I Became The Stepmother Of An Irrevocable Dark Family - Chapter 37

When he spat out words with a voice that I never heard before, he leaned down and grabbed both of her wrists.

“Let go of me!”

“Your business here is over. It’ll be great if you leave my house.”

“You’ll regret it!”

“I have nothing to regret.”

The duke spoke coldly, whilst Astra’s tongue was as sharp as a blade.

“Have you lost your mind? I’m asking if you’re crazy!”

“Unfortunately, I’m very normal.”

“That can’t be true. How can you treat me like this unless you’re crazy? Do you know what you’re doing right now?”

“I know very well. I’m kicking out the great Princess Astra of Arvida Dukedom. In the most shameful way, too.”

He then slowly dragged her by the wrist with a smile.

“Kyaak! Let go!”

No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn’t beat the power of a man.

Her soft and fragile wrists were struggling to escape Ian’s grip, but he kept pulling her without a slight change in his expression.

“All this time you’ve only done abominable things. Everyone said that you’re only tormenting people and screaming like crazy until your mouth hurts.”

“What did I even do?!”

“I can’t believe you don’t remember. You’re indeed amazing. When I think about what you’ve done in my house as a ‘Duchess’, I suddenly have the desire to cut off your neck and send it to your father as a gift. I’m sure he’d love it.”

Perhaps because she had come to her senses a little when the Duke frightened her, Astra shook her head.

“I’m…I’m doing this for the dukedom!”

“Don’t you dare say that when you tormented my daughter, Leona, and the servants. You’re even trying to abuse my daughter by speaking about her birth…!!!”

At that time, Astra, who was barely able to stand, made eye contact with him.

“That’s all in the past. You shouldn’t do this to me. I’m…I’m your wife!”

Only then did Astra start to tremble as if she felt that she made a blunder.

“My wife, huh? How ridiculous. Astra, do you really think we’re a couple?”

“Of course, we’re a couple! I’m the Duchess! Duchess Astra Petri!”

“What a fool. Even after how I treated you so far, do you still not get it? Do I have to explain it one by one for you to understand?”

He sighed deeply as if he thought she was pathetic and lowered his head to look at Astra.

“Why do you think I’m willing to bother myself to make you my wife? Do you really think that I only watched silently while you did all those crazy things because I truly think of you as my wife? I’m sorry to say this, but we’re not a couple. From the beginning until the end.”

Astra shook her head as if hearing those words was more shocking to her than her being dragged out of here.

“There’s no way we’re not a couple. The documents that we…”

At that moment, the Duke let go of Astra’s hand. Then, he took something out of his arm sleeve and showed it to her.

“Do you think this document is real?”

I couldn’t see it well because of the distance, but I could at least see the red seal on it, which was the proper seal for marriage registration. I knew the shape of it because Leona also used the stamp with the seal with the Duke back then.

‘Of course, I’ve heard he destroyed it.’

“…Don’t tell me…our marriage registration is fake? Are you saying this whole thing is fake? But you went to my father to ask for my hand in marriage personally. You’re the one who initiated it!”

“The Duke of Arvida asked me first, so I accepted it. But do you think I’m the one who stamped this?”

“What?”

“How foolish. Normally, people would ask themselves the reason as to why I chose you of all people, but I guess you’re so full of yourself that you didn’t even bother asking. As if to prove that, you still haven’t understood the situation you’re in even if it has come to this. So, I’ll explain it to you directly. I did it to properly investigate your family. Since marriage is the easiest way to do so, I just properly utilized the chance I was given.”

But, it seemed as though she still didn’t understand his words.

“Why are you doing this to me? Why me….!”

“Why are you still asking? I didn’t even intend to take you as my wife from the beginning. Furthermore, I kept my real marriage registration document with my wife separately.”

“What…?”

At that moment, Astra’s eyes reached me while she was in the middle of arguing with the duke.

“That can’t be true. That document was definitely destroyed…!”

“Of course I lied. There’s no way I destroyed that document.”

The Duke, who twitched his lips, took a step back away from her.

“So stop making a fuss and just leave. If you don’t want to be treated worse than this. Princess Astra is going back to her house. Escort her safely.”

Astra shook her clenched fists at his sarcastic remark.

“We’ll escort you. Princess Astra Arvida.”

The knights, who watched the whole scene unfold, quickly gathered around her like a flock of crows, grabbed her arms, and dragged her.

“This is ridiculous. You can’t do this to me. You can’t! You…will regret it. How dare you treat me like this!”

