What Did You Say?
Idel leaned her body even closer. Her voice, repeating Rowena’s words, had sunk lower than usual.
Her tone was twisted with something far from ordinary.
“Well, Rowena. If you felt that way, then yes.”
“What? Does that mean… the aunt is doing this because she… because she hates me?”
At Melissa’s outlandish statement, the duke’s wife’s hands trembled as she clutched the handkerchief tightly.
Despite the wounded look on the duke’s wife, Melissa stood with arms crossed and watched her in silence.
‘Looking at them standing side by side like this, Melissa really is much taller than the duke’s wife.’
She had always thought Melissa looked tall because she acted like a mother and acted up near her.
‘By paintbrush comparison, the duke’s wife seems much more refined than Melissa.’
As Idel stole glances at the two women’s profiles and thought useless thoughts, Melissa fixed a fierce gaze on the duke’s wife, her expression meaningless as she asked.
“Rowena, is it still important to you whether I hate you? Even after I’ve gone this far with Idel?”
“…That’s……”
“Honestly, unexpected. I didn’t think you’d call me here to talk about our relationship.”
Lips dyed as red as blood twisted into a strange line.
“Though I hesitate to put this into words… to answer your question, no. I don’t hate you, Rowena.”
“……”
“How could I hate you? It’s just that ‘love’ has turned me into this. Taking Idel, destroying your gift… all because of love.”
At Melissa’s mad words, Idel’s face crumpled.
‘Is this woman crazy? Does she really think this makes sense?’
It wasn’t just warm Americanos or wordplay either. This wasn’t even a clever joke.
‘Even the duke’s wife couldn’t react at all.’
With her delicate brows furrowed and face frozen, Melissa gave a light smile in front of the duke’s wife.
“You finding out I don’t hate you is shocking?”
“……I can’t understand my sister. How……”
“Yes, you don’t have to understand me. Since the day you brought that Clementine duke as your marriage partner, I’ve given up trying to understand you.”
Melissa’s mocking murmur made the duke’s wife take one step closer. Thanks to her height, the distance between them vanished in an instant.
Melissa reached out and swept the duke’s wife’s hair down. With a seemingly gentle touch, she stroked her head, then lightly pinched her younger sister’s chin between her fingers.
She bent down to meet her eye level and continued slowly. A deep smile curved her lips.
“When the time comes, you’ll understand the depth of my love too, Rowena.”
“……Sylvia was right. I shouldn’t have created this situation with my sister.”
Her voice choked with tears as she turned and hurried down the stairs. So urgent was she that she nearly dropped the handkerchief she clutched.
At the duke’s wife’s sudden departure, Idel’s body stiffened.
She hadn’t hidden her form perfectly in the darkness.
Yet luckily, the duke’s wife had no idea of Idel’s presence. The situation and surging emotions in her chest were far too intense and deep.
As Idel heard Rowena’s footsteps fade, she quickly turned her gaze toward the stairs.
She was uneasy that Melissa had gone too quiet.
‘Could she have realized I’m hiding here too?’
She pondered the chilling sentence while staring…
‘…Crazy.’
Idel muttered a curse without realizing it. Of course she would.
Melissa was carefully pressing the duke’s wife’s handkerchief to her lips. With an expression full of longing.
“……Rowena, my dear sister.”
Her voice had loosened to an unbelievable degree, making Idel’s eyes widen in shock.
‘Is that really Melissa standing there?’
She rubbed her eyes, but nothing changed. Was that all?
Melissa’s voice wasn’t the only thing loose. Her expression, her gestures, even her eyes were completely different from before.
And everything pointed to… wait, no way?
‘The person Melissa loves isn’t the duke… but the duke’s wife?’
She had been lost in her sister’s incestuous settings that ignored gender!
‘No, is gender really the issue now? Even if she’s adopted and their blood isn’t mixed, loving her own sister? Having grown up together her whole life?’
Idel stared at Melissa without blinking.
Now that she knew the truth and reconsidered, every action and word Melissa had done made sense in a new light.
‘So Melissa entered the ducal family not to steal her sister from her, but to destroy the duke she took from her? She used me to kill the duke not out of hatred for her sister or to break him… but to eliminate her rival?’
It was dizzying. Clearly, love had driven her mad.
At this sudden cliffhanger ending, Idel moved slightly.
Just as she tried to use the moment, Melissa’s voice pulled Idel’s attention back.
She pulled the handkerchief from her arms and crumpled her younger sister’s one like it was no use.
The handkerchief the duke’s wife had held looked quite large in her hands, but in Melissa’s it looked small.
“……Sylvia… that irritating lady-in-waiting who always sticks by Rowena’s side must be dealt with soon.”
Sylvia? Why was Sylvia suddenly here?
“I’ll shake the servants a bit more. It’s about time to actively bully Idel. Then……”
‘Wait, me too?’
At the sudden appearance of her own name, Idel frowned. It was to understand Melissa’s intentions more clearly…
“……Wait. Who’s there?”
In a situation even more important and chilling, Idel’s breath stopped.
Melissa’s sharp gaze looked straight at the entrance where Idel was.
“……”
She raised her hand cautiously to cover her mouth and nose, but Melissa had already sensed her presence.
“……Where did the rat come from?”
Her twisted lips formed a cruel smile. She shouldn’t have gotten involved with a crazy person…
‘Of all people, I’m her crazy daughter.’
Idel sighed and wrapped her body tightly. The footsteps were getting closer.
‘…If I get found here, it’s over.’
If her role as Melissa’s faithful puppet was exposed, everything would collapse.
At this situation that was no different from a horror movie scene, Idel squeezed her eyes shut.
Just as she did, laughter from a man and a woman echoed from the stair entrance along with their presence.
“Ugh! Seriously, even like this you still… Hah!”
“Why? What’s wrong……”
“Hah! L-Lady? Why are you here……”
Both servants’ faces turned ghostly pale as Melissa’s once glittering eyes went cold.
“It’s nothing. I was just about to leave.”
“Ah, I-I see.”
Melissa’s eyes swept lightly over the two servants who had lowered their heads.
Since she hadn’t done anything yet, the way they were trembling was amusing. Melissa let out a light snort.
‘Yeah, they’re not worth talking to.’
Melissa neatly folded the handkerchief into her pocket and passed by the two as if they weren’t even there.
Luckily, the couple who had bowed to Melissa hid Idel’s presence better with their bodies.
‘They’re gone……’
Ah, I really thought I’d have a heart attack!
While her pounding heart calmed, the two outside were also voicing their shock.
“Ugh! You scared me! Why would the late Count’s wife come here alone? We almost got caught!”
“Caught? Everyone in the ducal family thinks we’re cousins anyway, what’s there to catch?”
“That cousin thing… How long are we supposed to keep saying it? I’m tired of sneaking around like this.”
She never thought it would lead to this other kind of plot twist, but…
‘…I should sneak out while there’s a gap? Wait for them to get lost in their romance.’
Melissa’s bomb had made her want to avoid more twists today.
As Idel moved her body trying to find a gap, a voice came from the man soothing the woman.
“Hey, just a little longer. You know what position Sylvia’s in. I’ll get you guarantees and leave right away. You’ve received everything you need, right? It’s better to start something rich with me, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, but……”
…Again Sylvia.
Idel slowly moved her body again and hid in the space.