ERTHMB Chapter 117

Did You Really Love Me?

“Mother, I think a really beautiful child resembling him will be born. What would be good for the name?”

Natasha embraced her swollen belly as if it were precious treasure and chattered proudly. Christine sat before her, showing a face trying to suppress nausea.

Nevertheless, Natasha persisted in continuing her chatter.

“Oh my, goodness gracious. I just felt the child kick. Seeing how strong it is, it must be a son. I’m glad the types of names to consider have been cut in half. I had really thought of so many.”

“How utterly foolish.”

“Any word with Evergale attached at the end would make a wonderful name. Don’t you think so too, Mother?”

Natasha looked up at Christine with innocent green eyes. Christine snorted and gestured toward the mound wrapped in satin dress.

“I wonder how you can walk around sticking out that belly when I could burst your arrogance like a worthless dream.”

Anger overflowed and dripped from every syllable. The obvious threat was as sharp as a blade striking the instep.

Most notably, her consistently taut brow was furrowed. It was extremely rare for Christine, who valued appearance above all else, to be in such a state, and equally dangerous.

No one was foolish enough to cross words with her, let alone push themselves into her line of sight.

But Natasha responded with her usual picture-perfect smile on her lips.

“As you know, His Grace has always worried about succession. I’m so happy that I can now relieve him of one of his heavy concerns.”

“Delusion has its limits. Living off others makes you a parasite. That’s your only role here. It wouldn’t be a waste to stake your life on just recognizing that. Or are you saying you want to admit you’re too stupid to realize even that?”

Though seemingly composed at first glance, Christine’s long nails were digging into the tablecloth. Natasha’s green eyes didn’t miss this.

“No, Mother. I have something else I want to say.”

She smiled lightly with a face ready to accept anything.

“Last time you poured tea on me. So this time, will you slap my face, grab my hair, or perhaps overturn the table?”

“How dare you…!”

“You don’t call me at Grand Bleu anymore these days.”

Christine’s flushed face quickly cooled at Natasha’s single retort. Christine hurriedly pursed her lips to gather words to speak.

But Natasha didn’t give her a chance and quickly opened her mouth.

“So I went to find out myself. But you weren’t there either, Mother. Moreover, how desolate the garden was. I couldn’t help but investigate because I was so worried about you. And then, well, I found out it had already been sold. You can’t imagine how shocked I was.”

The worried tone was merely candy wrapping over mockery. A sharp check that revealed fangs at every opportunity while dropping sweet words on the surface passed across the table.

“I never dreamed His Grace would show such heartlessness as to cast out his mother. By the way, how are you doing? I’ve been so busy with the child lately that I’m late with my greetings.”

“Ha.”

The wrinkles around Christine’s mouth deepened further. She muttered ominously without even covering her cracked skin.

“Everyone makes mistakes. Like bringing you into Evergale, this too is Eugene’s mistake. So I will wait as a mother. Whether my child’s eyes are dim or bright, staying by his side is also a parent’s role.”

“A parent… Do you really think so? If you’re sincere, that’s quite surprising. Also quite amusing.”

“Stop wagging that tongue of yours. Do you think your neck will remain intact on those wicked shoulders until then?”

The deeper Christine’s wrinkles became, the thicker Natasha’s smile grew.

“I told you I know better than anyone what position I stand in.”

Natasha deliberately put her index finger to her chin and tilted her head as if pondering.

“He couldn’t have been so angry over mere news of me. He must have found out that Madam’s infertility was someone’s doing.”

The green eyes that had maintained innocence until moments before suddenly changed to a black swamp, staring piercingly at Christine.

It was a mire that would swallow one up in an instant if one continued to face it. Christine barely held onto her mask and counterattacked.

“I heard a letter went to you too. He probably told you to stay quietly shut away in the villa since he’ll return with Helena soon.”

“This forest is also Evergale, Mother.”

“Then don’t forget that my name also remains Evergale.”

At Christine’s confident retort, Natasha let out a snort. This time, no immediate rebuttal came to mind. Because it was all undeniable fact.

Day by day, Natasha was vomiting up things she had and things she had possessed, one by one. Eugene was unfortunately quite an outstanding man.

He wasn’t careless enough to focus only on finding Helena. After reporting to Gordon that he had discovered her whereabouts, he had begun sending letters to her as well.

On the day the first letter came, it was the keys to the east mansion, on the second day, the removal of ledger management duties, on the third day, all the servants who had waited on her disappeared.

