Episode 37. We Met After 3 Years
Rose, who had come to her senses, looked back and forth between the old ceiling and the people surrounding her.
'... Who is it?'
She remembers seeing the Grand Duke of Artaeum, but after that, she has no recollection of anything else. Rose looked at them with a confused expression. Her gaze lingered on the pink-haired woman.
'Ah...'
A pure woman with chiseled features. Though slightly different from Rose's violet eyes, she was clearly her mother. The resemblance was so striking that it was instantly recognizable.
'This is Rose's mother.'
Rose looked away from Rivera and at the middle-aged man before her. He seemed quite stubborn. Beneath his determined eyes, his tightly shut mouth trembled.
'It's Rose's father. This man...keeps holding my hand.'
Did he really care about her? The hand that touched hers felt incredibly warm. Rose wasn't sure how to treat her parents, whom she was meeting for the first time.
'What should I say? Judging by the expressions on your faces, I think I could approach you first with a smile.'
Although she was almost certain they were concerned about her, she couldn't quite bring herself to say anything. They were Rose's parents, not her own. She was terrified that if she acted even slightly strangely, they'd find out she was a "fake."
'If you were a parent, you would notice even the slightest change in your daughter.'
A cold sweat trickled down my spine. To think I'd come to my senses and found myself in a predicament. Rose's eyes darted anxiously. Meanwhile, Count Serviat and his wife were thrilled to see Rose again.
"Baby..."
Rivera approached Rose first. She sobbed and hugged her. Rose fell into Rivera's arms without saying a word. Her delicate embrace felt incredibly warm. Rivera, who was still holding Rose, slowly raised her head and met her eyes. She stroked Rose's face and spoke.
“Honey, how have you been?”
Rivera's hand on Rose's trembled. Rose simply nodded silently, feeling the warmth on her cheek. Somehow, beyond Rivera's appearance, she was reminded of her own mother in Korea. Rose's mother and her own mother had absolutely nothing in common, yet her heart ached for some reason. Her mother always said she was proud of her. She had entered a prestigious university on the first try, without expensive private tutoring, and had even landed a job at a major corporation, a source of pride for her mother. Rose hadn't really considered her own life particularly special, but to her mother's friends, she had lived a life that earned her the nickname "the daughter of a famous family."
‘...How are you?’
Suddenly, her mother and father in Korea came to mind. Having been busy adapting to the novel, Rose couldn't even miss them comfortably. Her parents' faces flickered before her eyes. A wave of emotion surged through her, echoing faintly in her mind. Like Rose in the original, she hadn't seen her parents for three years. The difference was not because of "marriage," but because of "divorce." The emotional wounds were so deep that she cut ties with her family and friends, running away simply because she didn't want to see anyone. She could have relied on them and grieved freely, but why was that so difficult back then? Thinking of her parents in her previous life, her nose turned sour. Rose blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes.
'Have you heard the news that I'm dead?'
After the divorce, their daughter disappeared, and all she said was that it was an accident in a studio apartment.
'I'd rather... not know.'
She hoped her parents wouldn't know that her life, one she hadn't even fully blossomed into, had ended in vain. Even if the entire nation knew of her death, only two people would. She hoped her mother and father would remain unaware of it. She didn't want to be unfilial, leaving them before her parents...
“...How hard must it have been for you to be alone? I didn’t even realize our daughter had become so emaciated... I’m so sorry. I’m sorry, my daughter. I’m truly sorry.”
Countess Serviat repeatedly apologized to Rose, even though she had done nothing wrong. Hot tears fell onto Rose's shoulder. Rivera embraced Rose and wept uncontrollably.
"Ah..."
The tears she had been holding back finally flowed down her cheeks at Rivera's words.
"Ah..."
Her heart ached as she felt like the person holding her was her real mother, who remained in Korea.
"...Sorry."
Rose opened her mouth with difficulty. Her nose was blocked by sobs, making it difficult to speak.
“Mom... Dad... I’m so sorry.”
Rose, who had opened her mouth, began to sob, her shoulders shaking. She poured out what she had been holding back, as if confessing to her parents in Korea.
“I’m so sorry I haven’t seen you in three years...”
If she had known she would die so pathetically, she would never have gone into hiding.
“Really... I missed Mom and Dad so, so much.”
It was a word she had been swallowing all the time, curled up in a cramped studio apartment, drinking alcohol.
