For a whole year, Annalisa who only focused on her child in front of Leila and others, behind their back, tried to gain the servants' pity and trust without anyone knowing even the servants herself.
Claude didn't let Leila came back to their room too, saying the kids need her, he understands that, and he will be fine.
Which is true, he will definitely be fine as he PaPaPa Annalisa when no one is around.
Leila did her best as a mother and as a co-worker of her husband, slowly neglecting her role as a wife due to a hectic schedule. Claude didn't mind it as he truly understands that and his junior buddy is also busy with another pussycat.
Annalisa sometimes visited Carla and Kai and checked how they rotten their brains in front of the TV.
On the other hand, Carla was easy prey on the outside, but mysterious on the inside. While she takes care of her younger brother, she didn't neglect her other duty which is to make the servants stay on their line.
She uses fairness, kindness, pity, sympathy towards them, if it's not enough, she uses blackmail. She knew each of their secrets.
So far, she didn't need that last part for now. It wasn't needed as Annalisa hasn't manipulated them yet.
She also exchanges pointers with her cousins and they teach Kai one or two things which Kai understands all the time. They were amazed at how Kai easily understand things and Ike and Irene believed that these siblings are really geniuses behind their childish smiles and pranks.
Today, it's once again her birthday, her fourth birthday yet she can't be that much happy as with Annalisa's presence, she can't enjoy things.
Thus, she, Kai, and her cousins asked permission to play in her room. Leila approved it as she knew it is boring with the adults.
Just as they were about to leave, Annalisa butted in, "How about Alicia joins you?"
Alicia and Kai already knew how to walk, more like tottering, they can also speak with actual words mixed with gibberish ones.
Kai gripped Carla's hands meaning he didn't want to. Carla was already used to Kai hating the mother and daughter duo, probably because she intervenes with Kai's growth.
Carla also didn't want to however, there is something she wanted to try. "It's a party game for kids, Alicia is welcome, but you aren't, Auntie."
Annalisa was stunned, if she lets Alicia alone, not only she can't monitor the kids, but she also can't monitor and teach her child to influence the situation.
Seeing Annalisa baffled, Carla spoke in a childish tone, "We're gonna play lots of toys! And watch cartoons!"
Annalisa chuckled and sighed, if that is the case, it's fine. Letting her child enjoy playtime with other kids around her age, is fine once in a while. She was confident it won't hinder Alicia's growth she plans to. "Alright, be careful on your way."
Carla nodded and held on the other side Alicia's hand. She really looks like a responsible sister of the two. Ike and Irene, who were already seven, was proud of her. They helped her guiding the two. It feels like yesterday, they guide Carla while she totters, now Carla does the same with two new goblins.
Alicia is already spoiled by her parents and thought Claude as her dad, nevertheless, she is still an infant who knows nothing except getting spoiled.
Having an older sister she can hold to, a brother she can play with, and older cousins who can she look up to, she enjoys walking with them.
She looks up to her cousins as her mother says that they are intelligent kids who skip grades already. Though, she doesn't understand that she knew how happy her mother is while talking about them. Hence, she looks up to them.
When they reached Carla's room, Carla prepared stuff and toys for them to play with. As they were two infants joining them, they teamed up leaving only Ike alone. Irene guides Alicia while Carla guide Kai.
On every occasion, they don't need to study and instead Ike and Irene's mother let them enjoy their childhood and let them play. Seeing their performance for the past years, she rarely hit them nor scold them.
Hence, their mother lets them play if they ask nicely once a month and on every occasion such as birthdays, new year, Christmas, or any family gathering.
The children then, build three castle walls and had a war against each other using toy guns and cotton bullet. Then they got bored by that and started to play something else.
They play dress-up games using light blankets and made a wonderful dress out of them. Even Ike and Kai joins them. Not a moment later, Carla rolled Ike into the comforter which made him look like a Lumpiang Ubod (food in the Philippines country which wraps vegetables using a food wrapper made out of flour).
When they got tired, they eat and watch a movie. After infants fed themselves, they can't help but feel tired as they watch a movie and fell asleep. It can't be helped since they are still at a growing pace.
Ike, Irene, and Carla then enjoy the movie themselves. After one movie, they carry the infants to sleep in the bed. And gossip together.
"So, is Auntie Leila still didn't know she was cheated?" Ike asked.
Even though they were still a kid, with the advanced teaching and forceful mother, they learned to be matured at their young age, and through the guidance of the enchantrix butterflies, they know which one is wrong and right to avoid the siblings to go in a path of destruction themselves.
"Yeah, I plan to let her see it herself than tell her. To see is to believe. With my age, it's hard to believe such a thing without the guidance of an adult right?" Carla stated.
Irene clicked her tongue, "Geez, they don't know how genius you are Carla. They even let you waste time here alone rather than give you more books to read."
Carla chuckled, "Mom knew I'm intelligent, still, she wanted to let me grow up enjoying my childhood. I can't blame her. Besides, watching informative channels gives me knowledge too."
"I just have to make sure Aunt Anna wouldn't found out about it." She continued.
Irene deeply sighed, "If our family full of psychos, your family is full of traitors and schemes. Even you had to learn how to scheme to survive. Only the first branch, Aunt Katrina, is still sane and normal."
The three sighed together. Carla time to time shared her opinion with them which widen the horizon of their mind. Thus, they understand words such as schemes, psychos, and so on.
"I'm starting to have trust issues out of nowhere..." Irene got goosebumps.
Ike caressed her back, "You can always trust me and Carla. After all, our butterflies attached us three. We can never betray each other whatever happens!"
Carla nodded, though it was just them who can't betray her. Still, she didn't plan to bring them into harm so she promised to take their side and the two did the same.
"By the way..."
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Written by KircheLeaf
Cover Designed by CxlxrGreg
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~End of Chapter 39~