And most recently, it was her carefully decorated room. Now there was no place left for Natasha in the Grand Duke’s residence.

Eugene seemed to be cleaning the mansion until his hard-found wife returned. Natasha realized quite directly that she too had been included among the things to be cleaned.

‘I did well to steal in advance.’

That her judgment had been correct too.

The only thread keeping him from completely casting her out was the lump in this belly. Fortunately, that outstanding man was also a man who mistook pity for love.

So to avoid being abandoned by Eugene, she had no choice but to inflate it as much as possible before he returned.

Natasha silently recited the ridiculous incantation “grow big and strong” and raised her head.

“I’ve sometimes wondered. As you age, new things disappear and only boring things you’ve already experienced remain, making life tedious. Is that true?”

“I truly need to cut out that wicked tongue to stop that mouth from babbling without knowing its place.”

“—If so, you’ve been truly fortunate, Mother. I can confidently say I’ll always do my best to fulfill my duties as a good daughter-in-law. I’ll always maintain my position as your new stimulation. You’ll find it entertaining.”

Despite Christine’s murderous rebuke, Natasha finished her words to the end.

“Because I will never be uprooted. Unlike you, Mother.”

Finally, Christine’s eyes rolled once more. She raised the corners of her mouth, where wrinkle marks would no longer disappear, while rising from her seat.

“Since you want it so much, I’ll give you both.”

Crack—!

Christine strode toward Natasha and suddenly struck her cheek. Immediately after the sharp explosive sound, a dull impact resonated.

Thud!

“They say lovers come to resemble each other, or that married couples are one body. I seem to have inevitably come to resemble him too.”

Christine, who had grabbed Natasha’s hair and slammed her head onto the table, laughed gleefully.

“Yes, just as you said, it’s really entertaining. I’m already trembling with excitement. Thank you so much, dear. For teaching me such new fun in my old age.”

Natasha had prepared simple appetizers instead of tea for this tea time. She thought breathlessly that it was fortunate she had instructed them to leave out the spicy seasonings just in case.

She had expected this from the moment Christine came directly instead of summoning her to her residence.

Natasha could smell mustard and balsamic sauce from her disheveled face. Christine leaned over her and whispered.

“Please continue to do your best from now on. You said it first, didn’t you? That you’d maintain your position until worn away to nothing.”

Natasha panted. It wasn’t because she feared Christine’s threats. It was to swallow the laughter that threatened to burst out even in this situation.

What should I do, Mother? I can’t endure like that woman.

****

“You leave in a week.”

It was in front of a bakery in the city district. Eugene appeared suddenly as usual and spoke. Helena stopped mid-step while coming out with a bag of bread in her arms.

He looked quite decent now. Whether his heart had healed along with his eyes, his tone wasn’t cracked or torn like before. Helena turned away from his golden eyes that had regained their clarity and replied.

“What does that have to do with me?”

When she tried to pass by him, Eugene leaned his arm against the doorframe and blocked Helena’s path.

“I’m telling you this is the last chance I’m asking you while kneeling.”

A shadow instantly fell over Helena’s head. Within it, Helena looked up at Eugene with narrowed eyes.

“What exactly do you gain by going this far?”

Her blue eyes held pure curiosity. Eugene barely restrained his hand that was naturally rising toward Helena’s cheek and answered.

“…You. It’s you, Helena.”

Helena’s brow furrowed, apparently quite displeased with his answer.

“I’ve told you many times I won’t go back.”

“If you remember me, don’t do this.”

“You’re the one who keeps avoiding it.”

Helena leaned through the gap Eugene couldn’t block. But Eugene also quickly moved to block her path again.

After repeating the same action a couple of times, Helena frowned. Knowing it was useless to push him, she spoke without laying a hand on him.

“Move aside.”

“Let me ask just one thing.”

“Is there still something left for you to be curious about?”

“If you answer just this, I’ll go back today.”

Helena exhaled a light breath of resignation and dropped her shoulders. Eugene suppressed the urge to embrace those shoulders and asked.

“You… did you really love me? Did you really love me?”

Then Helena’s face contorted strangely. An indecipherable expression appeared on her pale face—seeming to smile yet cry, angry yet resigned.

With such an expression, Helena didn’t avoid Eugene’s gaze.

Eugene couldn’t avoid it either. Though it was merely a gaze, a strong attraction passed between them as if bound by steel rebar. With their eyes connected, she answered.

“What are you going to do by asking that?”

“…….”

“Even if everyone else doesn’t know, you’re the one who should know.”