“It seems you failed to notice what your daughter just tried to do. I was wondering if that was why you were raising your voice so loudly.”

“……You’re trying to frame an innocent person. Sierra did nothing!”

“Oh my. But I saw it quite clearly.”

What your daughter tried to do to me! My future. My regrets. I cannot allow the same thing to happen again. You have no idea how I lived after that.

Cordelia’s eyes gleamed.

The conversation would have taken a far more sinister turn had someone not come rushing over to break the silence.

“I’m sorry I’m late! Oh dear, Lady Sierra! Let me tend to your injury at once…….”

The uninvited newcomer was the family physician, who had hurried over in a fluster. Naturally, he rushed toward Sierra, but upon sensing the ominous atmosphere, he cautiously glanced around.

“M-May I treat her……?”

Cordelia’s gaze instantly turned cold. Despite being the family physician, he had not even glanced at the duke’s daughter, who should have been his first priority.

The physician’s obsequious eyes darted around until they met Cordelia’s.

“M-My lady.”

“So you can see me after all. You ignored me so thoroughly that I thought I had become invisible.”

“Gasp. That was not my intention…….”

“Although this hardly surprises me.”

She smiled sweetly.

It merely meant that there was one more person she needed to dismiss.

After letting out an indifferent scoff, she continued.

“Allow me to explain it to you. Your precious daughter deliberately tried to pour hot stew over me just now. And the place she intended to pour it was right here.”

Cordelia pointed to herself with a sweet smile.

“My face. So, what do you think would have happened?”

Her life probably started to fall apart the moment she met that mother and daughter.

Cordelia and Ruird, twins from the Duchy of Bluerose, lost their parents when they were just twelve years old.

However, Cordelia’s relatives showed no compassion towards the orphaned children. Instead, they saw the tragedy as the perfect opportunity to seize all of the family’s belongings.

Giselle von Dios, who had already left the family after gaining her independence, was the most vicious of them all.

Although the widowed woman had nowhere else to turn, she shamelessly declared that she would return to the estate to care for the impoverished Bluerose siblings.

Backed by collateral relatives of the ducal family, her outrageous demand was readily accepted. From that moment on, Cordelia and her younger brother were forced to spend the rest of their childhood with a woman who wanted to take everything they had for the sake of her own children.

‘Today, in particular, was the day my life changed.’

What happened after the stew was poured over her had been truly horrific.

“And you still claim she is innocent?”

Today, Cordelia lost her beautiful appearance.

Or rather, it was taken from her.

If she had received treatment immediately, she might have recovered. However, Baroness Dios prevented this by lecturing her for an hour on proper table manners.

Several days later, her debutante ball became a living hell.

Everyone pointed at her, mocked her and called her ugly.

No one dared to approach her.

‘Except Julius.’

A cold smile curved Cordelia’s lips. Baroness Dios, who had been watching her closely, suddenly shuddered.

“You’re trying to frame my daughter with such absurd accusations. Sierra merely made a mistake!”

When Cordelia remained silent, the woman seemed to realize that something was going terribly wrong. She looked around and shrieked.

“Enough! I will no longer tolerate your insolence! You must be acting this way because you think that debutante ball will protect you, you wicked, spiteful girl!”

Unable to conceal her unbearable agitation, the woman crossed the distance between them. Then, as though by habit, she raised her hand.

Slap!

A sharp sound rang out.

A chilling silence followed. Then came the shock.

“M-My lady!”

The servants screamed.

The shock spreading throughout the room was unmistakable.

While everyone had suspected that the baroness mistreated the duke’s daughter when no one was looking, this was the first time she had physically punished her in front of others.

Even though she could feel their horrified gazes on her, Cordelia rubbed her cheek as though it didn’t hurt at all.

‘This is nothing.’

In truth, pain like this only made her laugh.

It was nothing compared to the sword that had pierced her abdomen.

