Chapter 22

Misfortune became reality and came looking for Elena. Cecilia smiled confidently. She was certain that Elena could never turn away from this mother.

Elena grabbed her wrist with a pale face.

“How did you come here?”

She knew she would come someday, but this quickly? She didn’t even have money to eat and survive, but had she bought a train ticket anyway?

“What kind of manners are those toward your mother who came to see you, Elena?”

She closed the reception room door, leaving behind those watching with concern.

“What purpose did you come for? Tell me the main point first.”

Elena shot back coldly. The food she had eaten deliciously and enjoyably felt like it had stuck heavily in her stomach. To her, Cecilia was a symbol of misfortune, like a grim reaper who would ultimately drag her into hell.

Cecilia shrugged her shoulders.

She was appraising the clothes Elena wore, her hair accessories, and shoes. They were definitely bought from a department store. Though ready-made, the price range looked substantial.

Anyone could see this mansion was clearly taking good care of her.

And Maxim wouldn’t show such kindness and spend money for a woman with no connection to him.

She smiled brightly. The more Elena was receiving, the more she could extract, wasn’t that right!

“Why are you like this to your mother, Elena? You left home without a word, and I worried so much. Coming all the way here wasn’t easy either. It cost a lot of money too.”

Her eyes curved. Even that felt disgusting, which was probably proof that Elena’s lingering feelings toward her had ended.

She glared at her. This was someone who had embezzled Leana’s medicine money to fill her own interests. And conspiring with a doctor too!

Could such a person truly be called a mother?

“Elena, my Elena. Actually, as you know, both you and Leana are still unmarried, aren’t you? You’re still young.”

“…”

“The rights over you two belong to me. Even if you want to marry, you need my permission.”

She bit her teeth in frustration.

“I have no intention of marrying.”

She spat out coldly.

“My goodness, then what will you do? Don’t talk nonsense. Without marriage, you’re just the duke’s plaything. Are you going to waste your life like that? Then you won’t have any rights! Even when you’re kicked out, you’ll have to leave empty-handed.”

She taught Elena gently, with a heart truly wanting the best for her. She was worried because Elena was so naive and didn’t know the world.

“Duke? Kicked out… What exactly are you imagining right now!”

“Well, of course. You didn’t follow the duke here. So whatever happened between you two…”

“Mother! Don’t insult him! Do you think someone like him would get involved with someone like me? No, I didn’t even come here for that purpose! I came to look into tutoring work!”

Her face turned white. She grabbed Elena’s shoulders with a demonic expression.

“Are you crazy? Having this opportunity, why on earth… No, you foolish thing! If such a man is next to you, you should get him in your bed and make him yours!”

“Mother! Don’t you know shame?”

“Shame? Do I need to know such things? Let me see. If this marriage doesn’t work out now…”

She paced around the reception room. After biting her lips for a moment, she soon glared at Elena viciously.

“Then let’s go down immediately. Baron Benjamin will still be waiting for you.”

“What is that…”

“I found you a position as Baron Benjamin’s second wife. The discussion has already taken place, so you need to go…”

“Since mother made the promise, mother should go.”

She said with disgust. Cecilia had finally sold off her daughter. Elena trembled. To have inherited the blood of such a woman. She wanted to drain all the blood from her body.

“You stupid thing! How hard I tried for your sake, but you don’t appreciate that!”

“It must have been the best for mother’s sake.”

She said coldly.

“Just go back now. I have no more money and no intention of following mother. Don’t come looking either!”

Fire sparked in her eyes. Elena was the most valuable and expensive thing she owned. How much had she been expecting from Elena’s marriage?

She could have turned her life around at once. But Elena was being so uncooperative.

“Fine. Then I’ll have to take Leana at least.”

“Mother!”

“I have custody of that child. I have the right to decide where she goes. You’ve essentially kidnapped her without my permission right now.”

She stared at her with a devastated face. How could a person be so vicious? Tears flowed. Her lips trembled. Before her stood a woman who had abandoned all moral ethics and maternal instincts.

Cecilia was no longer family to Elena or Leana. She was simply a demon, nothing more.

Ultimately, she was demanding either Leana or money.

“…How much do you want?”

“The amount Baron Benjamin promised me was 2 million gold.”

She called out a slightly higher figure. A mansion of this caliber should be able to pay that amount easily.

She closed her eyes tightly. Her heart felt like it would burst.

“…Just go back.”

“Why? I need to receive money to go anywhere. And where do I have to go from here!”

“Go back to Levonto. Go back, I’m telling you. I’ll contact you when the money is ready.”

She said with a trembling voice. She couldn’t let Leana be taken away. But she couldn’t mortgage her own life to Baron Benjamin, whose face she didn’t even know.

[Elena. My precious little one. You are this father’s treasure.]

Her own life was too precious for that.

“What should I trust?”

“Then if I die here, will you go back?”

She said in desperation. How could she be so vile and miserable? Couldn’t she be a better person? Her lips trembled violently. Sorrow burst out with her breathing as she took deep breaths.

“…You really. Why do you talk like that?”

She said resentfully.

“Am I doing this to live well alone? It’s so we can all live well together. I’ll go back, that’s fine.”

She backed down. Still, she had learned where Elena lived and confirmed it was a household with money, so she could return with peace of mind.

If Elena didn’t contact her again, she planned to cling to Countess Presto or Maxim. She had taught Elena enough to understand, so she would know what to do.

Somehow, she would get money from Maxim.

She picked up her bag.

Tears filled Elena’s eyes as she looked at the completely worn-out bag. What exactly had broken them down to this extent?

“I’m leaving now. Aren’t you going to say goodbye?”

“…What about Leana? Don’t you want to see Leana? She’s your daughter.”

“…Why would I see her? I told you, Elena. You can only take care of such a child when you have the means. You’re struggling to do something beyond your capabilities. I have no intention of joining that hell.”

She closed her eyes tightly. Cecilia grumbled and left the reception room.

Left alone, she collapsed in the empty room. Only then did the foot pain she had forgotten come rushing back.

She threw off her shoes. Tears filled her blue eyes as she looked at her scraped feet. Tears fell onto her hand as she touched her wounded heels.

Her chest felt like it would burst, but she didn’t know what to resent or what to be angry at.

“Sob…”

She had definitely made a brave resolution to get revenge, but everything felt hopeless. Elena realized anew that she really had nothing at all. That the world, as always, was not on her side.

She wrapped her arms around her knees. She buried her face between them and cried silently.

Elena was alone. She missed her father desperately and hated it so much. Why had he left her alone? Why did it have to be such a mother?

While crying so miserably, the reception room door opened. She slowly raised her head with a frightened face.

‘Did mother come back?’

But it was someone else who opened the door and entered.

“Maxim…?”