Even the Devil Regrets it - Chapter 90

It had already been two months since the House of Barnett went bankrupt.

During that time, Count Barnett had lost everything to his creditors and just barely managed to move his family into a small two-story house.

To ordinary people, the house might have seemed spacious, but to those who once lived in a grand estate, it felt cramped and suffocating. The rooms were so close together that every sound could be heard through the walls.

“Waaah, waaah, waaah!”

The Countess of Barnett was exhausted from the baby Aileen had given birth to, who cried constantly without warning.

The newborn wailed over and over. At this point, the Countess could no longer tell if the house was shaking from the sound or if it was her own head spinning.

If the baby had been born during their days of wealth, perhaps she might have felt affection. But she already despised Aileen, so how could she possibly find this child adorable?

“Why is that baby crying again? It’s too loud. Go and calm it down, now,”

The Countess pressed her temples and ordered the maid.

Now there were only two maids left in the entire household.

Even though they could no longer afford more help, the Countess still acted as if they lived in their former luxury. She seemed to believe that every wish could still be fulfilled with a word, just like before.

“My lady, I’m sorry, but I really can’t right now,”

The maid let out a tired sigh. She had taken this job out of desperation, choosing a household that would accept anyone. But she hadn’t expected things to be this difficult.

No matter how badly she needed the money, this kind of hardship felt unfair. She had thought about quitting more than once.

Babies cry. That’s normal. If the noise bothers her, she should deal with it herself.

The maid picked up a mountain of laundry and quickly left the room.

“What? What did she say? That little wretch!”

It was unbearable for the Countess to think that even a maid now disrespected her. Her frustration turned immediately toward Aileen.

She stood up and stormed off toward Aileen’s room.

“Why is that child crying so much?”

She flung the door open. But the moment she saw Aileen, she froze.

Aileen stood there with messy hair and dark circles under her eyes, completely worn down.

“Why is he crying? Look at this house. You didn’t even bother to hire a wet nurse. My milk won’t come in. He’s hungry, that’s why. He’s just a tiny baby. What else can he do except cry?”

Aileen shouted, her voice full of anger and frustration.

The Countess was caught off guard and stepped back.

The baby boy had inherited Tristan’s light brown hair and Aileen’s bright blue eyes. He was crying so hard that his face had turned red.

Count Barnett was out gambling again, probably chasing some scheme to restore the family fortune. Tristan spent every day drunk.

How did our family end up like this?

The Countess suddenly felt like crying too.

Just then, Count Barnett and Tristan returned home together, earlier than usual.

Each of them held a newspaper in hand, and neither of them looked pleased.

The Countess gave up arguing with Aileen and turned to her husband and son.

“What is it? Did something happen?”

Their faces were so dark and serious that she felt a sudden wave of fear.

“Look at this,”

Count Barnett threw the newspaper onto the table. The Countess, full of unease, rushed over to read the article.

Razdelus, the forgotten land, officially chosen as a central development zone. Rapid urban growth expected in the near future

What is Razdelus? A detailed look into investment opportunities and development strategies

Razdelus rises overnight as a highly valuable region after new city announcement

Every headline on the front page was filled with news about a place called Razdelus.

The Countess of Barnett blinked slowly, trying to remember where Razdelus was. The name felt oddly familiar.

Then, in a sudden flash, Juliana’s face appeared in her mind.

“This place… it’s…”

Razdelus was the land Juliana had inherited when she got married.

How could this be happening? The Countess clutched her chest as if her heart were being squeezed. She was breathless with shock.

“That ungrateful girl would never just give it up,”

Count Barnett muttered bitterly, grinding his teeth. Even when they lost everything and were thrown out of their estate, Juliana had acted as if she didn’t even know them.

After everything they had done for her. She had come from a struggling viscount’s family, and they had taken her in, raised her up, and made her the Grand Duchess. Instead of showing any gratitude, she had turned her back on them.

Count Barnett was furious. He wanted to drag her back and punish her, but there was nothing he could do. That helpless anger only made his frustration grow stronger.

“If we had just kept that land, we wouldn’t be living like this,”

Tristan muttered as he pulled at his long, unkempt hair. His eyes, clouded with drink, looked dull and lifeless.

