Chapter 13
After learning everything, Rayleigh could not forgive Anna. With a calm expression, she sat in the drawing room and sipped her tea.
“……Madam?”
“It’s been a while, Anna.”
“I thought you weren’t at the mansion. If it were me, I would’ve left long ago.”
Considering that Rayleigh had hardly gone near Anna for over four months, it made sense. During that time, Rayleigh had stayed almost entirely in her room, or gone for walks only when she could avoid people.
Anna shot her a displeased look. Rayleigh rose from her seat and met her gaze directly.
Sensing Rayleigh’s eyes lingering on her abdomen, Anna curled her lips into a smile.
That’s right. You’re no longer needed.
Anna glanced at the teacup Rayleigh was drinking from. If Rayleigh knew what had been mixed into it, what kind of expression would she make?
Anna suppressed the urge to blurt out the truth that made her lips twitch.
If Rayleigh were to become pregnant again, things would surely become troublesome once more. That was why Anna was once again doing something she should never have done.
Rayleigh stared silently at Anna’s belly for a long moment. Then she spoke.
“Isn’t it strange? Don’t you think your belly hasn’t changed at all, for quite some time now?”
“……So you’re displeased that I’m carrying the Duke’s child? Are you now trying to deny the very existence of my baby?”
“Of course not. I’m quite happy about it.”
Anna’s body trembled uncontrollably as she glared at Rayleigh with bloodshot eyes. Rayleigh was reminded of that day.
“Theo values children. Just as you pretended to be pregnant to hold on to him.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The child who isn’t even inside your belly.”
In an instant, Anna’s face turned pale. She struggled to steady her trembling voice and clutched her abdomen.
“No matter how jealous you are because your own child died, how could you even think such a thing?”
“Is that so? Do you truly believe that?”
Rayleigh’s calm, unwavering demeanor twisted Anna’s face in rage. As Rayleigh walked past her, Anna urgently grabbed her arm.
“Where are you going? Right now? You’re going to the Duke, aren’t you? What are you planning to tell him now?!”
Rayleigh shook off Anna’s hand and tried to head upstairs.
“What do you think?”
Anna’s head dropped slightly, and she whispered in a small voice.
“You’re not going to tell Theo that there was never a child inside me… are you? You can’t. You mustn’t.”
“Now what—”
She had nowhere left to retreat. If her lie were exposed, it wouldn’t end with her simply being thrown out.
Then there’s only one way left…
To survive, she made an extreme choice—one that would look convincing to anyone, with a clear motive.
As Rayleigh turned back, Anna suddenly grabbed her hand and forced her to push. In the next instant, Anna’s body fell backward down the stairs. Her hands clawed at the air as she went, eyes wide open, lips curved upward in a smile.
“N—No!”
Rayleigh desperately reached out to grab her, but it was useless. Anna tumbled down the stairs without even letting out a scream.
“She’s insane…”
Rayleigh’s breath caught in her throat. Watching Anna throw herself down the stairs, Rayleigh collapsed onto the steps.
A maid who rushed out at the loud noise turned deathly pale and screamed.
“Aaaah! M-my goodness! Someone help!”
“Th-the lady…!”
At the maid’s shriek, everyone came out and saw Rayleigh and Anna. To anyone looking, it appeared as though Rayleigh had pushed her.
Anna, pregnant like Rayleigh herself once had been, lay at the bottom of the stairs. Anyone who knew the background would assume that Rayleigh, blinded by revenge, had pushed the pregnant Anna.
The butler hurriedly checked Anna’s condition.
Ha… You’re insane. You really are insane.
Rayleigh was too shocked to speak. She slowly descended the stairs, trying to approach Anna. At that moment, Theo roughly grabbed her wrist.
“Ugh—!”
“You! What on earth have you done?!”
Theo shoved Rayleigh to the floor. He looked down at her with a gaze filled with horror and disgust.
“I didn’t think you could be this wretched.”
His sharp voice rang in Rayleigh’s ears. Surrounded by the servants’ whispers and contemptuous stares, Rayleigh let out a hollow laugh.
“Ha… haha.”
