I Became The Stepmother Of An Irrevocable Dark Family

Chapter 8

“Maze, huh? I heard you’ve been going there every night these days.”
“As expected, you knew. No wonder, unlike the beginning, there were no guards or servants who stopped me. Of course, unless there is a certain method to block me…”

The road to the outside was completely blocked by him.

It gave me the feeling that I could only move around at a certain limit.

“Because I still can’t fully trust you.”
“I understand.”

He looked down at me with a proud look. Unlike the first time, his expression was strangely warm.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”
“It’s interesting. Definitely an interesting human being. The things that I thought may have upset you, did not upset you. The things that I did not think would upset you, made you upset. You are really peculiar.”
“I’m just an ordinary person. It’s the Duke and Rebecca who are peculiar.”

Meanwhile, we reached the maze garden. Naturally, he tried to move towards the maze entrance. But I grabbed him in a hurry.

“This way.”
“That would be the exit of the maze.”
“That’s right. There are maids at the entrance of the maze. Instead of the crowded place, it’s better to go this way.”

Contrary to my expectation that he would ask the reason why, he only nodded as if he understood and followed me.

“But was Rebecca always like that?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m asking you if she cannot control her feelings.”
“I’m not sure. It’s always been like that in my memory. Is that a problem?”
“It’s a big problem.”

While looking around, I lowered my body and tried to reduce the sound of my footsteps.

“From now on, don’t make any noise.”
“Why do I need to do that?”
“It’s because I want to show you properly. What is happening to the child.”

His face stiffened upon hearing my words. But he followed me carefully without making a sound.

‘You understand me very well.’

I didn’t accompany Rere during her several strolling schedules solely to prepare for this day.

The only time the nanny could meet the child without me.

I purposely blocked all the time the child and the nanny could meet and only set her free during this time.

I had to make it as if there’s no other time for them to meet other than this certain time and made them strongly want for this time to come. In conclusion, it was a success.

I looked through the window in Rebecca’s room to see which way the child moved every time.

Every time Rebecca went out for a walk, she headed to the maze garden. Among the paths available in the maze, the child purposely dug into a place where there were no people around and then followed by her nanny.

‘That’s when she changed.’

The maze in which two people always went in.

It’s not clear why it was made, but there was a small maze in the mansion.

The maze made of well-groomed Leylandii wood gave off a refreshing aroma.

At dawn when everyone was asleep, I came down here by myself several times to inspect the maze.

As a result, I had to get lost several times, and after all my efforts, I barely found the mark of the secret rendezvous between Rebecca and her nanny in the small maze.

First of all, the maze was a decent place for two people to have a conversation.

If you weren’t looking for an exit and talk in the middle, no one would disturb you.

However, a maze is a place made up of thin walls. It’s not that difficult to hear their conversations as long as you face the same wall.

Like now.

“Why don’t you listen?”

A high-pitched voice of a woman.

The Duke’s body, which had been walking slowly along with me, hardened.

Surprised, he tried to raise his head, but I shook my head and stopped him.

“…”
“I told you not to believe that woman, but you’re giggling like a fool and decided to trust her? I told you not to do that!”
“It hurts! Let go of me!”
“Do you want to be abandoned by me? Should I leave now? If I do, there won’t be a single person who would listen to you.”

Rebecca’s painful whimper soon stopped.

“No! Don’t leave. Don’t leave me no matter what. I hate it!”
“So you have to kick her out. Like what you’ve done to the other women.”
“B-But she said she won’t leave…also, let go of me, it hurts. Your fingernails are stuck in my arms!”

I was about to jump out faster than the Duke when I heard that she was in pain, but I managed to soothe my heart.

We need to witness it properly. How she had been treated all this time.

Meanwhile, the Duke’s eyes were filled with anger.

“You’re foolish, that’s why you’re always abandoned. In the end, the Duke will also throw you away.”
“N-No, Daddy won’t leave me!”
“How can you be so sure? There were countless maids and stepmothers on your side…in the end, who stayed?”
“Only…nanny stayed..”
“So get on your senses. If you don’t want to be abandoned.”

The child only mumbled for a long time. So that’s how it is. I was wondering how the nanny had been treating her. By saying that she was going to leave, she dug into the child’s most vulnerable spot. In the meantime, she would have used a small amount of violence.

