‘Is this a dream? But everything I went through—all that pain. My death…’

It was far too vivid to be a dream.

Everything had undoubtedly happened:

The marriage, Julius, his mistress, the betrayal, and that horrific ending.

Just then, the whisper of a voice cut through her thoughts.

“Mother, I told you, didn’t I? That sly b*tch has ulterior motives.”

When Cordelia turned her gaze, she saw a girl who looked remarkably like Baroness Dios.

Sierra von Dios.

The Baroness was the mother of one of the people responsible for making Cordelia’s childhood a living hell.

Perhaps their connection was as wretched as the one she shared with Julius.

The moment their eyes met, Sierra’s spiteful cheeks twitched.

Her gaze brimmed with envy.

As though the mere sight of Cordelia irritated her, Sierra began biting her nails.

“Just look at that greedy face. Her debutante is only a few days away—who knows how many dresses she’s bought for herself! It would be easy enough for her to embezzle the budget, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes, it’s entirely possible.”

“Mother, I refuse to stand by and watch that wench wear a better dress than mine! What does she have that I don’t? Nothing, isn’t that right? So please, teach her a lesson!”

Debutante. Dresses.

They were familiar words.

Her heart began pounding as though it might burst. She hurriedly raised a hand and touched her cheek.

It was smooth.

Finding only soft, unblemished skin beneath her fingertips, she bit down hard on her lip.

‘There’s no scar.’

Only then did Cordelia grasp the full situation, her face stiffening.

‘It’s that day. It’s definitely that day!’

The scene before her was all too familiar.

Not a single moment had passed without her reliving the conversation and atmosphere of that day.

Then she saw Sierra’s eyes gleam with malice as the girl moved her hand, seemingly unable to restrain herself. Beside her hand was a bowl of stew.

The specially made bowl contained Southern-style stew that had just been brought to the boil. It was so hot that the stew could be heard bubbling.

Sierra gripped the handle of the bowl, preparing to pour the contents over Cordelia without hesitation.

Cordelia gritted her teeth as she watched Sierra’s knuckles turn white.

‘I don’t care if this is a dream or if I’ve gone mad.’

The place where the stew had originally spilled was Cordelia’s cheek.

Having suffered burns to her face, she gradually lost her confidence and was ostracised by high society.

Then, in the depths of her loneliness, she met Julius, a man with a devilish nature, and fell in love with him.

He alone had been kind to her.

He alone.

‘I won’t let that happen again.’

Cordelia moved without hesitation.

She seized the tablecloth with both hands and yanked it toward herself with all her strength.

Crash!

The dishes on the table came tumbling down with a deafening clatter.

“Aaaaaah!”

In an instant, the situation was reversed.

“Aaaaargh!”

“My goodness, Sierra!”

The scene was completely different to how it had been before.

A bowl of boiling stew had been overturned towards Sierra.

Her hand, which was already wet, immediately swelled up and turned bright red.

Seeing her daughter in pain, Baroness Dios let out an ear-splitting scream.

Despite having tormented her cousin so mercilessly, Sierra could not bear even the slightest pain and began thrashing around wildly.

“M-Mother! Mother! It hurts! It huuurts!”

Baroness Dios’s face flushed scarlet.

“Argh! What are you all doing? Call someone—call someone this instant! My daughter’s beautiful hand! Bring a physician here at once!”

In an instant, the dining room descended into chaos. Sierra clutched her hand and sobbed, while the Baroness fussed over her and shrieked at everyone.

The maids had also gone deathly pale. Unable to approach the table that Cordelia had thrown into disarray by pulling the tablecloth off, they could only hover nearby and watch helplessly.

Cordelia was the only one who remained perfectly calm.

“You!”

The flustered baroness fixed Cordelia with a vicious glare, as though she wanted to devour her alive.

Her bloodshot eyes were chilling.

“Cordelia von Bluerose! You wretched girl, you truly have gone mad! What in the world have you done? This gathering was meant to celebrate your birthday in advance. Have you forgotten that? How can you be so wicked? I’ll teach you a lesson right now…!”

