I stared blankly at Cedric after hearing his sudden words. Cedric didn’t look pleased either, as if he wasn’t too happy about it.
“My mother is sick.”
At those words, I immediately put down my fork and spoke.
“Yes, go ahead. But… is it okay if I don’t come with you?”
“No, it’s fine. You don’t have to come.”
Cedric gave a faint smile as he refused. That bothered me again. Now, I also wanted to do my best for Cedric.
“Still, since your mother is sick, I’ll go with you.”
Cedric’s expression stiffened in a strange way.
“Revril, are you sure about that?”
“About what?”
“My mother doesn’t really like you. I just think you might feel uncomfortable.”
“Wouldn’t this be a chance for me to do better, then? And besides, you said she’s not feeling well.”
“That’s true, but I think I can handle it on my own.”
“No. I feel like she’ll say something worse if I don’t go with you. I’ll go this time.”
Cedric didn’t seem very happy about it. He didn’t answer for a moment and just looked at me with a stiff face. Thinking about last night, I said,
“And… I think I’d be scared to stay in this house alone. I even heard a strange sound yesterday.”
Cedric stared at me for a long time, then sighed and spoke.
“If that’s how you feel, then do as you want.”
“Thank you for being considerate.”
I gave him a small smile. Cedric didn’t smile back. That bothered me, but I was still relieved that Cedric was thinking of me.
This was finally a chance to make a good impression on Cedric’s mother. A lot of time had passed, and since she was sick, I felt I should visit and take care of her. I wanted to be a good person to Cedric’s family too.
Two days later, Cedric and I left the mansion in a large carriage. I couldn’t wait to see the newly finished room in our mansion, but this matter was more urgent.
Still, it was my first time riding a carriage far away with Cedric since our wedding, so my heart fluttered with both nervousness and excitement. His scent filled the carriage, and it made me feel like leaning on him. I could feel his presence more clearly.
When Cedric met my eyes, he spoke calmly.
“It’ll take about two hours to get to the estate. My brother and his wife will be coming there soon too.”
I simply nodded. Then I held up the box in my hands.
“She’ll like this, right?”
Cedric nodded with a smile.
“She’ll like it. Leaf tea is her favorite, so just the smell of it will make her want to drink it right away.”
His words gave me a bit of relief. Cedric’s mother was a strict and cold person. She never smiled and looked at me coldly during the wedding. Still, since I was bringing tea she liked, I hoped it would ease the mood a bit.
As I was happily looking out the carriage window—
“Revril.”
Hearing his soft voice, I turned my head. Cedric was looking at me. He had probably been watching me for a while—his gaze was very intense. His expression also looked a little worried, making me feel uneasy.
“Why?”
“Are you really okay with meeting my mother?”
“Yes. I told you two days ago. I’m really fine.”
“She’s sick now, so her mood might be even worse than usual.”
“Maybe she’s acting like that because she’s feeling very sick. When my father had a cold, he scolded me a lot more than usual.”
Even after I said that, Cedric’s expression didn’t soften. He kept staring at me with a tense face. I carefully asked,
“Is there something else going on?”
Cedric shook his head.
“No. I’ll talk to her.”
Only then did I smile and hug the box tightly. At least Cedric was by my side, so I felt a lot better.
The carriage ran quickly and soon arrived in front of a large mansion. It was clearly different from the one I usually lived in. Since it was located in Cedric’s territory, the scale was huge. There were three buildings in total. The large main mansion stood in the center, and two buildings just as grand were on either side—it was quite a sight.
However, despite being an old and elegant mansion, it seemed poorly maintained. Moss and grass were growing on the side walls. Maybe because of all the shade, the area felt cool and slightly gloomy.
I had visited here once before, right after our wedding.
‘It didn’t look this dark back then.’
The wedding had taken place here. I didn’t have time to really look around then, but even if it was poorly maintained now, compared to other houses, I could still see the influence of the Jedburgh family.
Then, a warm touch reached my hand. I looked up, and Cedric was holding my hand with a smile. He gently tucked my hair behind my ear and spoke softly.
“Even if my mother treats you harshly, don’t be discouraged.”
I nodded, holding the box tightly. To be honest, I was a little nervous. Cedric’s mother didn’t have a nice personality. I could still remember her sharp eyes. Her cold gaze was filled with contempt and disregard.
Still, I was thankful Cedric was with me. I leaned on him as we entered the mansion together. An elderly butler greeted us and led the way.
Only Cedric’s mother lived here. I heard that the Batis couple occasionally stayed over. Originally, Cedric was supposed to live here too, but since he had a lot of work in the capital, he lived on the outskirts instead.
If Cedric’s mother passed away, I might end up living here. Though Cedric said he lived outside the capital because of work, this was actually his main home.
As we walked up the stairs and reached a certain door, the butler stopped for a moment. He turned to Cedric and calmly said,
“Madam doesn’t know Lady Revril is here.”
Cedric looked at me for a moment. When I gave him a confused look, he asked calmly,
“Revril, are you okay with this?”
I nodded like it was nothing.
“I’m really okay.”
Cedric looked at me with concern. His face was so stiff that I smiled to reassure him. After staring at me for a while, his expression finally softened a little. He nodded to the butler.
When the butler opened the door, it creaked loudly. It was an old house and clearly not well maintained.
Cedric held my hand even tighter. When I looked up at him, he bent down and kissed my cheek lightly.
“If she says something harsh, step outside for a bit.”
I nodded. His mother might still dislike me. It had been three years already.
Cedric looked at me and asked again.
“Revril, and even if she says something harsh, don’t think too much. She’s very sick right now and might not be thinking clearly.”
“Don’t worry. I’m okay.”
I smiled brighter than before. Cedric’s gaze deepened slightly, then he turned his head and gently led me into the room.
The room smelled heavily of medicine. It was very spacious, but with Cedric’s mother lying in bed, the room felt empty. There were medicine packets nearby, and a maid stood by. As Cedric and I approached, the maid bowed her head and stepped back.
Cedric walked up to his mother and spoke quietly.
“Mother.”
His mother slowly lifted her head. Though her wrinkled face showed no emotion, her eyes were sharp enough to feel threatening. She looked at Cedric, about to speak—but then saw me. Her gaze immediately turned fierce.
“Why is she here?”
“Mother, Revril…”
I quickly stepped forward and offered the neatly wrapped box to her.
“Mother, I brought your favorite leaf tea…”
Her eyes became even colder.
“Take it away.”
I stood frozen for a moment. Hearing those words directly made my mind go blank. Cedric calmly took the box from my hands.
“Mother, it’s leaf tea. Revril picked it out especially as a gift.”
“I won’t drink anything she gives. Someone from a useless family wouldn’t know how to choose proper leaf tea.”
Cedric’s eyebrows twisted slightly.
