Chapter 20
I was currently standing inside an old-fashioned, elegant study.
The duke, who had just brought over the documents, tilted his chin slightly toward the sofa.
“Sit.”
“Yes, sir.”
Swallowing nervously, I carefully took a seat on the sofa.
A wide walnut desk.
Heavy, expensive curtains draping solemnly to the floor.
High-backed chairs intricately carved with delicate craftsmanship.
Even the bookshelves were packed to the brim with books.
Everything in this room was so dazzlingly luxurious that, honestly, it felt overwhelming…
But.
‘There’s no time to be nervous.’
The last image of my mother flashed through my mind.
“Mommm!”
Buried tightly in her embrace, I looked up at her with tear-filled eyes.
“Mom, don’t worry about anything except getting treatment, okay? You have to get better. Promise?”
“Of course. Thanks to my daughter, I’ll be able to relax for a while.”
My mother answered playfully on purpose, but I still saw it.
The corners of her eyes were stained bright red.
“Make sure you contact me when you get to the estate.”
“Of course.”
“And write to me. I’ll come see you soon.”
“You silly girl. Don’t worry about coming to see me—just focus on adjusting well to the duke’s household.”
Chuckling softly, my mother lightly smacked my back.
Then she bowed deeply before the duke’s family.
“She was always such a beautiful and clever child that I sometimes thought she might have been born into a noble house.”
“Mom?”
“You’ve already shown us such immense kindness, but if I may ask one thing… please, make sure this child is never hurt.”
She bowed so deeply her forehead nearly touched the floor.
In a strained voice, my mother finished.
“Please take good care of our Milena from now on.”
The duke looked down at her with a complicated expression before giving a quiet nod.
“Do not worry. Milena will be cared for without lacking anything.”
…That desperate figure of hers still lingered vividly before my eyes.
So.
‘Until Mom is completely healed, I have to do my absolute best too.’
Seated across from me, the duke slid the papers forward.
“Now then, review it.”
It was a contract.
More precisely, it detailed the obligations I would have as Lusert’s biological daughter, along with the rights I would be guaranteed.
First, the conditions I had demanded—‘Mother’s full recovery’ and ‘freedom over my future residence’—were clearly stated.
‘Phew.’
Letting out a sigh of relief internally, I continued reading.
-Be respectful toward the duke’s family.
-If confirmed to be a biological child, familial titles such as Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, etc., must be used properly.
-Make an effort to maintain harmony within the family.
These were the duke’s conditions.
And the additional conditions I had quietly slipped in were:
-Unless unavoidable circumstances arise, all family members must attend family events.
-Once a week, the entire family must share a meal together.
That was right.
From what I had observed over the past few days, Cecilia had constantly been isolated within the family.
So my conclusion was simple.
‘I have to somehow bind Cecilia and this family together.’
In the original story, Cecilia only grew more distant from the family after the real daughter, Milena, returned.
And in that process, she came to resent Milena.
But what if Cecilia developed a healthy relationship with them instead?
Who knows? Maybe her bitterness toward me might lessen, even a little.
‘Right. I’ve got nothing to lose.’
Having finished my calculations, I looked directly at the duke with a challenging gaze.
“Even if I’m not your biological daughter… you’ll still guarantee my mother’s treatment, correct?”
“Of course.”
The duke nodded readily, his eyes filled with unwavering certainty.
The certainty that I was his real daughter.
He lightly tapped one section of the contract with his index finger.
“Now, sign it.”
I looked down at the contract with conflicted eyes.
If I signed this, I’d be bound to the duke’s household at least until the paternity test results came back.
And if it truly turned out that I was his biological child…
‘Still, I have no choice.’
My mother’s life was at stake.
Picking up the pen, I carefully wrote my name on the signature line.
After confirming it, the duke spoke with satisfaction.
“Someone from the Mage Tower will arrive soon.”
“I understand, Duke.”
I bowed politely.
At the same time, a subtle emotion flickered across the duke’s eyes.
…Disappointment he couldn’t quite hide.
“Yes, I suppose nothing is certain yet…”
Murmuring like a sigh, he continued.
“Still, I trust you’ll honor this contract.”
“Yes, Duke.”
The duke gazed at me for a long moment before giving a bitter smile.
“Perhaps this is inappropriate to say when nothing has been confirmed…”
After a brief hesitation, he quietly finished.
“But I find myself wanting you to call me Father as soon as possible.”
“……”
For a moment, I pressed my lips shut.
Father.
The title felt incredibly unfamiliar.
I had spent my whole life with only my mother.
I had always believed my only family… was her.
As if trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere, the duke suddenly spoke in a brighter voice.
“Since it’s your first day in the ducal house, how about we all have dinner together?”
“All right.”
I nodded obediently.
Once I stepped out of the study, I let out a deep breath.
‘Whew… that was nerve-racking.’
Still, it wasn’t a bad contract.
Not only had I secured my mother’s treatment unconditionally…
But I had also created opportunities for Cecilia and the family to spend more time together.
‘Good.’
I clenched my fist.
Until now, I had planned to avoid the House of Lusert no matter what—but that had already failed.
Which meant it was time to change my survival strategy.
My new plan was…
‘Reform the ducal family!’
At first, it sounded absurd even to me.
But surprisingly… it might actually be possible.
After all, I had the status of the ‘beloved real daughter,’ didn’t I?
I had seen it clearly in the original story.
The duke’s family was consumed by endless guilt toward their biological daughter, Milena, showering her with limitless affection.
Of course, that only worsened Cecilia’s sense of deprivation… but still.
‘If I use this status wisely, I can turn things in a positive direction.’
If I could improve Cecilia’s relationship with her family—and eventually help them become genuinely close—
Then maybe I could overturn the villainess fate of being brutally destroyed by Cecilia’s revenge.
To do that, the first person I needed to cut out was…
“Lady Milena.”
My thoughts abruptly stopped.
At that moment, a middle-aged woman came gracefully walking down the end of the corridor.
With a bright smile, she bowed politely.
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
Mrs. Howard.
In an instant, my gaze turned ice-cold.
‘Right. Her.’
The true mastermind who had driven a wedge between Cecilia and her family.
She had earned the family’s trust through that manipulation—
And the moment the real daughter, Milena, appeared, she discarded Cecilia like a worn-out shoe and immediately switched loyalties to Milena.
Of course, Mrs. Howard was currently too trusted within the household for me to remove her with a single word.
But…
‘She disgusts me.’
I forcibly suppressed the surge of revulsion rising in my throat.
“I came to escort you.”
Mrs. Howard spoke gently, her tone soft and courteous.
And seeing that attitude…
It was honestly absurd.
