Chapter 11
That detestable name.
Priscilla.
From the first moment I heard that name, I hated Priscilla.
Was it because her name sounded similar to my mother’s, Leslie? Or because she appeared so brazenly right after my mother’s death? Perhaps because she gave birth to that Alpha? Or due to her laughable attempts to take on the role of a mother?
If I were to list the reasons, the justifications for my hatred of Priscilla would never end. That’s how it was for me, at least.
Perhaps because my first impression of her was bad from the start.
When I first saw her, my mother’s funeral was nearing its end.
That night, the moon shone brighter than ever, guarding the night sky.
A breeze, neither cold nor warm, blew gently. The plants glimmering under the moonlight looked exceptionally beautiful.
At that moment, Priscilla approached me as I gazed at the night sky alone and said:
“…So, you’re Erica.”
She was exuding a pungent floral scent in every direction.
The perfume was so strong it hurt my nose. In a family of wolves with sharp senses of smell, using such a potent fragrance was a breach of etiquette.
And it was during my mother’s funeral! It was a blatant insult to her. I gritted my teeth and glared at her sharply.
“…Your perfume is too strong.”
“Oh, did you notice?”
“…And it’s impolite.”
“That may be. But, forgive me, this is my way.”
Why, then, would you use that way at my mother’s funeral?
I looked at her as she uttered meaningless words, then turned my face away. I no longer wanted to talk to someone who didn’t understand.
That was also part of my father’s teachings. And I, still struggling to control my emotions, was trying to calm the rage boiling inside me. Of course, without letting it show on my face.
But Priscilla, ignoring my efforts, continued talking to me:
“You resemble him. And yet, you don’t.”
“…”
“Oh, are you ignoring me?”
“…”
“That’s a pity, then. We’ll have to meet often.”
Her voice didn’t carry genuine regret. It was a serious tone, unable to hide her interest. She glanced at the moon in the night sky for a moment, then returned from where she came.
I thought Priscilla had left behind only that pungent perfume.
I thought I wouldn’t have to breathe that offensive scent again.
But…
I encountered that pungent perfume again, sooner than I expected.
“Greet her, Erica. This is my new wife.”
“Hello, Erica.”
In broad daylight, just a few days after my mother’s death, my father introduced Priscilla to me. From that moment, a bad relationship grabbed my ankle and tormented me.
Even now, after all this time.
‘Now, perhaps I can stop seeing her.’
If I left this palace. If that happened, I wouldn’t have to see Priscilla trying to play my mother’s role from time to time, at least.
I took a deep breath, then observed Priscilla’s reaction.
She was smiling charmingly, then raised the corner of her mouth even more.
Despite my blatant ignoring of her, she didn’t seem bothered. Perhaps Priscilla herself knew how ridiculous her actions were.
“Well, Erica. I can’t be your mother. But I’m the mother of the next heir to the family. You need to acknowledge that now. Or are you doing this because you’re about to marry and leave?”
If her words were interpreted, they meant that as the mother of the next heir, I should respect her soon. In other words, she was asking me to bow my head.
“That’s exactly why it’s unnecessary, isn’t it? So, stop.”
I responded with the implication: ‘According to your words, I’m about to marry and leave. So why would I do that? Can you step aside now?’
No doubt she understood my intent. I only wished she’d get out of my way. But it seemed Priscilla had no intention of moving easily.
“I’m worried about you, Erica. What if you’re not loved even in that place?”
‘If you don’t tone down your arrogance, you won’t survive in the Regulus family, will you?’
“That’s my concern. It seems you have time to worry about me too?”
‘Instead of worrying about me, why don’t you raise your precious Alpha son? Before he’s taken from you due to your greed for power.’
Our sharp, veiled conversation continued between me and Priscilla, without our facial expressions changing.
Only our lips moved, exchanging verbal jabs. Of course, they were just a light itch to both of us.
“As expected, you’re entertaining.”
Priscilla raised her hand and gently touched her chin.
“I hate you.”
“Oh, that’s a pity. I thought we had a common enemy.”
