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Chapter 63
One second. Two seconds. Three seconds…
An eternity seemed to pass.
No—
It felt as though time itself had stopped.
“Ah…”
With Sophia’s faint, trembling breath, the frozen moment began to move again.
“Maybel!”
Calling out desperately, Sophia ran forward, her light blue dress fluttering behind her.
Maybel didn’t even have time to step back.
“My baby…!”
Sophia collapsed as she pulled Maybel into her arms, sobbing.
“Wah… sob… my daughter, my baby! I’ve missed you so, so much…!”
Tears streamed endlessly from Sophia’s eyes.
Her sorrow was so heartfelt that it brought tears to the eyes of those watching.
But the one in her arms—
Maybel—
felt her mind turn completely cold.
‘So… this is the plan.’
Once, when Kesare had called her “my daughter,” her heart had wavered.
But that had been the first—
And the last time.
After learning the truth about him, Maybel no longer held even the slightest expectation toward Ashilonia.
More than anything, that had been half a year ago.
During that time, she had lived in the Grand Ducal estate with Zigmunt—
And firmly steeled her resolve.
She would never forgive Kesare.
Nor Sophia.
Nor the Ashilonia family.
That was why, while she had been worried Sophia might appear today—
She had also been curious.
To think they would reuse something so obvious—
The same “my daughter” act that had already failed once.
All the tension she had felt until now suddenly drained away.
“Ha…”
A hollow sigh escaped her.
Sophia flinched at the sound.
“My baby…? My daughter?”
Had she realized something was wrong?
Blinking her tear-soaked lashes, Sophia looked at Maybel.
True to being the story’s heroine, even her tear-streaked face was beautiful.
But Maybel’s gaze remained cold.
“What are you saying now?”
Speaking deliberately, louder than usual, Maybel pushed Sophia’s arms away.
“My baby…?”
Startled, Sophia tried to grab her again—
But Maybel was faster.
“You’re the one who abandoned me.”
At those words—
The people who had been moved to tears by the reunion froze.
Only then did Sophia notice—
Unlike her own tear-filled eyes, Maybel’s were completely dry.
At the same time, realizing the plan was falling apart, Kesare hastily stepped in.
“Maybel, how can you speak to your mother like that?”
Helping Sophia up as if she were something precious, he scolded Maybel.
“I admit I committed an unforgivable sin against you. And I apologized, didn’t I? But to treat your mother like this… that’s too much.”
“N-no, dear. This is all my fault.”
Leaning weakly against him, Sophia stopped him.
Then, with a fragile, pleading expression, she reached out to Maybel again.
“My child, it’s all a misunderstanding. But I was wrong. I’ll apologize like this, so please… please forgive your mother.”
“Yes. As Sophia said, it’s all a misunderstanding. It was my fault. That’s why she had no choice but to leave you.”
Kesare added smoothly.
“I’ve quit drinking too. I’ll never again behave badly toward your mother because of alcohol.”
He subtly shifted the blame for his violence onto alcohol.
After all, among nobles, drunken behavior was often excused.
“That’s right. Your father and I promised. We won’t drink again. So, Maybel, don’t worry and come to your mother—”
Sophia reached out once more.
But Maybel simply took another step back.
“I don’t care about Father. I’m talking to you, Mother.”
“Maybel…?”
“Mother, you always said it, didn’t you? That I was a child who should never have been born. That if it was going to be like this, why was I even born. That other people’s children miscarried so easily—so how did I cling on and survive like this?”
Cracks formed on Sophia’s face.
The shocking revelation made people gasp.
Even Francesca and Ian—
Who had been watching quietly—
Were no exception.
Zigmunt, who had been glaring at Kesare, stiffened as he looked at Maybel.
Because Maybel had never told him about the abuse from Sophia before.
Caught off guard, Sophia stammered,
“W-what… what are you saying, Maybel? When did I ever—”
The smile she forced onto her lips trembled.
It wasn’t sorrow.
It was irritation.
Maybel’s refusal to follow the script was starting to annoy her.
Maybel didn’t miss that subtle change.
“There’s more. Shall I tell them? My first memory is of you pressing a pillow over my—”
“Stop!!!”
Sophia screamed, cutting her off.
The shrill, almost hysterical sound made people frown.
But Maybel didn’t even blink.
As if—
She was used to this.
And in that instant—
Everyone understood.
Everything Maybel had said was true.
A chilling silence fell over the banquet hall.
Sophia’s face turned pale.
“I-it’s just… that is…”
She scrambled for excuses—
But no one was listening anymore.
“How often must she have screamed at that child…”
“How horrible. To say such cruel things and abandon her—only to act like a victim now…”
Voices filled with disgust and contempt began to rise.
No one was on Sophia’s side anymore.
Seeing the situation spiral, Francesca could no longer remain passive.
‘At this rate, even the duchess will lose her parental rights!’
And if that happened—
Her entire plan to win the emperor’s favor through this engagement would collapse.
Francesca stood up and raised her voice.
“Enough! What do you all think this place is? This is a celebration for my son, the Crown Prince’s birthday!”
Her commanding voice restored order.
The nobles coughed awkwardly and dispersed.
But Maybel had no intention of stopping here.
At this point—
She had to make it final.
‘I didn’t discuss this with him… but it should be okay, right…?’
As Maybel tightly held Zigmunt’s hand—
He squeezed hers back.
As if to say—
No matter what she did, he would stand by her.
Encouraged, Maybel raised her voice toward Kesare and Sophia, who were trying to slip away.
“So don’t you dare try to act like parents now and decide my engagement or marriage as you please!”
“……!”
Francesca’s eyes widened.
Even Kesare and Sophia turned back in shock.
Staring straight at them, Maybel shouted again—
“If you truly think of me as your daughter even a little—then stop trying to use me! If those tears you shed today were real!”
Making everyone present—
Her witnesses.
