Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 101

Stella and Mari froze like statues at Hubert’s sudden entrance.

 

Without hesitation, Hubert strode toward them with determined steps. “Stella, did you just call Epirosa lowborn?”

 

“G-Grandfather, what I meant was…” Stella desperately tried to explain herself. But her mind seemed to have gone blank, and all she could do was stammer.

 

“And on top of that, when an employee insults your relative, you take the employee’s side instead!” This time, Hubert’s wrath turned toward Mari. “Mari Lotus! Was it Stella who encouraged you to behave so insolently?!”

 

“G-Grandfather! No! I would never do that!”

 

“Your Excellency, I was wrong!” Mari dropped to her knees on the floor.

 

Stella frantically waved her hands in protest. But it was no use against Hubert.

 

“I knew things weren’t good between you and Epirosa. But you should’ve known where to draw the line!”

 

“Grandfather, I was just trying to give advice because Epirosa had written the ledger all wrong!” Stella shouted shamelessly, as if she’d finally found an excuse. “But then Epirosa insulted Mari and me, and stubbornly refused to fix this ridiculous ledger!” It was astonishing how quickly she came up with an excuse to shift the blame onto me. “Because of that, I got angry and said something I shouldn’t have. Please forgive me!”

 

“A ridiculous ledger?”

 

I handed the ‘ridiculous ledger’ Stella mentioned over to Hubert. “This one.”

 

“This is…” Hubert, after glancing at the ledger, shot a sharp look at Stella. “Ridiculous? This is a ledger that I already reviewed and approved!”

 

“What…?” Stella’s voice faltered, as if she hadn’t anticipated this turn of events.

 

Hubert clicked his tongue. “The one who doesn’t understand the ways of Blanche is you! You dare meddle in the household affairs when you can’t even read a ledger properly!”

 

“G-Grandfather…”

 

“Stella, know your place!” Hubert’s words were sharp and final. This was a warning. A warning that she will never be entrusted with the household affairs. “Get out!”

 

Stella left the office as if the world had crumbled around her, her expression utterly defeated. Mari followed her out, looking like she was about to cry. Perhaps, with today’s events, Mari’s dream of becoming the head maid had also been shattered.

 

“Decide the punishment for Mari Lotus and give the order yourself,” Hubert said.

 

“Yes, Grandfather.”

 

“Now, let’s take a look at the other documents. What was it you wanted me to review?”

 

I pulled out the documents I had prepared last night and handed them to Hubert. “These.”

 

Just a little while ago, when I stopped by Hubert’s room to greet him upon his return, I had made a request. I had asked him to come to the office to review some documents. And as luck would have it, Stella had dragged Mari Lotus here.

 

Stella had deliberately left the office door slightly ajar, hoping to cause trouble. And today, they had fallen right into the trap. With this, the Gale family’s hopes of taking over the household affairs were crushed. They would never gain control over the grand duke’s household unless I disappeared or became completely unable to carry out my duties.

 

* * *

“You fool! How could you mess up something we prepared so carefully!” Gale shouted at Stella.

 

Stella clenched her teeth, unable to say a word.

 

“If Father said that much, he’ll never entrust you with any family matters again! It’s all over now!” Gale anxiously bit his nails. “Damn it! I haven’t even found the button yet, and now this happens! Useless things!” Pacing around the room, he suddenly seemed to have a bright idea and approached Stella. “Why don’t you just get married and leave already!”

 

“What? Father, what are you suddenly talking about?”

 

“You know Marquis Mateng, right? He’s looking for a second wife!”

 

Marquis Mateng was famous for his wealth. He owned numerous mines that had been passed down through generations. He used his money to build connections, making him well-connected. However, he was also infamous for his unattractive appearance and was even older than Gale.

 

 Stella’s face turned pale. “Ma-Marquis Mateng…! Father, you must be joking, right?”

 

“Marquis Mateng said he’d fully support me if I found him a decent second wife! It might’ve been said over drinks, but if I’m offering my daughter, he’ll keep his word!”

