Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 27

Just as Stella was glaring at me like she was about to hit me,

 

Bang!

 

“Wife! How did it go? Did things in the imperial palace go—Wait, what happened here?”

 

It was Gale. He was shocked to see the sorry state of his wife and daughter: Disheveled hair, wet and wrinkled dresses, flushed faces. Even beggars on the street wouldn’t look this pitiful.

 

Flustered, he rushed over to his wife and daughter. “Weren’t you invited to Violet’s tea time?”

 

“That’s right!”

 

“Then why do you look like this?”

 

“Who else do you think is to blame? That cunning girl made us incur Violet’s wrath!” Diane fumed.

 

Gale stared at me, eyes wide.

 

I bowed my head with an expression of injustice. “I only gave the necklace Stella gifted me to Duchess Violet Clementi…”

 

“Necklace? What necklace?”

 

“It was a necklace shaped like a gorse…”

 

“What? Why would you give that to Violet!” Gale shouted in shock.

 

I looked at him, scared. “B-But Stella told me to wear that necklace to the duchess’s tea party! So I thought it wouldn’t be a problem…”

 

“Are you blaming me now?” Stella snapped at me.

 

I shrank back as if at a loss.

 

After hearing the whole story, Gale was dumbfounded. Diane gave him a pointed look. “Honey, what’s with that face? You need to scold Epirosa right now!”

 

“Well, this isn’t something to judge so emotionally.”

 

“What did you say?” Diane raised her voice.

 

I was just as puzzled. In my previous life, Gale was always the first to scold me. Gale was never lenient with me. He often took out his frustration on me whenever something went wrong. He must be up to something. Outwardly, I acted timid, but inside, I carefully observed Gale.

 

He approached and patted my head kindly. “No need to be scared. I’m sure there was a reason.”

 

What’s wrong with him? Has he gone crazy? I got chills on my arms. But soon I figured out Gale’s real motive.

 

“By the way, I hear ‘Royal Blue’ is selling well these days. You’ll be getting a share of the profits, right?”

 

Of course. Gale was after my money. But he was mistaken.

 

Hubert has arranged for me to control most of the profits, not just a small share. Not so I could spend recklessly, but so he could see how I used it.

 

But the foolish Gale put on a sly face and said, “When a huge sum of money suddenly comes your way, there will be lots of bad people out to take advantage of you.”

 

Yes, people like you.

 

“And if you don’t know how to manage it, you might blow it all and lose everything.”

 

“That’s why, for your sake, you shouldn’t be holding that money yourself.” Diane, having caught on to Gale’s intentions, chimed in. “As you know, I’ve managed the household for a long time and am experienced with money.”

 

“If you leave your money with me, I’ll not only keep it safe but even multiply it for you.”

 

In other words, they were telling me to hand over all the money I’d made from Royal Blue. I barely managed to suppress my laughter.

 

“And if it’s revealed that you made Royal Blue, it’ll negatively impact the sales.” Stella chimed in, smiling sweetly as if she hadn’t just been angry at me.

 

“Negatively impact?”

 

“Of course. If people find out the same person who made Pasa Blanche for the poor made Royal Blue, they’ll all turn away.”

 

But the days when Royal Blue’s reputation could be hurt by that were long gone. Still, I pretended not to know and nodded.

 

“Grandfather was concerned about that too. That’s why he ordered that the creator of Royal Blue remain hidden.”

 

“Then what should I do?”

 

“For now, Brother Nicholas and I will pretend to be the creators of Royal Blue.”

 

“You and Nicholas?”

 

When I asked in surprise, Stella patted my shoulder, acting like a mistress to a servant. “When the time is right, we’ll reveal it was you. Until then, my brother and I will act as your shield.”

 

A shield my ass. It was ridiculous hearing that after she got doused with Violet’s tea because of me.

 

“Stella is so thoughtful! What a kind-hearted cousin.” Like father, like daughter—Gale chimed in shamelessly.

 

I bowed my head with a hesitant expression.

 

At that, Gale suddenly scowled fiercely. “We’re only saying this for your own good! Don’t tell me you’re already getting greedy for money?”

 

“If father-in-law saw that, he’d be so disappointed that he might kick you out right away.”

 

“We’re making this offer for your sake despite our own troubles. You wouldn’t possibly refuse, right?”

 

All three of them surrounded me, intimidating me like bullies.

 

I blinked with a shaken expression, then looked at Stella. “But Stella, when you gave me the gorse, you said it was for my sake.”

 

All three of their faces froze.

 

“Hey, are you blaming me ag—!”

 

“That was Stella’s fault.”

 

Stella flared up in anger, but Gale stepped in to stop her.

 

“Fa-Father!” Stella looked at Gale in shock, feeling betrayed.

 

Diane was the same. “Honey! What did our Stella do wrong?”

 

“Because Stella made a mistake, Epirosa can’t trust us!” Gale yelled at his wife.

 

Stella and Diane went pale. It was because Gale was ready to throw his own child under the bus just to get my money.

 

Like father, like daughter. Stella was exactly like her father.

 

“Epirosa, I’ll make sure to scold Stella so harshly that she’ll cry her eyes out. I’ll make sure this never happens again. So please, let go of your anger.” Gale spoke like a kind uncle, but his eyes glinted slyly.

 

“I’m not angry. It’s just…”

 

“Do you still not trust this uncle?”

 

“I haven’t even received an apology yet.” I avoided Gale’s eyes as I spoke. Trying to get by without even a half-hearted apology?

 

Gale’s face hardened slightly, but soon he smiled kindly. “You’re right. Of course you’d be upset. Stella! Apologize to Epirosa right now!”

 

“Fa-Father! What did I even do wrong?”

 

“What did you do wrong? You purposely gave Epirosa the gorse necklace to make Violet angry!”

 

“No, Father! I really gave it to Epirosa out of kindness, but she—!”

 

“If your intentions were good, why did Violet get angry at you and your mother? How dare you lie to your father!” Gale shouted at Stella so furiously that the veins stood out in his neck.

 

Stella’s beautiful eyes filled with real tears. “You’re so mean, Father…”

 

“Apologize to Epirosa now!”

 

In my previous life, Gale would always give in the moment Stella’s tears appeared. But not when money was involved.

 

“It’s alright, Uncle. If Stella doesn’t want to, I won’t force her to.” I deliberately tried to calm Gale. “In that case, I’ll be going now.” Taking the money with me.

 

A vein bulged on Gale’s forehead. “Stella!! Apologize immediately!”

 

Stella turned pale. It was probably the first time her father had ever gotten so angry at her. Terrified, she finally gritted her teeth and apologized. “S-Sorry. It was my fault.”

 

“For what?” I asked quietly.

 

Stella stared at me in shock, but I just looked at her calmly. She bit her lip. “For purposely giving you the gorse necklace… I won’t do that again.”

 

“So you really did give it to me on purpose with bad intentions,” I said in a disappointed tone.

 

Stella looked at me in panic. “T-That’s…!”

 

“I thought it might have been a misunderstanding, but now I’m really hurt. I just can’t…” Tears streamed down my cheeks.

 

Gale’s face turned ashen. After all, Stella’s apology had made things even worse.

 

“Stella, you said you’d take care of me. I really trusted you…” I sobbed and looked at Gale. “Uncle, I just can’t stay here. I want to be alone.”

 

“W-Wait! Please don’t go, Epirosa!” Gale desperately tried to stop me. Then he shouted at Stella, “Stella! Kneel in the hallway for an hour!”