Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 69

“This lord claimed he received the bracelet from his lover, but the young lady says she never gave it to him?” The emperor’s gaze shifted back to Violet. “Who is deceiving me right now?”

 

At the emperor’s low warning, the atmosphere instantly froze.

 

A concubine isn’t the emperor’s official spouse, so it’s not a problem if they date or marry someone else. But that’s only possible with the emperor’s permission. Daring to give something received from the emperor to a secret lover was a completely different matter. That was a betrayal against the emperor, and also deceit. It wouldn’t just end with them being abandoned; it could be punished as a grave crime.

 

Panicked, Violet turned the blame onto Stella. “Lady Stella! I clearly gave you this bracelet as a gift, didn’t I? Are you framing me because you don’t want people to know that you’re lovers with that lord?”

 

The reason I ordered Wise to bring me the ‘bracelet Violet gave to Stella’ was for this very moment. To see Stella and Violet drive each other into a corner in desperation to save themselves.

 

I was the one who set the trap, but it would be the two of them tearing each other apart inside it. In the end, I would be forgotten, and only the two of them would remain in each other’s memories.

 

“I-I lost it! I lost the bracelet Duchess gave me… and I guess Lord Maddux took it! He’s lying, saying he got it from his lover…!”

 

“Enough, all of you!” The emperor shouted.

 

Stella closed her mouth, looking like she was about to cry. Violet’s expression was almost lifeless. Though it was true that Stella had lost the bracelet, in this situation, it only sounded like an excuse.

 

“Young man, lift your head.” The emperor commanded Maddux.

 

Maddux, trembling, raised his head. The emperor’s face twisted as he looked at Maddux’s strikingly handsome face. His appearance only added credibility to the trap I had set. Without saying a word, the emperor turned and left the banquet hall.

 

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty, it’s all a misunderstanding!” Violet screamed desperately, chasing after the emperor. But she was blocked by the emperor’s servants.

 

“My goodness, what on earth is going on?”

 

“So, is it true that Duchess Clementi had an affair with that lord?”

 

“Well, he’s young and handsome, so, understandably, she might be tempted.”

 

“Wait, then what about Lady Stella?”

 

“Did that lord get Duchess Clementi and Lady Stella as his lovers?”

 

The scandalous whispers spread through the banquet hall like wildfire.

 

Claude silently glared at Stella. Then he turned and ran to his mother, who had collapsed on the floor.

 

“You crazy b*stard! What the hell are you up to!” The enraged Nicholas began to kick Maddux, who was lying on the floor.

 

“Calm down, Nicholas!”

 

Other nobles tried to stop Nicholas, but he was relentless.

 

Stella, who had been standing there with a dazed expression, belatedly noticed the gazes directed at her. “!”

 

It must have felt like being drenched in filthy water, like being stuck in a mire with no way out, utterly hopeless. That’s how I was in my past life.

 

Stella bit her lip. It seemed like she was racking her brain, trying to find a way to resolve the situation. But there’s no such thing.

 

In the end, Stella covered her face with both hands and fled the banquet hall as if running away. Hubert, who had been standing behind her, let out a sigh and turned around. Gale seemed to be trying to offer some kind of excuse to Hubert, but he didn’t listen.

 

“As expected, today’s banquet is quite entertaining.”

 

At that moment, Ludwig’s voice came from beside me. When I turned to look, Ludwig was smiling. It was a very satisfied smile.

 

* * *

Slap!

 

“You’re more incompetent than your own mother!”

 

Stella collapsed to the floor, clutching one side of her cheek. The cheek that had been mercilessly struck by Violet burned and quickly began to swell. Tears welled up in Stella’s eyes. She, who had been raised like a precious gem, had never been slapped in her life until now.

 

A lowly illegitimate child dares to slap me…! Though Stella acted as if she were as loyal as a tongue in Violet’s mouth, in truth, she mocked Violet’s origins just like Diane did. And now, to be slapped by Violet of all people. On top of that, the noblewomen close to Violet had all witnessed it.

 

It was humiliating enough to make Stella want to die. But if she were abandoned by the ruthless Violet, who knew what kind of retaliation might follow.

