Three heads of families from three different noble families ca to Gerwyn’s mansion on the orders of Edmund Gerwyn.
They ca together with their respective daughters. Marquess Edward Porter and his second daughter, Cecilia Porter. Then, there is Count Isaac Kurt and his youngest daughter Alia Kurt. The last one is Count Rouche ldon and his only daughter Irish ldon. The six people looked down when facing Edmund Gerwyn and Penelope Askary. Edmund stood in front of all of them while Penelope Askary sat with her right leg crossed over her left leg. He glared at everyone in front of him. anwhile, Chris and Jellal were tasked with guarding the door to the living room they were currently using.
"Do you know why I called you all to my mansion?" asked Edmund in a sharp, cold tone. He walked in front of all of them and still gave them that rciless gaze. "I’m sure one of you will know the reason because he or she is the real perpetrator."
"W—What do you an, Duke Edmund?" asked Marquess Edward. The purple-haired man dared to look up so he could look at Duke Edmund. Even though he was much older than Edmund, his noble status was still below that of the Duke. After all, if he made the slightest mistake, his and his daughter’s heads would definitely roll on the floor.
"Soone tried to kill Duke and Duchess Askary, my in-laws, the parents of my beloved wife, Duchess Penelope," answered Edmund. He stopped walking and stood behind the sofa occupied by Penelope. "I may have never said this in front of a crowd but I will say it now. Whoever it is, even if it is the Emperor, Empress, or Crown Prince, who dares to harm my family, I will not hesitate to kill them!"
Everyone swallowed hard and started to pale in their respective places. However, among the six people, there was one person who was much paler. His or her body was shaking violently. She or he kept biting her or his lip and her or his eyes never stopped glancing elsewhere. His or her face started to sweat and his or her heart continued to beat fast.
"Who dares to kill Duke and Duchess Askary?!" Count Isaac Kurt exclaid. "They are good people, including Prince Ethan!" It was then that Count Isaac realized he had forgotten a na. The man cleared his throat and glanced at Penelope Askary. The woman raised one eyebrow. The real Penelope Askary did have problems with Alia Kurt, daughter of Count Isaac. But, Penelope knew that Count Isaac was a kind and gentle man, and so was Alia. Even though the real Penelope Askary always bullies Alia, Alia never reciprocates. "And, of course, Duchess Penelope too."
"I know I’m an evil woman, Count," chuckled Penelope. She waved her right hand. "You don’t need to say that I am a good person like my family."
Count Isaac smiled awkwardly and looked away. He was really shocked when Edmund Gerwyn said that Duke and Duchess Askary almost died because of the poison soone gave them. All this ti, if his family experienced difficulties, Duke Askary was the person who always helped him.
"Who dares to say that the Duchess is an evil woman?" asked Marquess Edward. "That person is truly shaless."
’Shaless man,’ said Penelope in her heart. The woman took a deep breath and stood up from the sofa. She walked in front of the six people and Edmund faithfully followed behind her like a puppy obedient to its master.
"I had problems with your three daughters in the past," said Penelope. She glared at all of them. "So, of course, I suspect all of you. One of you must have helped your daughter to kill my family to take revenge on because they were hurt by my behavior in the past."
"My daughter couldn’t do it, Duchess!" shouted Count Isaac Kurt. He shook his head frantically. "My Alia couldn’t possibly bear to hurt other people. Even when she was being bullied by other noble ladies and I intended to take revenge on those noble ladies, Alia wouldn’t let ! Alia would rather cry in her room than respond to their actions!"
"I know that," said Penelope. The woman stopped in front of Count Isaac Kurt and Alia Kurt. Both of them lowered their heads and their bodies trembled. "Because I also think it’s impossible for Lady Alia to do it."
Alia Kurt looked up to et Penelope Askary’s golden eyes while Count Isaac Kurt imdiately fell to his knees in relief. Edmund imdiately called Edgar, who was waiting in front of the living room, to take Count Isaac out of the room. Before Alia followed her Father, the woman smiled faintly at Penelope.
"You have turned into a much better woman than before, Duchess," said Alia.
Penelope smiled back. "Thank you for the complint."
"Next ti, may I co to this mansion to et you or drink tea with you? I also want to play and get to know Prince Raven and Princess Ocean."
"Sure," Penelope nodded. She hugged Alia. The woman froze and widened her eyes, then smiled again and returned the Duchess’ hug. "Co whenever you want. You can take Lady Isabella with you. She always cos here to play with my kids."
Alia nodded and went to follow her Father and Edgar. Now, they are left with Marquess Edward Porter and Count Rouche ldon. Penelope stopped in front of Cecilia Porter and smiled coldly.
"You hate ," a statent and not a question. And Cecilia Porter responded to Penelope Askary’s statent with a snort.
