I Never Wanted His Child - Chapter 26
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
read more chapters on luna kofi
“…A woman who can’t properly discipline even one maid. What chance does she have of killing me?”
Dahlia chuckled dryly.
“She covered her neck with a cloth. Did she perhaps attempt self-harm?”
“Exactly.”
“….Huh, she’s more straightforward than I thought.”
Dahlia smiled wryly and leaned back on the sofa.
“I had to keep an eye on her to put my mind at ease. I never knew when she might turn around and stab Brother in the back. I had to watch her too.”
“You wouldn’t need to watch her if you just followed my instructions. I hope we won’t have incidents like today.”
“I’ll try my best.”
Dahlia sat up straight in her chair and gazed at the teacup Emilia had been drinking from.
“She grew up so well, I want to kill her. I barely managed to survive each day with great difficulty. The shining red hair, the green eyes like they were moved from a garden. She was like beautifully crafted pottery.”
Dahlia ran her fingers through her golden hair and smiled.
“She probably wouldn’t have lost her shine if she hadn’t become Brother’s wife. Is her family still alive? Please let them meet often.”
“I don’t understand why I should let them meet often.”
“It’s so that when she loses them, she’ll despair more desperately, don’t you think?”
Dahlia spoke with more bitterness in her laughter than ever before.
***
Emilia felt oddly uncomfortable around the girl named Dahlia. She seemed to smile and be kind to her, but her gaze felt cold somewhere.
‘She seemed to dislike me.’
She introduced herself as Heinrich’s cousin.
She couldn’t see her face properly behind the veil, but sensing a similar atmosphere, she accepted it.
Duke Heinrich also disliked her, so it wasn’t surprising that Dahlia, his family member, showed animosity. The problem was their contradictory actions.
For reasons unknown, Dahlia seemed to be trying to win her favor.
Leri interjected as Dahlia barged in.
“I apologize. Lady Dahlia, His Grace has forbidden Madam from meeting with anyone.”
“What if it’s not just anyone but me?”
“…I apologize. Will you please leave now? I have His Grace’s orders.”
“I’m also a member of the Heinrich family. Who are you to stop me? Move aside. I have to see my sister-in-law today. It’s heartless to live in the same place and not even know each other’s faces.”
“…I apologize.”
Loud commotion outside the door caught Emilia’s attention, and she opened it to find herself facing a woman in a splendid dress, her face hidden. Initially, she thought it might be one of the Duke’s concealed mistress. But glimpses of golden hair and red eyes through the veil made her think she might be from the Heinrich family.
“Oh, my, sister-in-law. I apologize for the greeting. I am Dahlia, the cousin of Duke Heinrich.”
The girl who introduced herself as Dahlia beamed, and the situation that followed was just as the Duke had witnessed.
After calling for Ellyn, she had Leri whipped.
The action seemed so natural and matter-of-fact that Emilia was taken aback. It was expected that the maids might get scolded for their mistakes, but instructing the chief lady-in-waiting to wield the whip was another matter. It made her seem rather strict with her subordinates.
What concerned her even more was why the Duke had forbidden them from meeting. She hadn’t known that Dahlia was in the mansion. His words meant that he hid Dahlia’s existence from her.
If it was something the Duke disliked, then it wouldn’t hurt to be friendly with her.
“Dahlia… Dahlia.”
What a lovely name. Both Mikhail and Dahlia, beautiful names despite their personalities, even their appearances match their names’ charm.
Emilia returned to her room and flopped onto the bed.
“Seems like being rude is a uniform trait.”
She got up to change into comfortable clothes and suddenly realized something was amiss. Hastily, she examined her attire.
“Ah…”
Emilia wanted to die of embarrassment at her state. The Duke must have seen her like this. She buried her face in the covers, sighing heavily. She couldn’t change her clothes because of Dahlia’s sudden appearance. It would have been fine in light clothing, but she disliked the idea of presenting herself in such a state.
“Nothing is going right.”
She felt as if everything was in disarray. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep. The Duke wouldn’t come to her room…
“Once a week, it’s a damn obligation from next week onwards, so remember that.”
His words echoed in her mind for some reason.
