Chapter 2
“Pant, pant…”
“A little more, just a little more effort…”
It was an excruciating childbirth.
The labor pains that began early in the morning continued late into the evening.
“Agh…”
The exhausted mother, unable to even cry out properly from the prolonged pain, was subjected to harsh words.
“You can’t even give birth to a single child, what kind of mother are you?”
“If it’s not a boy, you should put it back in the womb.”
Rachel’s body stiffened at her mother-in-law’s cruel words. She bit her dry lips hard, trying not to make any more sounds.
Though she had married into the Edmond Duke’s household at her mother-in-law’s earnest request, the past five years had been hell for Rachel.
Far from being treated as the duchess, she hadn’t even been treated as a daughter-in-law, or even a human being.
It was pathetic how her husband, who had no interest in her, made it difficult for her to conceive. It was a miracle that she managed to conceive after five years from the occasional intercourse, mostly when he was drunk.But now, even the child was causing Rachel distress.
“Madam, I think it’s best to inform the Duke.”
Sensing the severely distressed mother’s condition, the midwife intervened, but it was all in vain.
“Nonsense! Should we trouble the busy Duke over the mere birth of a child?”
It was disheartening for the mother in extreme pain to hear that her husband wasn’t even aware that she was about to give birth.
“The signs are not good, Madam.”
“I’ll decide that. You just deliver the baby.”
“Yes, understood.”
It was impossible for a mere midwife to overrule the stubbornness of the Grand madam of the Edmond mansion.
‘If only I can give birth to this child… If only I can continue the Edmond lineage…’
Whether it was from the bitterness or sheer determination, it felt like the baby in her womb was moving.
“I can see the head. Please push a little more, Madam.”
Encouraged by the midwife, Rachel summoned all her remaining strength.
“Aaaagh!”
Thinking this would be the last, she screamed out, causing her mother-in-law to react unpleasantly again.
“So undignified… Tsk tsk tsk.”
Ugh..
She pushed with all her might as if squeezing out everything, and the midwife’s voice filled with joy and admiration was heard.
“The baby is born. Well done, Madam.”
At the same time, the baby’s loud cry filled the room.
Aaaah..
My baby, finally born! Thank you, my dear!
But her joy and relief were short-lived.
“Is it a girl? Did you delay so much just to give birth to a mere girl?”
Rachel hadn’t expected any words of praise, but such a reaction was too harsh.
Her mother-in-law’s scolding made Rachel’s shoulders slump. The excitement and emotion of finally meeting her child were quickly fading from her face.
Feeling sorry for the discouraged mother, the midwife tried to mediate the awkward situation.
“Despite the long labor, it is a blessing that both the Duchess and the baby are healthy, Madam.”
“The blessing is frozen to death. We don’t need a worthless girl.”
As the midwife was taken aback by her mother-in-law’s even more sarcastic reaction, Rachel’s urgent cry was heard.
“My… my stomach still hurts…”
The startled midwife quickly handed the loudly crying baby to the grand madam and ran to Rachel. Upon seeing the completely unexpected sight, the midwife shouted loudly.
“There is… there’s another baby! Madam, please push again.”
So that’s why it was so hard. It was heavy and difficult because there were two, not one.
Even during her pregnancy, Rachel had to be wary of her mother-in-law. She couldn’t properly take care of her morning sickness, sleep, or even meals. Despite that, she gained more weight and her belly grew larger than others.
Her mother-in-law, disapproving of her appearance, often criticized her as lazy and stupid, causing Rachel to constantly worry about hiding her growing belly.
Oddly enough, the family’s doctor did not notice the twins, only Rachel vaguely suspected it.
Though she was an inadequate mother who couldn’t properly feed or take care of her unborn children, she desperately hoped this child would be a boy. She believed that was the only way to save herself and her firstborn daughter.
‘Baby, please help your mother. No, save your mother and your sister.’
Thinking this was the last time, Rachel pushed with all her might and then lost consciousness.
***
It was quiet.
I felt suffocated, as if I was surrounded by walls on all sides. I tried to move my body, lying flat, but it was useless.
Because of the pitch-black darkness, I didn’t even bother trying to open my eyes.
