I Became the Mother-in-law of the Regretful Female Lead

The next day arrived.

The grand opening was now just around the corner.

Today, without scheduling any other appointments with Lilliana, I was buried in work.

The perfume business was a demanding affair, but as the matron of the Winder family, I also had numerous other responsibilities, leaving me little time to rest lately.

“Phew, I’m exhausted.”

Having sent my assistant away, I took a short break from the endless documents and stretched.

That’s when I heard Jeremyon’s voice outside.

“Mother, are you in there?”

“Come in.”

As soon as I granted permission, he opened the door and entered.

“So, what brings you here?”

“…It’s not much. I just noticed you’ve been busy lately…”

At first, I didn’t realize it, but then I noticed that Jeremyon was hiding something behind his back.

Oh, could it be…?

“So, did you bring me a present or something?”

I was only joking, really. I’d never received anything from Jeremyon before, so I didn’t even consider the possibility.

To my surprise, though, he replied in an unexpected way.

“It’s not much of a gift, but…”

He placed the item he’d been hiding on my desk.

“This is…”

“It’s nothing special. Just some tea that’s supposed to help relieve fatigue. I thought it might be useful.”

I examined the box he presented closely.

A luxurious red box with tea leaves inside. Somehow, his gift felt oddly familiar to me.

Then, I understood the reason for the déjà vu.

Pfft.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

Because… it was the exact same gift Lilliana had given me yesterday.

Oh, these adorable little ones.

‘How did they end up giving me the same gift? It’s not like they’re trying to show they went somewhere together on a date.’

As I laughed inexplicably, Jeremyon gave me a wary look.

It seemed he sensed something ominous, but unfortunately, it was too late.

I pretended to be deeply moved, covering my mouth as if holding back tears.

“Jeremyon. Your mother is truly touched. I thought you’d completely forgotten about me with all your dating recently… yet you still thought to bring me a gift during your date.”

“What? How did you know I bought it on a date…? No, that’s not it. It’s not like that.”

He seemed intent on denying it, but of course, his attempt didn’t work on me.

“Not like that, really? I know everything. You’re ten years too early to try fooling me. Just kidding. Actually, Liliana gave me the exact same thing as a gift.”

Oh.

Jeremyon sighed as he came to a late realization.

It seemed he hadn’t expected that she also planned to give it to me.

“Now that I see it, you two are quite in sync. Both pulling off such an adorable gesture.”

Was he embarrassed because his date was found out? Or because I teased him?

For someone who usually had little expression, Jeremyon looked rather flustered.

Goodness, truly. Lilliana and Jeremyon were such amusing individuals.

Back when they were in a contract relationship, they put on all sorts of acts pretending to be in love, yet now that they’re actually in a relationship, they’re this shy.

‘How cute, how adorable.’

Without even realizing it, I kept teasing the two of them.

Annoyed by my antics, Jeremyon grumbled and tried to take the gift back.

“If you don’t need it, I’ll just take it back.”

Huh? Not a chance.

Quickly, I stopped his hand and took hold of the box.

“When did I say I didn’t need it? Thank you, Jeremyon. Come to think of it, this might be the first gift I’ve received from you.”

“Ah…”

He seemed slightly surprised and embarrassed, as if he hadn’t realized it was his first gift to me.

Though there was no reason to feel that way at all.

Although we’re close now after making peace, not long ago, Jeremyon used to harbor a lot of resentment towards me.

Even now, after clearing up the misunderstandings, I was simply grateful that he thought of me and made efforts to come closer.

However, Jeremyon’s expression turned solemn.

‘Despite how he looks, he has a surprisingly soft heart.’

I deliberately switched to a playful tone.

“I’ll make sure to drink every single leaf without leaving any behind. Or should I display it instead since it’s the precious first gift from my one and only child? Is anyone there? Let’s prepare a display…”

“Mother!”

Looking slightly gloomy, Jeremyon interrupted, horrified.

Seeing his unexpectedly lively reaction, I stifled a laugh.

Ah, why does teasing him feel so satisfying? Lately, I don’t know why teasing my son has become so amusing. My work-related fatigue seemed to evaporate.

Jeremyon sighed as if he were exhausted by it all.

“I really never imagined you’d be so mischievous. You enjoy jokes so much—how on earth have you held it in all this time?”

“It’s no joke.”

Feigning innocence, I responded, and he let out a disbelieving laugh.

“So you’re serious about setting up a display? A display just to show off a grown son’s gift?”

“Well, who knows?”

Many doting fathers do that sort of thing. Why shouldn’t I, when I have such a wonderful son?

As I shrugged with a mischievous look, my proud son let out an even deeper sigh.

“Fine… Do whatever you want. Whether you set up a display or just drink it, it’s none of my business. I’m done here, so I’ll be leaving now.”

Unlike when he entered, he trudged toward the door as if drained of energy.

Watching his back, I allowed a small smile to form.

At the same time, I called out to him.

“I’ll enjoy it, Jeremyon.”

Without turning back, he paused for a moment and answered softly.

“Yes.”

That brief, curt reply was so him that I laughed to myself.

The next day, at 3:30 in the morning.

I stood in front of my perfume boutique.

‘I thought I’d be tired, but I’m actually fine?’

Could Jeremyon’s tea really have been effective in relieving fatigue?

Despite the late hour, I felt energetic.

Feeling the tea’s effects, I took in the exterior of the boutique.

I’d ordered the windows covered so that no one could see inside before the opening, and indeed, the glass was hidden behind thick curtains.

‘No one’s around, right? Time to go in.’

After double-checking that the coast was clear, I pulled up my hood to cover my face even more.

As I stepped inside, bright lights illuminated the boutique’s interior.

Mmm.

I started humming without even realizing it.

‘…It’s perfect, no matter how many times I see it.’

I moved slowly, examining every corner of the store.

From the color of the wallpaper to the cool, pure white lighting without any yellowish tinge—everything was tailored to my taste.

And then…

I held back the smile that kept wanting to slip out as I looked at the perfumes on display.

There were four different designs of perfume bottles, each with its own unique flair.

All the perfumes I’d decided to release initially were inspired by fruits or floral notes.

My muse was none other than Lilliana Locke.

Since she was the inspiration, this first collection of perfumes was crafted with young women in mind.

I had prepared a variety, from citrus-forward scents to perfumes featuring popular flowers like daisies. Each bottle design matched the essence of its fragrance.

Seeing the clean yet ornate bottles lined up gave me a good feeling.

With this, the final check was complete.

All that was left was to trust that my staff would handle everything well.

‘It’s a shame I can’t meet the customers directly due to concealing my identity.’

Still, I was content with everything as it was.

I turned off the lights and pulled up my hood again before stepping outside.

But as I stepped out of the door…

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

I flinched at the deep voice that came from behind.

“Who’s there?”

My guard immediately drew his sword, standing ready, but I calmed him down.

I recognized the person immediately.

‘How could I not know?’

It was the voice that had lingered in my mind constantly.

It was Tristan.

Since our encounter on the balcony… this was the first time we’d met again.