The Stepmother Keeps Stealing the Male Leads - Chapter 4

“Happiness? Do you really think marrying a wealthy noble will make us happy?”

Jaina immediately opposed Helene’s words.

In this world, a woman’s life was heavily dictated by marriage. For extras, it was a cruel reality.

Yet despite that, Jaina spoke as if she were a modern woman. Helene found it fascinating.

Before regaining her past life’s memories, she had simply thought of Jaina as a brash tomboy. But now, she saw her as someone sharp and confident.

“You can be happy even without money. But to maintain happiness, you need money. You should know that by now.”

Jaina clenched her fists but couldn’t argue back.

Until this point, the three Emeldia sisters had lived in wealth, so the misfortune of poverty must have felt even harsher.

Though the sisters shared a strong bond and could laugh together while splitting a single boiled potato, at the end of the day, they still had to worry about what they would eat tomorrow.

“And wealth is just an added bonus. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the person you love also happened to be rich?”

Considering the personalities of the Emeldia sisters and their noble upbringing, Helene knew they wouldn’t marry someone just for their wealth.

That was why she needed the perfect male leads from The Perfect Lady Angelina.

“L-love…?”

Unlike ten-year-old April, who tilted her head in confusion, Liliana and Jaina’s eyes widened slightly.

‘Love’—a word that had never been a part of their reality, thanks to their stepmother.

Yet at twenty-two and seventeen, Liliana and Jaina were at an age where love was something they could dream of.

“How can you be so sure we will love them?”

But Liliana wasn’t naive.

Since she had taken over shopping for groceries in place of the missing servants, she had learned one thing very well—nothing came cheap without a reason.

And with Helene involved? She’d have to check a hundred times, not just once.

“If you don’t like them, we’ll find someone else. Of course, I’ll respect your decision.”

Helene spoke confidently.

It would be difficult for them to dislike the male leads of The Perfect Lady Angelina—after all, the novel was famous for its exceptional selection of male protagonists.

Still, if Liliana wasn’t interested in one, they would simply move on to the next.

Liliana’s feelings were the most important.

‘Love, huh.’

In her past life, Han Yena never believed in love.

She thought it was something that only existed in movies and books.

Ironically, she had ended up inside a novel.

Maybe, just maybe, the male leads of The Perfect Lady Angelina could truly become their great loves.

Helene had already ruled out April, who was too young, and Jaina, who hated her. She focused solely on pairing Liliana with one of the male leads.

Liliana had both the looks and demeanor of a romance fantasy heroine—delicate features, a soft and fragile aura, but with a firm will shining through her intelligent emerald eyes.

Before their mother passed, Liliana had lived in the happiest household, and she still held on to those memories.

Helene wanted to find her the perfect male lead to match.

“But will a wealthy noble—one that even I find worthy—really like me back?”

Liliana had taken the bait.

‘No way, is she actually considering it?’

Jaina and April stared at Liliana in shock.

“I’ll help you. You know me, right? You’ve seen firsthand how well I married—a rich, handsome, and caring man.”

Raul, the Count of Emeldia, had truly been too good for Helene.

Perhaps the sisters had lost their illusions about their father after gaining such a terrible stepmother.

But Raul had raised his daughters alone for five years after his wife passed. He had been a devoted father.

‘If only he hadn’t met me, he would have been the perfect father…’

Liliana’s emerald eyes wavered, like waves in a storm. She was clearly conflicted.

But after all the suffering Helene had put them through, trusting her wouldn’t be easy.

Now that she had given them the carrot, it was time to show them the stick.

“And as you saw today… if I fail to repay the debt, the mansion will be taken by loan sharks. We’ll have to find a new place to live. But houses are very expensive. The three of you might not even be able to live together.”

Losing the mansion had been the beginning of all their misfortunes. She couldn’t let the sisters be separated again.

“…I’m sorry. But this is all I can do for you.”

Helene was genuinely remorseful.

She couldn’t let Liliana meet the same fate as in the original story—dying at twenty-two.

She had to ensure the three sisters found happiness.

As the incompetent villainous stepmother, there wasn’t much she could do.

But she could use the original story to find them the perfect matches.

Liliana, as the eldest, realized that if she didn’t act, she would lose her sisters.

Even if the goblet was poisoned, she had to drink it—because otherwise, she would die of thirst.

“I’ll do it.”

“Liliana!”