Astra, who was struggling against the knights, fell to the ground, got up quickly, and ran away somewhere.

“Should we follow her?”

“No. As long as she leaves, Duke Arvida will come soon, so just wait.”

Unlike me, who was surprised to see the Duke’s ruthless side, Rere puffed her cheeks as if she was disappointed.

“You should’ve tormented her more. You should’ve stepped on her and crushed her face!”

Honestly, I felt the same way. Just thinking about what Astra had done to Rere, I didn’t think I would be satisfied even if I pulled out all of her hair.

But she was already kicked out, and there was nothing more we could do.

At that time, the duke, who was looking at Astra, slowly walked towards us.

I hurriedly went in front of Rere to protect her.

‘What is he going to do?’

“It’s been a while, so shall we have a meal together?”

What the hell? Just now he kicked Astra out like a madman, but now he’s asking us to have a meal together all of a sudden?

I stepped back and rejected his invitation. But Rere looked at me and the Duke alternately.

“Are you asking mom and I to eat together?”

“Yeah.”

“Hmmm, okay! I’m still angry at daddy…and I don’t want to eat with daddy, but I should give him special permission since he wants it so much.”

“Alright.”

After answering, Rere quickly went ahead. Then I followed Rere from behind, but the Duke matched his stride with me.

“If you don’t mind, you should come along with us, too.”

“…Me?”

“Yes. Because you’re the mother of my child.”

“She’s not my mom! She’s big bunny! And big bunny eats with me even if daddy doesn’t ask her!”

“Is that so?”

“Of course, I’m the one who invited big bunny for this meal.”

With a smirk on her face, Rere went back and grabbed my hand.

“Let’s go, big bunny.”

“Alright, let’s go!”

*** 

Despite his abrupt invitation, we didn’t have a meal right away.

Rere, who returned to the room, spent a long time washing up and changing into neat clothes.

With a large ribbon wrapped around her waist, it was a dress that wasn’t intended for an outdoor activity.

Then she looked at me with a look of displeasure.

“Are you going out like that?”

“Yes? Why not?”

“…It looks like a maid’s outfit!”

“I’m comfortable with this dress.”

Neither Leona nor I ever wore fancy clothes anyway.

I stood behind Rere and looked at myself in the mirror. I didn’t see any problem with my dress.

It looked a bit simple, but it’s not like I’m going out. I’m just having a meal at home.

But Rere held my hand after a long complaint.

“Don’t wear those clothes, big bunny.”

“Is it bad?”

“Yeah. Why are you wearing shabby clothes when your face is pretty, your lips look like cherries, and your hair shines like the stars?”

“Are you saying mom is pretty now?”

“No! I just said big bunny is pretty. No! I didn’t say you were pretty! So stop saying nonsense and follow me!”

Watching Rere, whose cheeks were flushed in embarrassment due to her own words, I quickly followed her.

I was wondering where she wanted to take me, but we soon arrived at Astra’s room.

However, it was a little bit different from before.

Many servants were busy moving back and forth through the wide open door to lift the things from inside.

“What’s going on? Why are they so busy?”

A man, who seemed to have the highest rank among the servants, quickly bowed to Rere.

“Mi-Miss. We’re currently following master’s order to remove everything here. But what brings you here?”

The servant, who was busy giving orders to other servants while answering Rere, looked so happy.

Perhaps he was one of Astra’s victims.

I came to that conclusion after analyzing his happy face.

Rere, who was looking at the servants that carried the things out of the room, gestured to them.

“Then, leave out all the dresses, accessories, and shoes.”

“No, we haven’t taken it out yet because we’re still cleaning the living room.”

“Is that so? Everyone get out.”

“Pardon?”

“I said get out!”

“Ah! yes, we’ll heed your order!”

“Come on! Get out!”

“Yes!”

The servants, who were stunned for a while, hurriedly fled from their positions before Rere could flare up again.

“It would be great if our Rere could talk a little bit more nicely.”

“What! Why!”

“No. Come to think of it, I think I’ll get goosebumps if Rere spoke gently.”

“…Why? Is that even weirder?”

“Yes.”

I nodded sincerely.

‘Mother, come here. Shall we play sand together? Let’s have a meal together.’

…Even though I only imagined it, I got goosebumps all over my body.

“Big bunny is acting weird.”

“Rere.”

“Yeah?”

“Rere, you should stay like this. Don’t change your way of speaking all of a sudden, okay?”

“…Now that you’ve mentioned it, I suddenly want to do so.”

Rere looked at me with eyes full of mischief.

“Come on. Let’s go in.”