 

Stella fell to her knees and clung to Violet. “I was wrong! I shouldn’t have lost the bracelet! Please forgive me, Duchess!”

 

“Get out of my sight this instant!”

 

“Please! I’ll do anything you ask! I’ll become someone who is truly useful to you!”

 

“Throw her out immediately!” Violet shouted, and the employees of the Duchy Clementi dragged Stella out.

 

Yet, Stella felt a sense of relief. Knowing Violet’s personality, if she truly had no intention of forgiving her, she would have harmed her on the spot. She must still see some use in me, which is why she only slapped me and threw me out!

 

At the same time, Stella ground her teeth. Who on earth gave my bracelet to Maddux? She swore she wouldn’t let the culprit go unpunished! And Maddux, who had botched everything, would also face a torrent of curses from her. Thrown out of the duchy, she made that vow.

 

At that moment, someone reached out a hand to her. It was Claude.

 

“Lady, take my hand and stand up.” He personally helped Stella, who was sprawled out in a mess, to her feet. “Don’t worry too much. My mother only acted that way out of anger. She’ll calm down soon and call for you again.” Claude spoke with a genuinely regretful expression. “If my mother doesn’t call for you, I’ll persuade her to do so myself.”

 

Stella quietly observed Claude. His face seemed filled with sincerity, making it hard to believe it was just an act. But that was only because Stella didn’t know Claude had glared at her during the banquet. If all of this was an act, then he was an even worse man than she imagined.

 

“Your Grace, thank you so much for saying that,” Stella spoke, dabbing at her tears with a delicate expression, as if she were fragile. But inside, she thought to herself. As I thought, Duke Claude Clementi likes me.

 

Why else would he sincerely comfort Stella after her mother had cornered her? He doesn’t want to lose me, so he’s trying to reconnect me with his mother. Though this incident had caused significant damage, it was fortunate that Stella could at least secure Claude.

 

Stella had known since the moment he kept trying to talk to her in the carriage on the way to the imperial banquet. In truth, it wasn’t even surprising. There were countless men who admired her, the little flower of high society.

 

“If Your Grace believes in me, I can endure any hardship,” Stella said in a voice that struggled to hold back sobs, her expression designed to evoke a protective instinct as an added touch.

 

Claude furrowed his brows as if his chest ached. “I’ll make sure to see you again next time, Lady.”

 

“Yes, Your Grace.” Stella climbed into the Blanche family’s carriage.

 

Claude’s face, watching the departing carriage, was colder than it had been moments ago. She’s the young lady of the Blanche family, so I can’t completely discard her just yet. Stella still had her uses. But it was also true that he was disappointed by what happened at the banquet.

 

The fortunate thing was that the emperor had decided to trust Violet. Violet had gone to see the emperor in person. She pleaded with him, recounting the years they had spent together from their first meeting to the present day.

 

“From the time I was just a young lady until now, there has only been you, Your Majesty! Even when I faced the scorn of countless people, I’ve only looked at you, and yet you doubt me over a single bracelet! I’d rather die than endure this!”

 

Violet had genuinely tried to throw herself out the window. The emperor stopped her, telling her he would trust her and urging her to calm down. And that night, Violet didn’t return to the Duchy Clementi.

 

Of course, I can’t be completely at ease. Once doubt takes root, even the smallest things can make it bloom. This incident is definitely no coincidence.

 

Who could have orchestrated a scheme to entangle both Violet and Stella at once and corner them? Only one person came to Claude’s mind.

 

Marchioness Cadence Gent. As soon as she returned to society, this kind of incident occurred. It was clearly a move to keep in check the emperor’s beloved concubine. If that’s the case, I can’t just sit back and do nothing.

 

Suddenly, the image of Epirosa, who had been smiling beside Marchioness Gent, came to mind. Could it be that Lady Epirosa is involved in this too? Claude quickly shook his head. Judging by the fact that she created Pasa Blanche and Royal Blue, she was indeed a clever woman. But she was just a young lady who had only recently stepped into society. She wouldn’t be skilled enough in scheming to use the emperor to attack both Violet and Stella at the same time.

 

Claude hoped that was the case.