieth birthday.

‘How is it, Rainer? Does it suit your mother well?’

Twenty years ago, his mother’s face as she wore the brooch and smiled like a young girl was still vivid in his memory.

It was his last happy memory.

‘Mom! Mother!’

Not long after that.

The villa where they had been staying was engulfed in flames.

His mother Mariana had turned to ash without leaving even a trace behind.

“…”

Rainer slowly closed and opened his eyes.

“I’ll have to retrieve that from her by any means necessary.”

It wasn’t just to bring down Elise.

He wanted to reclaim the keepsake that held memories of his mother.

“So I’ve been thinking, Rainer.”

Cecilia nodded her head.

“I think we should strike at Osburn first rather than the Dowager Duchess.”

“Osburn?”

“Yes, if we strike at the Dowager Duchess first, Rosena will try to use her contribution to expand her position within Hays.”

Once Elise fell, the interior of Hays would inevitably be in chaos for a while.

There was no way Rosena would let that opportunity slip by.

But Cecilia had no intention of giving Rosena any opportunity whatsoever.

“So I want to clean up this side first.”

“Do as you wish.”

Rainer nodded his head.

Cecilia’s eyes gleamed with determination.

Suddenly, she recalled words she had heard from Rosena before her regression.

‘Count and Countess Panning, you know. Our father made it happen that way. Thanks to forging the will in advance, we lived quite luxuriously off the County’s wealth.’

Words that had plunged her into despair until the very last moment, even as she was dying.

She could finally begin her revenge for this.

“I’ll make sure that not only Rosena, but no one from Osburn can ever hold their heads high in this place again.”

Cecilia clenched her fist tightly.

“I’ll cut off every single root completely.”

* * *

“…What did you just say?”

A few days later, early in the morning.

Rosena, still in her nightgown, held the telegram that had arrived urgently and widened her eyes.

The maid spoke while watching Rosena’s expression.

“Well… Count Osburn has been urgently arrested by the police.”

“Father?”

Rosena asked sharply.

“Why on earth? What happened!”

She couldn’t believe it.

She had thought everything was going well.

But suddenly her father was arrested.

‘This wasn’t part of the plan!’

The moment Count Osburn became a criminal.

She and Jeremy wouldn’t be safe either.

Noble society always moved in family units.

Rosena glared fiercely at the maid.

“Tell me exactly what happened. If you’re talking nonsense, I won’t let it slide.”

Surely not. There must be some misunderstanding.

Rosena tried to reassure herself.

But—

“Y-Young Duchess, the thing is…”

The moment the maid opened her mouth.

Even Rosena’s last hope came crashing down.

“Count Osburn has been arrested on charges of murdering Count Panning…”

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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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