Chapter 3
“She is waiting here.”
The servant led me to a different reception room than before. It was smaller than the previous one.
Wasn’t that also a reception room?
The one where I had been examined under the Grand Duke’s watch was larger and more grand, but even this smaller one was still too big for just three people to talk in. The expensive decorations around the room made that obvious.
I had barely managed to drink a glass of water, and now the Countess Azanie had come to visit.
I was completely exhausted, so I dragged my feet forward step by step. I saw the backs of two women looking around the room in curiosity.
It seemed like this was their first time here too.
“Madam has arrived.”
At the servant’s voice, both women quickly turned around.
One was a middle-aged woman with reddish-orange hair and a full figure. The other was a young beauty with bright blonde hair.
So those were Countess Azanie and Lily Azanie.
“Lea!”
The moment she saw me, the middle-aged woman’s eyes filled with tears as she shook her head in disbelief.
“I can’t believe your face looks like this. Are you alright, Lea?”
They rushed toward me and grabbed my hands.
These were the women who were supposed to have abused Lea terribly, yet they acted so affectionate. It felt suspicious, and I couldn’t easily speak.
At that moment, Countess Azanie narrowed her eyes sharply and looked at the servant.
“Don’t tell me she was neglected all this time? Otherwise, how could she end up like this?”
“Madam is currently suffering from memory loss due to shock.”
“Memory… loss?”
When Countess Azanie repeated the words, the servant nodded.
“Please be very careful with her. And avoid saying or doing anything that may shock her.”
“I understand. Could you leave us alone so we can talk comfortably?”
The servant politely agreed and left. Soon, maids entered with a trolley.
Since the servants were coming in and out instead of leaving me completely alone, I felt slightly relieved.
“Come, sit here. My goodness! An attack… Tell me, do you remember that I’m your mother?”
Three maids began placing pretty desserts and tea on the table.
My throat was still dry, and I wanted to grab the teacup and drink it all at once.
But I shook my head and looked at Countess Azanie first.
“No… I don’t remember anything.”
“So you’ve lost all your memories? Completely?”
Lily, sitting beside her, asked as she cut in, but Countess Azanie gently stopped her.
“Lily, calm down. You’ll scare your sister. Lea, we rushed here because we were worried after hearing you were hurt. Is the Grand Duke alright?”
“I think he’s fine.”
“That’s a relief. Yes, that’s very good.”
The Countess smiled softly, then glanced at the table and looked at the maids.
“I said we need to talk alone.”
“Oh! Yes, understood.”
The maids, who had been secretly observing us, quickly straightened their expressions.
“Please enjoy your time.”
Wait, you shouldn’t leave!
I had just started drinking warm tea, but the maids smiled politely and left the room.
“No, wait—cough! Cough!”
I tried to stop them, but I suddenly choked and started coughing.
As I tried to stand up, Countess Azanie moved faster than me and got up from the sofa.
“You stupid girl!”
She rushed toward me and grabbed my hair.
“How could you ruin everything? Because of you, everything is messed up!”
Her grip was so rough it felt like my scalp would be ripped out.
I was too shocked to even scream properly.
Lily sat down on the opposite sofa as if she was used to this, picked up a macaron, and said,
“Mom, be careful not to leave marks. It’ll be a problem if they notice.”
“How would they notice? It’s not like the Grand Duke will ever look at this body! Didn’t she already say he has no interest in her at all? Or was it that even after seeing your body, he showed no interest?”
“Mom, still, only hit where it won’t show. You know that.”
As Lily reminded her, Countess Azanie grabbed my shoulder and kicked me with the sharp heel of her shoe.
I wanted to scream, but my exhausted body could only stagger and collapse.
“Amnesia? Ha! What a clever excuse. You must have said that because you were afraid your mistake would be exposed!”
Thud! Thud! She kicked me again and again, then grabbed my hair tighter and forced my head up.
“Ugh…”
I tried to pull her hand away, but I had no strength.
“You still haven’t come to your senses!”
Her sharp voice rang in my ears.
Gritting my teeth, I slid my hand down her arm and found her bare wrist under her sleeve.
“Ah!”
Using all my remaining strength, I scratched the back of her hand with my nails.
She screamed and let go.
Without thinking, I ran forward desperately.
My body hurt, and my limbs wouldn’t move properly.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Lily jumped up and chased after me.
She grabbed my dress, and I fell hard onto the floor.
Grabbing my arm tightly, she sneered.
“You think someone outside will help you? If that were true, they would have come already after hearing all this noise.”
“Let go.”
“How dare you!”
Smack! My vision flashed, and my cheek burned.
“You can’t even do your job properly and now you make excuses about amnesia? You’re nothing but useless trash!”
She slapped me again, and my face slammed onto the floor.
“Well done, Lily. She needs to be taught a lesson!”
I heard Countess Azanie’s heels approaching.
“Ha… ha…”
Breathing heavily, I looked at the shoe that had fallen off.
The real Lea might endure this—
But I couldn’t.
Thud!
“Lily!”
I grabbed the shoe and hit the back of Lily’s head, then collapsed again.
The Countess cried out in shock.
I crawled toward the door.
“Catch that girl!”
It was just like my previous life.
My body reacted on its own.
“Ahhhh!”
Finally, my scream came out.
“Help me!”
I shouted with all my strength. Countess Azanie froze in shock.
Lily, who had torn my dress, was also stunned.
“You think someone will come? You idiot!”
I knew it too. No one had come despite all the noise.
But I had to try.
“Help me! I’m scared! Where are you, Grand Duke?!”
“Your Highness! Husband! You—!”
Just as I was about to shout—
The door burst open.
The Grand Duke’s blue eyes looked down at us coldly.
The two women were just lifting me up.
“There was a misunderstanding, Your Highness.”
Hearing Countess Azanie, the Grand Duke showed a faint smile.
“…A misunderstanding.”
He calmly repeated her words while looking at me.
The Countess glanced at me and quickly spoke again.
“It seems Lea got frightened because she doesn’t remember us. She suddenly started screaming.”
I was stunned by the lie.
“She must have been deeply shocked. I never imagined she would harm herself like this.”
“That’s right! The moment she saw us, she screamed like a monkey, slapped herself, and threw herself on the floor! My sister has never been like that!”
What? Self-harm?
I was speechless.
Lily clutched her chest, acting like she was heartbroken.
Then she glared at me.
Her whisper echoed in my mind—
“If you say a single word, Mom will take you home and kill you. So stay quiet if you don’t want to be beaten to death.”
Their acting was ridiculous.
It was clear they had done this many times before.
Countess Azanie took Lily’s hand as if calming her and sighed deeply.
“I’m not sure it’s safe to leave her here. Maybe we should take her home for recovery.”
“Please let us take care of my sister, even for a short time.”
“As her mother, how can I leave her like this? Please allow me to take her for a few days.”
No way!
I tried to speak, but she spoke faster.
“If she spends time with her family, she’ll recover quickly!”
“My sister would want that too!”
The Grand Duke silently watched them, then turned to me.
He looked at me for a moment, then slightly smiled.
“How should we do this?”
