"What… what do you mean by that?"
The silver-haired girl's surprised face turned to one of disbelief and exasperation. Lyon returned that glare with his usual cold look he always directed at her.
"Exactly what it means."
"Lyon, wait."
The Marquis gestured for Lyon to stop, before taking a deep sigh. With a difficult expression, he looked back at Lucretia.
"Tia… I think it would be best to sit down before we discuss… this."
"That… understood."
Although Lucretia was wary and confused by what was transpiring, she decided not to push forward at that very moment. Following her father and the rest to the parlor room, the Marquis gestured for the servants to bring some tea as they all sat down. The maid, bowing before heading out, left the four of them by themselves in the room.
Lucretia looked across from her, as she sat in her usual arrogant fashion. The green-eyed girl could feel the gaze Lucretia directed at her, as if judging her every movement. The former couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable, as she averted her gaze. Turning back to her father, Lucretia had a serious questioning look on her face.
"So?"
The Marquis continued his discomforting expression, easily revealing how hard it was for him to address it.
"I… this girl… in the simplest terms… Charlotte is my daughter."
Lucretia's eyes widened, as she turned to look at Charlotte once again, before turning back. With a look of disbelief, she clearly knew that they were around the same age, so how does that make any sense? Was she a twin she never knew about?
"What nonsense is this. Are you saying she's an illegitimate child?!"
"No! Definitely not."
The Marquis quickly denied that accusation, as he had always remained faithful to his wife. He sighed again as he took a letter out from his jacket.
"I got this letter recently. From a maid that used to work here."
Lucretia was cautious as she took the letter from her father's hand. As a servant came in with a cart, the silver-haired girl read through the letter thoroughly.
However, the more she continued, the more her hands trembled. Her brows knitting, she had a look of disbelief.
"Are you…"
Shooting her head up while forcefully tossing the paper to the side, Lucretia's incredulous expression clearly showed her clear contentious reaction.
"Are you saying that I am not your real daughter?!"
With her exclamation, the maid pouring their drinks slipped from surprise, the tea dripping onto the table. As the tea ran across the ornate table and dripped down to the floor, the maid quickly cleaned it up, trying not to get in the way of their conversation.
Although Lucretia would've usually berated this maid harshly before firing her, she was caught in a different set of emotions. She just couldn't believe this.
This one letter was completely stripping her of her birthright.
Her name.
Her title.
Her everything.
"Tia… I… please listen calmly."
Although the Marquis was trying to calm her down, Lucretia wouldn't stand for it. After all, that was just her personality.
"No! Are you telling me I must believe this random letter that's saying that I was switched with the real Lucretia when we were born?! I cannot fathom such an inane notion!"
The silent tension in the room could even cut through steel, as they all remained quiet. It was only Lyon who broke the stalemate.
"Is it really such an outrageous idea?"
Lucretia turned her head with an indignant countenance.
"What do you mean by that?"
Lyon remained with a cold and methodical expression, as he didn't stray away from Lucretia's pressuring glare.
"After all, when you were born, mother quickly grew ill soon after. Everybody in the estate was panicking at that time, even I remember it. It isn't that unbelievable that someone could've switched two similar-looking babies with each other during the chaos. Though, the coincidences involved makes me wonder if mother really did die of natural—"
"Lyon!"
The Marquis gave a commanding yell, stopping Lyon from finishing his sentence. When the latter realized what he had said, he quickly put his hand over his mouth, realizing he had went too far.
"Sorry…"
The Marquis had a difficult look on his face, as the topic of his wife was still a topic that nobody in the house spoke of. Sighing, he looked over at Lucretia.
"Lyon was right about some things though. During that time, the only one who was watching the baby was your mother's most trusted maid. However, after that… she left the estate and I had never heard from her again. Until that letter she had sent us."
Lucretia glanced back at the paper she had thrown on the table, and she couldn't help but knit her brows at the sight of it.
"I don't believe it! She must be lying! Why don't you drag her here so we can hear it from her own mouth! I'd like to see her slander me to my face!"
"She… she has already passed."
With that information, Lucretia froze.
"This letter was set to deliver as soon as she drew her last breath from the world. She sent this letter with the message that it was her final repentance."
"That…"
Lucretia didn't know why, but just learning more of the circumstances of this letter just made her feel as though there was a knot lodged deep within her stomach.
She just couldn't believe it.
She felt as though she was not allowed to believe it.
To finally convince Lucretia, they had done a test to see whether they were really related to one another.
It was a simple test using an expensive magical item. The two tested people would put a drop of their own blood onto a crystal orb, which would then absorb the liquid. The magic within the orb would push both drops of blood toward each other, and if they mixed together, it would signify that the two people were related. However, if they dispersed and disappeared upon contact, it would mean that they are not related at all.
As she watched Charlotte's test show positive, the knot within her stomach felt heavier as a burning sensation enclosed near her chest.
Walking forward, she had to stop her hand from trembling, as she pricked her finger with a needle. Seeing her blood drop down, she felt as though everything was in slow motion.
She didn't understand.
Was she nervous?
Why would she need to be nervous?
She was never wrong and she never will be.
So why was her heart beating as though it would take its last breath?
Watching the two liquids come into contact with each other, she hadn't even noticed her fingernails digging into her arm, as she held it tightly.
However, as they met each other, they pushed forward before being pushed back, and dispersing from within the orb.
Lucretia stood in complete stunned silence. She didn't even feel the dull pain from the needle prick on her finger. It paled in comparison to the burning pain throbbing within herself.
"No… way…"
Was this really real?
It couldn't be?
She really wasn't the actual daughter of the Adallindus family.
She was not Lucretia Adallindus.
Falling to her knees, the hem of her luxurious dress folded into itself on the ground. As if her whole life had been a lie, she couldn't breathe correctly, as every moment of her life flashed and played through her head.
"Tia…"
Her attention was then drawn towards the voice of the man she had always known as her father. He had a gentle and sympathetic look on his face.
"Even if we are not actually related by blood, you have lived as my daughter for 18 years, and that will always remain true. I only want the best for all my children, and I would never abandon you, Tia."
Lucretia didn't know what to say, as the words just wouldn't reach her mouth. Her throat felt tight, as it felt like someone was choking her.
Charlotte, who was actually the real Lucretia, walked forward as well, reaching a hand out to her.
"I'm already used to being called Charlotte, so I don't think I could take the name Lucretia. I feel as though that name suits you far better than it does me, so I would love to get along with you as actual sisters, Lucretia."
The amethyst-eyed girl couldn't help but feel uncomfortable as she came face to face with the girl she had replaced.
Why…
How could this girl so easily hold her hand out to her?
Would she be able to do the same thing if she were in her position?
That day, she didn't take Charlotte's hand.
She told herself it was because she still couldn't accept her as part of the Adallindus family. However, some part of her felt as though she was not able to touch someone as sickeningly good as she was.
It was the first time she felt this feeling, even though she didn't know what it was called.
The feeling of inferiority.