Chapter 10 · The Cold Crown of Winterbourne

Chapter 10

"How could I have a daughter like this?" he muttered.My whole body tensed up.Even after I died, hearing those words still hurt.My mother let out a soft sigh. "Alistair, don't say that."I was stunned.Was Mother... standing up for me?"She's only been back for a year," she said softly.She sat down beside Father. "Let's give Elara another chance."Once she's out of the dungeon, I'll teach her myself."Etiquette, dancing, even how to dress—I'll handle it all."I stared at her, stunned.So...Mother loved me too.She actually wants to teach me.A long-delayed sense of hurt suddenly welled up inside me.I wanted nothing more than to rush over and throw my arms around her.I wanted to tell her.Mother.I actually learned very quickly.If you'd told me when to go.If someone had come to get me.I would've worked hard.I wouldn't embarrass you anymore.But I was already dead.I opened my mouth.Not a single sound escaped.Father rubbed his temples. "What more can I do for her?""This past year, I've given Elara more pocket money than Adrian, Cedric, and Rosa combined."I froze.Pocket money?I'd never received any.He went on, "A whole chest of gold coins was delivered to her room every month, without fail."Father's anger only grew as he spoke. "I was worried she wouldn't be used to things after coming back, so I even gave her the best room in the house!"That room gets more sunlight than any other in the whole estate, except for the master bedroom!"I stood there.Suddenly, I almost wanted to laugh.So I had a room after all.And it was the best room in the whole manor.But I had no clue where the door even was.All I knew was that someone led me straight to the stables.They told me that was where I'd be staying.Mother frowned. "I don't understand."I had so many dresses and pieces of jewelry prepared for her."But she keeps dressing like a beggar, day in and day out."Does she really want us to feel sorry for her?"I shook my head frantically.No.Mother... that was not true.I'd never even laid eyes on those clothes.I'd never seen those gold coins, either.And I had no clue where my room even was.But they couldn't hear me.Father let out a cold laugh, "What else could it be?""She's never satisfied."I've given her more than I've ever given the others."But she still deliberately wanders around the manor in those peasant rags."And she even claims we don't feed her."Father's anger only grew as he spoke.He snapped, "What is she trying to do?"Is she trying to make the whole Royal Capital think I, Alistair Winterbourne, am abusing my own daughter?"I stood there in front of them.Suddenly, it all just felt absurd.In the past whole year, they really thought they'd given me so much.The most generous allowance of all.The best room in the manor.Countless dresses.And more food than I could ever finish.So every time they saw me in those rags, they'd get so mad.Every time they saw me scavenging for food, they thought I was deliberately disgracing the Winterbourne family.Mother was quiet for a while.She finally broke the silence, her voice soft. "But no matter what, she's still our daughter."My heart gave a little flutter.But Father shook his head.He said, "I can deal with her being lazy and uncouth."But what I absolutely can't forgive is her hurting her own family."His voice grew heavy. "The one thing the Winterbourne family can never tolerate is division."What really makes me angry is seeing siblings hurt each other."I stood there, watching him in silence.Suddenly, I went completely numb.Division.It was almost laughable.Rosalind had me thrown into the stables.She snatched my clothes.She stole my money.She framed me over and over.And in the end, she even staged a kidnapping.Yet Father had said the Winterbourne family could never tolerate division.For the first time, I found myself wondering.What if one day they learned the truth?What would happen if they discovered the truth?What if they found out I was dead?What if they found out I'd lived in the stables for an entire year?What if they found out I'd never received a single gold coin?What if they found out I'd never even seen the clothes, the room, or any of those lessons?Would they investigate?Would they finally believe me, just once?

Chapter 10