FWTR Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Melody, who had been delighted at the thought of receiving Estelle’s cake, suddenly pressed her lips together.

“What’s wrong? Didn’t you say you wanted more?”

“…Yeah, thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”

Her hand trembled slightly as she reluctantly took the plate.

‘If the Duke weren’t here, would she have flipped the plate over, demanding if I was looking down on her?’

Estelle recognized the signs. It was a reaction Melody only showed when she was holding back her anger.

“It looks so delicious. I’m so lucky to have such a kind sister.”

“It’s just a piece of cake. But didn’t you say you wanted it? Why aren’t you eating it yet?”

“I-I’m about to!”

Watching Melody exaggerate her reactions to stay on the Duke’s good side was more entertaining than Estelle expected.

“Estelle.”

The Duke of Winchester turned to her slowly.

“You’re allergic to peaches? Since when?”

‘Since when?’ Estelle was dumbfounded by the question.

‘Did he seriously not know I was allergic to peaches?’

Then again, if he had known, he wouldn’t have ordered peach cake for dessert in the first place.

This only confirmed how little interest he had in her, though she wasn’t particularly surprised.

She was used to it. In fact, if he had known and prepared a different dessert for her, it might have been unsettling.

He wasn’t exactly the attentive or thoughtful type.

‘But is having a peach allergy really such a shocking thing?’

The Duke, looking oddly shaken, stood up abruptly and left the dining room.

“Dad? Dad!”

Melody glanced at Estelle briefly before rushing after him.

‘I have no idea what’s going on, but… I guess it’s my cue to leave.’

Estelle, who had been wanting to leave for some time, saw this as the perfect opportunity.

“You really are your mother’s daughter. Even stuff like that, you take after her.”

Lucas, still slouched in his seat, addressed her with a smirk.

“What?”

“Your peach allergy. Mom had it too. It was so bad we couldn’t even have peaches in the house when she was alive. But after Melody was adopted, they started bringing peaches back.”

Ah.

Estelle finally understood why the Duke had reacted the way he did.

‘That’s right. When I was little, Countess Madel tried to make me eat a peach tart, but Grandpa scolded her for it.’

“Are you lying about being allergic to peaches because you’re a picky eater?”

“Grandma, I’m not lying! I really get itchy if I eat peaches.”

“Madam! What on earth are you doing? Estelle takes after Alicia—peaches are dangerous for her even to touch!”

Afterward, Countess Madel had locked her in the attic and only gave her hard, moldy bread to eat.

She had resisted eating it for as long as she could, but hunger eventually forced her to try. She vomited immediately after taking a bite.

‘My stomach already feels awful. Why am I even thinking about this? Just stop. Countess Madel isn’t here. I’ll never have to eat moldy, stale bread again.‘

Leaving the dining room, Estelle clutched her chest, trying to shake off the nausea and erase the unpleasant memories.

The meal had been a waste, even with the digestive medicine she had taken beforehand. Judging by how sick she felt, her stomach had not agreed with anything.

—

The next day, around noon, Madame Servan arrived at the Duke’s residence.

As soon as she settled into the parlor, she began enthusiastically showing off her catalog, making suggestions.

“What do you think of this design? The draped shoulders create a pure and elegant impression, which I think would suit Lady Estelle perfectly.”

“Hmm, it’s fine. Let’s go with that.”

Having already celebrated her coming-of-age ceremony once, Estelle wasn’t particularly excited. It wasn’t a day she remembered fondly, so she wasn’t invested in this event either.

Madame Servan’s enthusiasm was so infectious that Estelle felt obligated to respond, but truthfully, she didn’t care about the design.

“What color would you like for the fabric?”

Melody, who had been disinterested the entire time, suddenly leaned in and pointed to a shade of purple.

“Sister, this purple is so pretty!”

“Purple?”

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime ceremony. Don’t you think it should be the most glamorous and eye-catching color?”

Estelle barely managed to suppress a smile at Melody’s suggestion and nodded.

‘As expected, you recommended purple again this time.‘

Because of this very shade of purple that Melody had chosen before, the day that should have been the happiest and most celebrated in her life had instead turned into one of bitterness and pain.