Compared to the poison that had melted her throat?

Compared to the icy gazes of those traitors!

Cordelia whipped her head around, the corners of her lips curling upwards.

“Aunt, you started this. Make sure you remember that.”

Her smile was dazzling, filled with pure elation.

“What did you say?”

Shoving the Baroness aside roughly, Cordelia walked up to Sierra, who was standing behind her looking foolish. Just as her mother had done to her, she raised her hand and struck Sierra sharply across the cheek.

Slap!

“Remember this well, Sierra.”

“Ah!”

Slap!

“From now on, whatever I receive……”

“Aaah!”

Slap!

“I intend to repay several times over. So if you have a brain, think before you act.”

“Ugh!”

She struck her three times in succession.

Cordelia had struck her with all her strength, and blood began streaming from Sierra’s nose.

“Aaaah!”

After a brief silence, Sierra’s wailing and the baroness’s screams thundered through the dining room.

“Cordelia von Bluerose! Y-You…… You!”

When Cordelia smiled sweetly at her, the trembling woman shrieked, spittle flying from her mouth as though she had lost her mind completely.

“How dare such a wretched creature emerge from the Bluerose duchy? This cannot be allowed! Go to your room this instant! You will not be allowed to leave the estate! Get out of my sight!’

“Oh my.”

“Everyone, listen carefully! Do not give that girl so much as a drop of water or a morsel of food! She is clearly insane, so contact the convent and ask them to send someone. Her debutante ball has also been cancelled. For the next month, she must devote herself solely to fasting and prayer!”

“And by what right?”

When Cordelia asked with an unperturbed expression, the woman’s face flushed so deeply that it looked ready to burst.

This was not how it was supposed to happen.

Things could not be allowed to unfold this way.

Those thoughts were clearly reflected in her wildly wavering eyes. Cordelia found it so amusing that she laughed.

“Go to your room this instant!”

“I refuse to obey such an unreasonable order.”

Of course, Cordelia did not move.

As she stood there smiling, the Baroness, with her hair now disheveled, pointed at the frozen servants around them and gave an order.

“What are you all doing? Drag this girl away! How dare you do such a thing to my daughter? Who—just who gave you permission?”

“Permission.”

“Yes, permission! Do you think you are the head of Bluerose? There is nothing you can do as you please!”

“Ah, that. The one thing you place your faith in.”

Cordelia smiled serenely.

The servants held their breath and watched her, seemingly having noticed the change in their young lady’s demeanor.

“You know, Auntie. Its time is nearly up. I almost pity you, given that you were shouting so triumphantly while clinging to the little time you have left.”

“……What?”

“Allow me to remind you of something you seem to have forgotten. You are the unwelcome guests here.”

Cordelia, who had always lowered her head and obeyed.

“The ones with the authority to command the servants are not you, but my twin brother and I.”

Savoring the baroness’s visible bewilderment — she could only remember her submissive niece — Cordelia finally uttered the words she had longed to say thousands of times since returning from a life of regret.

“This is my home. In only a few days, the rightful heirs of Bluerose will legally come of age.”

“……!”

As she watched the blood drain from the baroness’s face, Cordelia’s expression turned cold in an instant.

“That means someone like you will no longer have any right to interfere in the affairs of Bluerose.”

“…….”

“So you can imagine what will become of you later if you continue to displease me, can’t you? I am warning you.”

“……You.”

“Behave yourself. Stay quiet—as quiet as a dead mouse.”

As she watched the mother and daughter turn deathly pale, Cordelia realized that she was truly alive.

After finally expressing everything that had been on her mind, she felt utterly relieved.

Laughter escaped her. Her heart pounded as though it might burst. Every sensation felt vividly real.

This was not a dream.

She had returned from the brink of death and transformed one of the most harrowing experiences of her life in that very moment.

The smoothness of her cheek, unmarked by raised burn scars, was proof of that.

‘I can change the future.’