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Chapter 1
Prologue
“Eileen, you know what day tomorrow is, don’t you?”
At her mother-in-law Sophia’s words, Eileen snapped her lowered head up.
Tomorrow was the anniversary of her parents’ deaths.
Every year on this day, she would go to their grave and place flowers there.
Even though they had died in an unexpected accident and not even their bodies were recovered—leaving the coffin beneath the grave completely empty……
I knew it. After ten years of marriage, she’s finally trying to understand my feelings!
Eileen clasped both hands to her chest, her face lighting up with joy.
She had always been an obedient, dutiful daughter-in-law—never talking back, always faithfully following her mother-in-law’s words.
Even when that meant being treated like a slave, forced to handle all the household work of this enormous mansion, or being ordered to eat leftovers that even the maids wouldn’t touch……
“Such a waste to throw it away! If you don’t eat it, who do you think will?!”
……Eileen always complied willingly.
There was only one thing she ever asked for.
Just once a year—she wanted permission to observe her parents’ death anniversary.
Yet every year, as that date approached, Sophia deliberately burdened her with work, determined not to let her go.
But finally… even Mother is changing……!
After all, sincerity eventually reaches people.
But her joy was short-lived.
“Yes. Tomorrow is the day of the tea party I’m hosting.”
At her mother-in-law’s next words, Eileen stared at her in shock.
Sophia continued, utterly unapologetic.
“So you’ll go to the dawn market and bring back some fresh flowers.”
“But, Mother……”
“Of course, we could buy them the day before, but flowers bought fresh that morning are prettier, aren’t they? And naturally, as the eldest daughter-in-law of this household, you’ll be attending the tea party as well, won’t you?”
“Mother, please—just for a moment……”
Eileen had always answered obediently with “Yes” or “Yes, Mother.”
But not today.
“Mother, tomorrow is my parents’—”
“How dare you talk back to your mother-in-law!”
The moment she finally gathered the courage to speak, what returned was a shout like a cracking whip.
Eileen quickly lowered her head.
But this time, she couldn’t back down so easily.
“Eileen, my precious daughter. You are a noble being. You’ll live your whole life loved and cherished.”
Those were the words her parents always told her.
With a trembling voice, Eileen forced the words out.
“Tomorrow is, as you know, the anniversary of my parents’ deaths.”
Her parents had died ten years ago in a sudden fire.
Sixteen-year-old Eileen had been there at the scene—and she alone survived.
Though the shock caused her to lose an entire year of her memories……
She suspected that her parents had shielded her with their own bodies to save her.
Otherwise, there was no way only she could have survived such a massive fire.
That was why she wanted so desperately to honor their anniversary.
“I just want to place a single flower in front of their grave.”
At her timid yet earnest plea, her mother-in-law’s face turned crimson.
“Do you not know that once a woman marries, she becomes an outsider to her own family?! What does your dead parents have to do with our household?!”
“……”
“You ruined my son’s life with a premarital pregnancy! And you dare to make a fuss about your parents’ death anniversary?!”
Cruel, heart-scratching words poured out for a long time after that.
You disgraced my son.
You filthy woman who couldn’t even keep her chastity!
You cursed orphan who killed her own parents—if a prestigious family like ours took you in, you should’ve crawled in gratitude!
Eileen endured every harsh word, keeping her head bowed.
A child is made by two people—if she was indecent, then her mother-in-law’s precious son was just as indecent.
Moreover, because she had lost her memories from age sixteen, she didn’t even remember how she met her current husband or how she ended up having a child with him.
Still, wasn’t it her husband who had saved her ten years ago, when she lost her family and fortune in the fire and nearly ended up wandering the streets?
Even if that salvation came because of a child she didn’t even remember giving birth to.
That was why she had endured all this humiliation in silence……
But when Sophia began insulting her deceased parents, Eileen couldn’t bear it anymore.
“How could Count Kettel have raised a child like this! Is that how your parents taught you?”
“My parents were good and kind people.”
“What? Oh my, look at this child—are you talking back to me again?”
With a voice shaking from rage and misery, Eileen continued.
“They ran a large business but always helped others, and they were respected by neighbors and commoners alike.”
Unlike you, who run your business through dirty means, live in luxury every day, and never donate a single coin.
As she finally spat the words out, Eileen’s fists trembled.
It was the first act of rebellion she’d shown since getting married.
“You little—how dare you glare at me like that, not even afraid of your mother-in-law!”
“Mother! I’ve obeyed you for ten years since I got married! I followed everything you said!”
Eileen cried out, unable to hold it in any longer.
The resentment she had bottled up burst forth all at once.
“But you hate me every single time and scold me like this—I don’t know what I’m supposed to do anymore!”
“Eileen!”
“Please, just once, acknowledge me as your daughter-in-law!”
“You wretched woman! How dare you, after ruining my son’s life!”
Overcome with rage, Sophia looked around, then grabbed a large vase nearby.
And with all her strength, she smashed it down onto Eileen’s head.
“Mother, I—ahh!”
In her fury, she struck blindly—and hit Eileen squarely on the head.
Thud.
Eileen’s frail body collapsed onto the floor.
Still not satisfied, Sophia continued screaming.
“How dare you defy your mother-in-law! Where did you learn such insolence?! I won’t let you off today—”
Then her voice trailed off.
Something was wrong.
Eileen lay on the floor, completely motionless.
“Hey… child. Do you think I’ll fall for this? Stop pretending and get up—!”
Sophia gasped sharply.
Bright red blood was pooling beneath Eileen’s head.
“Why did we ever bring this walking disaster into our home?!”
Even at the sight of her collapsed daughter-in-law, Sophia only blamed others.
“A doctor…… No. No, that won’t do.”
Despite Eileen bleeding heavily on the floor, Sophia thought quickly.
“If we call a city doctor, rumors will spread in high society. What if this girl opens her mouth and says I hit her…….”
Legally, it wouldn’t be a problem.
In this empire, where women’s rights were low, all rights over a married woman belonged to her husband’s family.
Still, even so, it would ruin their reputation in society.
“We’re already mocked for being a low-born count’s family…… Honestly, this girl is completely useless!”
Cursing irritably, Sophia called a maid instead of a doctor.
“Emma!”
“Yes, Madam—ah!”
The maid who entered at her call gasped when she saw Eileen collapsed in a pool of blood.
Sophia gave her cold orders.
“Clean everything without leaving bloodstains. And remove all the broken vase pieces.”
“Yes, Madam.”
The maid immediately complied, then glanced at Eileen and asked,
“What should we do about the young madam?”
“Haa… You’re giving me such a headache. Just take care of it yourself. Make sure there’s no visible scar.”
Sophia held absolute authority over everything in this household.
Since she treated her daughter-in-law with such contempt and cruelty, even the maids couldn’t help but look down on Eileen.
“You know you can’t tell anyone about this, right?”
Sophia muttered quietly as she tossed a silver coin.
Emma quickly caught it with both hands, grinning as she bowed deeply.
“Of course, Madam. How could I ever say a word?”
