Chapter 9 Even though she kept telling herself so, Cordelia couldn’t shake the feeling that something inside her was fracturing.
Every time she had to bow her head to them and endure humiliation to her face, it felt like the ground beneath her feet was crumbling.
Hiding her decaying heart, Cordelia greeted them gently.
“You must’ve had a tiring journey. Welcome, Lily.”
“Hmph!”
Despite snapping several times, when Cordelia responded with a smile, Lily seemed to lose interest and walked into the castle with Helena.
When they arrived in the drawing room, the maids quickly brought out tea. Three cups were set, but one sat growing cold. No one had offered Cordelia a seat.
She was so used to this kind of treatment that she didn’t even think it strange anymore.
“By the way, how is Craig doing?”
“Sigh, don’t even ask. His body’s recovered enough that he can walk around.”
“And?”
“But the most important thing is his head. That’s the real problem.”
“What do you mean? What’s wrong?”
“It’s complicated. I hear wolves are sniffing around the castle, aiming for the countship. Ugh, my head.”
Helena pressed her temples as if she had a headache. Lily’s face instantly filled with worry.
“How bad is it? I thought he was almost fully recovered…”
“If only that were true.”
“I shouldn’t just be sitting here drinking tea. I need to see Craig right away.”
“What? Wait, Lily! Lily!”
Helena jumped up in alarm and tried to stop her, but it was useless. Lily had already rushed out the door, not even a glimpse of her skirt left behind.
“Oh, that stubborn girl. You! What are you doing just standing there? Go after her!”
Helena shouted at Cordelia, who was standing still.
“Me?”
“Who else would I be talking to? Hurry up and go!”
Cordelia reluctantly, and very slowly, made her way to Leonard’s bedroom.
From outside the door, she could hear Lily’s voice.
“…remember?”
When she opened the door, there stood the picture of a tragic heroine.
Lily’s eyes shimmered with tears, as if they might fall like pearls at any moment.
“How could you—how could you forget all those childhood memories we shared?”
She acted like a woman abandoned by her lover. Leonard, on the other hand, looked utterly repulsed, his face twisted in annoyance.
The moment he made eye contact with Cordelia, he jerked his chin toward Lily.
“She’s noisy. Get her out of here.”
“Craig! Don’t you really remember me? Huh?”
“Lily. Craig’s still recovering and tired. Why don’t you go back and have tea with the lady…”
“How dare you touch me?”
Lily snapped, slapping away Cordelia’s hand. The force was strong enough to make Cordelia stumble slightly backward.
Of course, Lily didn’t look back. Cordelia let out a small sigh and stepped toward her again.
“Lily.”
“You. Just because I left the castle, you think you’re the real mistress now? If it weren’t for your precious bloodline, you wouldn’t even be allowed in as a maid here, you know?”
“……”
“Low-born thing. Know your place and get out. I have things to discuss with Craig.”
Cordelia thought such words wouldn’t hurt anymore. She believed her heart had calloused over. But just because you grow calluses doesn’t mean you’re immune to wounds.
A sharp pain struck her chest, but she ignored the emotion.
‘Just think of it as a dog barking.’
“I’m sorry, Lily. The lady said—”
“What the hell are you?”
“Craig? It’s me. Lily. Your little sister, Lily.”
“No. You, move aside.”
Leonard, who had been lying in bed the whole time, sat up. He looked Cordelia straight in the eyes and spoke.
“You used to look me right in the eyes and say whatever you wanted. Why are you acting so meek all of a sudden?”
“…Craig.”
“Craig?”
Both women turned to him. Leonard got out of bed.
“Just say what you want. Bottling it up makes you sick.”
“Craig!”
Lily, unable to endure being ignored any longer, shouted. Leonard responded with a clearly annoyed expression.
“You’re hurting my ears. Hey, you’re the loudest and most vulgar one in this room. Get out.”
“‘Hey’? Craig, what are you saying? I’m Lily! Your little sister, Lil—”
“Yeah. I get it, you’re Lily or whatever. Just get out. I don’t want to talk to some nouveau riche brat.”
“W-What? Nouveau riche?”
“Buying a noble title with money—what’s so great about being an Abrams? Acting all high and mighty.”
True, compared to Atilley, the Abrams were practically commoners, but that was not something that should come from someone in Craig’s body.
