Chapter 3 · Dear Cousin, Enjoy The Broke Boy

Nora blinked, clearly not expecting me to say that.

My mom's expression softened as she took my hand. "It's good you think that way. Nora is young and has just arrived, so please treat her well."

I nodded. "Don't worry, mom."

Then I turned to Nora with a smile. "Nora, I have a few new handkerchiefs with pretty embroidery patterns. I'll have someone send them to you later. If you ever want anything, just tell me. Don't be shy."

Nora's face froze for a moment, and then she put on a grateful look. "Thank you, Isabelle. You're so kind."

Back in my room, Yasmin blurted out, "Miss Northwood, why are you being so nice to her? That handkerchief was clearly Celine's. Miss Lane rummaged through Celine's things just to stir up trouble and make your mom and grandma think you're picking on her."

I sat down and said, "I know."

"Then why did you still..."

"Yasmin, how much do you think that handkerchief is worth?"

Yasmin paused. "It's a gift from you, with new patterns and good fabric. At least 200 dollars."

I nodded. "Use 200 dollars to buy my mom some peace of mind and make Greta see me as generous. As for Nora, next time she wants to stir up trouble, she'll have to work a lot harder."

Yasmin stared. "Miss Northwood, you seem like a whole new person."

I smiled, "Really?"

"You never used to bother with these things, but you weren't so scheming, either."

I shook my head. "I never had to scheme before. Things have changed now."

I got up and walked over to the window, and the live comments were still flying across my eyes.

[Isabelle is finally having her awakening.]

[She's about to fight back.]

[Don't celebrate too soon. There's still plenty of drama ahead.]

I closed the ledger. On Nora's page, her monthly allowance was 20 dollars, and every expense was recorded in the household account.

Snatching handkerchiefs, jewelry, and maids? No matter how much she took, it was all still the Northwood family's property.

I wanted her to understand that from the moment she started taking things, every single item would become a debt on her account.

*****

Half a month later, Nora started helping herself to things, just like I expected.

First up was the silver necklace I wore. She kept saying how pretty it was, and the next day, it vanished.

Yasmin was running around searching, while Celine quietly told me she'd seen Nora's maid leaving my room with a nervous look.

I smiled and told my mom, "Nora liked that necklace, so I gave it to her."

My mom was relieved and said I was generous.

Nora stood off to the side, a look of satisfaction flickering in her eyes.

Next, it was my maid, Belen, who was a real pro at styling hair.

Nora came by, praised her skills, and a couple of days later, she went to my mom in tears, saying her own maid was hopeless with hair, and she was too embarrassed to go out.

My mom wanted Belen to help, and I agreed without hesitation. I even told Belen to make sure to teach Nora's maid her skills.

Nora scored another win.

Then came my new clothes. I hadn't even had a chance to wear it before Nora asked to borrow it "as a reference." Once it left, it never came back.

Yasmin was stomping her feet in frustration, but I told her not to worry. New clothes didn't matter to me.

I had the dressmaker make a new one, with richer colors and more intricate patterns, and sent it straight to Nora's room. "Here you go, Nora. Now you won't have to keep wearing that one."

When Nora received it, her expression was complex.

She probably never expected me to not only stay calm but even go out of my way to send her another one.

But what she didn't realize was that every single thing she snatched or I gave her got added straight to her tab.

The silver necklace cost 100 dollars.

Belen's monthly wage, 500 dollars, all charged to Nora's account.

The clothes cost 80 dollars for the fabric, and 5 dollars for the labor.

And then came the earrings, bracelets, accessories, books, and little trinkets she kept snatching one by one.

I made sure every single item was logged.

At the end of the month, the accountant came to deliver the ledger, looking a bit uneasy. "Miss Northwood, Miss Lane's expenses last month were rather large."

Chapter 3

Nora blinked, clearly not expecting me to say that.

My mom's expression softened as she took my hand. "It's good you think that way. Nora is young and has just arrived, so please treat her well."

I nodded. "Don't worry, mom."

Nora's face froze for a moment, and then she put on a grateful look. "Thank you, Isabelle. You're so kind."

I sat down and said, "I know."

"Then why did you still..."

"Yasmin, how much do you think that handkerchief is worth?"

Yasmin paused. "It's a gift from you, with new patterns and good fabric. At least 200 dollars."

I nodded. "Use 200 dollars to buy my mom some peace of mind and make Greta see me as generous. As for Nora, next time she wants to stir up trouble, she'll have to work a lot harder."

Yasmin stared. "Miss Northwood, you seem like a whole new person."

I smiled, "Really?"

"You never used to bother with these things, but you weren't so scheming, either."

I shook my head. "I never had to scheme before. Things have changed now."

I got up and walked over to the window, and the live comments were still flying across my eyes.

[Isabelle is finally having her awakening.]

[She's about to fight back.]

[Don't celebrate too soon. There's still plenty of drama ahead.]

I closed the ledger. On Nora's page, her monthly allowance was 20 dollars, and every expense was recorded in the household account.

Snatching handkerchiefs, jewelry, and maids? No matter how much she took, it was all still the Northwood family's property.

I wanted her to understand that from the moment she started taking things, every single item would become a debt on her account.

*****

Half a month later, Nora started helping herself to things, just like I expected.

First up was the silver necklace I wore. She kept saying how pretty it was, and the next day, it vanished.

Yasmin was running around searching, while Celine quietly told me she'd seen Nora's maid leaving my room with a nervous look.

I smiled and told my mom, "Nora liked that necklace, so I gave it to her."

My mom was relieved and said I was generous.

Nora stood off to the side, a look of satisfaction flickering in her eyes.

Next, it was my maid, Belen, who was a real pro at styling hair.

Nora came by, praised her skills, and a couple of days later, she went to my mom in tears, saying her own maid was hopeless with hair, and she was too embarrassed to go out.

My mom wanted Belen to help, and I agreed without hesitation. I even told Belen to make sure to teach Nora's maid her skills.

Nora scored another win.

Then came my new clothes. I hadn't even had a chance to wear it before Nora asked to borrow it "as a reference." Once it left, it never came back.

Yasmin was stomping her feet in frustration, but I told her not to worry. New clothes didn't matter to me.

I had the dressmaker make a new one, with richer colors and more intricate patterns, and sent it straight to Nora's room. "Here you go, Nora. Now you won't have to keep wearing that one."

When Nora received it, her expression was complex.

She probably never expected me to not only stay calm but even go out of my way to send her another one.

But what she didn't realize was that every single thing she snatched or I gave her got added straight to her tab.

The silver necklace cost 100 dollars.

Belen's monthly wage, 500 dollars, all charged to Nora's account.

The clothes cost 80 dollars for the fabric, and 5 dollars for the labor.

And then came the earrings, bracelets, accessories, books, and little trinkets she kept snatching one by one.

I made sure every single item was logged.

At the end of the month, the accountant came to deliver the ledger, looking a bit uneasy. "Miss Northwood, Miss Lane's expenses last month were rather large."