WWDNND Chapter 5

The Winston Duchy had always been a family of warriors.
From a young age, they taught swordsmanship equally, regardless of gender.
Even Veronica, the beloved only daughter of the family, was no exception.

“Ugh…!”

Despite having a woman’s body, she had inherited the Winston bloodline, giving her a natural talent for swordsmanship.
After marriage, she had put down the sword for a long time in hopes of earning her husband’s love.
Yet, the innate talent and years of training had left her with a strong physique, exuding an exceptional presence.

“Madam…!”

“I told you I’d make you let go.”

Cedric, sensing danger with his sharp Swordmaster instincts, clicked his tongue and stepped back.
Veronica smiled in satisfaction.

Of course, if they were to fight properly, she would never be able to defeat a Swordmaster with her skills.
But they couldn’t exactly cause a huge commotion inside the mansion, could they?
Indeed, Cedric, though frustrated, could not bring himself to seize her again.

“Haa…”

Stepping out of the room, Veronica let out a long sigh.

More than five years of marriage.
She had expected the end to feel at least a little empty, but instead, she felt completely refreshed.

After pausing for a moment, Veronica began walking again.
First, she needed to return to her room and write a letter.
For both Dia and herself.

A letter to the Duke of Winston—her father—asking to return home.

Upon returning to her room, Veronica asked a maid to place a letter paper and ink on her desk.
Taking a deep breath, she calmly wrote the letter, her elegant handwriting flowing across the white paper.

“Send this to the Winston Duchy immediately. Make sure the butler doesn’t find out.”

“Yes, madam.”

She deliberately entrusted the task to a maid who had come with her from the duchy, rather than one from the marquisate.
Sensing the unusual atmosphere, the maid nodded and discreetly hid the letter in her sleeve before quickly leaving the room.

“Now, next is…”

Veronica tapped her fingers against the desk—a habit of hers when deep in thought.

It would be proper etiquette to wait for a response from the duchy before leaving the mansion.
However, Cedric’s attitude just now bothered her.

More than anything, Veronica did not want to encounter Cedric’s first love.

She absolutely refused to let Claudia meet that woman—or her child.

So as soon as Claudia recovered, they needed to leave in haste.

Just as Veronica solidified her thoughts and was about to stand—

“Madam!”

“…!”

The door burst open, and someone rushed into the room.

It wasn’t the maid who had just left with the letter.
Veronica looked at the newcomer with confusion.

“What is it?”

“Madam, you need to hurry to the young lady’s room!”

“What?”

Veronica shot up from her seat in alarm.

The maid’s urgent tone made it sound as if something had happened to Claudia, turning Veronica’s mind blank with fear.

Had her fever spiked again? Or was it another illness?

She had been fine just a little while ago, so what on earth—?

“Hurry! Let’s go!”

“Yes, madam!”

With trembling hands, Veronica moved as fast as she could.

She wasn’t even sure if she was walking properly.

And then—

“Mommy!”

“…!”

Claudia’s loud cry rang sharply in her ears.

Veronica rushed forward and threw open the door.

“Dia…!”

The scene inside the room came into view.

In my personal opinion, shouting “Mom!” was like a cheat code.

Somehow, whenever you called for “Mom,” you found the lost item, and all frustrating problems seemed to resolve themselves.

Mothers were the kind of people who could locate something in seconds when you had spent hours searching for it.

“Dia…!”

A familiar voice pierced my ears.

I turned my head, putting on the most pitiful expression I could muster.

“Mom…!”

“…!”

Veronica’s face stiffened the moment she saw me and Cedric.

Then, without hesitation, she stormed over and shoved Cedric away.

“You…! What do you think you’re doing?!”

“Ha… I wasn’t doing anything.”

“Then why is the child crying like this? And why were you holding her shoulder?”

“…”

Cedric clamped his mouth shut at the pointed question.

Oh, trying to play dumb, are we?

I seized the opportunity and wailed even louder.

“Uwaaaaah!”

“Dia!”

“Huuaah, Mommy! My shoulder hurts so much!”

“I didn’t even hold her that tightly…”

“Huuaaah!”

You did grab me tightly, you bastard.

To make sure Cedric couldn’t weasel his way out, I cried even harder.

Veronica’s face turned pale at my distressed sobs.

Honestly, it was embarrassing for an adult like me to be making such a fuss.

But right now, I was just a weak, helpless child.

“You really…!”

“O-Oh, this is a misunderstanding, madam.”

“A misunderstanding?”

Veronica glared at Cedric while hugging me tightly.

‘This is going well.’

If I played this right, I could make Veronica completely lose her feelings for Cedric.

I buried my face in her shoulder, sneaking glances at her angry expression.

If Veronica had changed her mind because of what I said earlier, then maybe—just maybe—the story would take a different path from the original.

‘But I can’t trust that yet. In the original, Veronica never gave up on the male lead.’

In the novel, Veronica had only turned her sword against Gloria—the female lead—and her daughter, Marianne.

She never retaliated against Cedric, the man who had deceived her.
Because she loved him.
Because she didn’t want to destroy their relationship.

But that had led to ruin.
In the end, even the Winston Duchy had fallen.

‘I refuse to get caught up in that mess.’

Unlike the original, Claudia—me—was still alive.

This alone would shake the story to its core.

I would make sure Veronica and Cedric got divorced.
Then, I would leave this place for good.

Determined, I gave a small, secret nod to myself.

“You dare make my daughter cry?”

“…”

For some reason, the aura emanating from Veronica felt strange.

My fake sobbing stopped instinctively, and I looked up at her in a daze.

There was something familiar about the energy surrounding her.

It reminded me of Cedric’s presence.

But unlike Cedric, she wasn’t directing that energy at me.

Her hostility was unmistakably aimed at someone else.

“Who do you think you are, making my child cry?”

“W-Wait, madam…!”

“You bastard!”

“Urgh…!”

It all happened in an instant.

Veronica sprang to her feet and closed the distance between them in a flash.

Then, moving too fast for the eye to follow—

Smack!

A sharp sound echoed through the room.

‘This is justice…!’

Veronica had slapped Cedric across the face!

If only I had some popcorn, this would be the perfect show.

Alas, I had to settle for watching with sheer delight.

Veronica, still fuming, was breathing heavily.

“You… you just hit me…?”

“Yeah, I hit you. What are you gonna do about it?”

“…”

Cedric was completely stunned.

Yeah, bet you never expected this from the woman who used to adore you.

Bet you thought she’d never leave you, no matter what you did.

That you could bring in mistresses, raise another woman’s child under her nose—do whatever you pleased.

‘Now suffer.’

You should’ve never messed with me.

In the original, Claudia’s death left Veronica with nothing but her obsession with Cedric.

But this time, things were different.

Now, I was her top priority.

‘How does it feel, losing everything you took for granted?’

I smirked where he couldn’t see.

His sour expression was priceless.

“If you ever lay a hand on my daughter again, I will never forgive you, Cedric Lionel!”

“Wait… where are you going, madam?!”

Veronica turned away, holding me in her arms, and walked off without looking back.

“…”

“…!”

Just before leaving the room, I locked eyes with Cedric.

Then, sticking out my tongue, I smirked.

“You…!”

“Hmph.”

Serves you right, you bastard.

Bang!

The door slammed shut behind us.