The blackmailer spoke confidently.
"I'll come back tomorrow, so think it over carefully."
Stella put down the magic tool for a moment.
'Why didn't I know back then that a blackmailer like this was attached to Sia?'
She stepped out into the hallway to eat, still pondering the events of the previous day. Her leg was much better now, so she didn't need crutches. Still, she walked carefully, checking the floor from time to time, when she heard a presence ahead. Startled, Stella looked up, afraid of bumping into something.
"Greetings, Lady Stella Adrian."
Neatly dressed, Sia bowed to her. That confident expression made it impossible to even imagine that this was the face of someone who had been threatened last night. It was elegant, sophisticated, and looked resolute.
'With such good control of her facial expression, it's no wonder no one would know.'
Stella bit her nails as she passed her. It would have been one thing not to know her circumstances, but now that she knew, she couldn't just walk past.
"Stella, you've been spending too much time in the study lately."
As she entered the bedroom, Kendrick held Stella in his arms again. A sweet scent emanated from Kendrick as he rubbed his cheek against hers. Before, he used to have a distinctive, strong masculine scent of skin, but lately, that smell had mixed with the scent of sweet candy.
"I need my own time too, you know."
Even though her hand was being held by Kendrick, her mind was filled with Sia.
'The blackmailer is going to come back tonight.'
If she went to Sia like this, it was obvious that Kendrick would worry or follow her out. In that case, she would have to explain the whole situation.
'Sia definitely wouldn't want Kendrick to find out her identity.'
Stella turned off the power button on the recording magic device completely. She felt sorry for having heard about Sia's personal matters without her permission.
"I'll be right back from the study."
"No. We've been apart all day. Keep holding my hand until we go to sleep."
Stella was stuck at home due to Kendrick's whining. It wasn't that she couldn't understand Kendrick's position. Lately, he had frequent business trips, and since he couldn't take Stella, who had injured her leg, with him every time, he could only relieve all his thirst and anxiety at night.
"Yes. Then go to sleep quickly."
As Stella waited for Kendrick to fall asleep, the clock hands already pointed toward two in the morning. Visiting Sia's room at this hour was not only impolite but also enough to arouse suspicion. Stella hesitated, but had no choice but to fall asleep. The next day, she regretted this decision.
The next day, Stella lingered around the building where Sia was staying, deliberately trying to run into her. Fortunately, she was able to see Sia's face not long after. But...
"I would like to greet Duchess Stella Adrian."
There was a small bruise near Sia's eye. There was also a small scratch. She kept her waist bent, as if intending not to lift her head until Stella passed by. If Stella hadn't known the situation, she would have simply walked past as Sia wanted, but now that she knew everything, even that faint bruise stood out clearly.
"Would you like to lift your head?"
"..."
Sia seemed reluctant, but she could not refuse Stella's order. She worked hard to cover the bruise with heavier makeup than usual, but even so, the mark was not completely invisible. The thought of Sia struggling to hide it tightened her heart even more.
"Why are you hurt here?"
"I sprained my ankle and fell."
Stella grabbed Sia's hand without thinking and dragged her into her bedroom. Sia was dragged along by her without knowing why.
'What's seriously wrong with this woman?'
It was as if Stella could hear the voice of Sia’s bewilderment. Sia became even more puzzled by Stella’s expression. It was a serious and angry look, uncharacteristic of her.
"Lady Stella?"
Stella applied ointment to Sia's scratch. Then she held an egg to the corner of her eye and spun it around.
"Stay still. It will help the bruise fade."
Sia was flustered by Stella's sudden attitude, but she remained silent. She could see Stella's face up close. It was a flawlessly clear face. Sia bit her lip tightly.
"It's okay. I'll do it."
"Did you have breakfast?"
"I'm busy with work. May I leave now?"
Stella could not stop Sia because she knew how much work Sia had to do at the Duke's household.
"Alright, go ahead."
Sia was holding a raw egg as she emerged from Stella's bedroom. She pouted for no reason and pressed the egg against her eye. Her mind was already unsettled because of what happened last night, and Stella's sudden affectionate behavior only made her feel more troubled. Watching Sia retreat, Stella turned on the recording magic device again.
'I need to check how her face ended up like that.'