I frowned slightly. The common enemy Priscilla spoke of was definitely who I was thinking of. But I couldn’t easily believe her words.
‘Since she gave birth to the Alpha, the enemy for Priscilla is my father, isn’t it?’
But Priscilla had been by my father’s side for a long time.
No matter her greed for power, hadn’t their bond produced a child? So, her words might just be a test.
But if that were the case…
“Don’t you love my father?”
“Of course, I love him.”
Priscilla waved her hand as if I had asked something obvious. Then, suddenly, she widened her eyes and smiled like an innocent child.
“Oh, by the way, don’t you want to see your brother?”
“Am I allowed to see him?”
“You’ve always been soft-hearted since you were young, haven’t you? Regardless of your hatred for me, don’t you think your little brother is innocent?”
“…”
Priscilla knew me well, as much as she had provoked me all this time. She knew me because she kept irritating me.
‘Don’t you ever get tired?’
Why did she provoke me to this extent?
What was the real intention behind inviting me to see my brother?
I closed my mouth for a moment, trying to discern her intentions, but I couldn’t truly understand them.
When I didn’t respond, Priscilla smiled innocently again.
“If you have nothing to say, let’s go see him now.”
“Hah…”
“Oh! Yes, but change your clothes first. Looking like that, you might pass a disease to my son.”
As she pointed out, I was covered in dust, and my appearance wasn’t great. And why wouldn’t it be? I had just returned and was on my way to my room.
Priscilla smiled with half-closed eyes, then issued a series of orders to the maid accompanying me before returning to the estate with elegant steps.
“She hasn’t changed.”
Mary shot her a steady glare, then made a curt remark. She was grumbling about Priscilla’s evasive manner that seemed to be for others’ benefit.
“…Exhausting.”
“Who wouldn’t be exhausted? You haven’t even rested since returning!”
“I want to bathe now, really. I don’t think anyone else will come out to greet me.”
“Right, right! Come on, you there! Lead our lady to her room quickly!”
At my words, Mary’s eyes lit up, and she quickly ordered the maid to guide me to my room. The maid, expressionless since we met, nodded simply and began walking.
To my new room, which clearly showed my current standing in the family.
‘…I’ll leave, so I’ll endure. I’ll endure.’
When the door to the new room opened, no matter what was inside, I resolved to endure.
Priscilla wouldn’t have truly given me a guest room. She must have prepared something in that room. My plan was to show no reaction, no matter what she did.
“Here it is, my lady.”
As I made my resolve, I arrived at my new room. The maid accompanying me looked at me cautiously, then slowly opened the door.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Oh, Priscilla.”
Oh, Priscilla. To prepare such a laughable joke so carefully for me.
The new room resembled my old one. Was this a tribute to me after kicking me out to a strange place? Or was it deliberate mockery by decorating the entire room? Whatever it was, the intention was clear.
But the problem was something else.
The familiar items filling the room.
The bed adorned with black lace, the white flower on the table beside it—all familiar, old things.
Others might think they were just my old belongings moved here.
But they were…
‘All my mother’s things from the estate.’
Even the items I didn’t easily recognize as my mother’s keepsakes were moved to my room.
Even if I had told my father I’d move my mother’s keepsakes to my room, no ordinary person would think to move them like this.
Who would think of using a dead person’s belongings for a living one? It was unsettling.
So, preparing the room like this meant someone ordered it. And concluding that Priscilla, who turned the palace upside down in my absence, was the one who did it was easy.
“Hah, I can’t even respond.”
With this extravagant welcome, if I reacted to everything, I might exhaust myself and collapse first. Perhaps that’s what Priscilla wanted. So, I had to pretend to be indifferent.
‘I really don’t want to see Priscilla’s face again because of this.’
After just meeting her, I hoped not to see her for the rest of the day. Instead of confronting and arguing with her, avoiding seeing her again was more beneficial to me.
I took a deep breath, then sat on the edge of the bed. I ran my hand over the cover, its texture reminiscent of my childhood memories. I recalled my mother’s warm embrace, and my exhausted body automatically closed my eyelids.
As I gradually sank into sleep, someone came to my room.
