The Price is Everything of Yours (76 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 163

Delma had never been slapped in her entire life.

Well, perhaps she had, when she was very young. After all, she had grown up fighting often with other children in the impoverished streets. But ever since she became little Valentine’s wet nurse at eighteen—after losing both her husband and infant son at once—her life had changed.

Normally, noble young ladies like Valentine were assigned wet nurses from families of decent standing. They could not possibly allow base commoners easy access to the nursery of a great house.

Yet Delma had advantages: she was young, and she had no child of her own at home needing her milk. Coupled with a stroke of luck, she successfully entered the household of Duke Elantria.

Baby Valentine lived a life utterly unlike Delma’s. A single carved ornament tucked into a corner of her cradle cost more than the house where Delma had once lived. And yet, that tiny crimson infant—wailing helplessly, oblivious to the world—had no need for such a trinket.

Delma had never before witnessed such opulence. Had she felt jealousy? Or despair? She could no longer recall what she’d felt when she first began her duties as a wet nurse.

All she knew was that baby Valentine could make her own life as valuable as that trinket. And she had been right.

The infant Valentine relied entirely on Delma, who fed her and gazed at her every day. Delma herself poured all her efforts into the child—

ensuring Valentine would love her even more than her real mother, and heed Delma’s words even over her father’s.

Valentine grew rapidly. Delma was happy. Since her nurse never once said “no,” Valentine granted her the highest authority she could bestow.

By the time the young duke’s daughter had become a little tyrant of the mansion, Delma had risen to a position where even ordinary noble young ladies no longer dared slight her.

Long accustomed to being treated with respect, Delma had entirely forgotten the days when she was ordered around like a servant, let alone slapped.

That was why being treated as a mere servant by Neris filled her with disbelief and fury—especially since she’d even been slapped by the duchess’s handmaiden, someone she secretly scorned. Nothing could be more humiliating.

Humiliated, Delma resolved to drive Neris out of the house at all costs. Valentine, enraged as well, fiercely defended Delma. But when the trusted duchess suggested they wait and observe a while longer, Delma grew restless.

The duchess had never particularly liked Delma, knowing she feuded with her maids. But what were maids compared to her beloved daughter? Had Valentine wished it, the duchess would have seated even a beggar from the street in her own chambers.

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