Chapter 6

I gave an adorable wink and said,

“So, if you made money, isn't it only right to give me at least a little and say, 'This is compensation for eating your husband alive'?”

“Oh, I'm still young, so I don't really understand those things.” I smiled innocently. “If you show me how it's done first, Mother, I'll learn from your example.”

As she watched me grin like a fool, cracks slowly began to form in my mother-in-law's composure.

Not missing my chance, I pressed on.

“After all, I'm still living here because of you, Mother. I want us to live together like mother and daughter forever.”

Perhaps the absurdity of it left her speechless, because she clenched her teeth so hard her jaw trembled.

Just then, I felt someone's gaze and looked up instinctively.

Linea.

A small figure peeking at me from the staircase entered my sight.

Over the past two months, Linea and I still hadn't become close.

Every time I tried to approach her, she would flinch in surprise and run away.

Mother-in-law hasn't sent me back to my family because she wants me to act as Linea's tutor, but...

Even if I wanted to do something, there wasn't much I could do when Linea had spent the last two months avoiding me.

In the end, all I could manage was leaving letters and gifts outside her room and knocking on her door from time to time.

Linea was like a tiny kitten with all its fur standing on end.

Still, I can tell she was beautiful even as a child.

Even now, the way she looked down at me with curious eyes was every bit as dreamlike and lovely as the novel had described.

Except for how terribly thin she was.

If I were her real mother, I'd feed her all kinds of delicious food until those adorable cheeks filled out.

As I stole glances at her, our eyes met.

I smiled brightly and greeted her, but Linea flinched and fled.

“Hey, and you—”

Cutting off whatever my mother-in-law was about to say, I yawned openly.

“Mother, I'm tired, so I'll be heading to bed now. Have a good night.”

“It's not even evening yet! What do you mean you're going to sleep? Stop right there—hey!”

Ignoring her protests, I dipped my head politely and skipped upstairs.

I could hear my mother-in-law shouting something behind me, but I couldn't make out the words.

Thankfully, by my standards, my married life wasn't particularly difficult.

She only starved me, released bugs and rats into my room on purpose, and tore up my clothes so I couldn't go outside.

Compared to everything I'd endured in my previous life, this barely registered.

In fact, I'd sometimes feel sorry for these one-dimensional villains and wonder why their cruelty was so unimaginative.

But Linea was different.

From the beginning, she was a girl born from a political marriage—one who could never inherit the title.

Her father, my late husband, had been so infatuated with his mistress that he paid no attention to Linea whatsoever.

After his death, Linea's uncle inherited the county and did everything he could to spend as little money on his niece as possible.

The only person who cared for her directly—her grandmother—used "discipline" as an excuse to treat Linea like an emotional punching bag.

And then there was Asha Delmore, her stepmother.

After I had been assigned as her tutor, Linea had even been beaten under the guise of discipline.

The abuse had left permanent scars across her delicate skin.

When Duke Lakan later discovered the scars on her legs by chance, he dealt with Asha swiftly and without mercy, true to his nature.

That wouldn't happen this time.

And regardless of anything else, I wanted to save Linea.

As I reached the second floor, I heard a door shut at the end of the hallway.

Just like always. She refuses to talk to me at all.

I walked down the corridor and placed the gifts I'd brought outside her door.

Then I knocked gently.

“Hello?”

No answer came from the other side.

Unable to do anything else, I continued speaking.

“I heard girls your age like dolls these days, so I bought one for you. I'm not sure if it's your kind of thing, though.”

Resting my hand against the wooden door, I hesitated before speaking again.

“But if you do like it, I'd be really happy. I worked hard to earn the money to buy it.”

I lowered my voice.

“I'm not trying to pressure you or anything. I just... hope you'll smile at me someday.”

For some reason, it felt as though warmth was radiating from the other side of the door.

I stepped away so Linea could come out comfortably.

“I'll get going now.”

After saying that, I entered my room next door.

Once inside, I quietly shut the door and held my breath, waiting to hear the sound of her door opening.

Linea was still like a wary stray cat.

If I stayed outside, she would never open the door.

Then, as I stood there with my back against the wall—

Creeeak.

The door next door opened with an eerie groan, the hinges long overdue for oiling.

“Ah!”

At the same time, I heard the faintest gasp.

There was the rustle of wrapping paper as she picked up the gift, and a moment later, the door shut again.

But even that was enough to make me grin.

She's so cute.

I knew why she acted this way.

She probably doesn't want to get attached to me only to be hurt again.

Once, Linea had opened her heart to a maid named Mary, who had been kind to her.

"I think you're such a lovely and adorable young lady."

"Me?"

"Of course. And do you know what I bought for you yesterday?"

The maid had gifted Linea expensive snacks, whispering that it was a secret just between them.

But as soon as the new maid realized that Linea was ignored by everyone in the household, her attitude changed.

"Ugh, she follows me around everywhere and keeps telling me pointless things about what she saw and ate today. I'm sick of it."

"Then why did you bother in the first place and get on Madam's bad side?"

"I know, right? She looked so gullible that I thought I could butter her up, but she doesn't even have any jewelry worth selling. What a waste of money."

Unfortunately, Linea had been hiding nearby, hoping to surprise Mary.

She heard every word.

After that day, Linea decided never to burden anyone again.

Because caring for a lonely child like her took more effort than people expected.

I really hope she likes it.

Thinking that, I clutched the check in my pocket more tightly.

Tomorrow morning, I'd go to the bank, deposit it, and withdraw some cash.

From now on, everything had to go according to plan.

I clenched my fist.

No matter what, I need to earn enough money to take Linea away from this place.

Meanwhile, in the room next door, Linea stared at the doll in her hands for a long time.

It was an expensive doll—one her grandmother and uncle would never buy for her.

“It's pretty...”

The words slipped out before she hurriedly covered her mouth.

Then she shook her head.

Her stepmother was an amazing person.

Linea herself couldn't even move properly in front of her grandmother without watching her every expression.

But her stepmother never once lowered her head or tiptoed around that frightening woman.

That alone was enough to make Linea like her.

And over the past two months, her stepmother's constant attempts to reach out had long since begun to break down the walls around her heart.

But...

Her father was dead.

And because her stepmother wasn't her real mother, she could leave this house whenever she wanted.

Her grandmother had reminded her of that several times already.

She even told me never to get too close to her.

Linea knew that if she opened her heart to the only person who treated her kindly, it would hurt terribly when that person left.

Especially when she looked into those warm brown eyes that always paid attention to what she liked.

They make me want to hug her.

That was why she'd kept running away.

Because she was afraid that if she got caught, she'd throw herself into her stepmother's arms.

Afraid that all her caution would melt away in that warmth.

But she couldn't do that.

The only reason she was allowed to stay in this house was because she was a quiet, obedient child.

If I do, she'll think I'm a nuisance eventually...

Her grandmother, her uncle, and everyone who had ever cared for her had all said the same thing.

That she was worthless because she was a girl.

That she was nothing but a burden who would cost money in the future.

So I shouldn't trouble Mother either.

With that thought, Linea made a silent vow.

Unaware that her resolve would soon crumble.

For the tide of fate was already rushing toward her like an unstoppable wave.