Crackling.
"How about it? Did you come up with the right idea?"
"I can't give you the money."
"What? So now you're even speaking informally to me? I owe you for raising me, you ungrateful bitch."
"Raised? Is that what you call raising? Look at the state of the kids at your orphanage. They're just as skinny now as they were in my time..."
Zzawak.
Thump.
Stella pressed the pause button for a moment. Her mouth dropped open. Her heart raced, even though it wasn't her business. She took a deep breath and pressed the play button again.
Crackling.
"You think everything you're enjoying right now is yours, don't you? Not at all. If I just open my mouth, all this wealth and glory of yours will be over. You're just a bar girl."
Stella bit her lower lip tightly. There was a phrase that kept bothering her. The daughter of a barmaid.
'So what if she's the daughter of a bar girl?'
Stella doesn't think she was born that way because she wanted to.
A bitter laugh escaped her. She, too, was an illegitimate child of an unknown ducal family. The difference from Sia was that, perhaps out of fear of the Lanedict ducal family, no one threatened her using the fact that she was an illegitimate child as a weapon. She clutched her heart and listened to the recording again.
"You became Adrian's secretary because you are a Viscount's daughter, aren't you? If they were to find out your humble status, would they leave you alone?"
She wondered why Sia, who is so proud and sharp-witted, was being threatened like this, but it turned out to be a master of intimidation.
"Do you think I don't know you deliberately clutched your stomach and pretended to be in pain back then to get the Viscount's eye? You foxy bitch."
"Get out of here before I call someone to kick you out."
"I heard that even the Viscount's family practically abandoned you once they had their own daughter, right? Is that why you're living here, far from your original home? Your fate is truly ridiculous."
"Please stop."
"You have to pay me to stop. You have to pay me!"
Crash.
There was a sound like something falling and something tripping. So that’s how Sia got a scratch on her cheek. The injury was only on her face; there might have been something worse on her body.
Click.
Stella pressed the stop button again.
"Ha."
It was as if she could clearly see the burden Sia was bearing all alone right now. She fully understood her desire not to reveal her vulnerabilities to others. However, there were parts she could not accept.
It would be one thing if they were keeping quiet about her being an illegitimate child, but Sia was just an adopted child.
'Being adopted shouldn't really be such a flaw.'
Children were not born among the nobility, and if there were no suitable children among relatives, it was not uncommon to bring a suitable child from an orphanage. Nevertheless, Sia seemed afraid of the fact of her adoption becoming known.
Stella thought as she listened to the conversation again.
'That's why Sia had a huge inferiority complex about her social status.'
It might have been a feeling she wouldn't have originally possessed. However, being continuously threatened like this, she must have gradually become evil. If it weren't for her status, she wouldn't have had to go through such hell. Thinking this was the last time, she clicked the play button. The sound of fighting was heard, and the kidnapper fled the room as if being chased, along with the promise that he would return.
"Ha..."
Stella's heart broke at the sound of Sia's sigh that came right through.
“Should I just kill myself?"
"I'll come back tomorrow, so think it over carefully."
Stella put down the magic tool for a moment.
'Why didn't I know back then that a blackmailer like this was attached to Sia?'
She stepped out into the hallway to eat, still pondering the events of the previous day. Her leg was much better now, so she didn't need crutches. Still, she walked carefully, checking the floor from time to time, when she heard a presence ahead. Startled, Stella looked up, afraid of bumping into something.
"Greetings, Lady Stella Adrian."
Neatly dressed, Sia bowed to her. That confident expression made it impossible to even imagine that this was the face of someone who had been threatened last night. It was elegant, sophisticated, and looked resolute.
'With such good control of her facial expression, it's no wonder no one would know.'
Stella bit her nails as she passed her. It would have been one thing not to know her circumstances, but now that she knew, she couldn't just walk past.
***
"Stella, you've been spending too much time in the study lately."
As she entered the bedroom, Kendrick held Stella in his arms again. A sweet scent emanated from Kendrick as he rubbed his cheek against hers. Before, he used to have a distinctive, strong masculine scent of skin, but lately, that smell had mixed with the scent of sweet candy.
"I need my own time too, you know."
Even though her hand was being held by Kendrick, her mind was filled with Sia.