She missed her parents' embrace. Truthfully, she felt utterly lonely. Drowning her pain with alcohol as her companion was not at all enjoyable. She longed for people, but seeing anyone connected to Lee Do-hyun was excruciatingly painful. Lee Do-hyun was so deeply embedded in her life that she felt the only thing she could do was to escape to a place where no one would think of him.
'I guess I should give up my seat for now.'
Grand Duke Artaeum, who had been observing them, quietly gave way to Rose and her family, who had reunited after three years. The mansion was a sea of tears for a moment. None of the three could hold back their tears. They embraced each other, overjoyed at their reunion.
Rose, who had come to her senses, looked back and forth between the old ceiling and the people surrounding her.
'... Who is it?'
She remembers seeing the Grand Duke of Artaeum, but after that, she has no recollection of anything else. Rose looked at them with a confused expression. Her gaze lingered on the pink-haired woman.
'Ah...'
A pure woman with chiseled features. Though slightly different from Rose's violet eyes, she was clearly her mother. The resemblance was so striking that it was instantly recognizable.
'This is Rose's mother.'
Rose looked away from Rivera and at the middle-aged man before her. He seemed quite stubborn. Beneath his determined eyes, his tightly shut mouth trembled.
'It's Rose's father. This man...keeps holding my hand.'
Did he really care about her? The hand that touched hers felt incredibly warm. Rose wasn't sure how to treat her parents, whom she was meeting for the first time.
'What should I say? Judging by the expressions on your faces, I think I could approach you first with a smile.'
Although she was almost certain they were concerned about her, she couldn't quite bring herself to say anything. They were Rose's parents, not her own. She was terrified that if she acted even slightly strangely, they'd find out she was a "fake."
'If you were a parent, you would notice even the slightest change in your daughter.'
A cold sweat trickled down my spine. To think I'd come to my senses and found myself in a predicament. Rose's eyes darted anxiously. Meanwhile, Count Serviat and his wife were thrilled to see Rose again.
"Baby..."
Rivera approached Rose first. She sobbed and hugged her. Rose fell into Rivera's arms without saying a word. Her delicate embrace felt incredibly warm. Rivera, who was still holding Rose, slowly raised her head and met her eyes. She stroked Rose's face and spoke.
“Honey, how have you been?”
Rivera's hand on Rose's trembled. Rose simply nodded silently, feeling the warmth on her cheek. Somehow, beyond Rivera's appearance, she was reminded of her own mother in Korea. Rose's mother and her own mother had absolutely nothing in common, yet her heart ached for some reason. Her mother always said she was proud of her. She had entered a prestigious university on the first try, without expensive private tutoring, and had even landed a job at a major corporation, a source of pride for her mother. Rose hadn't really considered her own life particularly special, but to her mother's friends, she had lived a life that earned her the nickname "the daughter of a famous family."
‘...How are you?’
Suddenly, her mother and father in Korea came to mind. Having been busy adapting to the novel, Rose couldn't even miss them comfortably. Her parents' faces flickered before her eyes. A wave of emotion surged through her, echoing faintly in her mind. Like Rose in the original, she hadn't seen her parents for three years. The difference was not because of "marriage," but because of "divorce." The emotional wounds were so deep that she cut ties with her family and friends, running away simply because she didn't want to see anyone. She could have relied on them and grieved freely, but why was that so difficult back then? Thinking of her parents in her previous life, her nose turned sour. Rose blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes.
'Have you heard the news that I'm dead?'
After the divorce, their daughter disappeared, and all she said was that it was an accident in a studio apartment.
'I'd rather... not know.'
She hoped her parents wouldn't know that her life, one she hadn't even fully blossomed into, had ended in vain. Even if the entire nation knew of her death, only two people would. She hoped her mother and father would remain unaware of it. She didn't want to be unfilial, leaving them before her parents...
“...How hard must it have been for you to be alone? I didn’t even realize our daughter had become so emaciated... I’m so sorry. I’m sorry, my daughter. I’m truly sorry.”
Countess Serviat repeatedly apologized to Rose, even though she had done nothing wrong. Hot tears fell onto Rose's shoulder. Rivera embraced Rose and wept uncontrollably.
"Ah..."
The tears she had been holding back finally flowed down her cheeks at Rivera's words.
"Ah..."
Her heart ached as she felt like the person holding her was her real mother, who remained in Korea.
"...Sorry."
Rose opened her mouth with difficulty. Her nose was blocked by sobs, making it difficult to speak.
“Mom... Dad... I’m so sorry.”
Rose, who had opened her mouth, began to sob, her shoulders shaking. She poured out what she had been holding back, as if confessing to her parents in Korea.
