Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 59

“Stella, that bracelet is really pretty.”

 

“You do have an eye for these things, huh?” Stella sneered as she raised her arm high. The amethyst bracelet sparkled brilliantly on her slender wrist. It looked incredibly luxurious.

 

“I think it’s the prettiest bracelet I’ve ever seen.” I looked at Stella with a feigned expression of envy. As expected, that look made her extremely pleased.

 

“It’s a bracelet crafted by an artisan who exclusively supplies the imperial palace. Look, the artisan’s signature is even engraved on the inside of the bracelet.”

 

“How did you manage to get something that’s only supplied to the imperial palace?” I asked, pretending to be envious.

 

“Duchess Violet Clementi gave it to me. She practically begged me to let her son escort me.”

 

“Oh my, really?”

 

“Apparently, there’s no noble lady in the empire more fitting for her son than me.”

 

I chuckled inwardly. As if Violet would ever say that. Stella must have gone to Violet and asked her for a favor. She probably asked her to let Claude be her escort.

 

But that bracelet was definitely made by the imperial palace artisan. I remembered it clearly because Violet had worn that exact bracelet at the imperial palace banquet in my previous life. She had bragged about receiving it as a gift from the emperor, so it stuck in my memory.

 

“Come to think of it, you don’t have anyone to escort you to the banquet, do you?” Stella suddenly asked, pretending to be concerned.

 

“It’s fine, I—”

 

It was at that moment.

 

“Knowing that, this cousin of yours has brought a fine gentleman for Epirosa!” The door burst open, and Nicholas entered with someone in tow.

 

It was a man taller than Nicholas, but his shoulders looked narrow and unimpressive. He had a neat face with purple hair and brown eyes, marred by an air of sleaziness. The expression on his face, as if he could seduce any woman, exuded a baseless confidence that made me want to retch.

 

“Greetings, Lady Epirosa. I am Maddux Luiji!”

 

No, I wanted to punch that smug face of his.

 

Stella and Nicholas had no idea, but I knew that man all too well. Maddux Luiji from my previous life. He was the man I had once loved. No, it wasn’t love. It would be more accurate to say he was someone I relied on and trusted. It was because he approached me when I was being exiled from society, offering comfort.

 

“Those terrible people! If only I had the power, I’d avenge you.”

 

“But you’re not entirely blameless either. If you had gotten along with your family, who would dare mess with someone from the Blanche family?”

 

“Don’t refuse any requests from your uncle or Stella. Do everything they ask. That’s the only way to truly become part of the family.”

 

“I’m always on your side, Epirosa.”

 

I fell for his sweet-talking words, not realizing the hidden meanings that belittled me endlessly. At that time, I was just too lonely and vulnerable. But not anymore. Now that I’ve come to my senses and opened my eyes, I can clearly see how pathetic Maddux Luiji truly is.

 

“It’s an honor to be assigned as Lady Epirosa’s escort.”

 

He was nothing more than a flashy, empty shell.

 

“You’ve been assigned as my escort?” I asked, widening my eyes in apparent surprise.

 

Maddux responded with his signature smug, overly charming smile. “Yes. I was so excited when I heard the news that I couldn’t sleep a wink last night.”

 

“Then you should get some rest starting now. I’ll need to get my grandfather’s permission first anyway.”

 

At the mention of ‘grandfather,’ meaning Hubert, Maddux’s face stiffened. Nicholas’s expression changed as well.

 

“Why are you even telling Grandpa about this? Are you going to report to him every single time you get escorted from now on?”

 

“It’s not that. It’s just that no one really knows who Lord Maddux Luiji is.”

 

“What?”

 

“I don’t think he’s part of the capital’s society…”

 

I looked Maddux up and down. At my gaze, Maddux frowned, seemingly offended.

 

“Excuse me, but could I ask which district your townhouse is in?”

 

Maddux’s face turned red. Nobles who owned estates would usually come up to the capital and stay in their townhouses during the social season. A noble without a residence in the capital was, quite literally, someone who hadn’t made it into the capital’s social circle—a sign of a poor and insignificant family.

 

Maddux Luiji obviously doesn’t have a place in the capital. That’s why he’s clinging to someone like Nicholas, who’s been shunned by the capital’s socialites. He’s probably planning to freeload off the Blanche family during the social season. In my past life, he did that, staying around and manipulating me with all sorts of tricks. But not this time.

