SBMFMIL 05

Chapter 5. Reiner Hayes (1)

Inside, there was a single cuff link with a subtle sheen.
It was the only keepsake left by Evan’s mother.
But now, Cecilia knew this was not merely a simple memento.

“G.H”

The cuff link was engraved with the initials of Duke Gilbert Hayes.
An item he had left as a gift for his lover, a maid.
And that maid was Evan’s biological mother.

‘In my past life, this was what proved Evan was the Duke’s son.’

But in this life, she couldn’t bear to watch that happen again.
Cecilia carefully placed the cuff link inside her bosom.
She intended to think slowly about how to utilize it.

‘Is that everything now?’

Cecilia gave her bag a final check and quietly closed it.
Just as she was about to rise from her seat—

“Cecilia! You wretched girl! Where are you! Get out here right now! I won’t let this slide today!”

Tricia, the Viscountess Osborne and Rosena’s mother, burst through the door.
Rosena followed closely behind her.

Slap!

“How dare you stab us in the back after all we’ve done raising you? You wicked thing!”

Striding forward, Tricia immediately slapped Cecilia across the face.
Cecilia touched her cheek and then looked back at them.
A derisive laugh escaped her at the sight of the two women trembling with uncontrollable rage.

‘The favor of raising me?’

They had raised her with blatant favoritism towards Rosena, constantly mistreating her.
The Viscount and Viscountess Osborne were never people who warmly embraced Cecilia with affection.
They would frequently withhold food and beat a child not even five years old.
Back then, Cecilia had thought it was her own fault.
But now she knew.
They had been afraid.
Afraid that Cecilia might one day demand her parents’ fortune back.

“We never should have taken in someone like you in the first pl—”

Smack!

Before Tricia could finish her sentence.
This time, it was Cecilia’s palm that struck the Viscountess’s cheek.
Tricia’s head snapped to the side, her finger pointing and spittle flying.
Her cheek flushed red following the imprint of Cecilia’s hand.
A gasp was heard from the shocked Rosena.

“Leah! You, what did you just d—”

Smack!

Another sharp, cracking sound, and the Viscountess’s face turned in the opposite direction.

“Oh my, she’s gone mad!”
“You, how dare you!”

Rosena screamed, and Tricia rushed forward with a furious face.
But Cecilia had no intention whatsoever of just taking it.
She instantly grabbed and subdued the Viscountess’s arms.
The Osborne women were no match for the tall Cecilia’s resistance.

“Let go! Let go of this!”

Tricia thrashed about disgracefully with her disheveled hair.
But Cecilia only tightened her grip in response.
Then, with a cold gaze, she spoke.

“Don’t raise your voice when you failed to raise your own daughter properly.”
“What? How dare you hit an elder twice and that—”
“That includes Rosena’s share. Or should I hit her instead?”

Cecilia gestured with her chin towards Rosena.
At those words, Rosena’s expression stiffened.
Right now, Cecilia seemed like she would actually hit Rosena, regardless of her possible pregnancy.
Rosena hurriedly changed her attitude.

“Li, Leah… Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”

Rosena spoke pitifully with a choked voice.
Her large eyes welled up with tears.
She tried to appeal, using tears as her weapon as she always had.
Until now, Cecilia’s heart had often softened at that sight.
But she refused to be treated like a fool any longer.

“Ah, that? I did it on purpose.”
“……What?”
“Putting on an act is your family’s specialty, isn’t it? I was disgusted, and a good opportunity came up, what of it?”

Rosena was left speechless, her mouth agape in shock.
It was the first time she had heard such harsh words from Cecilia.
She had always just laughed foolishly and granted every request!

Cecilia threw down the Viscountess’s arms as if discarding them.

“Will you fight more? Then let’s go to the square together. It would be better with spectators, wouldn’t it?”
“You, you…!”
“Mother! Are you alright?”

Tricia staggered, clutching the back of her neck.
Rosena ran to support her mother, but without even a glance their way, Cecilia picked up her travel bag and quietly headed for the front door.

“Where do you think you’re going! Rosena! Contact the house immediately! Tell them I’ll send her to Viscount Dylan!”

Tricia’s roaring shouts followed from behind.
Viscount Dylan was a shameless lecher who, despite being in his 70 s, was fond of women.
He was currently looking for his sixth wife, they said.
It was a position every noble in Listean with a daughter dreaded.
The reason for bringing up the Dylan Viscountcy was obvious.
They intended to sell off Cecilia and pocket the rewards that would come their way.
Even in this situation, making such calculations first was truly typical of the Osborne.