“Um, Lady Estelle has quite fair skin, so wouldn’t sky blue or a light pink suit her better than purple? Purple can sometimes appear a bit dull…”

Madame Servan cautiously suggested alternative colors with a hesitant tone.

“Madame Servan, what exactly makes you say the color I chose is dull?”

Melody’s expression darkened further. She seemed worried Estelle might choose another color after hearing her remarks.
If that happened, her plan to make Estelle fall out of the Duke’s favor during the coming-of-age ceremony wouldn’t work.

“I-I didn’t mean anything by it! I just thought it might be better to suggest a color that suits her more…”

Intimidated by Melody’s sharp tone, Madame Servan stammered out a reply in a small voice.

“I’ll go with purple.”

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Estelle pointed to the purple fabric to avoid dragging things out further.

“See? Sister thinks it’s pretty too. Madame Servan, you heard her. Sister likes purple.”

“Melody, thanks for helping me choose the color. Now, why don’t you leave so we can take my measurements?”

Melody, humming a cheerful tune, left the parlor in high spirits.

“Madame, could you make the dress with black fabric instead of purple? On the day of the ceremony, just tell Melody the purple fabric was ruined.”

“Pardon?”

Madame Servan blinked, as if wondering why Estelle would make such a request.

“I’d like her to stay happy until then. Honestly, I agree with you—purple is a bit dull, and I didn’t like it much either.”

“I see. But black is also quite dark, like purple. Wouldn’t sky blue or pink be better, as I initially suggested?”

Estelle shook her head slowly. In truth, she had always had a particular color in mind for the dress.

“Actually, the ceremony coincides with the anniversary of my mother’s death. I’d like to honor her memory, even in this small way.”

“Oh my… Most young ladies your age focus on looking their best for such occasions, but you’re thinking of the Duchess first.”

Moved, Madame Servan let out a small gasp, dabbing at her eyes.

“Lady Estelle, I’ll pour all my effort into making the dress perfect for you.”

Her emotional response felt a bit overwhelming. Estelle hadn’t chosen black to impress anyone.

Having been born the day her mother died, she simply wanted to atone in her own way.

“Just keep it a secret until the ceremony, alright? I wouldn’t want Melody to feel upset if she found out.”

“Of course, don’t worry. I won’t breathe a word, not even with a knife at my throat.”

“If it ever gets to that point, feel free to tell them.”

Estelle chuckled lightly at her playful joke.

After finishing her measurements, Estelle accompanied Madame Servan outside to see her off.

“There was no need for you to escort me, but I appreciate it. Oh, by the way, Lady Estelle, when I measured your waist earlier, I couldn’t help but notice how slender it is.”

“Is that so?”

Estelle hadn’t made any conscious effort to diet. She just disliked the sensation of feeling full, so she rarely ate much.

“Well, I’ll take my leave now. Please head inside, Lady Estelle.”

After watching Madame Servan board her carriage and leave, Estelle turned to go back inside.

‘Doesn’t he have work? Why is he lingering here?‘

On her way back to her room, she noticed Lucas loitering in the hallway and let out a deep sigh.

“Estelle.”

She had hoped to pass by unnoticed, but he blocked her path, making it clear that wasn’t an option.

“Madame Servan was here earlier. You called her to fit your dress for the coming-of-age ceremony, right?”

Estelle found it strange that Lucas was suddenly interested in such a thing.

‘Since when does he care about my coming-of-age ceremony?‘

When she didn’t answer, Lucas ruffled his hair roughly.

“What color did you choose for the dress?”

“Why do you ask?”

Estelle, wary that Melody might have sent him to check on her choice, became defensive.

“Can’t you just answer for once? Why do you always have to ask questions back?”

Lucas and Melody had a close relationship.

‘There were even rumors that Melody was his real sibling, and I was the adopted one.‘

Given how much Lucas usually doted on Melody, Estelle couldn’t help but suspect him.

‘Could Melody have sent him to confirm if I chose purple?‘

Still cautious, she replied, “I chose purple. Melody recommended it.”

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