As Anna drifted in and out of consciousness, she saw Theo rush to her side and check her body. Turning her head slightly, Anna looked at Rayleigh and smiled.
When Anna regained consciousness, the entire ducal residence was thrown into chaos. Rayleigh stepped out of her room to see what state Anna was in.
Through the slightly open door, Rayleigh stared at Anna with a stunned expression. Anna lay collapsed on the floor, crying—just as Rayleigh herself once had.
“Anna, you’re not fully recovered yet.”
Theo held Anna’s shoulders and gently patted her back, his movements cautious, as if trying to calm her.
She was daring to act out the grief of a mother who had lost her child. The way she deceived people and reopened wounds made Rayleigh shudder.
She was imitating grief with lies.
Rayleigh had heard from Ren that Anna had bribed the doctor, just in case. But this was a truth only Rayleigh knew.
Knowing no one would believe her, she kept her mouth firmly shut.
Seizing the moment, Anna pushed Theo away and slipped out of his arms. Spotting Rayleigh through the crack in the door, Anna flung it wide open—as if expanding the stage so everyone could see.
Anna strode up to Rayleigh and whispered into her ear.
“How is it? Like this, no one will believe a word you say. You shouldn’t have touched me.”
Thud—Anna collapsed to the floor. Crawling along it, she burst into tears and clutched the hem of Rayleigh’s skirt.
“What did my child ever do wrong…? Was this for revenge? Madam, my baby knew nothing!”
It was so desperate it made one’s chest ache. Rayleigh’s lips trembled in revulsion.
“Anna, please calm yourself.”
Theo hurriedly pulled Anna into his arms. From beginning to end, Rayleigh remained composed, steadying her breathing as she quietly watched Anna.
“How could you even think of killing a child… my child?”
“……”
Rayleigh’s eyes grew ice-cold. Despite Anna’s performance, Rayleigh did not waver. Because of that, murmurs spread among the onlookers.
“Oh my, look at that vicious glare.”
“No wonder she pushed her down the stairs to kill the baby. Anyone can see how it looks.”
“I never thought she was that kind of person…”
Theo frowned at the maids’ voices. With misfortune striking the Prince family one after another, he worried about rumors spreading outside.
“That’s enough. Everyone, be quiet.”
The murmurs died down, and the servants bowed their heads, silently watching the three of them.
“Anna, we won’t let this matter pass lightly, so I think you should calm down.”
“Your child and mine are dead—by that woman’s hand!”
“Anna… I know. Please, rest. Rayleigh, no matter who you are, this cannot simply be overlooked.”
At Theo’s attitude, Rayleigh felt all her strength drain away. She vividly recalled how he had acted when her own child had died.
She remembered everything. Every word he had spoken had been etched into her heart again and again.
A sharp pain pierced Rayleigh’s chest. With eyes tangled in countless emotions, she looked at Theo.
“I see. I understand very well.”
At Rayleigh’s low, warning tone, Theo flinched slightly.
Anna continued to press Rayleigh relentlessly. This was her only chance. Everyone knew how dearly Theo valued children.
“This is all because of you. If it weren’t for you, my child wouldn’t have died. You hated me from the start, and now even my baby—!”
“Very well, then. I’ll step down from the position of Duchess. Since no one acknowledges me, there’s no reason for me to remain here.”
At Rayleigh’s words, Theo’s eyebrows twitched. Now that Anna’s child was dead, there was no need for Rayleigh to leave the mansion.
“……Ha. Anna, I too am heartbroken about what happened to the child. So please, calm yourself.”
Suddenly, Theo changed his attitude and gently patted Anna’s back.
If he didn’t side with Anna here, everyone would condemn him. No matter what anyone said, at this moment, Rayleigh was the woman who had driven Anna’s child to death.
“Calm down…? You’re telling me to calm down? What parent could be calm when their child has died?”
Seeing Theo’s indifferent expression, Anna felt her strength ebb away. Perhaps he hadn’t truly loved even his own child that much.
If I really had been pregnant… my life might’ve been even more ruined.
Anna pulled her hand free from Theo’s grasp and slowly sank to the floor.
At this point, the only way was to make everyone in the ducal residence take her side—to ensure they couldn’t abandon her, to force them to let her remain there.