Lily was too shocked to even come up with a retort. She just stammered.
Meanwhile, Cordelia had to pinch her thigh to keep from laughing.
“You even know what the Eight Sacred Houses are? She may look a little dumb, but she’s a Vasquez. She’s on a different level than someone like you, with no pedigree or background.”
“……”
“Go back a few generations and your ancestors are practically peasants. Don’t overstep.”
Leonard gave Lily a long, scornful look—the kind he was very good at. Her face crumpled miserably. Cordelia lowered her head as far as she could to hide her laughter.
“Y-You’re awful… hic I… I just… sob”
“If you’re going to cry, do it outside. You’re too noisy.”
That final jab was the finishing blow.
Lily burst into tears and ran out of the room.
Cordelia shook with laughter once Lily was completely gone.
“Why were you even trying to coddle someone like her?”
“Lily—pfft—this is the first time I’ve seen her make that kind of face.”
“Of course it is. You were always bowing and scraping.”
Leonard replied bluntly. Cordelia straightened up after laughing so much, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“I feel so refreshed. I haven’t laughed like that in ages.”
“If you’re planning to divorce anyway, why bother bowing your head to a woman like her?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know, or just to mock me?”
“What?”
“I can’t divorce him right away. I don’t have any savings either. So how could I possibly hold my head high in front of his family?”
Cordelia gave a bitter smile.
“They brought me here for this very purpose.”
“This purpose?”
“I’m not a person in this castle. I’m just a vessel for Vasquez blood. There’s no reason to treat something like that as human.”
“Something like that.”
It was a harsh and cold way to describe herself.
She acted like it was nothing, but Cordelia’s eyes were filled with pain.
She quickly wiped it away and added cheerfully,
“And no matter how much I hate them, I can’t leave this place empty-handed. If I want any alimony at all, the one in the weaker position has to grovel.”
Leonard scratched the back of his head and asked in his usual blunt tone,
“How much do you need, anyway?”
“…Sorry?”
“How much do you need that you’re putting up with all this?”
A trivial question—but it knocked the breath out of her.
“Money? Um, I…”
She should’ve just answered casually, but she was scared he’d mock her once he heard the amount.
To him, it was a meaningless number—but to her, it was a matter of life and death. It was humiliating.
Why was it that the pride she thought she’d thrown away reared its head in moments like this?
Just say the number with a smile like always. That’s all you need to do…
Her chest tightened, and her stomach churned. Cordelia bit her lip and couldn’t answer. Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Leonard spoke.
“Hey, I—”
“I should get going.”
She forced her downturned lips into a smile and took a few steps back.
“I thought I’d thrown away all my pride, but I guess some of it’s still left. I won’t come back for a while.”
“Wait.”
“Get some rest.”
Cordelia left the room with a blank expression.
It was the first time. The first time Cordelia had ever left before Leonard told her to.
Leonard stared at the spot where she’d stood for a long while, then turned around.
“Did I say something wrong? I just asked how much she needed.”
“Oh dear, Master. You asked her how much her life is worth—of course that hurts her pride.”
Baron, poking his head out of the water glass, shook it solemnly.
“How could you be so cruel? Lady Cordelia has been so devoted to you…”
“Hah. Devoted? All she did was chatter and annoy me.”
“My word! She came every single day to serve and keep you company. That’s no small task!”
“Did I ask her to? She came on her own because she wanted something from me. I’ve seen plenty like her.”
Leonard scoffed. Baron started fake sobbing dramatically.
“Poor Lady Cordelia… to hear such heartless words…”
“Since when were you two so close?”
“She cherished you, even knowing your true identity, and never once tried to use it. That kind of person is rare. In Atilley, full of wolves and jackals, she’s one of a kind.”
“Alright, alright. I get it. Maybe I went too far with one comment…”
Leonard raised his hands in surrender under Baron’s relentless nagging. Baron pressed a wrinkled forehead with concern.
“No matter how fallen she is, she’s still a Vasquez. Your great-great-grandfather Delon Atilley’s second son married into that family.”
“I know, I know.”
“When Lady Cordelia comes back, please treat her kindly.”
Leonard, half irritated and half resigned, agreed. But sadly, he wouldn’t be able to keep that promise.
Because Cordelia kept her word.
She stopped coming by his room—just like all her visits had been a lie