As if words alone were not enough to satisfy her rage, the Baroness leaned across the table and tried to grab Cordelia by the hair.

Cordelia evaded that, too.

Leaning her head back, she raised her hand.

Looking straight into the startled Baroness’s eyes, she swung her hand.

Slap!

A sharp sound rang out.

“W-What is the meaning of this? You just—!”

The baroness stared blankly at the back of her swelling hand before shrieking, as though unable to endure the humiliation.

“How dare you strike your own aunt!”

Cordelia tilted her head.

“Am I not allowed to?”

“What did you say?”

“I don’t understand why I shouldn’t.”

Cordelia laughed when she saw her eyes bulge with outrage.

She must have been shocked. It must have felt as though she had transformed into a completely different person in an instant.

But Cordelia had no intention of hiding it this time.

This time would be different from the past. She was not going to endure everything in silence anymore. She was going to speak out. After all, she had begged and prayed time and again for the opportunity to protect what mattered and change the past.

“It was only the back of your hand.”

“D-Do you even understand the nonsense you’re spouting right now?”

“Of course.”

The baroness looked as though she had been betrayed. Cordelia forgot about the situation and burst out laughing. That stunned gaze was simply too amusing, more than anything else.

Whether this was an illusion or a dream, she did not care. She would say everything she had been unable to say in the past.

Cordelia rose gracefully and lifted her chin.

“I don’t particularly like resorting to such methods, but I had no choice. After all, you were the one who tried to grab my hair and shake me around like some vulgar woman, Baroness.”

“Baroness? How dare you address me that way? After everything I taught you, how could you treat an elder of the family in such a manner—!”

“An elder of the family? And who might that be?”

Those words were truly intolerable.

“Pfft. Ahahaha!”

Cordelia’s clear laughter rang through the air.

***

“Oh no. It seems the young lady has finally lost her mind.”

Someone’s watching whispered.

It was probably one of the servants observing the scene.

In the past, Cordelia would have immediately hunched her shoulders upon hearing such words, but why should she care now?

She should have done this a long time ago.

You foolish Cordelia von Bluerose!

Cordelia opened her eyes wide and stared straight ahead.

“You should get your facts straight. What you gave me was not an education, but violence disguised as discipline. And yet you expect respect and proper treatment?”

Looking at the baroness’s deathly pale face, Cordelia spoke in a clear voice, unable to wipe the smile from her lips.

“If you’re referring to the times when you lost even the respect I once had for you, then I would like to point out that I have already shown considerable restraint. After all, I didn’t slap you, Aunt.”

The baroness trembled violently before pointing an accusing finger at Cordelia, as though she could no longer contain herself.

“Ha! You—you truly have lost your mind! Do you even hear what you’re saying? Do you think you can behave this way and still be forgiven?”

“And who exactly is going to punish me?”

“I am your guardian! The authority over this estate, custody of you children, and even your marriages are all in my hands!”

“That’s right! You’re nothing but Cordelia! How dare you treat my mother that way!”

When her mother shrieked with fury, Sierra joined in, tears in her eyes and her chin lifted triumphantly.

The servants who were watching the scene also sighed and shook their heads.

This was probably because Cordelia von Bluerose would usually lower her head and beg them to stop at the slightest hint of a threat.

But not anymore.

Cordelia continued in a scornful tone.

“You have the order wrong. Before you get angry, you should apologize to me. I would prefer it if you bowed your head and offered me a proper apology. If you do so, I may be inclined to show you some leniency.”

“Leniency? You truly have gone mad. Do you not know who I am? There is no one in this household who can disregard me! What are you all standing around for? Drag this madwoman back to her room—”

“Enough.”

Cutting off the words she could no longer bear to hear, Cordelia strode forward.

The distance between them vanished in an instant.

“W-What are you doing? Stay back!”

Cordelia smiled meaningfully as the Baroness flinched and retreated in the face of her relentless advance. Every trace of distortion on the woman’s face was clearly visible.