In Lysander College, a private college meant for the elites, in the student lounge, a group of young women sat in a cozy corner, and in between them was the college's pure beauty, Lilac. Their voices were hushed but filled with barely contained glee as they whispered among themselves.
"I can't believe Amelia was actually kicked out of the Cosgrove house."
"Serves her right. After all the horrible things she did to Lilac, karma finally got her."
"She thought she was untouchable, but now she's just a homeless rat. Can you imagine? The proud Amelia Cosgrove reduced to begging for a place to stay. I bet she's regretting ever bullying Lilac now."
"Honestly, Lilac is too kindhearted. If I were in her place, I would've made sure Amelia suffered way more before she was kicked out."
Lilac sat among them, lowering her gaze as if burdened by their words. A delicate sigh escaped her lips, and she shook her head softly. "Please… don't talk about Amelia like that. She must be struggling right now, and I don't want to add to her pain."
Her voice trembled just enough to sound sincere, her doe-like eyes shimmering under the lounge lights. It was a well-practiced performance, one that never failed to make her look like the perfect, selfless sister.
In Lysander, everyone knew Lilac, and everyone adored her. Why? Because Lilac was akin to Cinderella, a kindhearted girl who was bullied by her evil stepsister, Amelia.
At first, they had looked down on Lilac, seeing her and her mother as homewreckers. But when she politely greeted them, softly smiled at them, and often helped them, who couldn't help but like her? Besides, the sins of the parent shouldn't be placed upon the child.
Then they noticed she would often come to classes with bruises. When they asked her, she would only bite her lip and whisper that it was all her fault.
So when, at a banquet, Amelia had splashed wine on Lilac, everyone automatically assumed it was Amelia, the one bullying her all along.
These young masters and mistresses, often bored with their luxurious lives, suddenly felt a sense of duty. They saw themselves as saviors, helping this poor, pathetic soul. And Lilac grasped these subtle pleasures of theirs, weaving them to her favor.
And it worked.
Everyone loved her.
Everyone adored her.
Just like she had expected.
It was just that…
One of her friends, a girl named Elise, scoffed. "Lilac, you're too nice. Amelia doesn't deserve your sympathy."
"Yeah, after everything she did, she should be grateful your father even let her leave alive," another girl sneered.
Lilac bit her lip, hesitating as if conflicted about whether to speak. Then, in a soft, sorrowful tone, she murmured, "Maybe… maybe if I had tried harder, Amelia wouldn't have left that way. Maybe I could've convinced Father to let her stay."
Just as her friends were about to reassure her, the doors to the lounge swung open with a sharp bang.
Sera strutted inside, heels clicking against the marble floor, her fur coat draped dramatically over her shoulders. Her eyes gleamed with arrogance, her lips curled in a smug smirk. The moment she spotted Lilac, she headed straight for her.
"Lilac," Sera called cheerfully. "You won't believe what happened earlier."
Lilac looked up with a startled expression as if just noticing her presence. "Sera…?"
Sera plopped onto the seat across from her, crossing her legs gracefully. "I ran into Amelia today. Poor thing looked absolutely miserable. No house, no money, no family… completely abandoned. It's pathetic, really," she said, leaving out the part where she and Amelia had engaged in a battle of words.
The girls surrounding Lilac giggled, clearly enjoying the news.
Lilac's expression fell, a cold glint flashing through her eyes, but she quickly covered it. Her lashes fluttered as she whispered, "Oh, Sera… you didn't say anything cruel to her, did you? She must already be feeling terrible…"
Sera rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't give me that. She deserved every word. Honestly, I was doing her a favor. Someone needs to remind her that she's nothing now."
Lilac sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I just wish things had turned out differently… I feel so guilty."
"Guilty?!" Elise gasped. "Lilac, why do you always defend her? Amelia treated you horribly!"
Lilac clasped her hands together, looking genuinely distressed. "But she's still my sister… I can't just stop caring about her."
Sera clicked her tongue in irritation. "Lilac, stop making excuses for her. You're too softhearted. She wouldn't do the same for you."
Before Lilac could respond, the lounge doors opened once more, and a tall, slightly handsome figure walked in.
Sera's fiancé, Ash.
The moment Lilac saw him, her expression shifted ever so slightly.
For just a fleeting second, her sadness vanished, replaced by something more… calculating. Then, just as quickly, her eyes shimmered, and she gave a small, hesitant, and fragile smile, the kind that made men feel like they needed to protect her.
"Big Brother Ash…?" Lilac called softly.
Ash's gaze immediately snapped to her, his usual stoic expression softening. "Lilac? You look pale. Are you alright?"
Lilac lowered her lashes, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm fine… I was just talking about Amelia, and I suppose I got a little emotional. I didn't mean to trouble anyone."
Ash immediately frowned, stepping closer. "You shouldn't be worrying about someone like her."
Lilac gave a small, sad smile. "I know… but I can't help it. No matter what, she's my sister."
Ash sighed, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You're too kind, Lilac. You always think of others before yourself."
Sera watched the interaction, and she felt her gut twist painfully.
Ash was her fiancé.
He had never spoken to her with such tenderness.
He didn't even glance at her when he came in.
Normally, she wouldn't have noticed it, but now that Amelia had mentioned it…
Sera watched intently as Lilac reached up and lightly touched Ash's wrist, her fingers barely grazing his skin before quickly pulling away as if she had done it accidentally.
It was a small gesture. Innocent, to an outsider.
But Sera wasn't an outsider.
She had seen Lilac do this before, to men who always seemed to fall for her. It was always the same: a vulnerable gaze, a gentle touch, a soft-spoken word that made them feel important.
For the first time, Sera felt uneasy.
…Was Amelia actually right?
Sera shook her head.
Maybe she was just overthinking it.
She shouldn't allow Amelia to ruin her friendship with Lilac.
Yes… Amelia was just trying to ruin her friendship with Lilac.
She shouldn't so foolishly fall for it.
Lilac and Ash were just friends.
Right?…