Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 37

“If Stella really ordered Karen to be kidnapped, there must be a letter or some related evidence left behind.”

 

“Kidnapping!”

 

If it were kidnapping and not murder, there was a chance Karen might still be alive. A new glimmer of hope sprouted in Madam Mona’s heart.

 

“Understood, Milady. I will secretly search Lady Stella’s room.”

 

Madam Mona acted immediately. It just so happened that Stella had taken the maids with her to see Diane.

 

Madam Mona quickly and thoroughly searched Stella’s room. She searched even more carefully than when the servants had looked for Hubert’s bust in the past. With her daughter’s life on the line, she didn’t overlook a single thing. And eventually, she found something wedged in a narrow gap in the wall.

 

“This?”

 

It was the same pattern as Karen’s clothes. With trembling hands, Madam Mona pulled at the fabric. Then, a bloodstained sleeve, hidden in the wall crack, was revealed.

 

“Ah, aah…!”

 

The blood was thick and soaked through.

 

Madam Mona covered her mouth with her hand. A large amount of blood had spilled in the underground room. And now, Karen’s bloodstained sleeve is found in Stella’s room. There was only one conclusion to draw from these two facts.

 

Lady Stella killed Karen!

 

Stella had stabbed Karen with a weapon. As Karen was dying, she and Stella must have struggled, tearing Karen’s sleeve in the process. Stella, after disposing of the body, had unknowingly brought the sleeve with her and hidden it!

 

The image of Karen, dead and covered in blood, flashed through her mind. With that much blood lost, there was no way she could have survived.

 

Madam Mona’s last hope crumbled completely. Clutching the sleeve tightly, she gritted her teeth and returned to her room. And then, she finally let out the wails she had held back.

 

“Ahhh! Ahh! Karen! My daughter! Huuuuh!”

 

Behind the convulsing Madam Karen, Epirosa quietly appeared. The sight of her clawing her chest and wailing in despair. Given all the things she had done in her past life, Epirosa didn’t feel the slightest bit of sympathy.

 

Stop crying. It’s time for revenge.

 

Epirosa gently approached the weeping Madam Mona and spoke kindly. “Madam Mona, what happened? Why are you crying?”

 

“Lady Epirosa! Sob…” Madam Mona looked at Epirosa, her face covered in tears.

 

Epirosa, pretending to be shocked, covered her mouth with her hand. “Don’t tell me Karen…!”

 

“Milady, look at this! I found this in Lady Stella’s room!”

 

Madam Mona thrust out Karen’s bloodstained sleeve. In reality, it was Epirosa who had sprayed the sleeve with blood-red liquid.

 

Epirosa shuddered with a look of shock. “T-This is Karen’s sleeve, isn’t it? Why is there so much blood… Oh no, don’t tell me Karen…!” Epirosa slumped to the side. “Karen is dead?” A single tear rolled down her pale cheek.

 

Seeing that, Madam Mona bit her lip, overcome with emotion. “Milady, you cared for Karen, didn’t you? Please, help me. Help me get revenge!”

 

“Of course, I want to help you, Madam Mona. But I have no power…”

 

At Epirosa’s words, Madam Mona couldn’t hide her disappointment. Suddenly, she jumped to her feet. “Then I’ll take revenge on Lady Stella myself, right now!”

 

“Madam Mona, you’re not planning to hurt Stella, are you?”

 

“I am. I’ll go to the kitchen, get a knife, and give her the same revenge!”

 

“Madam Mona!” Epirosa blocked Madam Mona’s way.

 

Madam Mona shouted with half-crazed eyes. “Get out of the way! Don’t try to stop me!”

 

“Madam Mona, I’m not finished talking yet!” Unlike before, Epirosa’s voice carried a commanding tone. “I may not have power, but things could change if you’re with me, Madam Mona.”

 

Seeing the frail, young lady now looking at her with the gaze of someone who had weathered many storms, Madam Mona was bewildered. Did Lady Epirosa always have this side of her? Unconsciously, Madam Mona straightened up.

