"I sent him to help Uncle Bean, whose son is sick in the next town," Regina said casually. Bean was a close relative of the Deptian Grana, one of the most loyal supporters of the Count's family from the previous generation. Regina did not care at all about Elisabet's angry expression, but she continued to pay attention to what her stepmother was going to do. "You know your father is ill, but why did you send our personal doctor to your uncle? Is your uncle more important than your father right now?" Elizabeth rubbed her face roughly. "I am worried about Father, but since we live near the capital. So I decided to send Doctor Nin to an uncle who lacks a doctor to treat his son." Elisabet growled angrily, but she kept her emotions in check and made her frown normal. She was afraid that the incident of her scolding Regina would reach the ear of the count, since he had already been reprimanded by the man. "Nin is a good doctor, I am sure he will return quickly after curing Uncle's da
"What are you arguing about in front of Father's room?" Regina looked at the two women who were arguing. "It's good you came, Regina. I just wanted to deliver some food to your father, but this servant prevented me from entering," Elizabeth said with dewy eyes. "Mother, please forgive my servant. I asked her to look after Father while he was away, but she made a mistake like this. In return, I will bring you this food." Regina gently patted her stepmother's shoulder. "No need, dear. Let me take it in, you must be tired from coming all the way outside," Elizabeth quickly objected. "It's all right, Mother. You'll be very busy as mistress of this residence anyway, so I'll take care of Father's business," Regina said half insistently. Elizabeth looked uncomfortable, but she did not refuse and instead gave Regina the food she had brought. "Thank you, Mother. I'll pass this food on to you so you don't have to worry," Regina said with a sweet smile. Regina entered the main room where
On a quiet afternoon, Regina did her father's work. Since the count was ill, he couldn't take care of all the work that was piling up. The door was opened roughly and Regina jumped in surprise, almost falling out of her chair if she didn't hold on tight. "Can you knock before you enter?" yelled Regina, unable to contain the anger in her chest. The personal bodyguard looked down, regretting what he had done. "I'm sorry, miss. I'm here to tell you something very important!" "Tell me what?" Regina asked curiously. The bodyguard approached the lady, then lowered his body so he could whisper in Regina's ear. "The doctor has been killed." The bodyguard's whisper made Regina's heart race, and she broke into a cold sweat at the thought of missing him. "Take me there now!" Regina rose roughly from her chair. Ignoring the papers piled on the corner of the table, Regina was very curious about what was going on. She had hidden the doctor, but why did she make him disappear? "Miss, where
Regina was stunned, lost in reverie, when she heard the news of the doctor's death. Her little heart felt guilty, burdened with painful feelings. If Regina had not asked for the doctor's help, the middle-aged man might still be living in peace. In silence, Regina pondered for a moment, her eyes swollen from mourning the doctor's unfortunate fate. With every breath she took, she imagined how different the doctor's life would have been if she hadn't knocked on his door and asked for his help. If time could be turned back, would Regina be able to change this tragic fate? I don't know. Regret was all she felt, creeping into every fiber of her being. "I never thought I'd live to see this, but there's no point in crying over the past now. I must rise, for the sake of the doctor and everyone I love!" Regina decided. Regina sighed heavily and made the decision to return to her home immediately. A feeling of dread gnawed at her, interrupting her thoughts about the possibility that Elisabet
Regina looked at Cellin sharply, piercing her heart like a needle. Cold sweat ran down the butler's forehead. "Why are you sweating?" asked Regina with a suspicious tone and an intimidating look. "I just feel hot." Cellin fanned her face with her hands, trying to hide the nervousness that was setting in. Regina got up from her seat and walked over to Cellin, who looked increasingly agitated. "Are you really not hiding anything from me?" Regina pressed hard on Cellin's shoulder, making the maid feel threatened. "That's right, I'm not hiding anything from the lady." Cellin shook her head quickly, even as her pupils fluttered and her breathing became labored. "Are you beginning to forget your true master? Too long under the protection of the wrong person!" Regina whispered directly into Cellin's ear, making the servant's heart race like a bird trapped in a steel cage. "I have nothing to hide!" stammered Cellin, her body shaking with fear. "Tell me!" scolded Regina, her face flus
A few days later, Mike and Luwes said they had found the person Regina was looking for. They also brought the man to a secluded place in the forest. For Regina wanted to interrogate the man herself. "Who are you?" asked Regina looking at the man who looked shabby, the man's face was full of bluish bruises. "I'm nobody, just an ordinary beggar," the man murmured quietly. "Do not lie! If you were just a beggar, why did you run away when you saw us?" Mike kicked the man hard in the leg. The man winced in pain, shaking and about to cry. "Calm down, Mike. Let me take care of this guy, you just stay and watch." Regina pushed Mike away, and the bodyguard obeyed. "I'm innocent, Miss. Please let me go!" The man bowed with tears in his eyes. Regina smiled faintly as she approached the man who was at her feet. "I'll let you go if you tell me who told you to disguise yourself as my coachman and hide the doctor." "I know nothing!" The man's head shook quickly. "Um, really?" Regina grippe
A few days later, after the incident had made Regina even more depressed, she did not know what to do. Her feelings were not okay after learning the truth about Jake, who had no evidence to back up his words. "I'm going to tell Dad everything!" Regina shouted excitedly. But just as she reached the door, Elizabeth blocked her way out. "Where are you going?" she asked sarcastically. Her stepmother clutched her chest and stared at her intently, leaving Regina astonished. "What's wrong?" Regina asked back. "Come inside with me." Elisabet pulled Regina into the room, then shut the door tightly to keep anyone from entering. "What are you going to do?" Regina pushed Elisabet's hand away roughly. "Why do you seem to hate me so much when I've been so kind to you, always thinking of you as my own biological daughter, just like Selina!" she muttered under her breath. Where does she get off thinking of me as her biological daughter when she knowingly replaced me! Regina cursed inwardly.
