Mother-in-law let out a hollow laugh and muttered,
“I was so shocked when I heard that from the servants.”
She stared at me sharply. Her eyes were filled with so much hostility it felt deadly.
“If you were from a well-known noble family, you wouldn’t have acted so foolishly.”
“……”
“Even someone like Herder would’ve helped Cedric grow wings. And without causing such losses.”
“I’m sorry, Mother. I……”
“Didn’t I say it already! I don’t want to hear anything from you!”
Her shrill voice startled me, and my shoulders flinched. I held back the tears that were about to fall.
When I kept my mouth shut, she yelled again.
“I can’t stand seeing someone like you as the mistress of the Jedburgh family, and now I have to listen to your voice too?”
I bowed my head silently.
“I heard you’re even using my son to give money to your father? You really are shameless.”
I had never used Cedric. But no matter what I said now, it would only make her angrier, so I stayed quiet.
In this situation, I knew Mother wouldn’t listen to anything I said.
She looked at me with eyes full of hatred.
“That’s why you’re a failure. Cedric doesn’t even need someone like you. If it weren’t for you, he wouldn’t be struggling so much.”
Just then, there was a knock. When Mother looked toward the door, it opened and a bright voice filled the room.
“Mother.”
“Oh, you’re here.”
Mother immediately smiled. She must’ve already known Herder was coming, because she didn’t even look surprised by the interruption.
I looked at her in shock. I didn’t know Cedric’s mother could smile like that.
Herder came close to me and greeted me with a soft smile, but I couldn’t smile back.
I just bowed my head to greet her. Herder cheerfully said,
“Mother, Batis had a hard time finding the mining technology documents. Luckily, he kept some of the old ones from the previous mines in good condition.”
“You had to suffer because of someone who doesn’t know anything.”
“It’s fine. We should help each other more in hard times.”
Herder smiled slightly and looked at me.
When I stayed silent, Cedric’s mother shouted again.
“Don’t you even know how to say thank you?”
I finally opened my mouth to Herder.
“Thank you, Lady Herder.”
“Oh, don’t mention it. Batis really went through a lot, but we had to help to get things done properly.”
My heart ached painfully. I never imagined my mistake would cause such a mess.
‘I should’ve just stayed quiet.’
I bit my lips and couldn’t raise my head.
“So the rest of the documents haven’t been found yet?”
“Batis is still searching, but one of them is still missing.”
“Ugh, this is why I told Cedric not to marry. When someone clueless joins the family, everything gets messed up like this.”
“Mother, don’t say it like that. I’m sure Revril was just trying her best.”
“Trying? She disgraces the Jedburgh family just by existing. What effort?”
Herder looked at me with a smile.
I felt my face burn with shame, wishing I could crawl into a hole.
“Cedric is struggling because of you! If it weren’t for you, he’d be expanding into other businesses by now.”
As her voice rose, Herder gently stopped her with a smile.
“Mother, don’t be so angry. Excessive anger is bad for your health.”
“There’s nothing left to ruin. I don’t think I have much time left anyway.”
“Please don’t say that. You have to see our child being born.”
“I’d love to see your child, but I don’t know how long I’ll live.”
I could feel her gaze turn to me. It was so sharp my palms started sweating.
“Good thing that girl hasn’t gotten pregnant with Cedric’s child.”
The words stabbed at my heart. I didn’t even have time to collect myself before her shrill voice rang out again.
“Imagine a child born from that girl. She hasn’t learned anything—how would she raise a child properly?”
Herder sat on the bed and spoke gently.
“But there are many good tutors these days.”
“That’s true, but there are manners a child should learn from the mother. Only good families like yours can teach that, Herder.”
“That’s true. Our family does have excellent etiquette education.”
“Exactly. Prestigious families pass down proper manners thoroughly.”
Her tongue clicked loudly, and the sound buzzed in my ears. I barely held back my tears.
If I cried here, they’d only say worse things.
“Anyway, what makes you think you can just keep sitting there? When Herder arrives, you should know to give up your seat right away.”
Herder smiled at me.
“Mother, I’m fine. I actually like sitting close to you.”
“No, dear. Your family is far superior, so she should move.”
Herder looked at me with a smile.
Mother’s voice rang out sharply from the side.
“If you learned proper manners, you wouldn’t just sit there like a fool. You don’t even know what’s right because you weren’t taught anything.”
“Mother, please don’t say it like that. I’m sure Revril didn’t mean to. She probably just didn’t know.”
They kept talking about etiquette, but Cedric is the family head. I had every right to sit in that seat.
Just as I was about to speak—
“Revril, aren’t you going to move?”
Herder still had a smile, but her eyes were cold.
Mother looked at me and shouted,
“Why are you sitting there like you’ve been wronged? Herder is Cedric’s older brother’s wife, you know.”
“But……”
Herder lightly tapped my leg and glared at me.
As even Mother started shouting, I hesitantly stood up.
Herder calmly sat in my seat.
I felt humiliated.
Their words and gazes felt like knives stabbing deep into my chest.
“This is exactly the problem.”
Mother-in-law looked at me with disgust.
If I stayed there any longer, the tears I was holding back would fall.
I tried hard to calm down and speak—
A voice came from outside the door.
“Ma’am, it’s time for your medicine.”
It was the voice of the old butler.
Cedric’s mother checked the clock and muttered unhappily,
“It’s not even time yet. Why is he calling already?”
Herder calmly stood up.
“But Mother, you still need to take your medicine regularly.”
“Every time this happens, I remember what the astrologer said. That I don’t have much time left, so taking medicine is pointless.”
Herder held her hand tightly.
“Please don’t say that, Mother.”
Cedric’s mother sighed.
“Still, I’m glad you’re here. You ease my frustration.”
Herder smiled brightly.
“Call me anytime you feel troubled. I’ll always listen to you.”
“Alright.”
Cedric’s mother nodded slightly and muttered,
“This is why Batis should’ve become the head. If he had, I wouldn’t have to see someone like her.”
Just then, the door opened and the butler entered.
He was with a doctor.
As they greeted her, Cedric’s mother waved her hand weakly toward Herder.
“You should go now.”
Herder held her hand one last time and let go.
Then she stood up and walked to the door.
As I was about to follow her out—
“You should’ve known to leave already. Standing there like that.”
I clenched my fists and quickly left the room.
I was about to head down the opposite hallway—
“Revril.”
I stopped walking. I couldn’t turn back.
Tears were already falling down my cheeks.
I didn’t want Herder to see me crying.
She came closer.
I lowered my head on purpose.
“If you didn’t know, you should’ve just stayed quiet. Now look how things turned out.”
“……”
“Wait, are you crying?”
I turned my head and wiped my tears.
She let out a sigh.
“Revril, you can’t cry over something this small.”
“……”
“And Cedric isn’t even here to wipe your tears right now.”
I couldn’t bear to hear more, so I barely got the words out.
“I’ll go ahead now.”
As I quickly walked away, I heard her voice behind me.
“If Batis had become the head, none of this would’ve happened.”
She was muttering, but her voice was loud enough for me to hear clearly.
I took out a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped my tears.
Without Cedric, I was worth less than a servant in this household.
Even servants wouldn’t be treated this poorly.
As I wiped my eyes, the servants glanced at me sideways.
