Chapter 4

In the previous timeline, when he crippled me, he gently wiped my body, whispering, "Isabella, does it hurt? Hang in there, it won't hurt much longer."

Back then, I thought he was a demon.

Now, looking back, maybe that was the only way he knew how to show "love."

Because in his whole life, all he ever knew was pain.

"What's your name?" I asked.

The boy shook his head.

I said, "Then I'll call you Simon. Live your life well from now on."

The boy suddenly looked up. His eyes reddened.

'Simon... I have a name? She gave me a name... Simon... Simon...' he thought, repeating it to himself.

After his bath and a change into clean clothes, Simon still looked frail, but there was a delicate, handsome air about him. His face was so pale, his lips almost devoid of color.

I asked the kitchen to send up some light, simple dishes.

As soon as the food was set on the table, the Book of Fate chimed in again.

[Don't let him eat! He's hidden a poison bug in the food! If he takes even one bite, the bug will crawl through the air and burrow into your mind, turning you into his puppet!]

[Dump the food! Let him eat shit!]

I grabbed a piece of steak and dropped it into Simon's bowl. "Eat."

Simon stared at the meat, his Adam's apple moving, but he didn't dare touch his fork.

He glanced at me, then at the meat, carefully picked it up, and tried to put it back in my bowl.

He thought, 'You eat first. You're too thin. I'm not worthy of eating meat. Soup is enough for me.'

I pressed down on his hand, my voice cold. "When I tell you to eat, you eat. In this courtyard, what I say goes."

Simon flinched, then hurriedly shoved the meat into his mouth, swallowing it whole, his eyes rolling back as he choked.

I poured him a glass of water and handed it over, watching him devour the food, my feelings all tangled up inside.

Just then, a loud shuffle of footsteps came outside the courtyard.

"Hey, I heard the eldest miss picked up some wild guy off the street? Even brought him into her room to wait on her?"

I heard her voice before I saw her.

That sugary-sweet yet biting voice belonged to my darling little sister, Edith Dornwald, Matilda's own daughter.

The curtain was yanked open with no mercy.

Edith strolled in, dressed in a pink traditional outfit and draped in a white fox fur, adorned with jewels. She was followed by five or six burly matrons.

As soon as she entered, her gaze locked onto Simon eating at the table. Disgust flashed in her eyes, quickly replaced by excitement.

"Well, well, Isabella. You always pretend to be so pure and spotless, yet this is what you really like?" Edith said, covering her mouth with a dainty laugh.

She added, "This little street rat is actually pretty handsome. No wonder you couldn't help yourself. But if word gets out, will the Dornwalds still have any dignity left?"

Simon set his fork aside, his whole body tensing as he moved to stand protectively in front of me.

He thought, 'She's trouble. She wants to harm Isabella. I have to keep her safe.'

He clenched the fork so hard his knuckles went white. His eyes were flashing with sudden ferocity, like a wolf cub guarding its meal.

The Book of Fate screamed: [Look! He's about to snap! He's going to stab your sister's eyes out with that fork! Then he'll slaughter everyone here! Stop him now, or the Dornwald estate will be drenched in blood tonight!]

I looked at Simon's frail back and felt nothing but calm.

In the last timeline, Edith stormed in just like this, accusing Simon of swiping her pendant.

Trying to prove my innocence, I let them search him. And then, they actually found the pendant on Simon.

Blinded by rage and embarrassment, I slapped Simon hard and told him to get lost.

It was only later that I realized Caterina had planted the pendant on him when he wasn't paying attention.

In this timeline...

"Honestly, Edith, I have no idea what you're talking about," I said, my tone cool and unhurried.

I got up slowly, walked around Simon, and stood right in front of Edith. "I just felt sorry for the kid and let him have a bite to eat. How did it turn into something so filthy when you say it?

"But you're an unmarried girl, always going on about 'wild men' and 'secret affairs.' If people hear you, they might think you're the one dabbling in all sorts of shady business."

Edith's face darkened. "You!"

She hadn't expected me to snap back. Normally, I was the quiet one, always letting her push me around.

"What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?" I pressed, stepping closer, my eyes sharp.

I asked, "Or is that why you brought so many people here today? Trying to make a show of power in my Tranquil Garden?"