People Aren't Meant to Be Fixed! (4 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 162

“You’re not my daughter!”

Unless she was filled with malice and deliberately trying to ruin Freyrie’s reputation, no matter how much I tried to understand the Duchess’s emotions or state of mind, I couldn’t accept that such irrational behavior could be justified so easily.

Just as I’d thought earlier, as a representative adult of a noble house present here, no matter how deeply chilling or unsettling her feelings toward Freyrie might be—even if some cruel truth unknown to me existed between them—the gravity of the occasion demanded restraint, not reckless outbursts.

The Duchess had come to the capital in place of her ailing husband, and aside from Sasha’s debutante presentation, she now bore the responsibilities and duties the Duke of Vladimir had carried until now—thus, her conduct needed to be impeccable.

“You’re lying!”

I stared hard at her, wondering if she’d been possessed by vengeful thoughts and lost her reason entirely, but I saw not even the faintest trace of such malice around the Duchess—no hint of the word “malice” itself, nor any crimson demon’s silhouette.

Then… was she truly mad?

“You’re an impostor!”

If only I’d ever experienced parenthood myself, I might have deduced her psychology in reverse—but since I hadn’t, I simply didn’t know. I was powerless. If I intervened now, absurd rumors might spread that the Imperial House and House Vladimir were at odds.

I could step between Freyrie and the Duchess of Vladimir to mediate, but even well-intentioned actions might be perceived poorly by others, potentially yielding disastrous consequences.

After all, there’s a saying: don’t rush in when you don’t fully understand.

“What could she possibly mean by calling you a fake?”

Of course, the Duchess deserved criticism for shouting without regard for decorum—but I didn’t believe she was speaking without any basis at all.

Though I’d long since discarded the notion now that Freyrie was on my side, I myself had once harbored many doubts about her.

Yet, after observing her closely for several years, I’d realized that despite her many secrets, she wasn’t truly a bad person.

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