NIYTR 14

Chapter 14

Evidence of the Affair

Though he was the eldest son, he was not entered into the Stern lineage and only held the title of Count Sandor.

“Father hid the fact that he had an illegitimate son and still married Mother.”

Edelweiss had expected that Rosemary’s biological father would be from a collateral line—but never imagined it would be Duke Stern’s half-brother.

Unlike the estranged relationship with the Marchioness of Blossomweaver, Duke Stern and Count Sandor had always been on good terms.

“He even calls him ‘Brother’ in private.”

He would often invite him to the ducal estate for dinners.

“How could I care for the child of the one who made my mother so unhappy? Even before I knew the truth, I just couldn’t feel affection for that girl. I once saw her throw a cat into the lake for fun.”

And at the Marchioness of Riche’s tea party, she had thrown stones at a canary. Rosemary never hesitated to harm animals.

“But I never said anything. I didn’t want to get involved in such troublesome matters. I renounced the Stern name—I’m in no position to speak on their affairs.”

“How did you find out, Aunt?”

“I have a letter from Serena—Rosemary’s birth mother—wrote to Count Sandor.”

The Marchioness of Blossomweaver opened the book she had brought earlier and pulled out a letter.

“I stole it when I visited Count Sandor’s estate. I replaced it with a forged copy, so they don’t know I have the real one.”

“…May I read it?”

“Go ahead.”

With trembling hands, Edelweiss accepted the letter and slowly read through it.

[To Benjamin,

Your child has been born. It’s a girl. Fortunately, it seems I can pass her off as Mateo’s daughter.

Mateo believes she’s his.

He comes to see the child often and absolutely dotes on her.

The idiot even said he loves how much she looks like him.

You’re not planning on divorcing your wife and marrying me anyway, right?

That’s what you always said. That we’re just in this to have fun.

A count’s bastard daughter is still better off as the duke’s illegitimate child.

Even if she won’t be in the Stern family registry, she’ll still be treated like a lady.

Not that you would, but don’t even think about claiming that she’s your daughter.

I’ll name her Rosemary instead. You like roses, don’t you?

Burn this letter as soon as you read it.–Serena..]

It was hard to recover from the shock of discovering something even worse than the fact that Rosemary wasn’t truly the Duke of Stern’s daughter.

Edelweiss didn’t pity the duke.

What hurt was knowing that her mother would forever believe Rosemary to be of Stern’s blood.

‘Because of this truth, Mother suffered up until the very end.’

As Edelweiss kept rereading the letter, the Marchioness of Blossomweaver nodded.

“You can have that letter now. When the time comes to reveal Rosemary’s origin, it’ll be solid proof. Or you could show it to your father.”

“…Thank you.”

“But Count Sandor has a sadistic streak and deep-seated inferiority complex, so if you ever expose this, make sure it’s in a situation where he can’t possibly retaliate.”

She added that otherwise, Edelweiss might be in danger.

She had worried about how to find out who Rosemary’s real father was, and not only had she solved that — she now had a letter that could serve as undeniable evidence of the affair.

“I can give the Duke of Stern the greatest revenge. To find out the daughter he’s cherished and loved all his life is actually the child of his half-brother.”

“……”

“And it’s that very half-brother he trusts and relies on. The betrayal from someone you’ve believed in all along is beyond words.”

“Exactly. I’ve warned him countless times to keep his distance from Count Sandor. But that guy distanced himself from me instead. He brought this on himself. I already feel better just thinking about it.”

The Marchioness of Blossomweaver clicked her tongue in disgust.

“He won’t be able to handle the fact that the lover he cherished had been lying to him all along, even treating him like a fool.”

At Edelweiss’s words, the Marchioness relaxed her furrowed brow and burst into laughter.

“Mateo, that man loved Serena Wyden?”

“Aunt?”

It was as if she were saying the Duke of Stern had never loved Serena, Rosemary’s biological mother.

“Mateo… loved Iris.”

“…What?”

Edelweiss thought she must’ve misheard.

‘He didn’t even attend her funeral, and yet he loved Mother?’

She couldn’t believe it.

She wondered if the Marchioness had mistaken something.

“He’d never admit it and probably still doesn’t realize it himself, but I knew. I saw what was in his eyes when he looked at Iris, and how empty they became after she died.”

“…!”

“And Serena, the so-called lover, had violet eyes just like Iris. When she died, Mateo didn’t even flinch.”

Her green eyes shimmered softly as she recalled the past.

“…But my mother’s marriage was a political one.”

“Iris often came to visit me at the Stern duchy. Mateo used to complain about how loud and annoying she was, but the funny thing is…”

“……”

“He kept lingering around her. Do you remember the necklace Mateo always wore?”

“…Yes.”

“He melted down the jewel from Iris’s wedding ring and made it into a pendant. There’s a superstition that keeping the belongings of the dead brings misfortune, but he still wore it every day.”

The Duke of Stern always wore a tiny amethyst necklace adorned with gold.

‘I thought it was because of Rosemary’s mother.’

Only now did Edelweiss understand why the Duke of Stern had always disliked her.

“Then… the reason he didn’t love me—”

As soon as she spoke, her throat tightened, and emotion surged within her.

“Was it because my mother died after giving birth to me, because he loved her?”

At that, the Marchioness of Blossomweaver stepped forward and gently stroked Edelweiss’s hair.

“You have silver hair, just like Iris. Do you know how beautiful it looks in the moonlight?”

“…”

“When you smile brightly, you’re the spitting image of Iris. Do you know how precious that dimple is?

Mateo wouldn’t know. He probably never saw you smile.”

She slowly lowered her hand and lightly tapped the place where Edelweiss’s dimple appeared.

“It’s true your father abandoned his duties, failed to give you love, and never acted like a parent…

But no man hates a child who resembles the one he loved.”

Honestly, Edelweiss couldn’t accept that.

‘He blamed me when I became infertile.’

And that wasn’t all.

He had never been there when a parent should be.

Not at her coming-of-age ceremony.

Not at her engagement.

Not even when she was deathly ill.

“Edelweiss, I want you to understand something. I’m not trying to defend Mateo.

I don’t intend to tell you to forgive him. Not even a little.”

“…Then why?”

“Because it seemed like you believed you were unlovable.”

Her nose tingled, and tears once again blurred her vision.

“Are you crying again? If your eyes get all puffy, Cesare’s going to think I made you cry. Come now, no more tears.”

The Marchioness of Blossomweaver pulled Edelweiss into an embrace.

“Now I’m your mother, and Cesare is your father. What could you possibly be lacking, my dear?”

“…”

“All the love you didn’t get as a child—I’ll give it to you. As much as I can, for as long as I can.”

“…”

“On the day you were born, when Iris cried for a long time, then finally calmed in my arms…

When I saw you fast asleep, I loved you from that moment on.”

“…I really… needed to hear that.”

“Did you?”

“Yes… I just wanted to be loved so badly…”

Edelweiss stayed in her aunt’s embrace for a long time.

It felt like she had returned to her childhood—

To the arms she had longed for all her life.