A Stepmother’s Marchen - Chapter 3
After the news came out that I had become a widow, my mother’s covetous family were anxious to make me remarry according to their taste.
No one knew the fact that those who took turns pretending to be my suitors in the first few months were actually mercenaries who were contracted for a fixed salary.
That’s how I lived.
I became a vicious madam to discipline the maids who secretly looked down on me and replaced them whenever I was suspicious that they were planted spies, I couldn’t trust anyone, so if any of my children got sick, I would nurse them.
In order not to be seen by anyone, I became an arrogant little lady known by the aristocratic society full of conspiracy and intrigue.
It was rumored that when I was young I killed my husband and monopolized the famous family. After that, I became a terrible widow, a men hunter and a witch of Neuwanstein who turned men into toys.
I’ve been so stubborn, so tough… but, what do I have left now?
John, I kept my promise with you. But what’s left of me?
When did things go wrong?
***
Puck-
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!“
I had no choice but to fall straight forward instead of walking past the stable due to the intense pain that hit my neck. Reflexively, I raised my hand and wrapped my back neck, and I felt something flowing down warmly.
“Elias! Are you out of your mind?”
As I barely lifted my head, Jeremy, who ran with a white stiff face, and Elias’ embarrassing face came in, standing frozen behind me.
He seemed to be a five-year-old child who had committed something bad and was at a loss.
“What if someone dies because you throw a stone, you fool!”
“I, I didn’t expect her to get hit so hard……… I, that idiot, couldn’t avoid it because of her slow reflexes!”
The shouting of the two teenagers seemed far away. Even though my blood was running down my neck, I was distracted.
Elias played pranks on me countless times, but he never injured me before.
Fortunately, the bleeding stopped quickly, but there was a scar on my back that would never be erased. From then on, I wouldn’t even dare to wear all the elegant hairstyles that are popular among ladies in the capital.
“Apologize to your mother.”
It was amazing that the strong boys, who seemed to have no contact with the word fear, could look like dogs in front of their father’s stern face.
At the same time, although I became the object of apology, I still felt very uncomfortable.
“Elias, apologize now! And Jeremy, what the hell were you doing while your brother was doing that?”
“I’m sorry, father.”
Jeremy was bowing his head so I couldn’t see his face.
It was then that Elias, whose shoulders were shaking and his head down, suddenly stared at me and opened his mouth.
I even thought that my body would be split in half by the burning flames in his eyes.
“That girl isn’t my mother! I can’t say that even if I die, no matter what father says…..”
Sigh!
In the piercing sound of the air, I let out a brief scream and put my hand on my mouth.
Elias, who was beaten, was surprised. He was just staring up at his father with his wave-like eyes for a moment, but he didn’t seem to believe what had just happened.
However, my husband’s gaze at the second son was as cold as a frost.
“I apologize for the nonsense just now.”
Elias, who had blinked his eyes several times, stared at me again.
The lightning-like anger that stings in the dark green eyes was vivid enough to feel through the skin.
****
Boom!
Jeremy, the 14 years old child, couldn’t bear to hit me, but hit the innocent wall with his fist. It was the first and last time that he expressed such intense feelings to me through the years we lived together.
“It’s only been a month since my father died. It’s only a month! But what, you got a sweetheart? Are you out of your mind?!
“Don’t worry, I’m out of my mind!”
“What the hell are you thinking? If you’re out of your mind, how can you be blind with a shallow, innocent looke?! Do you think I’ll let you do that?!”
“What if you don’t let me?! If you’re worried about your inheritance, then don’t! I’m not going to remarry anyway, and I’m going to pass everything on to you just like what your father instructed.”
“Oh, my God, that’s not what I’m saying! Tell me what you’re up to! You don’t even care what people are going to say about you?”
“I don’t care. Ha, does that sound like it?”
“You…”
“Don’t pretend to care now! You think because I’m stuck with you guys, you can mess with me?! I don’t think you want me to be your mother! Please leave me alone. Anyway, before you grow up and get married, I have no obligation to listen to you, so go and do whatever you like, whether you’re going to swing, hunt or curse at me with your brothers and sister!”
Jeremy almost punched me, but he gritted his teeth and held back. The hot dark green eyes seemed to sink slowly, and suddenly frozen like green ice.
“Of course, I will follow your instructions, madam.”
He turned his back with a very polite tone, and I wondered if the ceiling would crack because he closed the door hard as he went out. Then I sat on the floor and began to sob on my own.
He was so young. All of us were children who were in a hurry to grow up, unable to grasp the horrors of life.