Merry went to Cellin, to the pavilion next to the main house, where it was usually used for parties or as a place for relatives to stay. "Butler, Miss wants to rest for a while. So I hope you can fill in during Miss' absence!" Merry said, her breath catching as she felt tired from running. Cellin was silent, the woman didn't even move an inch. "Hey, I'm talking to you." Merry held Cellin's shoulders, then made the woman face her. Cellin's face was pale, she still looked down and said nothing. "What's wrong with you?" asked Merry in a high tone. "I didn't do it!" Cellin stammered. "Tell me clearly, what did you do?" shouted Merry. "When I wanted to decorate the vase in the corner with flowers, I went to the storeroom where the flowers were. It turned out that the flowers were damaged," Cellin explained, shaking. "Oh dear! How could this happen? Miss had ordered the flowers in advance because it was the debut season. There must be a lot of people ordering flowers to decorate th
Elisabet looked very scary to Selina as she threw everything in her room while screaming hysterically.Selina cried out in fear. She didn't dare to move, just cowering in the corner of the room, hoping not to be hit by her mother's thrown objects."Kyaa!" cried Selina as one of the objects hit her.Selina cried as red liquid flowed from her head."Selina," shouted Elisabet, who came to her senses after hearing her daughter's cries.She went over, but Selina buried her face in her knees as her body shook."Child, don't be afraid of me. I'm not going to hurt you, so just calm down," Elisabet said softly as she stroked Selina's head.Selina raised her head and looked up at her mother with tear-filled eyes. "Are you going to kill me?"With shaking hands, Elisabet wiped away the rest of Selina's tears. "No, why would I kill you? You are my dearest child."Elisabet hugged Selina tightly, occasionally wiping away the tears that continued to stream down her face."I'm sorry," she said softly.
Regina hit her face with the pillow hard, startling Merry, who was still in the room."Miss, you'll get hurt!" Merry scolded with a panicked expression."Haha... Merry, you're so funny, saying I'll get hurt from this soft pillow." Regina staggered as her head felt too dizzy."I already told you, Miss," Merry said, quickly helping her back to bed.Regina couldn't argue with what Merry said. In fact, as far as she remembered, she had only hit the pillow lightly."Are you feeling better, Miss? If so, we should change into something more comfortable first," Merry suggested.Regina nodded and followed Merry's suggestion. After all, there was no way she was going to wear this heavy dress to bed. It was uncomfortable, distracting, and would make her too hot all night.Painstakingly, Merry helped Regina change into her nightwear. All this time, Merry had been trying her best to serve her mistress. She often sought guidance from Cellin, the butler, to improve her skills."Grand Duke, why are y
"If the Countess has agreed, it means that the Count has agreed with me. As I said, I will take care of everything. Of course, I will do it with as much fanfare as possible," Hertia said, looking happy to hear the Countess' answer.Deptian could say nothing more. He could only sigh at his wife's actions. Had he known, he would have locked Elisabet in her room on the pretext that she was ill.But it was too late, so Deptian just accepted it. After Hertia left, he planned to scold Elisabet for interrupting him while he was talking.All talks went well, and Hertia decided to look around the Count's residence, as she wanted to talk to Regina alone."Very well. If the Grand Duke would like to look around with Regina," Deptian said, giving permission.Regina nodded and approached her future fiancé. They went out together."Are you satisfied?" Deptian said curtly and left Elisabet alone.Deptian was reluctant to scold Elisabet because Hertia was still in her residence."I didn't expect you t
The very different-looking servant left immediately, hurrying to the room where Elisabet was."Madam, may I come in?" She knocked softly on the door, afraid that someone might see her.The door opened, revealing Elisabet with a disheveled appearance and puffy eyes. The madam looked at the servant with a blank expression."Why are you here, Pio?" Elisabet asked, closing the door to her room before allowing Pio to enter."I have something important to tell you," Pio whispered softly as she glanced around, worried that someone might be watching."What?!" Elisabet asked sarcastically. She didn’t like anyone seeing her in her current state."Let me in first, Madam," Pio pleaded with a desperate expression.Reluctantly, Elisabet let Pio in, even though she truly didn’t want anyone in her room except her son.Elisabet walked in first while Pio closed the door behind her."Tell me quickly!" Elisabet demanded, glaring at Pio. She was impatient to hear what the servant had to say."I heard that
