“Isabella, you’re intelligent, so you understand what Dad means, right?”
There was no answer indicating understanding, nor could I say, “What are you talking about?” I couldn’t say anything because I instinctively knew.
What was in Father’s arms was the youngest sibling that Mother had eagerly anticipated, and that meant it was born, or rather, had already died before being born.
After realizing this, I became very worried about Mother.
“Mother is…”
“She fainted due to prolonged labor. Just breastfeeding briefly made her wake up, but she quickly fainted again. She was given a sedative and put to sleep. She won’t be able to get up for a few days.”
Father’s eyes seemed firm as if he had thought a lot inside.
“So, Dad… I’ll quickly resolve it. You know how sad your mom would be if she knew about this. You know how much she had been looking forward to it.”
Mother had waited for the sibling. Throughout the pregnancy, she had affectionately smiled, gently caressing her belly. Strangely, Mother had looked forward to the sibling more than I could imagine.
Like giving love that she didn’t give to Nana and Selfion, as if she wanted the baby she had been waiting for to be the youngest. She had been happy throughout that period.
Now that I think about it, the youngest was like a hopeful existence for Mother.
To Mother, who had lost parents early, family meant only the Viscount’s family. However, when Father began to see another woman after we grew up a bit, Mother started to…
“Mother was in despair. Even if she loved us, she knew Father wouldn’t come back.”
As time passed, the situation became worse. Mother saw Father starting to see another woman, and she cursed and got angry. She did everything, but their relationship only became more strained.
“The strain was a delusion only Mother had.”
Even if Father said there was no relationship, Mother didn’t believe him alone. Mother, who had severe paranoia, doubted everything.
Eventually, Mother remembered that Father had treated her well when she was pregnant with the baby.
“The youngest was Mother’s hope. A hope to keep Father tied here.”
During the time Mother was pregnant, it was the happiest time for us. Knowing that, Father was afraid.
Mother’s paranoia might worsen, or she might become violent again if she knew the baby had died. Father was afraid Mother would scrutinize everything he did.
“… Yes, Father. I understand.”
“Good.”
I don’t know where Father went with the dead baby. Except for occasionally coming home for a few days. Probably due to taking a lot of sleeping pills, Mother couldn’t wake up during the time when Father was absent.
And three days later,
Father really brought a newborn baby. I didn’t know where the dead youngest went. He just came home briefly for a few days. Maybe because of taking a lot of sleeping pills, Mother couldn’t wake up during the time when Father was absent.
Father really brought a newborn baby. Whether the dead youngest was a son or a daughter couldn’t be known, but the baby Father brought was a daughter.
“Is this child… my child?”
Mother looked puzzled as she saw the baby Father brought. Despite being born just a few days ago, the baby seemed a bit larger and unusually chubby.
“Yeah. I made her get medical attention because her health wasn’t good. She’s fine now, with no problems.”
“I see. Hello… little one. I’m your mom now.”
Mother happily held the baby in her arms.
The baby’s name, Mother wondered what it would be. She believed that Father would love her because of this child. However, that didn’t last for a few days.
Even though Mother was clearly happy, she started rejecting the baby’s small movements.
“This is…”
Mother seemed to understand. She refused to breastfeed the baby and avoided holding her in her arms.
Even if she had fainted right after giving birth, she couldn’t fail to recognize the baby she had breastfed for a short while.
“Despite having doubts, Mother never said anything about the baby.”
If she rejects the baby, Father might find another woman. Her position would be precarious. I wouldn’t be expelled since I’m Father’s child, but she wasn’t.
“With this child… he’ll still love me like before. That person… but I don’t want to. It’s disgusting… What is this?”
Mother kept the baby nearby but didn’t take care of her at all.
Eventually, using postpartum depression as an excuse, Mother rejected the baby. Don’t bring her in front of me.
The baby was abandoned like that, as if the new baby had taken the place of the baby who should have received the name Mother should have given her. She cursed and cursed again.
Without even receiving the name Mother should have given her, the baby seemed to exist and not exist, growing up alone.
“It’s disgusting… Horrible.”
Since her recovery, Mother hated the youngest intensely every time she saw her. Since Mother hated her, Selfion and I didn’t pay any more attention to the younger sister.
And about a year later, Mother’s anger exploded.
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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