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

“Is it really true? That you’re going to spare me…?”

Zitmin hurriedly dropped to his knees and bowed his head in front of me.

“I-I’ll do anything! Please, just spare my life, Madam!”

He began to beg in a more pathetic manner than I had anticipated.

In response, I kindly informed him of the way to survive.

“Confess, Zitmin. Including the incident that killed my husband seven years ago.”

“W-What do you mean? How could I have killed the late Count?”

Just a moment ago, he acted like he would do anything, but as soon as I mentioned my husband, Zitmin immediately changed his stance.

‘It seems he intends to feign ignorance…’

Unfortunately for him, I already knew the whole truth.

“Do you not understand? Do you really think that as long as you hide your involvement in my husband’s murder, Viscount Henry will protect you?”

So, Zitmin was indeed the one who killed my husband seven years ago.

As the family doctor at the time, he was well aware of my husband’s chronic illness.

On our wedding night, Zitmin had laced the wine my husband and I were to drink with a particular drug, which resulted in my husband’s death.

‘That drug might not harm a healthy person, but for my husband, with his condition, it was as good as poison.’

That’s why the investigators couldn’t find the cause of his death.

The drug had a different chemical structure from typical poisons, so no matter how hard they tried to detect it, they couldn’t identify the substance in the wine.

And it was Viscount Henry who had ordered Zitmin to do all of this.

When I mentioned the name of the mastermind, Zitmin’s face turned to one of utter despair. He finally realized that I knew everything.

He threw himself flat on the ground, groveling.

“I-I’ll turn myself in…”

“Simply confessing isn’t enough. You know what I want.”

“…Yes, Madam. I still have the letters I exchanged with Viscount Henry. I’ll use them as evidence to accuse him and confess everything.”

Satisfied with his answer, I nodded.

Jitmin cautiously asked, watching my expression.

“W-will you really spare me if I do that…?”

“Although I am often labeled as ruthless, I do keep my promises.”

With a reassuring response, I clapped my hands twice. At that signal, a servant and an investigator, who had been waiting outside, entered.

They took Zitmin into custody and led him away.

Even as he was dragged out, Zitmin looked back at me, pleading for his life with his eyes.

I gave him a slight smile, telling him not to worry.

And then, I thought to myself.

‘Don’t worry, Doctor Zitmin. I have no intention of giving you an easy death.’

Once the investigation is over and Viscount Henry is caught, Zitmin will likely beg me to end his life.

But that’s not my concern. I will keep the promise I made to spare him.

‘At least now, my name has been completely cleared.’

If my late husband had been watching all of this, I hoped he would finally be at peace.

Jeremyon realized there had been an uproar only after everything had been resolved.

Investigators had suddenly dragged Zitmin away, and the servants hurled insults at him as he was taken.

It wasn’t hard to grasp the situation without asking his assistant for an explanation.

Jeremyon stared at Zitmin with a hollow expression as he was led away.

Cowering and trying to gauge the reactions of those around him, Zitmin visibly trembled when he noticed Jeremyon watching him.

The emotion in his behavior wasn’t guilt or remorse, but rather fear—yet one thing was certain.

The person who killed his father… was Doctor Zitmin.

It wasn’t his stepmother, whom he had always suspected.

“…”

In that moment, scenes from the past flashed through Jeremyon’s mind like a panorama.

The day his father had first introduced Vanessa to him, her warm smile.

Not only had his father been sold into marriage, but now Jeremion, six years younger, had gained a new stepmother. Surely, she would find his presence bothersome…

But Vanessa had smiled gently and kindly, saying they should get along well.

At first, Jeremyon genuinely liked her.

After being adopted into the Winder family, everyone except his father had treated him with hostility.

His father’s former wife, the branch family—everyone had regarded him as a thorn in their side.

But Vanessa had been kind to him from the very first meeting. Such kindness was something he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

He had trusted her, his stepmother.

And that’s why, when his father died and he learned that Vanessa might be responsible, the sense of betrayal had cut even deeper.

His mind had been consumed with nothing but hatred for the woman who had lured him in with her hypocritical smile and then taken his father away.

