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Chapter 39 – Part 1
Despite the shocking revelation, Lily did not show any outward reaction at all. She remained calm and she did not flinch.
Rather, she sat still on her seat with the corners of her lips turning up. As though everything about this was laughable to her.
Missus Annabella Seymour’s lips hardened by themselves when she saw Lily like this.
And… It was exactly for this reason that she loathed Lily Everett.
‘…Creepy little wench.’
Annabella did not hate Lily from the start.
Her father was Duke Everett and her mother was a maid. Annabella was not happy because Lily wasn’t a good match for Theodore, but what comforted her from this situation was that Lily would eventually leave the Valentino residence after she and Theodore would get divorced.
That is, until Annabella realized that Theodore had feelings for Lily.
‘Theo, even though you’re acquiescing to the Everetts right now, once you’ve raised House Valentino to make us strong again, you’re thinking of divorcing Lily, right? In the first place, Lily Everett cannot be a part of our family. I know that you’re keep this in mind.’
‘…I’ll take care of my relationship with my wife, Aunt. You don’t have to worry about it.’
It was a conversation that she had with Theodore before he lost his memories. It was around the time that Lily had entered the Valentino residence.
Theodore had always been courteous and polite towards his elders. He had never once spoken back with such defiance.
As if the solid ground beneath her feet was shaking and crumbling, Annabella felt a sense of crisis.
All of this was because of the contamination that Lily Everett brought with her. If Annabella wouldn’t remove all of the impurities as fast as she could, then everything around that the wench would touch will be dirtied.
That’s why Annabella wanted to remove Lily before it was too late.
‘I can never accept that wench. This time again, how dare you defile House Valentino and bewitch Theodore once more.’
And more than anything else, it’s that wench’s creepy personality.
Her face was as gentle as a lamb’s, giving off an innocent and fragile air to her—as if she would break at any given moment. But it’s clear that her insides were rotted and dark and putrid.
Theodore did not know just what kind of monster that wench was. Lily grew up with the demons of Everett, so how could she not be a devil just like them.
Wasn’t that the case right now? Look at that brazen attitude, knowing no shame even as her infertility has been exposed! And the mocking way she was looking at the person who revealed the truth!
Annabella simply could not stand her.
How could there be such a terrible thing.
House Valentino was the precious home and treasure that Annabella had been cherishing for a long time. Did she not get this position only after being as patient as one could be?
Annabella was the matriarch of the Valentino Duchy, and even the duke himself bows his head to her and does his best to please her…
She had to protect her Valentino family. She could never let it be dirtied.
Obsessed for most of her life and left with nothing else to live for, the woman’s eyes flashed dangerously.
* * *
It was around eight in the morning when Missus Seymour called for me. I went to see what she was going to say, but what awaited me in that living room was the suffocating chill of the atmosphere.
As I arrived, the only thing she told me was to sit down, and then she remained silent.
Amidst that silence where no words were exchanged, Missus Seymour’s contemptuous gaze was fixed on me. However, I didn’t care.
I just wanted to know why she called me here and was keeping me waiting.
And finally, the reason was revealed.
‘…I’m barren? I did read that one of the sleeping pills’ side effects was infertility, but I never got to confirm whether I’d become barren or not.’
In any case, if it’s true, it didn’t matter to me.
But the thing was, Missus Seymour was trying to put pressure on me on the pretext of my infertility.
…And all this would do was to speed up the divorce between me and Theodore.
‘You’ve become so impatient about getting rid of me right away, huh.’
I picked up the teacup that I had set down earlier, then I took a sip.
Poor Missus Seymour was under the impression that infertility was a great disgrace to all women.
But I’m not ashamed of that at all. Go ahead and look at me with bugged out eyes for all I care.
‘It’s a pity, but… I don’t care whether I’m barren or not.’
If you don’t intend to have a child, is it still important to have the ability to bear one? To be honest, I knew that if I were to give birth to a child, the only inheritance I’d be passing off to them was misfortune.
So perhaps this was better. If I’m really barren… Well, life was tough anyway. It’s better not to be born.
‘My mother gave birth to me, but didn’t take responsibility for the misfortune she left for me to deal with in my life.’
I would rather not be a mother like that.
If I can’t give anything else to the child, it’s better not to have one.
“…It is still not certain whether my wife is barren, Aunt.”
Tearing through that blanket of silence was Theodore’s grave voice.
But even with this, Missus Seymour scoffed triumphantly and snapped back.
“Even if she really is infertile, you were going to cover it up, weren’t you? Am I wrong?”
Then, Theodore closed his lips as if he could say nothing else. Only after a moment’s silence did he speak once more.
“…Lily is my wife. It’s only natural that I’m protecting her.”
With an absolutely incredulous look, Missus Seymour laughed.
She pointed straight at me and shouted.
“Are you talking nonsense without even processing what you’re saying? That girl is an Everett! A daughter of that vile House Everett!”