When Dana ordered the servant, Sandra exclaimed in surprise. “Honey, What on earth are you―”
“Dana is right.” Carl, seemingly having made up his mind, spoke firmly. “As Dana’s guardian and as Allice’s father, I have the duty to discipline Allice strictly.”
Shortly after, Carl grabbed the cane brought by the servant. “Allice. Hold out your palm.”
“D-Dad.” Alice had an expression as if she couldn’t believe this reality.
Being told to hold out her palm. She had never been scolded by her father before, let alone…
“What are you waiting for? Hold out your palm!”
But now he’s going to hit her? Her mom and dad knew she was secretly meeting the crown prince!
“Sob, sob.”
Hesitantly, Allice extended her palm. As soon as she did, the cane struck sharply.
“Kyaa!”
The pain was new to her. Allice writhed in pain, but…
“Hold out your palm properly, Allice.”
“D-Dad, sob, i-it hurts…”
“Quickly.”
“Sob, sob.”
Allice, sobbing, extended her palm again, only to be met with another sharp strike.
“Carl! Please, please stop!” After several more strikes, Sandra, unable to watch anymore, embraced Allice. “Stop it! What if my daughter dies!”
“…”
Carl bit his lip hard. Would he really want to hit his beloved daughter? But he had to be firm. Only then would Dana’s anger subside!
“What are you doing?”
It was then.
“Uncle, Aunt, Allice. What are you doing right now?”
When had he come in? At the door stood a blonde boy with a shocked expression.
“What on earth is going on…”
The boy looked at Allice and Sandra’s tear-stained faces, then at Carl with the cane.
“…Did she tell you to do this?” Finally, his gaze turned accusingly to Dana. “Because Allice was seeing the prince in secret?”
“Cough.” Carl coughed. “Allice deceived Danae. As her guardian, I disciplined her, that’s all.”
“Huh.”
The blonde man let out a disbelieving chuckle, then shook his head.
“Let’s stop this and leave, Uncle.”
“But…”
Carl glanced briefly at Dana. Dana, with an unreadable expression, quietly said, “Do as Noah says, Uncle.” As if waiting for this, Allice and Sandra left the room. Carl, watching Dana’s reaction, was also left.
* * *
Click. The door closed.
“Are you out of your mind?” The man approached me aggressively. “What right do you have to make Allice like this?”
My head throbbed. I knew what was coming.
“Really shameless.”
As expected.
“What right do you have to make Allice kneel?”
Predictable criticism.
“You seem to have no conscience.”
The blond man aggressively stepped forward and poked my forehead with his finger. “Do you think you have the right to do that?”
I frowned at the sudden whiff of alcohol. “You’ve been drinking in broad daylight?”
“So what if I have. You going to lecture me again?” The man mocked me with a disdainful laugh. “Ah, right. You liked playing my older sister’s role, didn’t you?”
“…”
“Why do you meddle? Just because you’re in my older sister’s body, you think you’re really my sister?”
I silently observed the boy. Noah Windsor. Danae Windsor’s younger brother. This man, now 17 years old, is really handsome. Sunshine-like golden hair, a wax doll-like face. Like others in the Windsor lineage, Noah had fine and exquisite features.
Right, the Windsor. The people of the Windsor family I had loved so much.
I was deluded all along. A sudden realization hits.
They are not my family. They’re Danae’s family.
I could never truly be part of it. I just possessed this body but considered its family as mine. So, Noah is right.
“No.”
In the past, I would have lectured him. Right now, Noah was skipping from the military academy and drinking. But not anymore…
“Don’t worry, Noah. I won’t interfere.”
At that, Noah’s expression twisted angrily, but he soon scoffed as if it was all pretense. “Apologize to Allice. What right do you have to make her cry?”
“That will be difficult. Allice wronged me greatly.”
“Allice wronged you? Oh, by stealing your lover?”
“You knew?”
“Yes. But so what?”
“…”
“You stole my older sister’s body. So what’s the big deal if Allice stole your lover away?”
“…”
At that moment, I suddenly realized. I was too engrossed in this family play. So, let’s stop.
Up until now, I had accepted everything from Noah, whether he attacked me or criticized me. I had endured it all. Because I wanted to look good to Noah. I wanted to be recognized as family. And I wanted to become a real sister to them.
But now I know. All that, it’s all just an illusion.
“Mind your rudeness, Noah Windsor.”
Noah seemed startled and stiffened his face. It was the first time he had heard such a voice from me.
“Did I say something wrong? It’s true that you’ve taken over my sister’s body.”
“Well.” I slowly tilted my head. “I wonder if you have the right to say such things to me.”
“What?”
“Do you think it’s okay to say that after you held me back when I was about to leave?”
That’s right. Three years ago, when I said she was going to open the door to another dimension and leave. The night before, Noah had come to find me and held me back.
“Don’t go.”
“Noah?”
“Don’t go! I’m telling you not to leave!”
He had come with a flushed face, screaming irritably. Then he ran away without even waiting for an answer. That was unexpected. Since confessing I had possessed this body, Noah had always despised me. That man had held onto me…
So, I thought there must be feelings of liking me in Noah’s heart.
That’s why I was always curious. Why criticize me so much when you held me back from leaving…
“Ah, that.”
Finally, Noah answered my question.
“It was a joke.”
“…”
“I didn’t expect you to really stay because of that joke.”
Ah, I see. You played a joke with my life. As expected, I was a fool.
I suppressed the laughter that was about to burst out.
Could there be such a fool in the world?
I was glad that I had realized I was a fool, even now.
“Why? Did you really think I held you back because I liked you?”
Yes. That’s what I thought. I really thought you liked me.
“You are in my older sister’s body. How could I possibly like you…”
The next moment, Noah’s words trailed off. It was because I had gently wrapped and held the finger that had poked my shoulder.
Hope you enjoy Valentine’s day special release, baby girls ヾ(❀╹◡╹)ﾉﾞ♡~
Thank you for this special gift!❤️🔥
Happy Valentine’s Day. Thanks for the chapter!