Chapter 6
"Cedric said that if I ever get hurt, he'll make whoever hurts me pay for it.
"What do you think would happen if I cut my hand right now and told him you did it?"
A chill ran through me.
Rosalind's grin grew even wider.
She sneered, "So what if you're the real daughter?
"They spent eighteen years searching for you.
"But now that you're actually back, they regret it.
"Father says you're uncouth.
"Mother thinks you're filthy.
"Our brothers think you're cruel.
"Elara, do you know what they say about you behind your back?"
She leaned in close, her voice a cold whisper in my ear. "They say it would've been better if they'd found your corpse instead."
I thrashed around like I'd lost my mind.
Ida ground her boot down even harder.
My face was smashed into the filthy mud.
Rosalind stood up and looked down at me.
She said, "Go on, keep trying.
"Let's see who they'll trust—you or me."
With that, she lifted the hem of her skirt and held out one clean, polished shoe in front of me.
The toe of her shoe nearly touched my lips.
"Kiss it," Rosalind said.
I gritted my teeth.
She let out a soft, mocking laugh. "Prove you'll behave from now on.
"Stop fighting for their affection.
"Stop tattling on me.
"And stop dreaming about taking my family away from me."
I glared at her.
Her smile vanished from her face.
She threatened, "Otherwise...
"Next time, it won't be as simple as dumping you in the stables."
She looked down at me, enunciating every word. "I'll make sure you never leave this place alive."
At that moment, I finally understood.
The place I returned to was never truly mine.
It was Rosalind's kingdom.
I had no choice but to give in.
After that, she really did stop making trouble for me.
That lasted until nearly a year later.
That day, the whole Winterbourne Manor was thrown into chaos.
I hid in the corner, listening to the knights rushing back and forth.
Someone said Rosalind had been kidnapped.
Father mobilized every knight in Winterbourne Manor.
Adrian personally sealed the city gates.
Cedric led his men into an abandoned manor outside the city and rescued Rosalind.
From a distance, I saw Cedric carry her out of the carriage.
She was wrapped in Father's cloak, her face pale as a ghost.
Mother pulled Rosalind into her arms, weeping.
Father kept stroking her hair, again and again.
Even Adrian, whose face was always cold, still looked shaken.
I stood at the very back of the crowd.
To my surprise, I felt relieved.
Thank goodness she was all right.
If anything had really happened to her, I'd be the first one they'd suspect.
But turns out, I was still wrong.
When Rosalind's kidnappers were brought into the hall, I was brought in as well.
I had no idea what was going on until Cedric sent one of them sprawling with a kick.
"Who put you up to this?" he demanded.
The men sank to the floor, their faces pale with fear.
They shot a look at Rosalind.
Then they turned to me.
My heart sank.
"It was..." One man's lips quivered.
"It was Lady Elara," he blurted out.
I froze.
The next second.
Steel flashed.
The men didn't even have time to say another word.
Ida had already snatched the sword from the guard's belt.
Blood splattered across the carpet.
Their heads tumbled to the floor.
Their eyes stayed wide open, staring blankly as life left them.
Even after death, the shock was still written all over their faces.
The silence in the hall was chilling.
I stared at Ida.
She gripped the sword, shaking all over.
She stammered, "Forgive me, Your Grace.
"I was simply too furious.
"How dare they slander Lady Elara!"
Father paused for a moment, then gave a satisfied nod.
"Well done," he said.
He cast a cold, dismissive look at the bodies lying on the floor.
He snapped, "How dare a bunch of filthy lowborns slander my precious daughter."
My heart lurched.
His precious daughter.
Was Father talking about me?
All this time since I returned, he'd never called me that in front of everyone.
I couldn't hold back the tears.
I knew it.
He was my father.
One day, he'd believe me.
"Father..." I choked out.
I was about to walk over to him.
But Father didn't even look at me.
He swept his gaze over the servants and knights in the hall.
He ordered, "No one is to breathe a word about what happened today.
"A daughter of the Winterbourne family would never conspire with filthy lowborns to kidnap her own sister.