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

The Next Day.

“Hmm… Is this one better after all?”

Lilliana muttered to herself, standing in the farthest corner of a store.

She couldn’t decide which of the two pieces of stationery in her hands was better. The colors were the same, but the subtle difference in how each sheet was cut left her conflicted.

Although both seemed beautiful to her, it was difficult to guess which one Vanessa would prefer.

‘… Maybe this one.’

Just as Lilliana was about to put down the second sheet, she clenched it tightly again. After wavering for a long time, she finally decided to buy both.

‘Ugh, I’ll just buy both and ask my brother later which one he thinks is better.’

It might not matter which one she picked since the difference was so slight. Lilliana usually didn’t mind using whatever stationery her servant brought her.

But this time, it was for Vanessa, not just anyone.

Even though it seemed trivial, Lilliana wanted to pay attention to every detail, to make sure her sincerity would be conveyed, even a little.

“Thank you! Please come again!”

With a cheerful farewell from the store clerk, Lilliana stepped outside. A white envelope hung from her wrist.

‘I have a good feeling about this.’

Just as she was heading back home with a light step, someone with an overwhelming presence caught her eye.

Lilliana instantly knew who it was, as only one person in the world carried such a presence.

Her face lit up at the sight of a familiar figure.

With a bright voice, Lilliana called out to them.

“Mother!”

She had no idea what was about to unfold.

“Madam, let me carry your bags for you.”

“Go ahead.”

I handed over my bags to the servant who politely reached out.

So, today seemed like any other ordinary day. At least on the surface.

I had dressed lavishly since morning and wandered around a street full of boutiques, with two servants in tow.

On any other day, I might have stopped by my usual boutique to indulge in some luxury. But today, I wandered around as if searching for something new.

Isn’t it dangerous to walk around outside when there’s someone clearly targeting me?

Not at all. That’s precisely why I’m doing this.

Just last evening, Count Henry was sentenced. The result, as expected, was execution.

For me, it was a satisfying verdict. But at the same time, it meant Cedric was more likely to target me, just like in the original story.

So today, I deliberately walked around to lure Cedric, pretending to be unguarded.

‘He must be itching to kill me. Cedric won’t miss this chance.’

The plan to use myself as bait had clear advantages, but also a definite downside: I might get hurt.

That’s why I’ve made some preparations. Under this dress, I’m wearing thick armor to protect myself.

‘In my heart, I’d rather just catch him and lock him up, but… I can’t do that.’

No matter how much power I, Vanessa Winder, hold, that doesn’t mean I can imprison someone who hasn’t committed a crime.

Of course, I could easily frame him and have him arrested, but such a cowardly method is not my style.

‘Doing that would make me no different from my rivals. I have no interest in such disgraceful actions.’

Besides, I still wanted to observe Cedric’s behavior.

Even though he seemed fully prepared to harm me, there was a chance he might change his mind and not target me after all.

Cedric was a young man who had just come of age, still with the potential for redemption.

I didn’t want to completely deny that potential just because of what was written in the original story. After all, I, too, am far different from how I was depicted in the original.

‘But I guess that was just pointless consideration.’

It had been over two hours, and Cedric had been tailing me from a distance the entire time.

Feigning annoyance, I snapped at the servants in a slightly irritated tone.

“I’m so frustrated I could scream. Why can’t I find anything to my liking today?”

“I-I’m sorry, madam! We will adjust!”

Startled, the servant replied, showing no sign of discomfort despite my unreasonable complaint.

Well, of course, he wouldn’t. It was a code.

I had previously arranged a signal to avoid raising Cedric’s suspicion. If I acted annoyed, it meant the servant should update me on Cedric’s situation.

‘He said he would adjust, so… he’s still just watching me.’

To anyone looking, I seemed completely defenseless.

The only people around me were two scrawny-looking servants.

Of course, they only looked weak. In reality, they were my highly skilled bodyguards.

But Cedric didn’t know that, so I had expected him to strike at any moment.

‘Yet he keeps observing without making a move….’

If he were originally a cautious person, that behavior would be understandable, but from what I investigated, it was not the case. Rather, if anything, he seemed impatient.

‘I naturally thought that Count Henry would try to kill me before being executed.’

I felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort.

‘Is there another scheme?’

I muttered in a very soft voice, barely audible to anyone.

But just then.

“Mother!”

Someone called me with a lovely voice like a lark.

At the moment I heard that voice, an uneasy premonition pierced through my mind, especially since Cedric was hiding in the direction she was standing.

‘Could it be…!’

I shouted urgently.

“Protect that girl immediately!”

At my words, the hidden guards rushed toward Liliana, but it was already too late.

“Hahaha! Truly, His words were right! I can’t believe Vanessa Winder is making such a face…”

Cedric, who had revealed himself from hiding, had already bound Lilliana. It all happened in an instant, without any chance to intervene.

People stopped in their tracks and screamed at the sudden hostage situation.

Cedric, standing at the center, only laughed in a bizarre voice unlike any other. His crescent-shaped eyes revealed intense satisfaction.

“Ah, I truly made the right choice listening to him!”

He held a knife to the neck of Princess Locke while leisurely looking at Vanessa’s face.

Her usually arrogant and fierce red eyes were now filled with despair as she faced an unbearable situation.

Even on the day she lost her husband to my father’s hands, She never wore such an expression!

It seems that Princess Lork was indeed Vanessa Winder’s weakness.

‘Vanessa Winder… foolish woman. I don’t know what she did, but to incur the wrath of that person.’

I was afraid when an unexpected visitor came at night, but it was a great fortune for Cedric. He was able to obtain important information from him.

Cedric recalled what happened last night.

An unidentified man.

What he presented to me was a letter from a very high-ranking person.

“My Master is saddened by the situation of the Henry family. So… please make good use of this opportunity.”

With those significant words, Cedric opened the letter, puzzled, to check its contents.

And what was written inside was…

Lilliana Locke.

Just a few characters.

At first, I couldn’t understand what it meant… but soon Cedric realized what it signified.

‘So Princess Locke is Vanessa Winder’s weakness…’

Then I had to actively utilize this newly discovered fact.

Cedric began to formulate a new plan for revenge.

To be honest, until I checked the letter for the first time, I was half in doubt.

Could it really be that Princess Locke is Vanessa Winder’s weakness?

Vanessa is a madwoman who has even turned against her adopted son. So I thought she wouldn’t have anything precious to her… I could never have imagined that it would even be the woman rumored to be that adopted son’s lover.

However… seeing that face, all doubts flew away. My spirits lifted, and I instinctively tightened my grip.

“Ugh! Let go of this…”

Lilliana, whose shoulder I was gripping, groaned in pain. But I had no intention of loosening my grip. The more she suffered, the more Vanessa Winder’s face twisted helplessly.

“Liliana!”

“Mother… I’m fine, so please run away… Ah!”

“Run away? That’s not going to happen.”

Cedric twisted Lilliana’s shoulder.

Ahh!

A moan of pain escaped her lips.

Vanessa, with eyes wild, approached me with heavy steps.

“Can you not let go of that hand immediately? Are you so foolish as to confuse your target for revenge?”

“Are you coming closer? Then I’ll kill this woman; are you okay with that?”

Even with my words, Vanessa did not stop.

“If you’re going to kill someone, kill me! I’m not a person who doesn’t matter.”

“Does this seem like a joke?”

Cedric’s eyes glinted sharply as he slightly moved his right hand. The sharp blade touched her white neck.

Bright red blood splattered onto the floor.

Finally, Vanessa’s steps came to a halt.