CHAPTER TWO

Everything was the same. The Forlil Hill I couldn’t help but love, Marsha was alive again and her smile was sweeter than the apple pies she was baking. Even the guard dog I used to play with was beside me.

Everything I had lost in the past was here.

“Let's go inside. You're going to catch a cold standing here s.p.a.ced out like that.”

I watched my grandfather’s back as he elegantly walked towards the door after gently patting my head. I remember this warm feeling and soft, sweet scent.

After a day at Forlil Hill, Ms. Marsha would always give us apple pies, and Grandfather would always proceed to praise her on its taste. Days like these were quiet and peaceful.

I believed these calm and peaceful days from my memories would last forever. Even though I bitterly tried to hold on to these days in my past life, returning to the past seems like a dream.

“Laura, come inside. The night air is cold.”

The present that seemed like a dream, is too vivid to be fake.

“Yes, Grandfather.”

I don't want this sweet moment to break.

A warmth filled my body as followed my grandfather through the door.

The secret to Ms. Marsha’s delicious apple pies was the large stone stove in the kitchen no one used after her death.Mr. Robert would always fan the fire underneath the oven to help with baking the apple pies.

“Is this enough?”

“Goodness! Put more in it! Today we have a guest coming! How many times do I have to tell you to make more food? Are you complaining because you don’t want to get firewood tomorrow?"

“Ah, no! There’s no way.”

Mr. Robert responded cheerfully as he continued to toss firewood in with an annoyed expression. Seeing them nagging at each other made me happy.

The mansion of Viscount Aztane only had a few staff members. Others thought that my grandfather and I lived in a grand palace, instead, we worked on the family business in this warm place.

“Now let’s see”

Right as we came home, I took a seat by Grandfather’s side as he adjusted his monocle while looking at doc.u.ments. Like Grandfather, I looked through the doc.u.ment.

My laughter naturally came out. When I was young, every time I got fl.u.s.tered by all the doc.u.ments I would call Grandfather. The difficult calculations and the writing on the contract would make my head hurt. When that happened he would always explain the solution to me.

Slightly turning my head, I was able to see Grandfather’s face. Because my parents had died when I was young my grandfather had to return as the head of the Aztane family. I couldn’t believe that my grandfather was 60 years old.

People had joked that grandfather wasn’t human and that he was actually an immortal monster or a werewolf because he looked so much younger than his real age. There was a time when I was young I had believed those comments.

However after Grandfather pa.s.sed away, I was unable to say anything in front of his corpse.

The grandfather that I thought would always be by me had become a cold corpse. At that time my grandfather’s corpse looked as if it aged 20 years.

“Laura?”

I turned my head towards the voice that called me. My grandfather removed his monocle, put down his doc.u.ment, and looked at me with concern.

“Is there something you don’t understand?”

Grandfather examined the doc.u.ments as he spoke. Ah, this is... I had unintentionally crumbled up the papers in my hand.

As I hurriedly set the paper down and laughed while scratching my head, my grandfather asked again in a low voice.

“Is something wrong? You’ve been unusually silent since you’ve woken up. You keep vacantly daydreaming. It’s unlike your usual self.”

“Ha ha…”

Ah, so I was like that back then. My biggest complex was that I had worn my emotions on my face, and didn’t possess a poker face. It wasn’t good for business to not have a poker face when organizing contracts.

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

“No way, it’s nothing like that.”

Even though I said that there wasn’t a problem my grandfather was worried, I was always weak to Grandfather. I took a breathe and told him.

“To be honest… I had a nightmare.”

“A nightmare?”

“Yes.”

Grandfather got up from his chair and came towards me. Grandfather’s kind smile and large hand patting my head filled me with a comforting warmth.

“What kind of nightmare was it?"

“...It was a very sad nightmare.”

I tightly shut my eyes as I recalled the moment that hadn’t even been a day ago.

“It was a dream where the people I trusted most betrayed me. Because of that, I was unable to protect the inheritance I received from the person I loved and respected the most. It was the most painful… painful to the point that I didn’t want to live anymore.”

That’s right, I might’ve gone insane in that moment. Losing everything was painful, but that wasn’t the most saddening thing. The most painful part was that the people I trusted had betrayed me.

There was a painful pressure against my chest as I remembered everything. The pain felt as if someone was crus.h.i.+ng my heart, I closed my eyes tight as I recalled the mocking of those two people.

“I…”

“You can stop.”

The hand that was patting my head, can down to touch my cheek. Grandfather had wiped away the tears I was unaware of. As I lifted my head grandfather has a comforting smile on his kind face.

“You don’t have to recall that nightmare anymore”

“Grandfather…”

“I'll finish up work today so you go and rest.”

“But…”

“Our guest will be coming soon, we don't have much time left to work. You should get dressed and organize yourself.. And I’m sure you’ll want to see your younger sister before our guest arrives."

“...younger sister?”

