"Roxana, dear, why don't you take Valeria and show her around?" Julian attempted to get rid of the awkward air between the new sisters.
Helen went along with him and and urged the two girls with an encouraging smile,
"Yes. Valeria, you go see your room. Oh, of course, first Valeria meet Martin." Valeria observed the butler in the crisp uniform who had opened the car door for her. He was a spruce, gentlemanly old man with a warm, friendly face.
"He is our most trusted, and dependable person. You can come to him for anything that you might need. He will have someone bring your luggage upstairs. "
Valeria shook her head at this and went to the helper who held her backpack that contained her few belongings and took it from him. She slung the worn out backpack over her shoulder.
"No need. I'll take my stuff myself, thank you." There was no room for disagreement in the way she spoke.
"That's all you have, dear? Even our servants have more stuff than that. But no worries, I am sure your sister will be happy to share her things with you." Dahlia re-opened her callous mouth and made the reckless, two-faced comment.
The naïve Roxana didn't catch the hidden meaning and chirped, "Of course. I would be glad to share. "
She didn't receive a response.
Before Dahlia said anything else, Helen ushered them to get started on that tour.
Fifteen minutes passed, and progressing fast, the girls have covered almost half of the estate.
In silence they are walking towards the main garden that is located behind the mansion. Apparently, the one at the front is just a welcoming view.
This other garden is everything like a fairy tale.
Lush green grass was the vast carpet of the garden, and the large canopies of the tall trees hung like chandeliers. There were small sprinklers almost invisible to those who didn't know better, raining water down on the various plantations.
The colorful variety of flora in the garden was astonishing. It was a beautiful scene, watching butterflies and bees buzzing near the flowers and birds resting in their nests. Squirrels raced from one tree to the other, looking like brown streaks of passing blur.
The garden was too big and stretched on till the forest of the tall trees stopped eyes from looking further.
Roxana looked to see Valeria's reaction from the corner of her eye. The outcome was oddly satisfying. Valeria showed little difference in her facial expression, but her eyes sparkled in awe and her lips parted ever so slightly.
"Come, let's sit there." Roxana invited Valeria to her most favorite spot in the entire garden.
The two girls passed by an eye-catching fountain, and reached one tall tree with a wide trunk in the garden.
Two swings hung from the strongest branch of that tree. Roxana chirpily skipped and sat on one, Valeria hesitatingly tailed her, sitting down on the second swing.
"Don't worry, it's safe." Roxana assured before setting her feet down on the ground and giving it a kick to start moving. Her legs went forward and back, making her swing faster and higher.
But when she noticed the stationary state of Valeria's swing, she slowed before coming to rest.
"You're not swinging? Do you not like it, or don't want to?" Roxana sensed frigidness from the girl beside her and her hopes to befriend the girl plummeted. Crashing fast into the ground.
Valeria didn't have a difference in her austere countenance but she had a blizzard of strange feelings blowing her straight mind into a mess.
"Shouldn't we address the elephant in the room instead of ignoring it?"
Nervous, Roxana feigned, "What matter? I am not ignoring anything."
"Don't expect me to believe you're fine with me being here. You're the one who has lived in this family for more than a decade. You belong here. Me? I don't fit in this picture."
Roxana furrowed her eyebrows, lips souring to form a frown. Those words didn't sit well with her.
"Aren't you the real daughter? Flesh and blood of the Beaufort family. That has a lot of meaning attached to it, you know."
"I wasn't till two days ago. You were. And you don't feel any resentment towards me?" Valeria wanted to know if this girl posed a threat. She couldn't have any hindrances distracting her from her future plans. Uncalculated variables joining would disturb her original aim.
"A year ago, I was in a car accident. Being near your death, brings an improved perspective towards life. A renewed appreciation for all that you have. Experiencing that made me wonder about my past choices and think hard about the future. " Roxana bit her lip, closing her eyes for a moment before blinking them open again.
"It was right after I got discharged from the hospital that I learned this life-changing truth. The funny thing is- no one would have gotten to know about it had there been no accident. Destiny sure takes humor in making everything go it's way."
Roxana chuckled dryly, and then she turned to the ground, lightly kicking the dirt at her feet as she continued speaking.