'The blackmailer is going to come back tonight.'
If she went to Sia like this, it was obvious that Kendrick would worry or follow her out. In that case, she would have to explain the whole situation.
'Sia definitely wouldn't want Kendrick to find out her identity.'
Stella turned off the power button on the recording magic device completely. She felt sorry for having heard about Sia's personal matters without her permission.
"I'll be right back from the study."
"No. We've been apart all day. Keep holding my hand until we go to sleep."
Stella was stuck at home due to Kendrick's whining. It wasn't that she couldn't understand Kendrick's position. Lately, he had frequent business trips, and since he couldn't take Stella, who had injured her leg, with him every time, he could only relieve all his thirst and anxiety at night.
"Yes. Then go to sleep quickly."
As Stella waited for Kendrick to fall asleep, the clock hands already pointed toward two in the morning. Visiting Sia's room at this hour was not only impolite but also enough to arouse suspicion. Stella hesitated, but had no choice but to fall asleep. The next day, she regretted this decision.
***
The next day, Stella lingered around the building where Sia was staying, deliberately trying to run into her. Fortunately, she was able to see Sia's face not long after. But...
"I would like to greet Duchess Stella Adrian."
There was a small bruise near Sia's eye. There was also a small scratch. She kept her waist bent, as if intending not to lift her head until Stella passed by. If Stella hadn't known the situation, she would have simply walked past as Sia wanted, but now that she knew everything, even that faint bruise stood out clearly.
"Would you like to lift your head?"
"..."
Sia seemed reluctant, but she could not refuse Stella's order. She worked hard to cover the bruise with heavier makeup than usual, but even so, the mark was not completely invisible. The thought of Sia struggling to hide it tightened her heart even more.
"Why are you hurt here?"
"I sprained my ankle and fell."
Stella grabbed Sia's hand without thinking and dragged her into her bedroom. Sia was dragged along by her without knowing why.
'What's seriously wrong with this woman?'
It was as if Stella could hear the voice of Sia’s bewilderment. Sia became even more puzzled by Stella’s expression. It was a serious and angry look, uncharacteristic of her.
"Lady Stella?"
Stella applied ointment to Sia's scratch. Then she held an egg to the corner of her eye and spun it around.
"Stay still. It will help the bruise fade."
Sia was flustered by Stella's sudden attitude, but she remained silent. She could see Stella's face up close. It was a flawlessly clear face. Sia bit her lip tightly.
"It's okay. I'll do it."
"Did you have breakfast?"
"I'm busy with work. May I leave now?"
Stella could not stop Sia because she knew how much work Sia had to do at the Duke's household.
"Alright, go ahead."
Sia was holding a raw egg as she emerged from Stella's bedroom. She pouted for no reason and pressed the egg against her eye. Her mind was already unsettled because of what happened last night, and Stella's sudden affectionate behavior only made her feel more troubled. Watching Sia retreat, Stella turned on the recording magic device again.
'I need to check how her face ended up like that.'
Crackling.
"How about it? Did you come up with the right idea?"
"I can't give you the money."
"What? So now you're even speaking informally to me? I owe you for raising me, you ungrateful bitch."
"Raised? Is that what you call raising? Look at the state of the kids at your orphanage. They're just as skinny now as they were in my time..."
Zzawak.
Thump.
Stella pressed the pause button for a moment. Her mouth dropped open. Her heart raced, even though it wasn't her business. She took a deep breath and pressed the play button again.
Crackling.
"You think everything you're enjoying right now is yours, don't you? Not at all. If I just open my mouth, all this wealth and glory of yours will be over. You're just a bar girl."
Stella bit her lower lip tightly. There was a phrase that kept bothering her. The daughter of a barmaid.
'So what if she's the daughter of a bar girl?'
Stella doesn't think she was born that way because she wanted to.
A bitter laugh escaped her. She, too, was an illegitimate child of an unknown ducal family. The difference from Sia was that, perhaps out of fear of the Lanedict ducal family, no one threatened her using the fact that she was an illegitimate child as a weapon. She clutched her heart and listened to the recording again.
"You became Adrian's secretary because you are a Viscount's daughter, aren't you? If they were to find out your humble status, would they leave you alone?"