“I’m so sorry I haven’t seen you in three years...”
If she had known she would die so pathetically, she would never have gone into hiding.
“Really... I missed Mom and Dad so, so much.”
It was a word she had been swallowing all the time, curled up in a cramped studio apartment, drinking alcohol.
She missed her parents' embrace. Truthfully, she felt utterly lonely. Drowning her pain with alcohol as her companion was not at all enjoyable. She longed for people, but seeing anyone connected to Lee Do-hyun was excruciatingly painful. Lee Do-hyun was so deeply embedded in her life that she felt the only thing she could do was to escape to a place where no one would think of him.
Rivera hugged the sobbing Rose even tighter. Perhaps it was because she felt the warmth of Rivera's embrace? Rose finally broke down, crying out for her mother and father like a child. Cradled in Rivera's arms, she wept bitterly. How must her parents, who had wept at her funeral, have felt? The news they'd heard after three years was their daughter's passing... What would they think as they gazed upon her, her cold corpse?
She felt sorry for the Rose in the original, but if she could, she wanted to tell them that she was alive. That she was alive, albeit in a different form, and that they shouldn't be so distressed. Daimon, who was watching Rose and Rivera, also began to see tears welling up in his eyes. He quickly wiped them away, as if trying to hide his reddened eyes.
'I guess I should give up my seat for now.'
Grand Duke Artaeum, who had been observing them, quietly gave way to Rose and her family, who had reunited after three years. The mansion was a sea of tears for a moment. None of the three could hold back their tears. They embraced each other, overjoyed at their reunion.
***
Meanwhile, laughter bloomed in Cedric's mansion.
“Haha, really? You finally got a divorce?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Cedric, still unaware that Gwen had been kicked out, simply laughed at the news that Eric and Rose were getting divorced.
“How come this guy who was always slow is doing things so coolly?”
He muttered with a very satisfied expression.
“See? I told you, Eric will take care of everything.”
Tercia, sitting across from Cedric, put down her teacup with a leisurely smile. Her eyes, as she brushed back her thick, wavy hair, were upturned to a point of spite. With a satisfied smile, Tercia slowly grasped her fan. Then, unable to hide her smile, she waved her hand.
“Eric has the same execution ability as you. Whose son is he?”
She was Tercia, Eric's biological mother. Wearing heavy makeup, she looked remarkably glamorous at first glance. She wore a dazzling necklace, and her fingers were covered in elaborate rings. The atmosphere was harmonious. Cedric and Tercia seemed quite pleased to have rid the thorn in their side, Rose. The only person not smiling was his attendant. He couldn't smile comfortably in front of Cedric and Tercia.
'I also have to tell you that the maid of that house is pregnant with the Count's child...'
He couldn't help but be speechless as he watched Cedric and Tercia, both intoxicated with joy.
“Haha, really? You finally got a divorce?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Cedric, still unaware that Gwen had been kicked out, simply laughed at the news that Eric and Rose were getting divorced.
“How come this guy who was always slow is doing things so coolly?”
He muttered with a very satisfied expression.
“See? I told you, Eric will take care of everything.”
Tercia, sitting across from Cedric, put down her teacup with a leisurely smile. Her eyes, as she brushed back her thick, wavy hair, were upturned to a point of spite. With a satisfied smile, Tercia slowly grasped her fan. Then, unable to hide her smile, she waved her hand.
“Eric has the same execution ability as you. Whose son is he?”
She was Tercia, Eric's biological mother. Wearing heavy makeup, she looked remarkably glamorous at first glance. She wore a dazzling necklace, and her fingers were covered in elaborate rings. The atmosphere was harmonious. Cedric and Tercia seemed quite pleased to have rid the thorn in their side, Rose. The only person not smiling was his attendant. He couldn't smile comfortably in front of Cedric and Tercia.
'I also have to tell you that the maid of that house is pregnant with the Count's child...'
He couldn't help but be speechless as he watched Cedric and Tercia, both intoxicated with joy.
“What about the documents? Did you really get a stamp on them?”
“Yes. Since it has already been submitted to the temple, you don’t need to worry about that.”
The servant nodded and spoke calmly. Cedric's laughter grew even more hearty at his words.
"Oh my. Our Eric must have been holding on tight. He gets things done very quickly."
Tercia listened to the servant's words and smiled with satisfaction. As expected, she knew her son Eric would come to his senses someday. Tercia found it pitiful that his kind nature, unable to resist all the women who approached him, was unbearable. It wasn't "kindness," but "flirtation," but she didn't readily acknowledge it.