Jaina cried out in shock but couldn’t find a good reason to stop her.

Liliana was the type to never look back once she made a decision. And to Jaina, Liliana was the wisest person she knew.

‘She must have her reasons…’

Jaina decided to wait and see.

She wrapped her arms around April’s small shoulders, assuming they shared the same thoughts.

“Alright, do you have any conditions?”

For reference, in her past life, while Han Yena never had a love life of her own, she had successfully arranged a few blind dates.

‘The most important thing is to understand the client’s needs!’

Determined to show she was no longer the same Helene as before, she grabbed a dust-covered notebook from the table and took up a quill, preparing to take notes.

“First of all, as you said, wealth is important… and I’d like someone with a generous heart, someone who will allow me to continue looking after my younger sisters even after I’m married.”

Liliana didn’t have high expectations for Helene. She was willing to sacrifice anything for her sisters.

Thus, her conditions were simple.

The list was so short that Helene felt embarrassed for even preparing notes.

That only strengthened her resolve to find Liliana the perfect suitor.

She closed the notebook.

“Liliana, I have a few things I need you to do. Do you still pray to the Sun God every night?”

The Sun Church was the only recognized religion in the Herzen Empire, and Liliana was a devoted follower.

From a young age, she had attended the temple, holding her parents’ hands. Even after her mother’s passing, she continued going alone.

It wasn’t until her father’s death that she stopped visiting the temple.

The temple followers never stopped gossiping about her misfortune, and, unable to bear their stares and whispers at such a young age, she abandoned the temple and instead prayed alone every night.

“Why do you ask…?”

Liliana hadn’t expected Helene to know this and was caught off guard.

“From now on, I want you to go to the temple and pray like before.”

Liliana immediately understood what Helene was implying.

The Sun Church was the only religion in the Herzen Empire, and its temple was where nobles could easily form social connections. It was practically a second high society.

She didn’t want to return to a place she had once fled, but she had no choice.

“You don’t have to talk to anyone. Just have confidence in your faith.”

Was that not her intention?

Liliana had expected Helene to tell her to befriend powerful nobles, but instead, she was simply told to stand firm in her beliefs.

Strangely, that made her happy.

She had always felt guilty when passing by the temple, unable to pray properly to the Sun God.

“Understood, Stepmother.”

Suppressing her unsettled emotions, Liliana nodded.

***

After finishing her bath, Liliana stepped out of the washroom to find Jaina and April sitting on her bed, waiting for her.

As she sat at her dressing table to dry her hair, their complaints came pouring out.

“Sister, you don’t actually believe Helene, do you?”

“Helene—no, as Stepmother said today, we should call her that from now on.”

Liliana was firm.

As Helene had pointed out, regardless of what she was like, a count’s daughter openly disrespecting her stepmother would only harm her reputation.

“Helene—no, Stepmother is a fraud! She’s definitely using us again!”

The past three years with her had been truly terrible.

After marrying their father, she had spent her time wasting money and partying while he lay sick in bed.

After his death, she had squandered their entire fortune and even accrued debt.

She had ruined everything in just three years—a stepmother and a witch.

“I don’t trust Stepmother either. But if things continue like this…”

Liliana trailed off.

The Emeldia family’s financial situation was now so dire that they couldn’t even afford a loaf of bread. But she didn’t want to burden her sisters with that knowledge.

It always pained her to see April mature beyond her years.

“Just trust me this once.”

Her gaze was more determined than ever.

Liliana placed a reassuring hand on Jaina’s shoulder.

“Take care of April in my stead.”

Jaina wanted to argue again, but she felt April’s small hand clutching her sleeve.

April slowly shook her head.

The Emeldia sisters always made decisions by majority vote.

Two against one.

Jaina bit her lip, holding back the countless complaints she wanted to voice.

“Since we’re all here, should we sleep together?”

The previous winter, all the servants had left.

Helene had used the last of their funds to pay them severance, leaving the family so broke they couldn’t even afford heating oil.

Helene had been absent for a week, and unable to endure the brutal cold, the three sisters had huddled together in Liliana’s room for warmth.

“Sister, it’s too warm for that now.”

April chided Liliana playfully.

The window was open.

The once well-kept Emeldia estate had long been overtaken by wild weeds, its garden left unattended for years.

The scent of unknown wildflowers filled the room.

Spring was already in full bloom.