"To be honest, I felt bitter at first. Even a little vengeful. But I couldn't hold on to those feelings for long. This family- Daddy, and Nana, and Martin- they've been my entire world for so long. Life without them is unimaginable. So I preferred having something over nothing. Plus, I have always wanted a little sister."
Valeria showed a small smile, making Roxana feel accomplished. That red-head is a hard nut to crack.
"I am not younger than you. " Valeria opposed.
"Yes, you are. You're shorter, and so skinny. Let's go put some food in you."
Despite Valeria's protests, Roxana dragged the girl towards the kitchen.
Retrieving her favored snacks from her own secret stash she kept hidden in a kitchen cupboard, Roxana led her new sister upstairs and into the newly prepared and fully-furnished room.
Walls of the room were painted a pastel pink, with an intricate design of yellow and violet flowers drawn all over.
The décor was pretty and simple, not too girly nor overly childish.
Upon the girls' arrival, the lights switched on automatically. Valeria would have jumped in her spot, had she been a normal teen. All these visually appealing sights and first time experiences were unlike anything she ever expected before.
A gigantic, regal bed with a white square canopy over it occupied the center. The color of the sheets was a blushing fuchsia, complimenting the aesthetics of the room well with the walls.
There was a cupboard and a study table set up along the side wall. A scopic bay window opened right beside a snug sitting area to the outside view of the front garden.
"My room is right beside yours, " Roxana shared. She folded the skirt of her dress and sat elegantly at the bay window, whereas Valeria just dropped her bottom down on a nearby beanbag.
"Will you do something I ask?" questioned Valeria somberly.
Roxana just nodded, "Anything." Though she said so very easily, Roxana actually felt anxious thinking about what she was going to say.
"Help me go back. You can keep this family and continue as if nothing ever changed. Help me convince them to send me back."
Roxana spat out the sip of orange juice she took to ease her parched throat. Coughing, she wiped her mouth and sputtered, "What did you say? Why? Believe me when I say I won't be an antagonist in your life, meaninglessly trying to harm you."
"It's not that." Valeria peered out the window behind Roxana. She didn't know why she felt like opening up to this girl she just met. "I may be their daughter, but, they're not my family. There is another family which cared for me all these years. I can't just up and leave them because they're not related to me by blood."
Roxana blinked while processing what she heard.
"You're not blood related to them, but still are so attached to the family you want to return to. Then what about the man who searched for you in the entire country? The woman who waited for your return since she found out about your existence?"
Valeria didn't speak, just sat and listened. Words eluded her as she searched for something to say.
"Dad was worried about his daughter. An enemy kidnapped you. Who knows, you could have been dead and he would be clueless. He's already lost his wife. He didn't want to lose his daughter as well. Did you have a noble life of comfort and ease? I did. Everything which should have belonged to you, I wrongfully claimed it. If anyone should talk about leaving, it should be me."
Valeria decided she did not like that depressing look on Roxana's face.
"It's not your fault." She didn't know what else she could say.
Roxana stared at her with moist eyes.
"I am selfish enough to not want to return everything to you, the rightful heir. Thinking of you as a sister brings great joy to me, and it feels like a missing puzzle piece found to complete the family. We don't want you to abruptly leave your past life and forcefully join ours. Just let us make room in your life, in your heart. Please Valeria, never talk about leaving." Roxana requested. She left her seat and came to where the girl sat. Crouching down, she held Valeria's hands.
Dumbfounded, Valeria could only nod as she stared deep into those beautiful forest green eyes that held no malice, no lie in them. Only warmth and sincerity.
She couldn't decide if this girl was genuine or a brilliant actress.
Roxana felt her heart almost explode when she saw Valeria smile for the first time. It was a small curve of the lips at the corners, but better than nothing.
Progress over perfection.
"Aaaah! Finally" Hearing Roxana's screech, Valeria's upward curves turned upside down into a frown, and her hand pulled up to her chest.
"No, don't stop." Roxana whined. She pondered for a moment, "Let's play dress-up. We can use my new dresses today, and tomorrow we'll go shopping for you."
Again, Roxana dragged the poor red-head to the room next door despite the latter's protests.