“Yes. Since it has already been submitted to the temple, you don’t need to worry about that.”
The servant nodded and spoke calmly. Cedric's laughter grew even more hearty at his words.
"Oh my. Our Eric must have been holding on tight. He gets things done very quickly."
Tercia listened to the servant's words and smiled with satisfaction. As expected, she knew her son Eric would come to his senses someday. Tercia found it pitiful that his kind nature, unable to resist all the women who approached him, was unbearable. It wasn't "kindness," but "flirtation," but she didn't readily acknowledge it.
To Tercia, Eric was the apple of her eye, and she always protected him. Unlike Cedric, the servant stared at Cedric and Tercia in silence for a long time. Finding the right moment to speak was difficult. Watching the situation closely, sweat dripping down his face, he finally spoke, determined to let things be.
“But there was a problem..."
Cedric's voice, which had been echoing throughout the room, suddenly stopped as the servant trailed off. Cedric, who had been smiling heartily until just a moment ago, now glared at the servant with a cold expression. The servant flinched, perhaps involuntarily intimidated by Cedric's fierce gaze. Cedric wasn't the only one who stopped laughing. Tercia was, too. Tercia stared at the servant with sharp eyes.
"Problem?"
Cedric's voice struck me with a chilling piercing. He slowly leaned forward, his upper body having been leaning back in his chair. Cedric clasped his hands together and rested his chin on them.
“There was a problem with the divorce...”
The once cheerful atmosphere suddenly changed. Tension filled the room. The attendant swallowed hard and opened his mouth.
“The Count has a child.”
"What?"
“You said Eric's child?”
Cedric and Tercia reacted simultaneously on both sides. They showed no signs of joy at the prospect of having a grandchild. The servant merely watched them closely, anticipating their expected reaction.
“That vixen Rose ended up tricking my son into doing this!”
Tercia vented her anger toward Rose, spewing out unspeakable, vulgar language. With a furious expression, Tercia, who had been sulking, fell silent at the servant's subsequent words.
“It’s not Rose’s child.”
At the servant's words, Cedric's eyes widened slightly.
'No way...'
A maid from the Count's household suddenly came to mind. She was a maid, but she even stole her master, Rose's, cosmetics. Cedric's prediction was spot-on.
“It is said that he impregnated one of the maids working at the mansion.”
“What?!”
At the servant's words, Tercia leaped to her feet and shouted. The table shook violently, sending the teacup crashing to the floor with a clatter. "I barely managed to get rid of the daughter of a fallen family, and now a mere maid is clinging to my son?"
“But there was a problem..."
Cedric's voice, which had been echoing throughout the room, suddenly stopped as the servant trailed off. Cedric, who had been smiling heartily until just a moment ago, now glared at the servant with a cold expression. The servant flinched, perhaps involuntarily intimidated by Cedric's fierce gaze. Cedric wasn't the only one who stopped laughing. Tercia was, too. Tercia stared at the servant with sharp eyes.
"Problem?"
Cedric's voice struck me with a chilling piercing. He slowly leaned forward, his upper body having been leaning back in his chair. Cedric clasped his hands together and rested his chin on them.
“There was a problem with the divorce...”
The once cheerful atmosphere suddenly changed. Tension filled the room. The attendant swallowed hard and opened his mouth.
“The Count has a child.”
"What?"
“You said Eric's child?”
Cedric and Tercia reacted simultaneously on both sides. They showed no signs of joy at the prospect of having a grandchild. The servant merely watched them closely, anticipating their expected reaction.
“That vixen Rose ended up tricking my son into doing this!”
Tercia vented her anger toward Rose, spewing out unspeakable, vulgar language. With a furious expression, Tercia, who had been sulking, fell silent at the servant's subsequent words.
“It’s not Rose’s child.”
At the servant's words, Cedric's eyes widened slightly.
'No way...'
A maid from the Count's household suddenly came to mind. She was a maid, but she even stole her master, Rose's, cosmetics. Cedric's prediction was spot-on.
“It is said that he impregnated one of the maids working at the mansion.”
“What?!”
At the servant's words, Tercia leaped to her feet and shouted. The table shook violently, sending the teacup crashing to the floor with a clatter. "I barely managed to get rid of the daughter of a fallen family, and now a mere maid is clinging to my son?"
Tercia gritted her teeth, unable to hide the rage blazing in her eyes. She stomped on the shattered pieces of the teacup beneath her feet. With a crunch, the teacup shattered into pieces.
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