With that one word, my tranquil feelings were replaced with panic. It was to the point I felt sick. However I couldn't let Grandfather see, so I held it in, and forced a smiled. I slowly breathed in and out as the door closed behind me.

“...younger sister.”

Erusia, my younger identical twin sister. My beloved younger sister I wanted to protect. The younger sister I once pitied now left me burning with hatred hearing her name.

Today the mansion was busier than usual. When I thought about it, this moment seemed familiar. I had experienced this in the past. I walked quickly thinking about the situation.

Because of her poor health that didn’t allow her to climb up the stairs, Erusia always resided on the 1st floor

Whenever I entered that room I would see the wan figure of my younger sister. It had always hurt me to see her like that.

However, that is not the case now. Now Erusia was less a stranger now. That is of course, if this isn't a dream.

I took a deep breath as I knocked on the door.

“Yes?”

A voice that was similar to mine came from the door, telling me someone was inside. I braced myself as I opened the door.

The smell of medication, a dimly lit room, and the weak and thin girl who quietly sat on the bed. Erusia shared the same appearance as me but was more sickly, thin and pale.

“Older sister, you came?”

That smile. Her warm smile that greeted me had made me never suspect her any wrong in the past.

Even though there was evidence of all my inheritance being sold away I never thought my sister as guilty, because of that I lost everything. Idiot. (talking to herself)

“Yeah. It’s starting to get cold now.”

Despite everything that happened, I still couldn’t speak to Erusia coldly.

To the eyes of the world, Erusia was a poor frail girl. Even though we were twins she was weak and never  left the house, and had to consume medicine every day.

She had never complained about being sick and taking medicine, instead with a bright smile she told people not to worry and encouraged them. Even though she was sickly because she was kind to everyone people loved her.

If I were to treat my younger sister poorly now people would judge me poorly. Grandfather would especially be disappointed. I didn’t want to let him down.

I slowly approached the window and looked outside. After I watched it become twilight, I turned around, sat on the window sill, and warmly smiled at her.

“Was today tiring?”

“What is there to be tired about? If anything it’s older sister that should be tired.”

In the past I had gotten strength from hearing her warm and kind voice.

“What kind of work did you have today?”

“It was nothing. It was the same as always.”

“Same as always...”

I watched her as her voice trailed off. I would’ve never thought that her pure smile hid devilish intentions. Because of that, I trusted her to the end.

“Ah! More importantly, today is the day the guest comes.”

“Guest?”

“Goodness, older sister told me about it before. That a very important guest would come today.”

“Did I?”

I can’t remember. I can’t remember what kind of guest we had, it probably wasn’t an important person.

I was going to dismiss the thought until Erusia ecstatically held her hands with a congratulatory expression.

“For older sister to know such an amazing man… because of that older sister is amazing. I’m proud to have an older sister like you.”

I looked at her sparkling face. Knowing what I know now, I could only see her “pure” actions as fake.

Pus.h.i.+ng down my desire to curse her, I turned around and headed towards the door.

“Are you going to eat outside of your room today? I’ll go prepare it for you.”

“Pardon? Ah, yes…”

Erusia must have felt like her older sister wasn’t acting like usual as she responded so cautiously. I turned around because I didn’t want to see her face anymore, said goodbye and I closed the door behind me.

“Haaa….”

My gastric reflux had gotten worse. It was to the point I wanted to retch.

I couldn’t smile looking at her face, nor could I speak to her in a warm voice. However because that is what a kind older sister does, my heart hurts.

“It’d be easier to sign a contract with an old pervert.”

I closed my lips and pushed down the word I wanted to say. I was calming my storming emotions as I leaned against the door when I heard the sound of the front the open and people greeting each other.

Did the guest come? Who are they kindly greeting?

I followed the wall and turned the corner to look at the front door. A group of five to six well-dressed men holding gifts cheerfully greeted each other.

“...”

It’s a scene I’ve seen before. I couldn’t remember the people so I leaned against the wall and watched what was going on. Grandfather then went to invite a man in with a happy smile.

“I can’t believe…”

To see that face again.

That’s right, it was today. I had forgotten. That man who had been entering my life little by little met Erusia today.

“So you were here! Thank you for inviting me today, Lady Laurencia.”

Tall and handsome with an honest smile, he had captured the hearts of many women with his elegance and manners. But he is the man I curse.

“Marquis Acpencia…”

The man who promised he loved me and would give me everything. That man who spent years making me trust him only to betray me with my sister and sent me to ruin. The one who ridiculed me as I pa.s.sed out.

Today is the day he proposed to me.

T/N: h.e.l.lo everyone ^^. Thank you so much for reading. I really tried to have chapter 3 up today too but I have been rather busy with finals this week and fell ill shortly after. But starting today Hana and I will try to post weekly chapters posted every Friday. Hana and I are still trying to figure out how to navigate this site so there won't be a set time as to when the updates will happen and may even be posted earlier in the like this chapter.