FWTR Chapter 15

Chapter 15

“…You went with purple? Are you crazy? Why pick that color out of all the options?”

His voice, which had been calm if not kind, changed.

Lucas clenched his lips and reprimanded her.

‘Did Melody send him to check?’

Estelle realized, with a sense of relief, that the intense reaction was not because Melody had sent him to confirm her choice.

“…Wait. Who recommended it?”

Lucas, who had been angry just moments before, suddenly paused and raised an eyebrow.

“Really, did Melody recommend purple?”

“…”

“I’m asking you.”

As if trying to verify whether she was lying, he pressed Estelle for an answer.

“If you don’t believe me, go ask her yourself.”

“No, I… I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but it doesn’t make sense. Melody knows better than anyone that our father dislikes purple…”

Lucas trailed off, sensing something was off, but then gave up.

“Forget it, just change it to a different color now.”

Estelle wanted to see Melody’s frustration when her plans fell apart. Why make this more difficult than it needs to be?

‘I already told Madame Servan to make it in black, and if I act like I’m listening to Lucas, Melody might find out.’

She understood Lucas’s intention of helping her avoid falling out of favor with the Duke, but it was a pointless act of kindness.

‘Why is he suddenly so interested now?’

The sudden attention was making her uncomfortable.

“Don’t worry about it.”

With that cold voice, Lucas’s face twisted in frustration.

“Didn’t you hear me? Father hates that color! If you wear it at your coming-of-age ceremony…”

“Lucas.”

Estelle didn’t want to waste any more energy arguing with him, especially after a tiring day. She cut him off sharply.

“I’ll make sure it won’t cause you any trouble, so stop meddling.”

Lucas grabbed her wrist roughly.

“You don’t want to fall out of favor with Father, right? Don’t you get it? Or do you want to get his attention by doing something like this?”

Estelle winced at the pain in her wrist and pulled it out of his grip.

“…!”

Seeing her wrist redden, Lucas flinched and stepped back.

“…I got carried away just now, so—”

“Do you think I’m trying to get his attention?”

She looked at him briefly, her wrist still throbbing, and then went into her room, locking the door behind her.

“Do you really think that? I hate everything about what you’re doing right now.”

She hoped this would serve as a final warning.

‘ ‘ ‘

He regretted it.

Lucas pressed his forehead and slumped down.

Estelle’s stubbornness was frustrating, especially since he had warned her, and when he grabbed her wrist just for a moment, it had turned red.

‘I didn’t even grab her that hard…’

He didn’t have the courage to open the door and go in.

It was because of those words, ‘I hate it’, that kept echoing in his mind.

Estelle, who had always been careful and cautious around him, had suddenly changed. Even now, she called their father ‘”that person”‘, and her every reaction seemed to be sharp and hostile.

‘I wish she wouldn’t care so much about it.’

‘Lucas, you were the one who didn’t want to be called “brother” and hated the fact that I was your sister.’

From a certain point on, she had started to set clear boundaries.

‘…Do you remember the day I first came here? The day you told me I shouldn’t have been born?’

‘I remember. That’s why I always thought it should have been my mother who lived, not me. I spent all these years trying not to make you hate me, keeping myself quiet.’

She pushed him away with memories of things he had said long ago, words spoken when they were both young and foolish.

From the very first day, Estelle had been a stranger to him. After spending years in the maternal side of the family, he had met his new sister, but it was hard to develop affection for her.

She looked just like their kind mother but had an entirely different, timid personality, making it difficult for them to grow close.

When they were young, Lucas even resented Estelle for being born after their mother’s death.

Since her birth, their father had thrown himself into his work, and Lucas, who had gone to the estate, rarely visited.

He admitted that he had taken out his frustration on Estelle because he couldn’t adapt to the cold, changed atmosphere of the house. In a fit of anger, he had once told her she shouldn’t have been born, and he constantly rejected her, even though he knew his harsh words would hurt her.