 

“Father!”

 

“This is the only way for me right now!”

 

With everything going on with Diane and Nicholas, Gale’s secret funds had been completely drained. He was also cornered because of a lost button. If he could secure a sponsor at a time like this, he could use the money to figure out how to be chosen by the ‘Phoenix’ again.

 

“Being chosen by the phoenix is the only solution I have left right now!”

 

“Father, I have Duke Claude Clementi!”

 

“What?” Gale’s face twisted in disbelief. “Do you really think a woman like Violet would become my sponsor? And look at Violet’s current situation!”

 

“But Duke Clementi is a much better match than Marquis Mateng!”

 

“Has Duke Clementi proposed to you?”

 

Stella was at a loss for words.

 

Seeing his daughter’s reaction, Gale’s lips curled into a vile smirk. “I’m going to send a marriage proposal to Marquis Mateng! That’s final!”

 

“N-No! No! Father!” Desperate, Stella clung to Gale’s pant leg. “Then marry off brother instead! There must be plenty of wealthy widows out there!”

 

“What kind of wealthy widow would want to marry someone like Nicholas?!”

 

Honestly, it was true. But Stella couldn’t marry an old man like Marquis Mateng while Claude existed.

 

“T-Then…!” Stella shouted urgently. “I’ll make Epirosa give up on the household authority with her own hands!”

 

“It’d be a miracle if you don’t mess it up again!” Gale sneered.

 

Stella pleaded desperately. “This time it’s for real! If she ends up in a situation where she absolutely can’t take care of the household, what choice would she have?”

 

“A situation where she absolutely can’t take care of the household? What do you mean by that?” Only then did Gale show some interest.

 

Stella spoke as if she’d been waiting for this moment. “If Leonoe gets hurt badly enough to be on the brink of death, that’s it! Then, while she’s busy nursing her mother, Epirosa won’t be able to do anything!” Stella’s eyes gleamed with malice. “That’s when we take everything. The household authority and Blanche Theater!”

 

* * *

Do I really stand out that much? I thought I was hiding well enough. Mizulin thought as she hid behind a rock in the garden. Ever since she was caught by Epirosa, she hadn’t been able to shake off her feelings of self-loathing. So, she tried looking through books and even watching people practicing martial arts on the streets after work to learn how to hide herself. But it still didn’t feel right. Should I just ask Lady Epirosa how to hide perfectly?

 

Mizulin crouched down, deep in thought. Still, all the effort she put in wasn’t for nothing. Today, there were no murmuring employees around. She managed to avoid being noticed by them.

 

“What’s going on? Mizulin isn’t here today.”

 

Haha, looks like I did a good job hiding today. Just as Mizulin was feeling relieved, a chilling sense of malice crept in from somewhere. It wasn’t an overwhelmingly strong presence. But the fact that such an ominous aura was near Leonoe was something she couldn’t tolerate. Leonoe wouldn’t have tolerated it either.

 

“Milady, why did you risk danger to save me? Someone like me, who wouldn’t have been able to complain even if I was thrown out with my mother.”

 

“I want to protect you. You’ve been my ‘friend’ since we were little, haven’t you?”

 

Now, I’ll protect Madam Leonoe.

 

Mizulin scanned her surroundings cautiously. At that moment, she saw a second-floor window being opened. Something shot out from the open window. That’s…!

 

It was a decorative stone, about the size of a human head.

 

Why is that… No way!

 

Right below that window, Leonoe was sitting and playing. The moment she realized that, the stone was already falling toward Leonoe.

 

“No!”

 

Mizulin screamed and dashed toward Leonoe. But the stone was falling faster.

 

“Kyaaa!”

 

With the screams of the servants, the stone struck Leonoe directly. It was at that moment. Crack! A bizarre scene unfolded before Mizulin’s eyes. Just before it hit Leonoe, the stone split apart with a sharp crack and was flung to the side.