Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 55

Madam Mona confessed to all the sins Diane had committed so far. For aiding her, she too was sentenced to ten years in the Tower of Condemned.

 

Madam Mona helped me bring Diane down because of her daughter’s death. But before she became my ally, she was a villainess who committed all sorts of evil deeds for her own gain. Not only did she act as Diane and Stella’s lackey, but she also used her position as head maid to expel innocent people or torment them to death.

 

I was one of her victims in my past life. If I hadn’t regressed, she would still be serving as Diane’s lackey.

 

Madam Mona was a villainess fully deserving of being locked away in the Tower of Condemned. But even after being imprisoned, she didn’t grieve. It was because I had promised her that if she helped bring down Diane, I would also bring down Stella, who would be left alone.

 

I smiled at Diane, who was consumed by rage and despair. “Don’t be too sad. Who knows? Maybe someday Aunt’s name will be cleared, and you’ll be able to leave the Tower of Condemned.”

 

“Are you mocking me right now?”

 

“No, I mean it. Brother Nicholas and Stella are doing everything they can to save Aunt.”

 

“Ni-Nicholas and Stella…?”

 

“I don’t know how much good it’ll do, but they really are working hard.”

 

For a moment, a glimmer of hope flickered in Diane’s eyes.

 

“So don’t lose hope, Aunt.” With those words, I turned away.

 

“Hahaha, that’s right! My children would never abandon me!”

 

Behind me, Diane’s voice, filled with joy, rang out. It was so ridiculous that I couldn’t hold back a sneer. It’s all a lie.

 

Since Diane had been imprisoned here, the only one who had come to see her was Benjamin. And even he had only come under Hubert’s orders. It was to threaten her into retracting her testimony about Violet, using Nicholas and Stella as leverage.

 

So does she really think her children, who haven’t even visited her once, are trying to save her?

 

But Diana needs to keep believing that. That one day, she’ll leave the Tower of Condemned. So hold on to that hope. Don’t die, and don’t lose your mind, Diane. She needed to feel the pain I’ve been given fully, with a clear mind, and for eternity. And then, chew on hopeless hope until she withers away and dies.

 

With a cold expression, I walked down the prison corridor. At the exact opposite end of where Diane’s cell was, Madam Mona was imprisoned. She, too, was in a wretched state, but her eyes looked at peace. It was because she had achieved what she wanted.

 

“Madam Mona, you’ve been through a lot.”

 

At my words, Madam Mona quickly lifted her head.

 

“I thought I’d give you a little gift for all your hard work.”

 

“I don’t need it. Just make sure Stella’s revenge is carried out perfectly. Once that revenge is complete, I…” Madam Mona tightly shut her eyes.

 

She is planning to die. I could sense it. But she wouldn’t die.

 

“Madam Mona, you’ll be sharing a room with Aunt Diane in the Tower of Condemned.”

 

“What?”

 

“I’m going to pay the Tower’s warden to make it happen.”

 

Madam Mona looked at me with a face that said she couldn’t understand.

 

“And soon, a gift will arrive in that room. That gift will deliver my final command to you.”

 

“Milady, what on earth are you talking about?”

 

“You’ll understand everything when you meet the gift.” With that, I turned and walked away.

 

* * *

“Get in!”

 

Madam Mona was shoved into the ‘Tower of Condemned’ by the guard. The small, filthy, circular room had only one tiny window. The floor was covered in straw, but even that was overrun with rats and insects. But what shocked her wasn’t the hellish environment. It was the figure standing in the darkness.

 

“Y-Y-You…”

 

Her one and only precious daughter, who resembled the man she had loved.

 

“Mom…!”

 

Karen ran to Madam Mona and hugged her. Madam Mona only froze like a stone.

 

“Are you a ghost? A monster? Or just my hallucination?”

 

“Mom, it’s me! I’m really Karen!”

 

Madam Mona hastily pulled Karen away to examine her face. Under the faint light breaking through the darkness, she frantically looked at her daughter’s face. She was much thinner, but it was undoubtedly her daughter. Warm and soft.

 

“Karen! You’re alive? How? How is this possible?”

 

“Lady Epirosa saved me!”

 

So this was the gift Epirosa had spoken of! My daughter, it was Karen!