“But I don’t know what to do anymore. No matter what I do, she won’t leave..”
“You have to pester her more. Don’t eat, lie down on the floor, and say you’re sick.”
“Bu-But she doesn’t look so bad…..Ma-Maybe she won’t leave me!”

It was then.

Slap-!

Anyone can tell that it was a slap in the cheek.

She’s crazy.

It was a slap on the cheek, and the sound alone filled me with unbearable anger.

I want to catch her on the spot and head-slam her on the ground right away.

It was the Duke who stopped me from reacting impulsively. He held my hand as he gnawed his lips until it seeped blood.

He gestured that it’s not the time yet.

“Ah…Na-Nanny. Why…”
“Go to the Duke right away. Tell him that you were hit by that woman. Cry and go crazy. He might believe it if he sees your red cheek.”
“…But…This is the nanny’s doing….”
“I’m doing this because you’re not listening. If you don’t listen to me, I’ll punish you more. Okay? You don’t have to worry. Because I’m the only one who won’t leave your side.”
“…Yes…only nanny won’t leave…”
“Everything that woman does is just an act. Miss, you’re so nice. Don’t fall for that. She’s just like your mother and the stepmothers who abandoned you.”
“Yes…”
“Then go. Go ahead and tell the Duke. If you don’t listen, it’ll hurt more than it is now.”

As if she had said everything she had to say, the nanny’s voice became loud again.

In the end, the Duke, who couldn’t stand it anymore, went over a wall that was as tall as an adult at once.

“You don’t have to look for me.”

But it’s too much for me.

Leona’s body worked so much that she had a lot of muscles, but she wasn’t strong enough to jump over the wall.

Because she didn’t eat and grow up well.

In the end, only the Duke went to the other side.

“Du-Duke….!”
“Da…Daddy?”
“I was wondering what you were doing in this place…No wonder, this is why the child only follows the nanny.”

There was a moment of silence.

From beyond the wall, I can infer the situation without even seeing their faces.

“That…Duke. Since when were you listening…”

Then Rebecca took advantage of the nanny’s stutter and went to his arms.

“Daddy!”
“…Yes, Rere.”
“That woman hit me. Look at my cheek!”

The child’s innocent words made the nanny’s throat dry.

“You really have red cheeks. It hurt a lot, hmm?”
“Yeah! It hurt a lot. That woman made me like this.”
“…It’s swollen. How dare she hit my daughter…How come I didn’t even know about this.”

Beyond the wall, I could feel the Duke’s anger.

“No, miss. Just a moment.”

As if she guessed that the situation was not good, the nanny’s voice was heard one after another.

“Rere. You don’t have to lie. Tell me, did your nanny order you to say that you were hit by that woman?”
“No! It’s true.”
“…Yes. I see.”

The Duke’s yielding voice made Rebecca raise her voice more.

“That woman was hitting me and abused me. That’s why, daddy, kick her out.”
“…So that’s how it was.”

Whether she felt something was strange or if she really had short-sighted thinking, the nanny added a word.

“Th-That’s right. It’s all because of that woman.”
“Because of that woman?”
“I’m meeting the miss here because that woman has been abusing her and keeping us from meeting each other. The miss likes me very much that she runs here whenever that woman isn’t looking. All of this to meet me.”

There was no answer for a long time.

I could imagine how the nanny would look even if I didn’t cross the wall.

She’s pretending to be a victim just like in the past.

She did her best to kick me out and control Rebecca’s every move to become the real big-shot.

“Your Excellency…”
“Is that what happened?”

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Whether the nanny was convinced that he trusted her, or she thought he didn’t hear anything else, the nanny opened her mouth diligently.

“Yes. Don’t even mention it. Even the maids were afraid to speak out, but I’m sure that she’s hitting the miss in the room, not feeding her, and is dealing with her poorly.”
“If that is true, she’s a trashy woman. How dare she hit my child? Rere, now tell me. Are the nanny’s words true?”
“Yes!”

Hearing the child who spoke without hesitation, I could imagine how the child had been victimized by the nanny.

‘How could you lie so easily?’

“Is that really true?”