She wondered why Sia, who is so proud and sharp-witted, was being threatened like this, but it turned out to be a master of intimidation.
"Do you think I don't know you deliberately clutched your stomach and pretended to be in pain back then to get the Viscount's eye? You foxy bitch."
"Get out of here before I call someone to kick you out."
"I heard that even the Viscount's family practically abandoned you once they had their own daughter, right? Is that why you're living here, far from your original home? Your fate is truly ridiculous."
"Please stop."
"You have to pay me to stop. You have to pay me!"
Crash.
There was a sound like something falling and something tripping. So that’s how Sia got a scratch on her cheek. The injury was only on her face; there might have been something worse on her body.
Click.
Stella pressed the stop button again.
"Ha."
It was as if she could clearly see the burden Sia was bearing all alone right now. She fully understood her desire not to reveal her vulnerabilities to others. However, there were parts she could not accept.
It would be one thing if they were keeping quiet about her being an illegitimate child, but Sia was just an adopted child.
'Being adopted shouldn't really be such a flaw.'
Children were not born among the nobility, and if there were no suitable children among relatives, it was not uncommon to bring a suitable child from an orphanage. Nevertheless, Sia seemed afraid of the fact of her adoption becoming known.
Stella thought as she listened to the conversation again.
'That's why Sia had a huge inferiority complex about her social status.'
It might have been a feeling she wouldn't have originally possessed. However, being continuously threatened like this, she must have gradually become evil. If it weren't for her status, she wouldn't have had to go through such hell. Thinking this was the last time, she clicked the play button. The sound of fighting was heard, and the kidnapper fled the room as if being chased, along with the promise that he would return.
"Ha..."
Stella's heart broke at the sound of Sia's sigh that came right through.
Crackle.
There was a hint of moisture in Sia's voice.
"I guess it would be faster if I died."
Stella let go of the recording magic tool. She felt she shouldn't look into her inner thoughts any further. Upon learning that Sia had even contemplated death, heat surged through Stella's entire body. She was simply unbearably angry.
"Didn't anyone come to the house today?"
When evening came, Kendrick came to find Stella.
"Nothing like that happened. Why? Is there someone waiting?"
"No, not to me. Um... to Sia."
"Sia?"
Kendrick fiddled with the area around his chin and wore a thoughtful expression.
"I did hear that a nanny came and went when I was young. But."
'A nanny...'
So that's how you lied and went in and out.
"Are you still that worried about Sia?"
Stella looked at him as if to ask what he meant.
"If you want, I can send Sia to the provinces. Well, living abroad is also an option. After all, I was planning to start a new trading business anyway."
"You're saying you're sending Sia away?"
That wasn't what Stella wanted right now. It would be different if Sia wanted to leave far away, but she certainly had no intention of driving her away like this. On the contrary, she needed to keep Sia close and protect her from that blackmailer.
"No. Please don't do that."
"Your feelings are the most important. If you are worried about her, tell me anytime."
Kendrick had been preventing Stella from touching Sia all this time because of her reputation. After all, he couldn't let rumors spread that a Duchess of her caliber was jealous of his secretary. But now, he could understand Stella's feelings. If the maddening emotion he felt whenever he was with Roy was jealousy, then it was right to nip it in the bud.
"There is no need for that."
Stella shook her head. The power of being a Princess would clearly be a great help in getting divorced and settling down. This was a good opportunity to win Sia over to her side. Also, she had to save the children at the orphanage who might still be being abused by the director. Stella bit her lower lip. She had to resolve this matter without Kendrick knowing. She pondered for a long time what punishment would be best for the blackmailer.
- I guess I'll be the one to die first.
'If one of them dies.'
That's probably the blackmailer, not Sia.
Stella first approached the knight guarding the building where Sia was staying and spoke.
"If the nanny comes to see Secretary Sia, please tell me immediately."
"Yes. Understood."
Although she could have hired someone to find the blackmailer, it seemed better to raid the scene where he was harassing Sia. In the meantime, Stella comforted Sia by sending her cakes or macarons whenever she had the chance. Sia must have been bewildered, though.
"Lady Stella, the secretary's nanny has come again."
And the blackmailer returned not long after. Stella smiled strangely and stood up.
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