Over time, this became ingrained, and he eventually stopped speaking to Estelle kindly.

No, to be honest, it had become a deliberate action. No matter how he treated her, she always bowed her head and yielded, calling him “Brother” and smiling.

He had always thought she would remain in the same place, forever obedient.

‘Things started to change the day she was called to Father’s study. What happened that day?’

Lucas tried to trace the moment Estelle became more distant and sharp.

‘I can’t remember what was said.’

His terrible memory didn’t help him solve his curiosity, but nothing particularly memorable had happened that day either.

‘If only I hadn’t broken down the door…’

Last year, Estelle had swallowed a large amount of sleeping pills and nearly died.

Just like that time, when she didn’t respond no matter how many times he called her, he became anxious. His urgency led him to break down the door, and that ended up being the trigger that provoked her.

‘By the way, why did Melody recommend purple?’

It seemed unbelievable that Estelle would choose purple, but after thinking about it more, something didn’t add up.

‘She knows that Father hates purple because it’s the color of the dress Mom wore when she passed away… Did she forget about it?’

Melody likely didn’t have any ill intentions in recommending purple, but it still felt strange.

‘It doesn’t seem like Estelle would switch to another color fabric…’

Lucas was also wondering what gift to give her for her coming-of-age ceremony.

‘Maybe I should have a dress made at a different atelier. Speaking of which, what’s her size? Should I just match it to Melody’s?’

From what he could estimate, Estelle was a little taller than Melody but had a much slimmer figure.

‘I guess I’ll lengthen the hem and make the waist smaller.’

If he gave her a helpful gift to ease the awkwardness caused by the purple dress, she’d likely forgive him quickly.

Then, he thought, he would treat her kindly, just like he did with Melody.

There was still time.

It wasn’t too late.

‘ ‘ ‘

Before long, the morning of the tea party arrived.

She had been avoiding both Melody and Lucas, staying in her room. Since that day, the Duke of Winchester had not summoned her, so there had been no reason for her to go outside. It was her first time out in quite a while.

“Lady Estelle, something’s wrong!”

“…What’s going on?”

As she was getting ready to leave, Estelle turned to look at the servant who had rushed in.

‘This maid is…’

The maid was Melody’s personal servant. Seeing her rush in like this, something must have happened to Melody.

However, Estelle wasn’t in the mood to deal with her. She was busy preparing, and Melody usually faked illnesses to get the Duke’s attention.

“The daughter of Marquis Gannet has arrived, but Miss Melody is…”

“…The daughter of Marquis Gannet?”

Estelle half-listened, assuming it was just another of Melody’s dramas. But then, she stood up quickly.

‘Why would the daughter of Marquis Gannet be here?’

Since they were supposed to meet at the tea party, there shouldn’t have been a need for her to come to the Duke’s residence.

For a moment, her mind raced with questions.

“Well, the two of them are fighting and pulling each other’s hair… The Duke left early this morning, and Master Lucas has already gone to work, so no one can mediate…”

Estelle felt dizzy as she tried to process the maid’s words.

They were not only fighting but also pulling each other’s hair?

“Ah, Lady!”

“Where are they?”

Estelle’s voice was cold, and the maid flinched at her tone.

“Y-Yes?”

The maid blinked in confusion since Estelle usually had a calm demeanor.

Estelle was frustrated by the delay caused by the maid, who wasn’t answering quickly.

“Can’t you hear me? Where are they?”

“On the first floor, in the hall… they’re… they’re there.”

Estelle hurriedly made her way down to the first floor hall.

“Let go of it!”

“You grabbed it first! Why don’t you let go?”

In the middle of the shouting, Melody and Liliana were pulling each other’s hair. The surrounding servants were standing nervously, trying to intervene.

“Melody!”

As Estelle entered, the servants momentarily paused and stepped aside to make way.

“…Sister?”

Both Melody and Liliana turned to look at her at the same time.

On Liliana’s flushed cheek were fresh scratch marks, as if someone had just clawed her.

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