He had vowed to take revenge on her one day.

‘But… it turns out, all of that was just my misunderstanding.’

The belief Jeremyon had clung to since the age of sixteen, the goal that had allowed him to endure his painful life, crumbled away like a sandcastle in an instant.

My mind went completely blank, like a white sheet of paper. I had no idea what to say, so Jeremyon just stood there, frozen like a stone.

It was then that Vanessa, who had been in the dining room, finally appeared.

She approached Jeremyon, and just as she was about to pass by, she quietly spoke in an indifferent voice.

“I’ve told you many times. I didn’t kill your father.”

Without further explanation, Vanessa uttered those two sentences and calmly walked away into the distance.

Jeremyon felt the urge to stop her and say something, but… he couldn’t.

The curses he had hurled at her over the years seemed to weigh him down like a curse, keeping him from moving.

Jeremyon sank into a deep sense of helplessness.

Once everything had settled down, I immediately returned to my room and collapsed.

“Whew… Today was truly intense.”

My whole body ached from tension. I had been on edge all day, unsure if everything would go according to plan.

‘Still, things worked out well.’

Jeremyon had now completely cleared his suspicions of me. As a result, there would be no incident like in the original story where he resented and killed me.

Additionally, I had uncovered Viscount Henry’s plot to seize the family’s fortune, which had been his goal all along.

According to the investigators, Henry had been arrested right away. Although the trial verdict hadn’t come yet, it was obvious.

‘Not only did he kill the Count, but he also tried to go after his wife. No matter how noble he is, he won’t escape a harsh sentence.’

Once that spectacle is over, even the other branch families will quiet down for a while.

‘There’s one person I’m still concerned about… but for now, they won’t show their claws.’

This meant that Jeremyon wouldn’t have to worry about that side for a while either. He was a smart kid, so he’d use this chance to strengthen his power.

‘It seems I’ve also gained some freedom.’

I closed my eyes and drifted into thought.

The original story had been destroyed.

The future where I would torment Lilliana and then die at Jeremyon’s hands was gone.

It was time for me to start thinking about my own life now.

‘If I hadn’t gotten married, what kind of life would I be living now…?’

Since I was young, I’d always been interested in fashion. Perhaps I would’ve started a business in that field, using the kingdom’s funds.

And also…

If I hadn’t married my husband…

‘Someday, when I’ve grown up and become an adult—’

‘Hmm?’

‘Could I officially court you then?’

Suddenly, a memory from the distant past surfaced, and I instinctively sat up in surprise.

‘…Why is that conversation coming to mind now?’

I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the memory.

But the more I tried, the more vividly the image of a young boy shyly confessing his feelings to me appeared.

His small hands trembling with nervousness, his blue eyes sparkling with affection.

He had been so sweet.

“Hah…”

I let out a long sigh and slapped my cheeks.

‘Get a hold of yourself, Vanessa. You’re not the person you were back then.’

That’s right.

The conversation, the promise I had made in my youth.

It was all meaningless now.

After all, I was just a widow. And besides… it wasn’t like he had held onto any feelings for me from the past.

For a moment, I recalled my brief encounter with Tristan from a few days ago, but quickly shook my head.

‘No more pointless thoughts. I need to focus on what I have to do.’

Yes, when I thought about it, I wasn’t truly free yet.

‘I still need to settle things with Lilliana and Jeremyon, and there’s much to do.’

And also…

Legally, I was still the wife of the late Count Winder, and a member of the Winder family.

If I wanted complete freedom, I would have to formally leave the Winder family. Only then would I be free to act without restrictions.

‘Now that Jeremyon has grown into an adult and my name has been cleared… there’s no reason for me to stay in this family anymore.’

It seemed like it was time for me to start preparing to leave this mansion.

I pondered the plan, but unlike usual, my thoughts didn’t flow as smoothly as I wanted.

The reason was obvious.

‘…It’s because I’m remembering my past with Tristan.’

For some reason, my heart felt heavy.

As I mulled over my complicated thoughts, the night deepened.

Tonight, the bright moon seemed especially mocking.