"If you already know, why are you saying it in front of ?" Cecilia asked. "Do you want to accuse that I intend to hurt your parents?"
"No," shook Penelope.
Cecilia Porter and her Father looked at each other and frowned. Then, Cecilia looked back at Penelope.
"So?"
"I’m just saying that you hate ."
"That’s true," Cecilia nodded. "Because, you are very arrogant, Duchess. You also always bully Lady Isabella just because she is closer to the Crown Prince."
Ah, right. Penelope forgot that Cecilia Porter was Isabella Lysander’s close friend.
"But, I know you would never harm my parents, Lady Cecilia."
"Huh?" Cecilia blinked.
"You are the type of woman, who would instantly avenge soone without targeting anyone else, who is related to that person. If I do sothing bad to you and you hate , you will attack directly, not my parents."
The character nad Cecilia Porter was described several tis in the original novel as being a close friend of Isabella Lysander.
"You are free," Penelope said. "So is your Father. Ed, send them out."
Edmund nodded and imdiately called Edgar. After giving Penelope a confused look, Cecilia ca out of the living room together with her Father. Now, there is only Count Rouche ldon and his only daughter, Irish ldon. Penelope stood in front of Irish ldon and imdiately slapped her. The sound of the slap even echoed in the living room, making Count Rouche widen his eyes and Chris and Jellal flinch. Irish ldon even fell to the floor and her lips were bleeding. Edmund Gerwyn was silent and stared flatly at the woman whose body was shaking violently on the floor.
"I know I always bullied you in the past," Penelope said in a cold tone. "But, I didn’t expect you to intend to repay by killing my parents! What did my parents ever do to you, huh?!"
Count Rouche looked at Penelope and Irish alternately. Did Penelope just accuse his beloved daughter of wanting to kill Duke and Duchess Askary?
"Duchess! What are you talking about?! My daughter can’t possibly—"
Edmund imdiately took out his sword and pointed it at Count Rouche’s neck. The Duke glared at Count Rouche, causing the man to swallow hard and freeze.
"Don’t you dare interrupt my wife who is talking right now, Count Rouche. Unless you no longer care about your mouth or your life." Edmund Gerwyn said coldly.
"You deserve it, Penelope Askary!" shouted Irish ldon. She pointed at Penelope’s face with her trembling index finger. "I want to teach you a very painful lesson, cruel woman! I will make you lose the parents you love so much that you suffer!"
Penelope was silent. The woman took a deep breath and looked at Edmund.
"Ed, my business here is done. I have proven my suspicions. It was Irish ldon who sent the poisoned cake and wanted to kill my parents," said Penelope. She walked toward the living room door and Jellal followed behind her. "I will leave the business of punishing them to you. I want to et the twins and calm down in their room."
After Penelope left the living room, she could hear Count Rouche ldon’s and Irish ldon’s screams full of pain.
###
Penelope opened both eyes and blinked.
The woman got up from her lying position and yawned. She glanced around. This is her and Edmund’s bedroom. But, Penelope didn’t see Edmund anywhere. Is her husband still working?
Suddenly, the door to her room opened. A man and a woman entered while smiling at her. Penelope frowned and began to act wary. She got off the bed and pointed at the two people.
"Who are you?" She asked in a sharp tone. "Stop, don’t co closer!"
The man and woman stopped at Penelope’s command and chuckled.
"Mother, you are very fierce. It turns out that your ferocity has appeared since you were young," said the beautiful, blue-haired woman. She has unique eyes. Her eyes are gold and blue.
"But, Mother is still beautiful even though she always scolds us," continued the man beside her. A handso man with black hair and unique eyes just like the woman beside him.
"You guys..." Penelope swallowed hard. She began to realize who was standing before her. The woman approached the two people and stretched out her hands. Penelope’s right hand touched the cheek of the woman in front of her and her left hand touched the cheek of the man in front of her. "Raven? Ocean?"
"Hi, Mother." Ocean Gerwyn imdiately hugged Penelope Askary tightly. "My God, Mother was so beautiful when she was young! Brother Raven, doesn’t Mother look really like ?"
"Of course, Mother is much prettier than you, Ocean." Raven Gerwyn chuckled and hugged Penelope too. He kissed his Mother’s cheek with a soft and warm kiss. "Mother, sorry for visiting you in a dream. You must be surprised to see us looking like this."
"We just wanted to save you, Mother."
Penelope frowned. "What do you an, Ocean?"
"Don’t eat the cake given to you." Raven gave a warning. "There will be cake coming and there will be a letter saying that the cake was given by Father to Mother."
"That’s not a cake from Father, Mother," Ocean added. "It’s a cake from a bad man who wants to put you in danger."
"Putting the three of us in danger," Raven corrected. "The cake is from Philleo Aaron."
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