In a quiet, dimly lit alleyway of Ronen Duchy, a cruel scene unfolded.
A group of children, their faces twisted with malice, surrounded a little girl with silver hair and eyes, Elsa.
They pushed and taunted her relentlessly, their cruel laughter filling the air.
Elsa endured their torment in silence, her expression a mask of stoicism. It seemed as though she had learned to hide her tears long ago.
As the bullying escalated, the children went so far as to bite her arms, causing Elsa to wince in pain but still refusing to cry.
It was as if she had built a fortress around her emotions, a defense mechanism she had no choice but to develop.
Suddenly, the laughter and taunts were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.
The bullies' faces paled with fear, and they fled in all directions, leaving Elsa behind.
Her mother, Isabella, emerged from the shadows, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and anguish.
She rushed to her daughter's side, embracing her tightly. "Elsa! Are you alright, my precious?"
Elsa returned her mother's hug, her eyes welling with unshed tears. "I'm... I'm okay, Mother."
Isabella's heart ached as she held Elsa, her voice trembling with guilt.
"I'm so sorry, Elsa. I should have been here to protect you. My weakness allowed you to suffer like this."
Elsa placed a trembling hand on her mother's cheek. "It's not your fault, Mother. We have each other, and that's enough."
As the tears welled up in Elsa's mother's eyes, she hugged her daughter tightly, her voice filled with a deep sense of regret. "Elsa, I'm so sorry... I should have been stronger for you."
At that moment, their tender moment was interrupted by a somber voice. Both Elsa and her mother turned to see a portly man, tears glistening in his eyes, standing not too far away.
He didn't seem to be hiding; rather, he appeared genuinely moved by the scene before him.
"Nice, nice," he said softly, his voice choked with emotion. "This is really a lovely bond between a child and her mother. I feel like crying."
Elsa and her mother exchanged surprised glances, their tearful expressions mirrored in the eyes of the unexpected observer.
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.
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Zeph's POV
In a fancy carriage pulled by four strong horses, with two servant carriages ahead, Zeph set out on a journey away from the Duchy.
"It'll take me at least two days to get to 'The Sanctum.' During this time, I need to prepare for my future.
There's that orphaned girl whom Mother hasn't adopted yet; she must be around 14 years old.
What?
Do I feel sorry for her?
Ofcourse not.
It's just that if she's associated with me, I can have the upper hand when negotiating with Mother.
In the end, she's a businesswoman.
I instructed the coachman, "Take us to Ronen Duchy."
The irony in this situation struck me.
The girl had endured mistreatment in Ronen Duchy due to her striking silver hair and eyes, a stark contrast to the locals who all sported scarlet hair and red eyes.
Her uniqueness had marked her as an outsider.
She was born to a maid, none other than the previous Duke of the Duchy but fled when Duchess Maria came to know the secret of her father's demise.
That was caused by Her own brother, who was the previous Duke but had already met his end in the same accident that my mother caused to eliminate her brother.
The reason behind this tragic incident was simple—both of them were useless and were returning drunk from a brothel.
However, as Maria learned about her brother's heinous deeds, she was consumed by rage and ordered the eradication of his entire remaining bloodline, which comprised a staggering one hundred individuals.
Yes, her brother was indeed a man of culture.
These very reasons explained why that wretched novel had gained immense popularity, granting ample screen time to all its characters, effectively forging connections with its readers.
This was precisely why I despised it so much. The novel focused only on the heroes, leaving Zephyr, who'd suffered in the shadows of the narrative, with vague details regarding his past.
Sometime later, the girl managed to escape with her mother, who ultimately sacrificed her own life to save her beloved daughter.
The child then found her way to Duchess Kassidy, a woman renowned for her shrewd business acumen, and was adopted into her household.
Duchess Kassidy recognized the potential in this young girl and saw an opportunity to mold her into something extraordinary.