"Are you crying?" a little boy questioned, standing beside the girl seated on the chair.
Seven year old Odette Albinius had a table before her, and her tear-filled eyes stared at the garden in front. She felt crestfallen. Adrian, raising his head, stared at the girl with a mixture of curiosity and concern.
Taken aback by his presence, Odette turned to fiercely glare at him. The boy remained oblivious to the hostility directed at him.
"Why are you here!? Didn't I dismiss all of the servants!? Who allowed you to come at here!?" Odette yelled— her tone showing off her rage.
Her loud voice made the boy stumble backwards, and he had fear in his eyes before he lowered them. He fidgeted with his fingers and nervously voiced responded, "You looked sad."
Then, raising his head, he proceeded to ask, "Did anything bad happen?"
Odette didn't appreciate those words of his for she extended her hand towards him and grabbed on to his neck. Her sudden actions shocked the boy, and feeling the pressure on his neck, he let out a soft groan. The terror was clear in his eyes.
"Such impudence! How dare you be so bold!? Are you trying to act high and mighty here? Laugh at me? Who are you to question me!? Do my orders not hold importance to you? A lowly bastard! Dogs who are obedient needs to be punished!" Odette wore a vicious expression on her face as she pushed the boy backwards, releasing her grip on him.
Falling down from the impact, he stared at her with tears in his eyes while Odette glared at him to cover up her vulnerability.
°°°
Odette Albinius opened her eyes.
There was slight ache remaining in her body, but it was a lot better compared to before. Resting in her bed, she thought back to the dream she had.
Even though a long time had passed, she remembered the day clearly. Was it because of how odd the day had been for Odette?
On that day, Odette had been terribly scolded by her mother after her father expressed his dissatisfaction in her. In such a state, Odette was highly sensitive and threw tantrums. Because of this, no one approached her in order to save their own neck.
However, strangely enough, the little boy tried to show his concern for her. Back then, she hated him for seeing her at her vulnerable moments and felt as though he was rubbing salt into her wounds.
Because of how deeply ashamed she felt, Odette punished the five year old for the sake of her own vanity.
Odette chuckled at how pathetic she had been at that moment.
Following this, in her last life, she started to pick on the young Adrian more.
Odette had to say that luck really hated Adrian for it led someone as innocent as Adrian into the most vile place.
Recalling about the conversation Odette had with boy before losing her consciousness, Odette was eager to meet him again. Thinking about teasing and troubling him made her get up.
Her obsession with Adrian made her laugh.
"How amusing," Odette mumbled.
Sitting on the bed, she rang the bell for the maids to enter, and once one stepped in, she ordered, "Bring Adrian over to me."