"Like mother, like daughter, I guess. Both of you have so many problems."
Why do bad feelings never turn out to be wrong?
"Ah, don't tell me you'll end up going crazy like your mother later on? Is that why you're making Fredic suffer...?"
"Mother."
Lily called out to her firmly, meaning for her to stop. Most people would realize their mistake at this point, apologize, and stop, but not Samantha.
"Are you interrupting me? How dare you rudely interrupt your mother-in-law?"
Instead, Samantha became furious that Lily had cut off her words and started raging.
"How can someone who claims to be noble have such poor manners! I wonder what on earth your parents taught you!"
"...Then are you lacking in manners because you're a commoner?"
"W-What?"
Lily, whose thread of reason had snapped due to the continuous insults towards her parents, retorted by bringing up their social status. Samantha, seemingly taken aback, gaped with her mouth wide open.
"You said you were worried I might end up like my mother... Your worry is unnecessary."
Lily looked straight at Samantha as she continued speaking.
"My mother fell into deep despair after suddenly losing her beloved husband. On the other hand, I don't love him, so even if he dies, I'll be fine."
Bang—
Samantha stood up abruptly, slamming the table hard.
"Are you talking about my son dying? How dare you...!"
"Of course not. I was just speaking hypothetically."
Unlike Samantha, who was shouting at the top of her lungs to the point where veins were popping on her neck, Lily's voice was calm. Her expression was also peaceful, making it seem like she was unbothered, but that wasn't the case. Inside her, anger was raging like a storm.
"And about the child issue... I think it's more appropriate to worry about him rather than me."
"What?"
"He's spent nights with countless women even before marrying me, but none of them have ever gotten pregnant with his child. Doesn't that suggest the problem might be with him rather than me?"
At the suggestion that Fredic might be impotent, Samantha's face turned redder than a tomato.
Thwack—!
Lily squeezed her eyes shut as she was hit by the plate Samantha threw in her uncontrollable rage. The food that was on the plate dirtied her face and clothes.
"You who have nothing to your name, shamelessly living off my son like a parasite! You certainly have a sharp tongue for someone in your position!"
"..."
"Well, with a mother who's lost her mind, how could the daughter be in her right mind! This is why I said we shouldn't marry into a family with issues...!"
Despite the continuous insults, Lily silently wiped the food off her face and then stood up.
"It seems my presence is preventing you from having your breakfast properly, Mother, so I'll take my leave now."
"Where do you think you're going! Stop right there!"
Although Samantha screamed in a voice that seemed like it would tear, Lily ignored her and left the breakfast room.
[This is the timeline separator]
When Lily left without apologizing and ignoring her words, Samantha lay down holding her head as if in protest.
Even in the midst of this, she didn't stop her tyranny, and it was natural for the servants, who had to bear the full brunt of Samantha's anger in Lily's place, to resent Lily.
The resentment soon led to bullying.
"I've brought your washing water, Young Madam."
"Ah."
Lily inadvertently put her hand into the washbasin and let out a short scream as she quickly pulled it back, realizing the water was colder than ice.
The maids glared at her and giggled. It was clearly mockery, but Lily couldn't say anything. This was because she had once been scolded by Samantha for pointing out the maids' mistakes, accusing her of putting on airs because she was a noble.
Even if the servants made a mistake, Samantha would blame Lily. She would spout nonsense about showing magnanimity by forgiving the mistakes of those beneath her.
The servants, knowing this fact, acted boldly like this.
"..."
Lily's expression darkened as she once again realized how insignificant and worthless her position was in this mansion. Having never experienced such disrespect before marrying Fredic, this situation was even more difficult for her.
Her expression darkened further when she stood in front of the breakfast room. She was already worried about what kind of insults she would hear from Samantha today.
I hope she doesn't insult my parents like yesterday. Praying earnestly, Lily opened the dining room door and encountered both luck and misfortune simultaneously.
The luck was that Samantha wasn't in the breakfast room.
"It's been a while, sister-in-law."
The misfortune was that Brian, Fredic's younger brother, was there instead.