 

“Aah, Karen!”

 

Madam Mona and Karen clung to each other, sobbing uncontrollably. After crying for a long time, Karen began to recount what had happened.

 

Karen, who had passed out from being strangled, had been buried alive. But Epirosa, who had been following behind, saved Karen just before she suffocated to death. And then, Epirosa revealed that it was Stella who had tried to kill her.

 

“If you go back, Stella will try to kill you again. It’s the same no matter where you run.”

 

“Then what should I do?”

 

“You have to hide somewhere Stella can’t find you.”

 

“Where is that?”

 

“The Tower of Condemned.”

 

Karen was horrified. She had once tried to harm Epirosa and had committed evil deeds under Stella’s orders. So, she was more than qualified to be imprisoned there. Moreover, as Epirosa said, if she were locked in there, not even Stella could harm her.

 

“S-Still, I don’t want to go to the Tower of Condemned!”

 

“Then are you just going to let Stella get rid of you like that?”

 

Karen was at a loss for words. She had already experienced the agony of dying and coming back to life. Now she knew how horrifying it truly was.

 

“With the level of your crime, you’ll be able to leave the Tower of Condemned within ten years. By then, I’ll have already taken care of Stella.”

 

Those words were spoken by Epirosa coldly.

 

Taken care of Stella?! So that was Epirosa’s true goal all along? Since when? Questions surged in Karen’s mind, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask anything. It was because the murderous intent emanating from Epirosa was so chilling that it felt like it froze her to the bone.

 

Epirosa then whispered to the terrified Karen.

 

“You’ll be able to stay with your mother in the Tower of Condemned. Doesn’t that make it a little better?”

 

Otherwise, only death awaited.

 

In the end, Karen gave in to Epirosa’s plan. She hid safely under Epirosa’s protection. Though she planned to let her mother know that she was still alive, the fear of being discovered by Stella kept her from even trying.

 

Eventually, after Diane’s downfall, Karen turned herself in. As promised, Epirosa arranged for Karen to be put in the same cell as her mother.

 

“My daughter, I’ll never lose you again!” Madam Mona hugged Karen tightly. But then, she shivered at the thought that Epirosa had tricked her.

 

If only Epirosa hadn’t told me Karen was dead, I would never have done such things. Then neither of them would be locked in the Tower of Condemned. But if that were the case, Karen might have been killed by Diane and Stella after all.

 

In the end, it was Epirosa who saved her precious daughter’s life. Bringing Diane to ruin and imprisoning her in the Tower of Condemned was the only way to escape the clutches of Diane and Stella. Above all—

 

To think that girl planned all of this on her own! A chill ran down Madam Mona’s spine. Let’s not go against Epirosa. If we do, the peace my daughter and I barely found will be shattered. Though being locked away in the Tower of Condemned made that peace all but impossible.

 

Even if they were to be released one day, Madam Mona decided she would live quietly with her daughter. Having made up her mind, she asked Karen. “Lady Epirosa said she gave you an order. What is it?”

 

“Ah, that…” Karen whispered.

 

Hearing the command, Mona was once again astonished by Epirosa’s thoroughness.

 

It was some time later.

 

“Get in!”

 

The last resident of this room was shoved inside by the guard. It was Diane. Her limbs were broken, and she couldn’t stand properly, collapsing onto the floor.

 

“Well, well, who do we have here?”

 

At the familiar voice, Diane lifted her head and widened her eyes. “Mona!” Diane bared her teeth and panted heavily. Then, she turned to see Karen standing next to her and flinched in shock. “Y-You’re…. su-supposed to be de-dead…!”

 

“Who do you think you’re talking to like that?” Karen sneered as she spoke.

 

“W-What did you say?”

 

“Did you still think you’re the mistress of the house here?” Karen kicked Diane’s shoulder, shoving her roughly.

 

Diane, who fell to the ground, looked up at the two of them with a bewildered expression. Madam Mona and Karen stood over Diane, surrounding her, their faces twisted into wicked smiles.

 

“From now on, we’re your mistresses!”

 

This was the order Epirosa had given to Karen.

 

“I’m sending an old friend to keep you company so you won’t feel lonely. I hope you enjoy it.”