“Hey, where are you going! I’m not finished talking!”

Cecilia ignored them and stepped out the door.
Their words, coming from those who were less than human, weren’t worth a response.
Once outside, she moved without hesitation.

‘I’ll stay at a hotel for now.’

Fortunately, she had some money saved up little by little since childhood.
Coins the Osborne couple had tossed her one or two at a time, as if showing charity, which she had secretly saved.
It couldn’t compare to the fortune her parents left, but it was enough to stay at a hotel for a while.

‘The problem is what comes next.’

She had stormed out with great determination, but…
As the Viscountess said, legally, Cecilia was still under the Osborne family’s guardianship.
No matter that she was an adult, when it came to marriage matters, one couldn’t be completely free from a guardian’s influence.

‘If marriage talks with the Dylan Viscountcy start, it’ll become a real headache.’

It wasn’t realistically easy for an unmarried young lady with no backing to stand against a noble family.
Noble society always revolved around family prestige.

‘What should I do…’

Cecilia continued to think as she headed to the hotel.
What she needed now was a solid barrier that even the Osborne Viscountcy and the Dylan Viscountcy wouldn’t dare to touch.

Three days after the commotion at Cecilia’s wedding.
A carriage arrived in front of the Hayes Ducal residence.
It was the carriage carrying Reiner, returning from the family’s territory.

“Welcome back, Sir Reiner.”

Reiner alighted from the carriage and gave a slight nod to his aide, Harry, who had come to greet him.
The midday sun illuminated his sharp jawline, as if carved by a sculpting knife, and his high, straight nose bridge.
Even his thick black hair, lightly tousled by the spring breeze, remained neat and tidy.
Planting his long legs firmly on the ground, Reiner slowly removed the gloves he was wearing.
An elegant grace permeated even that trivial motion, but his expression was rigidly fixed.
It was always like this on days he returned from the Hayes territory.

“Is the Dowager Duchess in good health?”
“Regrettably, she still walks perfectly well on both legs.”

At Harry’s question, Reiner frowned and loosened his cravat.
It was a rare moment for him, who always maintained a restrained demeanor, to show emotion.
And for good reason; his relationship with Elise was the worst.

‘For a vulgar bastard to cling to the Hayes name, he struggles like a dog.’

To the public, Reiner was known as the youngest son of Dowager Duchess Elise.
But the reality was different.
He was the illegitimate child born between the former Duke Hayes and his mistress, Mariana.
Elise, proud both as a noble and as a woman, could not accept her husband’s infidelity.
All men in the world might have mistresses, but her husband should not have.
Being laughed at by others because of this was more humiliating to her than death.
That anger and despair was directed entirely at her husband’s young mistress, and ultimately, Mariana met her death in a mysterious fire.
Afterwards, Elise subjected Reiner, who entered the Ducal residence, to verbal and physical abuse.

“If it’s too difficult, perhaps you should refrain from visiting for a while.”

His loyal aide Harry cautiously suggested.
Having earned merit in the war and become the Crown Prince’s closest confidant, Reiner could now receive a sufficiently high title even without the Hayes Dukedom.
Combined with some inheritance from the former Duke and his war prize money, his wealth was also not lacking.
Harry found it disagreeable that he would subject himself to unnecessary humiliation by visiting Elise.

“It’s not that I go because I want to. I go to show the old folks of Hayes.”
However, Reiner raised a hand to refuse his aide’s suggestion.
The only reason he outwardly observed the proprieties of a son towards Elise was one thing.
The Hayes Dukedom.
The fire that killed his mother Mariana was clearly Elise’s doing.
But it was only a strong suspicion.
To reveal the truth, he needed to rise to a position higher than hers and pressure her.

“My brother won’t last long. Until then, I must avoid giving the Hayes vassals any grounds for criticism.”

By a stroke of luck, Gilbert, Elise’s son, had no children and was ill, merely holding onto his position.
Therefore, Reiner was the likely successor to the next Dukedom.
Until then, he had no choice but to lower his head, endure dealing with the ugly old woman, and be patient.
Meticulously avoiding unnecessary gossip was also crucial.

“Ah, by the way, there is a guest waiting in the drawing room.”

At that moment, the report caused Reiner to halt his steps.

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