Chapter 7
Odette arrived at the lobby, following the butler who had come to fetch her with a pale face. She glanced around at the small group gathered there.
The butler, the housekeeper, the head maid, Paula, and Mrs. Becker… only the key figures of the household who knew the secret of her adoption.
Looks like the rest of the maids and servants had been sent to the annex?
The tall Countess Albrecht with dark brown hair stood as if she was leading the group.
Paula, who had been sobbing, immediately ducked behind the Countess’s back when she saw Odette, a ridiculous sight.
‘She must’ve screamed herself hoarse trying to get out of the attic. That must’ve made Mother furious.’
Odette smiled at Mrs. Becker, who looked more anxious than usual. The smile carried an unspoken warning: Stay quiet if you don’t want your affair exposed.
“Kneel this wretch!”
At the Countess’s order, the waiting head maid yanked Odette down to her knees on the lobby floor.
“I heard it from Paula. You dared to beat the maid in charge of discipline? You insolent thing, disciplining my maid?!”
In the past, Odette would’ve trembled and lowered her head immediately. But now, she kept her chin raised, her expression cold.
“And where did you get that dress? We never gave you anything like that. Did you seduce some rich man? Tsk. No matter what you do, lowly blood can’t be washed clean.”
The one who seduced a rich man is someone else entirely.
Odette glanced coldly at Mrs. Becker.
She flinched just from a look. I guess I don’t need to worry about her tattling to Mother.
Ignoring the absurd scolding, Odette calmly thought to herself.
“Strip her right here and make her bow to Paula! She dared to strike Paula? She must pay dearly for that.”
The head maid and housekeeper moved to undress Odette. But at that moment, a chilling voice rang through the lobby.
“The one acting out of line right now is you, Mother.”
The elegant, noble voice was hard to believe had come from Odette. It carried the dignified authority of aristocracy.
Startled by the drastic change, the head maid froze. The girl she had always looked down on suddenly felt… off.
“What did you say?”
“You’ve listened only to Paula’s side and forced me to kneel before the servants.”
“This is proper discipline!”
“Has any noble ever shamed her child before subordinates? This isn’t how nobles discipline their children. You should relearn the proper etiquette, Mother.”
A chilly laugh echoed softly across the lobby.
“Did you learn etiquette from Paula, perhaps? That would explain it. You both expose your lack of refinement in the same way.”
A gasp escaped the housekeeper at the subtle but cutting mockery.
The Countess’s face twisted at the high-society-style jab. As the daughter of a notorious loan shark, she’d always been shunned by the aristocracy.
The Count had blown through his fortune in his youth, and she had married him only because he needed the dowry.
Offended by Odette’s words that poked right at her inferiority complex, the Countess raised her voice.
“Have you finally gone mad?! What are you all doing? Strip her this instant! I want to see her utterly humiliated before my dear Paula is satisfied!”
“How affectionately you say her name, Mother. It always struck me as odd.”
At Odette’s calm retort, the Countess went pale—like someone whose deepest secret had been hit.
For someone so arrogant, she’s never once slipped up on Paula’s name.
“I swear, my lady knew nothing. She—hic—she’s such a kind person. She’s lived a pitiful life. Please, Your Majesty, show mercy.”
No one can understand just how deep a mother-daughter bond runs… except a daughter. Daughters often have a special instinct when it comes to their mothers.
Especially when they’re harboring a one-sided love.
In her past life, Odette’s instincts had kicked in during the trial. She had noticed that Paula’s behavior toward the Countess was uncannily similar to her own toward her mother.
She hadn’t wanted to believe it at the time. But now, things were making sense.
The real daughter is treated like a maid, while the adopted one holds the family name—how bitter that must be.
Paula was the Countess’s illegitimate daughter, born before marriage. That’s why she had always doted on her.
Why she was so furious now at Paula’s injury.
What kind of person brings their illegitimate daughter into the household as a maid?
This was the definition of a dysfunctional noble family. Then again, what could you expect from someone who ignored her son’s obsession with his adopted sister?
“So what, you’re saying it was right to lock up Paula and whip her?”
“Well, what else could I do when a mere maid swung a riding crop at me, her mistress?”
“You brought it on yourself!”
“By that logic, so did Paula.”
The more Odette saw the truth of this household, the more laughable it all became.
When will they threaten me with the dungeon? What a farce.
Her voice was steadily losing interest.
“Do you think Paula is beneath you? That you can treat her however you please?”
“Better than being bossed around by a maid. If you love your maid more than your daughter, then I suppose that explains your behavior.”
As Odette’s tone grew colder, the Countess’s grew more agitated.
“Are you calling yourself my daughter? This wench never knows her place! You should be grateful we fed and clothed you! Do you think you deserve to be a Count’s daughter?!”
She screeched, clutching her forehead like she had a headache from the hysteria.
Taking advantage of the pause, the butler Rolf threw himself to the floor in an attempt to placate her.
“My lady! Please calm yourself! Your health will suffer if you remain angry. It wouldn’t do to let that wretch harm your noble body!”
Even squeezed out tears for effect. Quite the performer—pretending to stop the fight while fueling the fire.
“My lady, forgive the head maid and housekeeper. As mere servants, how could they possibly be expected to punish the young miss?”
He was clearly baiting her toward a certain word. Catching on, the Countess’s eyes gleamed.
“Rolf, you’re right. I wasn’t thinking. Watching that brat whimpering is so pathetic, I didn’t want to say this, but…”
Funny, for someone who didn’t want to say it, her smile says otherwise.
She curled her lips upward like a gambler laying down her winning hand.
“I’ll have you disowned. Right this instant.”
As if she were delivering a masterstroke.
How long has it been?
Rolf smacked his lips inwardly.
The word “disown” was a kind of secret code in the manor.
A signal that the lower servants were free to treat Odette as cruelly as they liked.
Traumatized by her first disownment, young Odette had remained unable to move whenever the word came up—just sobbing and begging the air for forgiveness.
Even though she couldn’t actually be disowned now—not as the fake purifier.
She’s always been a fool.
“Mr. Butler, please, tell Madam I’ll eat less, I’ll sleep less…”
The way she had gotten up at dawn to scrub Madam’s room after being returned to the orphanage—it had been hilarious.
Now that the word had been spoken, they would have a fun time again today.
A nice, cathartic punching bag. What a treat.
Should they lock her in a closet? Dunk her in ice water until she couldn’t breathe?
Rolf grinned wide, staring at Odette.
But—
…Huh?
Something was… strange. What was with that unfazed face?
“Are you finished?”
Odette was… standing up and smoothing her dress. Her movements were so casually indifferent, they bordered on arrogant.
“Did you not hear me? I said I’ll disown you. Right. Now.”
“Please do, Lady Albrecht.”
Finishing with her attire, Odette lifted the corners of her lips in a faint smile.
Wha…t? That’s not right.
Why wasn’t she breaking down?
The Countess and Paula looked just as confused.
“Y-You! Who said you could stand?! You dare straighten your knees during discipline?!”
“And by what right does someone who’s no longer my mother discipline me?”
Her emotionless teal eyes were like icy gemstones.
Meeting them, Rolf felt a chill run down his spine.
What… is this?
She looked bizarrely noble. Rolf swallowed hard and clenched his trembling hands.
No, that couldn’t be. That kind of pressure only suited people with real noble blood. Like Master Fernand, Madam, or the Count.
“You—you…! I said I’m disowning you! Dis. Own. You!”
“Yes, Lady Albrecht. I understood perfectly. As a lowly commoner, I shall now take my leave.”
A gentle movement. A mocking smile.
“Eeek!”
“Goodbye, madam.”