“There has to be a way. We need to think of something,”

the Countess said, trying to push them into action. For once, instead of arguing or complaining, they all sat down to talk.

They were trying to come up with a way to take Razdelus back from Juliana when a maid suddenly came running in.

“A noble lady is here to see you,” she said.

“A noble lady? Who?”

“She’s stunning, truly beautiful and elegant. I’ve never seen anyone like her,”

the maid said, her face full of awe.

The Countess couldn’t think of anyone who matched that description, but since the maid had called her a noble lady, she decided to go greet the guest.

“Have you been well?”

Juliana stood calmly under the porch. Her silver blonde hair sparkled in the sunlight. Everything she wore, from her dress to her jewelry to even her gloves and parasol, was of the highest quality.

It was no wonder the maid thought she was someone important. Looking at her only made the Countess angrier.

Now she shows up? She stayed silent when they lost everything. She acted like she didn’t know them. And now she stands here, smiling? How dare she?

The Countess narrowed her eyes and responded coldly.

“Do I look like I’ve been well to you?”

Juliana smiled and answered calmly.

“No. You look like you’ve been having a very hard time.”

The Countess knew it was true, but the fact that Juliana said it with a smile made her furious. She should have realized long ago how shameless Juliana really was.

As the Countess glared at her, ready to explode, two men stepped forward from behind Juliana.

“We’ve come to speak with Count Barnett. We also bring a letter from His Grace, Grand Duke Ortis,” one of them said.

Only then did the Countess fully notice the men with her. They looked like officials or escorts from the Grand Duke’s household.

They were clearly not ordinary men. Recognizing that, the Countess bit her lip and moved aside to let them through.

“What? Juliana is here?”

Count Barnett was stunned when he heard the news.

“I don’t know what she wants, but this is our chance. Tell her to hand Razdelus back to us.”

Tristan’s eyes sparkled with a sly look. After hearing his son’s words, Count Barnett nodded slowly.

Since Juliana had come to visit on the same day Razdelus was declared a key development area, it seemed she might finally be feeling some guilt about how she had acted in the past.

If she was willing to return the land, they could overlook her past behavior. With that thought in mind, Count Barnett welcomed her with a more relaxed attitude.

There was no proper drawing room left in the house, so Juliana was brought to the space where Count Barnett had been waiting.

The room served as a study, office, and reception area all at once. The furniture inside was poorly made, mismatched, and arranged without care.

“I would like to speak with my father alone. Could the rest of you please leave?”

Juliana looked directly at the Countess and Tristan as she spoke.

Her blunt tone, without even a proper greeting, made Tristan furious.

“Do you even know what manners are?” he snapped.

Juliana looked at him with a cold stare and replied calmly.

“Manners? That is interesting. Who exactly is the one who lacks manners here? Do you really think I should be the one greeting you first?”

Only then did Tristan seem to remember that she was now a Grand Duchess.

Now that he looked again, her lowered eyes and the quiet authority in her voice felt truly noble. Her presence no longer resembled the girl they had once mistreated.

How could the same Juliana they had abused in this house turn into someone like this? Tristan clicked his tongue in disbelief.

As the tension in the room grew heavier, Count Barnett quickly signaled for them to leave. If Juliana became upset and refused to give up Razdelus, they would be in serious trouble.

Tristan muttered angrily under his breath and left the room first. The Countess followed him soon after.

Left alone, Count Barnett turned his attention to the two men standing beside Juliana.

His eyes silently questioned why they were allowed to stay while his own family had been sent away.

“This is a letter from His Grace, Grand Duke Ortis,”

said Lochlan, one of the men with Juliana, as he handed the letter to Count Barnett.

Count Barnett opened it reluctantly. As he read, his lips began to tremble.

The letter was full of warnings. If even a single hair on Juliana’s head was harmed, the Barnett family would be completely erased, as if they had never existed.

“You didn’t come to return Razdelus?” he asked with uncertainty.

Juliana gave a short laugh and replied.

“Why would I? That land belongs to me. Why would I give it back?”

The way she smiled as she said those words felt unfamiliar to Count Barnett. She was no longer the helpless girl they once looked down on.

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