At that moment, her eyes fell on my hand, and her face frowned in anger.
“Are you making fun of me now?”
“I am not mocking you; I just wanted to give a gift to the Lady wishing to get closer to you...”
Before I could complete my sentence, she approached me and slapped the ruby necklace out of my hand.
I stared at the falling ruby pendant with cold eyes.
Fortunately, the jewel remained intact, but the carefully crafted frame was in disarray.
I said to the maid who was watching us:
“Lauren, pick this up and give it to me.”
The maid looked nervous, so she picked up the necklace and handed it to me.
I received the broken ruby pendant and examined it.
The situation is still chaotic, just as it was before.
Although I achieved my goal, the overlapping memories disgusted me.
Yes, I have to speak up this time.
I looked at the lady and spoke.
“I bought it as a high quality item, but if you don't like it, please let me know.
I will replace it.”
“You… know everything, don’t you?
You trickster!”
"What do you mean?"
“You knew and yet you gave me this ruby!”
She stopped mid-sentence, gritted her teeth, and stared at me.
Her blue eyes, like the eyes of a man she once loved, were filled with hatred.
As I said before, I said to her, "Ma'am, I didn't really know.
You didn't tell me anything."
ذات مرة ، تمنيت أن أكون لها زوجة ابن.
So, I made an effort to win her favor by handing her my jewelry collection.
But after that, she just smiled at me and ruled like a cold and cruel mother-in-law.
No matter how hard I tried, it was the daughter-in-law that Madeleine wanted, not me.
At first, I simply accepted it.
But after I had a baby, I thought she wouldn't reject me, the one who was pregnant with the heir.
So, in an attempt to improve our relationship, I tried to give her a nice gift.
But although I wanted to give her a gift, I knew nothing about Madame.
I knew she loved fine jewelry, but I didn't even know what kind of gemstones she liked or disliked.
So, swallowing my pride, I asked Madeleine, and to my surprise, she answered kindly.
I believed her words, and I presented the lady with a ruby.
Oh my stupidity...
From that moment on, a torrent of insults rained down on me.
She never told me she hated rubies.
“I understand now why you did what you did.
However, there is no excuse for treating me with disrespect.”
I clenched my fists tightly and spoke.
“Next time, if you don't like something, please say so.
Don't ruin it like this without saying a word.”
“You...you!”
Although she seemed ready to continue her scolding, I ignored her and headed towards my room.
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
After Cornelia left, Mrs.
Brant flew into a rage.
“How dare this insolent woman...!”
She doesn't remember exactly what Cornelia said.
All that remained in her memory was her tone and her condescending facial expressions.
He looked very much like someone Mrs.
Brant knew.
"Yes, just like Mercedes.
That bitch!"
When Lady Brant was still a young Gilrathi, she was competing with Empress Meredes, a young woman of Argen, for the position of Crown Princess.
On one occasion, Meredes criticized Bianca's extravagant clothes in front of others.
“To wear such sparkling jewelry at St.
Johann’s memorial service in the temple... you should be ashamed.”
The necklace that I criticized at the time was made of rubies.
Bianca's reputation deteriorates as a result of this incident, and people begin to admire Merésédés as wise and noble.
Eventually, Meredes assumed the position of Crown Princess, the future Empress.
Although Brant's status in the nobility was higher than hers, the memory of that day became a shock to Bianca.
“In fact, that miserable woman trapped my son!”
Bianca's real son, Eric, was a kind and perfect child whom she raised with great care.
He was Mrs.
Brant's pride and joy.
But he said he had feelings for a woman.
That woman's name was Cornelia.
Bianca felt upset that her beloved son loved a princess she did not love, a feeling of frustration she could not describe.
Moreover, whenever she heard that her fake son had met that woman, she would blush and rush back to his room in panic.
“Why do both Eric and that con man find a woman like that so attractive...”
Lady Brant clenched her fists tightly.
“I will obey my mother's orders.
But please, do not interfere with anything Cornelia does in this house.”
The reason she hadn't publicly tortured Cornelia yet wasn't simply because she was a member of the royal family.
Rather, because the fake son, who assumed the role of Eric, set this as a condition.
But…
“I told you I couldn't do what you asked, mom.”
Not long ago, Mrs.
Brant's lips twitched in annoyance as she remembered the fake son's disrespectful behavior.
“If this fake man doesn’t listen to me, there is no reason for me not to touch that woman.”
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
The next day, I decided to satisfy my hunger before going out.
“Bring me breakfast.”
After a while, a maid entered the room, looking at me thoughtfully.
“Duchess, there is a message for you...”
“What is it?”
“…Mrs Brant has instructed you to come downstairs if you wish to eat.”
When I heard the reply, I curled my lips.
Oh, is this how it will be?
The reason Madame Brant called me was obvious.
She must want to tease me in a childish and mean way.
Just like before.
For a moment, I remembered the hidden agony I felt from her before the rebound.
But it was just a fleeting memory.
I changed my expression and smiled slightly.
“Okay, wait a minute.
I have to change my clothes.”
The face of the maid, who was speechless at my response, lit up.
“Yes, yes!
I will tell Madame Brandt!”
As soon as the maid left, I called for another maid.
“Will you help me get dressed?”
“Sure”
When she was about to take a dress out of the closet, I shook my head.
“I think the one on the other side will be better than that.”
The maid's expression stiffened at my words.
“But, Duchess, wear this dress...”
Ignoring her fears, I urged her to go.
“Hurry up and get him.”
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
In Brant's dining room, the long table was filled with oyster and seafood platters.
Mrs.
Brant sat at the head of the table, staring at the food.
Fresh oysters and seafood were placed in front of her, but intentionally, spoiled oysters and seafood were placed where Cornelia was sitting.
I made all this effort because that rude girl said she didn't like oysters and seafood...
Mrs.
Brant tapped the table with her finger, furrowing her eyebrows.
“Why are you so late?”
She was waiting for it to come down, but nearly an hour had passed.
"I can't wait any longer.
I have to ask her to come in front of me right away!"
Mrs.
Brant called the maid again, intending to hurry Cornelia down.
But at that moment, the maid entered the dining room.
“Madam, Duchess...”
“So, are you coming down now?”
When the lady asked eagerly, the maid trembled and answered with a pale face.
“Okay, I'm down.”
“Why haven't you arrived yet?”
In response to the lady's eager question, the maid swallowed nervously and spoke.
“I...I'm out.”
“What?
Out?
I specifically asked her to come down if she wanted to eat.”
“Yes, that's why she came down and said she was going to eat out.”
Mrs.
Brant was surprised by her daughter-in-law's sudden departure, and her face frowned with dissatisfaction.
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
“Come from here”
When he led me to a table in a restaurant run by a prominent chef of royal cuisine, I smiled.
I wonder if she has now become overcome with anger and turned the tables upside down?
In my experience, Mrs.
Brant invited me to dine together only when she intended to upset me.
She would serve me foods that I didn't like, and even give me spoiled food.
Despite the disgusting food I was served, I couldn't get out of my seat.
“Sit down.” Where do you go so rudely when an adult speaks?
She clung to me until she finished her meal.
Although she said that being a duchess was not fulfilling, and that she did not have the skills to be a good hostess, she did not hand me the passbook and the keys to the safe, which are things a hostess should have.
“But I don’t intend to drag her everywhere anymore.”