 

When I turned my head away coldly, Stella moved closer to me. “Don’t be like that. Try to get along with him. I heard Lord Maddux was really popular in the provinces. Why would it be any different in the capital’s society? You should grab him before some other lady does after your debut.”

 

If you like him so much, why don’t you grab him yourself?

 

I scoffed internally. In my past life, Maddux had an affair with Stella and abandoned me. But it wouldn’t have been long before Maddux got dumped by Stella too.

 

Stella’s real goal was to become the crown prince’s woman. Maddux was probably nothing more than a toy she played with to use. That foolish Maddux must have believed he could marry someone like Stella, only to be used as her pawn and die in the process.

 

When I didn’t respond, a vein bulged on Stella’s forehead. Just then, there was a knock at the door. It seemed the boutique designer and staff had arrived. One of the staff, glancing into the room, spoke hesitantly. “There are four of you here.”

 

“Is it too many people to look at the clothes all at once?” Stella replied as if she had a prepared answer.

 

The staff, as if in on it, responded accordingly. “It would be better if the two of you looked at the clothes separately.”

 

“Well, it can’t be helped. Brother Nicholas! We’ll step back and look at the clothes later.” Stella pressed down firmly on my shoulder as I tried to stand up. Then, with a cheerful smile, she whispered. “Spend some quality time with Lord Maddux. Once you get to know him, he’s really a good guy.”

 

Suddenly, a scene from the past came to mind.

 

“Maddux and Epirosa are getting engaged? Is that… really true?”

 

“Stella! My true feelings are—!”

 

“Maddux, congratulations!”

 

Was it from that moment? When the two of them held hands.

 

I coldly watched Nicholas and Stella as they left the room. I didn’t even spare a glance at Maddux, who was sitting across from me.

 

As the people from the dressing room brought in the clothes, silence filled the space between Maddux and me.

 

* * *

Ha! What? Where’s my townhouse? Maddux Luiji secretly glared at the pink-haired lady sitting across from him.

 

Epirosa, who stood on the boundary between a girl and a woman, had silky pink hair that harmonized with her fair skin, making her look like a glass doll. Especially her blue eyes, which seemed meticulously crafted, gave off a very gentle impression.

 

I thought she’d be an obedient one, but she’s been provoking me from the start? Maddux ground his teeth internally.

 

When Nicholas first contacted him, he had been confident. A girl from the slums? He was sure he could make her fall for him the moment they met.

 

Back in the provinces, women lined up to follow him around. But the beautiful lady in front of him didn’t even spare him a glance. Maddux’s anger began to give way to unease. Because he had made a promise to Nicholas.

 

“I’ll make sure you become the in-law of the Blanche family.”

 

“You’re going to introduce me to Stella? Thank you so much!”

 

“Are you crazy? Someone like you with Stella? Dream on!”

 

“Then Juliet?”

 

“No, not her. There’s this girl named Epirosa who used to live in a filthy slum until recently.”

 

“W-What? S-Slum?”

 

“She suits you perfectly, doesn’t she?”

 

From the moment he heard those words, Maddux didn’t like Epirosa. His true princess was the noble Stella! But even if he ended up with Epirosa, he would still become the in-law of the Blanche family. If things went south, he could just ditch Epirosa and win over Stella instead. With that thought in mind, Maddux accepted Nicholas’s proposal.

 

“Use this escort opportunity to make Epirosa your woman.”

 

“Trust me. A rustic girl who grew up in the slums will fall for me the moment she sees my face.”

 

“Right. Since you’re my subordinate, if Epirosa becomes your woman, that makes her my subordinate too! And then all of Epirosa’s money will be mine! Hahaha!”

 

Nicholas, who had been laughing loudly for a moment, gave an order.

 

“There’s something I need you to do first.”

 

“What is it? Don’t worry about seducing Epirosa.”

 

“That’s a given! This time, make sure Epirosa pays for all the clothes we’re wearing to the imperial banquet. Ours, even my father’s!”

 

He had been so confident. But at this rate, he wouldn’t even get a chance to open Epirosa’s wallet, let alone say a single word to her.