 

Once she had calmed down, Epirosa spoke. “I’m still nothing in this family. But Madam Mona, you have power.”

 

“Me? I’m just the head maid.”

 

“Just the head maid? You’re the one who controls the household in the grand duke’s family.” Epirosa took a step forward and clasped Madam Mona’s cold hands tightly. “Aunt needs you, Madam Mona. She wouldn’t want to lose you.”

 

“But I already abandoned them!”

 

“For now, you have to pretend you haven’t.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Keep your head down and wait for the right moment for revenge,” Epirosa whispered coldly. “I’ll set up the trap, and Madam Mona, your role will be to push them into it when the time comes.” She then whispered something into Madam Mona’s ear, which made Madam Mona’s eyes grow wide.

 

“Milady, do you really intend to go that far?”

 

“For Karen’s revenge, I can do even more. Karen was a precious friend to me.”

 

At the words ‘Karen’s revenge,’ Madam Mona’s expression hardened with resolve. “Alright. Then I’ll do as you say, Milady.” She was ready to throw herself into revenge.

 

* * *

Diane had a headache. To think I have to get rid of Mona because of Stella. What a waste. Until recently, Madam Mona had been her most trusted confidante. How much had her leadership and information helped Diane seize control of the household? Finding a replacement for Madam Mona wouldn’t be easy.

 

And now, when I’ve already lost so much authority over household matters to father-in-law, I have to lose Mona too. She resented her daughter for impulsively killing Karen.

 

Sigh, what’s gotten into Stella these days? What had begun as a plot against Epirosa had become a mess involving Stella, Karen, and Madam Mona.

 

Knock, knock. Someone knocked at the door.

 

“Madam, it’s the head maid.”

 

Mona? What’s she here to say this time? Diane tensed up. “Come in.”

 

Instead of making a scene demanding the return of her daughter, Madam Mona appeared calm. She even knelt down and apologized to Diane.

 

“I misunderstood you, Madam. Please accept this fool’s apology.”

 

Diane was suspicious of this sudden change in Madam Mona’s attitude. So, to gauge her intentions, she remained silent.

 

“After questioning the servants, I heard testimony that a man was seen secretly helping Karen escape at dawn.”

 

“!”

 

Diane’s eyes widened. But Madam Mona, with her head bowed, didn’t see this reaction.

 

“Madam and Lady Stella helped my Karen escape, didn’t you? To keep her from being imprisoned in the Tower of Condemned. And yet, I doubted you and the lady….”

 

“Who was the employee who witnessed this in the dawn?” Diane asked, feigning indifference.

 

“Don’t worry. I made sure they’ll keep their mouths shut. Anyway, it’s true you both helped Karen escape, right?”

 

Diane thought quickly. No matter how she looked at it, getting rid of Madam Mona was too much of a waste. It was better to keep using her as a hunting dog, even if it meant taking advantage of her misunderstanding.

 

Having made her decision, Diane nodded with a benevolent expression. “I wanted to keep it secret from you, Mona, until Karen was safely hidden, but you found out in the end.”

 

“I knew it! You didn’t abandon us, Madam!”

 

“Of course I wouldn’t abandon my loyal people.”

 

“Sniff, Madam! Thank you! I can’t believe I ever doubted you…” Madam Mona wept.

 

Diane put on a fake smile. “By now, Karen should be safely hidden.”

 

“Then, when will I be able to see my daughter again?”

 

“Not for a while. Father-in-law still has his eyes wide open, tracking her. What if you meet her and end up leading him to her??”

 

Madam Mona looked disappointed. But Diane gently soothed her.

 

“I promise you’ll see your daughter again someday. So don’t think of anything else until then, and be patient.”

 

“Understood. I’ll continue to serve you loyally, Madam.” Madam Mona looked at Diane with even more devotion than before.

 

“Yes, that’s what you should do.” Diane was satisfied.

 

She thinks we’re holding her daughter hostage. It’ll be even easier to use her from now on. Diane had thought Stella’s blunder would ruin things, but in fact, she’d gained an even more loyal dog. It was a blessing in disguise.