At least my sense of smell was working, and the strong scent of lilies was suffocating me. It wasn’t easy for flowers to smell this bad. Moreover, lilies are used for funerals.
‘Could they have laid me in a coffin?’
I chuckled at the absurdity, but then someone gently stroked the roof above my head and quietly murmured.
“Poor Duchess…”
Her voice, filled with resentment, followed.
“After enduring all those harsh years, why leave so tragically? What about the young miss left behind?”
I must really be dead. I didn’t struggle through the past five years to leave so meaninglessly.
Though I felt hollow, a sense of relief washed over me. Since it’s over, I wanted to disappear into the ground or the sky.
Still, I found brief solace in knowing that there was someone in this household mourning my death.
“Emily, what are you doing here?”
Someone scolded her in a low voice.
“Are you crying again because you feel sorry for the Madam? The young miss, left alone in this harsh world, is more pitiable than the Madam, who is dead and knows nothing.”
Come to think of it, why do they keep referring to only one child? I definitely gave birth to two.
At that moment, a voice in the distance called out, signaling everyone to return to their places.
“The Madam’s funeral is about to begin, everyone back to your positions.”
“Yes, head maid.”
Footsteps scattered hurriedly, and somber music began to play.
Among the funeral dirge, a familiar set of footsteps grew clearer. As they approached, my heart pounded.
‘My heart is pounding? I’m dead. Didn’t they just say my funeral was starting?’
Unaware of my bewildering situation, he stood before the coffin and growled, as if threatening even in death.
“If you’re going to leave, Rachel, why not take everything with you? Why leave a nuisance behind? You continue to bother me even in death.”
It was the voice of my mother-in-law, Rita Edmond, who always despised and criticized me.
Even her final words to her daughter-in-law, lying in a coffin after dying in childbirth, were like this. I wondered what I had done so wrong.
At that moment, someone offered words of consolation to Rita.
“Grand Duchess Edmond, how great must your shock be? It’s tragic enough to lose a daughter-like daughter-in-law, but to lose your precious grandson as well…”
Those words were the catalyst.
Rita clutched my coffin and burst into the most sorrowful cry.
“Rachel, my poor dear! How could you leave so tragically?”
To think I would witness her astounding acting skills even while lying in a coffin. I felt pathetic for having been fooled into the worst marriage by that performance.
However, perhaps because my eyes were closed in death, my senses became extraordinarily keen. I could hear even the smallest whispers beyond Rita’s deceitful cries.
“Why is the coffin lid closed?”
“I heard her appearance was too gruesome to be shown.”
“They say it was a terrible childbirth.”
“The problem is that the dead child was a boy. What bad luck that the girl survived. Tsk, tsk.”
“Who will raise that newborn? Surely the Duchess won’t raise her herself?”
“No way. Duke Edmond will remarry soon. I heard his former fiancée hasn’t married yet.”
“This must be why they say only the dead are to be pitied.”
They seemed to gossip easily about others’ misfortunes.
‘So my son is dead…’
Tears welled up at the news of my son’s death, a son I had never seen. I felt pity and sorrow for my daughter, left alone under the sky without a mother.
‘Surely her grandmother wouldn’t be cruel to her. Her father couldn’t be indifferent to his only daughter.’
I consoled myself, yearning for eternal rest. I hoped that pathetic and insignificant Rachel Burke could now quietly fall asleep.
[Rachel Burke…]
A voice, resonant and awakening, called out to me from the deep darkness.
‘Who is it?’
I opened my eyes wide and scanned the darkness thoroughly. Then a small, lovely figure came into view.
A baby angel with curly pink hair. Her white, chubby face and ruby-like red eyes were infinitely endearing.
‘Couldn’t my lost son have looked like this angel?’ As I pondered, the voice echoed again, like a shout from a cave.
[Rachel Burke!]
Having seen the baby angel resembling a son, I could no longer ignore the voice.
“Who… who are you?”
[Are you going to give up on your children like this?]
“No!”
This time, my answer came without hesitation. Though I had lived weak and powerless, I didn’t want to remain a pathetic and irresponsible mother.
[I hope you will be a parent who takes responsibility for your children until the end in this life. I trust you will use this small gift wisely.]
Flash.
Suddenly blinded by a brilliant light, I closed and then opened my eyes.