"Because you ordered this servant. You will still be punished, I will take away your power right now, no monthly budget for three months and after that all budgets are restricted!" Deptian pointed at Elisabet face, she still looked very angry."What?" Elisabet did not look unhappy."Why, you don't accept the decision I made?" snapped Deptian in a high tone."No, I'm just ...." Elisabet did not continue her sentence, she looked away."Good. You must realize that the position of a hostess in a noble family is not to be taken lightly! So I'll leave this task to Regina, after all she has to learn to take care of everything when she becomes a countess!" Deptian quickly left Regina's room.Paying no attention to his wife, who was still sitting on the cold floor, Deptian continued to walk quickly.Regina chuckled, but Elisabet did not hear it because she was lost in thought.'It may not be what I want, but the important thing is that she can't do anything for these three months!' Regina said
"Worried? Can you clearly explain what that means? Where did the word worry come from when you put antidepressants in my food without my knowledge!" Regina shouted, her voice shaking.Regina clenched her fists under the covers, wanting to curse Elisabet. But she realized that her father would not like her being rude to her stepmother."I told you I was worried about you, Regina. So don't misunderstand me about the medicine," Elisabet said, wiping away the tears that had fallen from the corners of her eyes.Regina chuckled in annoyance. There was always an excuse coming out of her stepmother's mouth."Then why are you worried about me?" Regina looked at Elisabeth sarcastically, as if she wanted to swallow the woman alive."I have a feeling you are having a hard time thinking about the intruder. Since you hate me, I dare not even approach you."Elisabet paused her words, busy wiping away the tears that seemed to be forced out."Because I was thinking of you, who must be having a hard ti
Regina slowly unfolded the crumpled paper and read the contents. It was true that Elisabet had bought a lot of medicine. This made her even more certain that Elisabet was really doing this.'No wonder I feel different these days,' she muttered to herself.Regina stared at the paper that was the receipt for the medicine from the drugstore in the capital. Who else but Nin would have given her mother the prescription."But we still need more evidence, because she'll definitely be evasive if it's just this note." Regina squeezed the note."How about we take some of the food, miss?" asked Merry as she looked at the food scattered on the floor."Take the food and put it in a small plastic bag. Then you can walk out quietly and give it to the doctor in the capital!" Regina ordered Merry.Teri looked down, she didn't think so. Instead, she dropped all the food on the floor, leaving it scattered all over the place, not even thinking about taking it to a doctor to corroborate her evidence."Ye
Regina felt bad for Teri, but she couldn't forget what the woman had done. Even if Teri had been set up, Regina still thought the waitress was guilty."I hope nobody got hurt! But if any part hurts, you can come to Nin for treatment." Regina walked away, leaving Teri alone.Regina walked down the corridor, daydreaming all the way, thinking that she left this residence when she married Grand Duke Hestian Mertia. Her name would also change to Regina Mertia, no longer Regina Grana.'Is he really going to divorce me when it's all over?' she muttered to herself.Regina's heart hesitated, but she had no choice. Especially now that her life was in danger. So there was no way she could back out, but she was worried about her father, who was living with a bad person. No matter how her father behaved, she was still her only family and also the biological father who had raised her to be as big as she was now."Ugh, my head hurts again!" Regina groaned softly.Regina held on to the wall because h
Regina didn't show a surprised look or anything, she just had a flat expression as she listened to her father's answer. Since she had heard from Sio first, Regina asked that because she wanted to hear it straight from the Deptian's mouth."But don't worry, I'll catch him no matter what. I'm sure that even if he's very good at disappearing, he'll still be found!" Deptian reassured Regina, as he was afraid she would get upset."Yes, Father! I believe in you, you'll find this person sooner or later. But as I said before, please investigate the insiders first, for fear that it might not be someone from afar who is treacherous".Regina decided to leave without saying goodbye, leaving Deptian who had been silent.'I hope Father will expose Elisabet as soon as possible. Then I will bring more evidence!' Regina hoped in her heart.Even though the only evidence Regina had was Jake's confession, if there was strong evidence from her father that Elisabet wanted to kill her. Then it would incrimi