CL Chapter 18

It was outrageous that she would barge into my room and say such things. A headache crept in once again.

 

Everything about Mia’s words irritated her, from the way she addressed him to each and every word forming her sentence.

 

Leo was indeed a kind person, But Charlotte couldn’t stand the thought of anyone else realizing it, Especially not Mia.

 

The mere thought was not just unpleasant but utterly repulsive.

 

“And what made you think that all of a sudden?”

 

Charlotte rubbed her aching forehead and asked in a sharp tone.

 

“Well, I just happened to have the chance to find out.”

 

The vague response only fueled her imagination.

 

She trusted Leo. But she could never trust the girl standing in front her.

 

A thief who could never rest until she had taken everything Charlotte held dear, that was Mia de Ignator.

 

As Charlotte eyed Mia with irritation, she suddenly became acutely aware of how close the girl was to coming of age.

 

Mia was no longer the chubby-cheeked child she had once been. Her baby fat had melted away, leaving behind a delicate, slender face.

 

There was still a trace of girlish charm, but now, even Charlotte who loathed Mia could see the charm of a young woman.

 

Then surely Leo must have seen it too…

 

A chill ran through her, It was an irrational fear, shapeless yet suffocating.

 

And so, she spoke without thinking.

 

“He’s not always that kind.”

 

The moment the words left her lips, she realized her mistake. She had given Mia an opening. But it was too late to take them back.

 

“Really?”

 

Mia’s face lit up in delight, as if she had just heard the most wonderful news.

 

“Then let me have him, Sister. That’s all the kindness I need. Unlike you, I’m not greedy.”

 

The moment those words registered, Charlotte’s hand moved before she could stop it.

 

A sharp slap landed across Mia’s cheek.

 

The sound of flesh rubbing against flesh pierced her eardrums. Charlotte snapped back to her senses.

 

Mia, her head snapped to the side, stared at Charlotte in disbelief.

 

Charlotte, too, gazed at Mia, equally stunned by her own actions.

 

“You… You hit me?”

 

Mia clutched her reddening cheek with both hands, her voice trembling.

 

Charlotte didn’t answer, she only watched, then let out a breathless, bitter laugh.

 

“Hah.”

 

She hadn’t planned it, yet a deep sense of satisfaction coursed through her.

 

The same heat that flared on Mia’s cheek tingled in Charlotte’s palm, spreading like a rush of exhilaration.

 

Mia, shocked by the humiliation she had never experienced before, stood frozen for a moment before tears welled up in her large eyes and began to sob. She turned on her heels and stormed out the door.

 

The door slammed shut only to be reopened soon after, it was her father.

 

Charlotte had braced herself for this the moment Mia ran out of the room, so she was not particularly surprised.

 

As he strode toward her with long, forceful steps, she readied herself to face him.

 

Now that things had come to this, she resolved to confront him about the years of neglect and mistreatment she had endured.

 

But Charlotte did not even get the chance to open her mouth before she was struck across the face.

 

Compared to what she had done to Mia, this was no mere childish prank.

 

The sheer force behind the blow sent her stumbling backward, her head colliding against something hard.

 

It hit with such impact that she couldn’t even discern what it was.

 

Her mind spun into a daze, and for a moment, she wondered if she had misheard the words that followed.

 

“How dare you lowly thing lay a hand on her?”

 

“F-Father…?”

 

Charlotte called out, struggling to grasp reality.

 

But he only yanked her up by the hair, his grip merciless. His next words cut deeper than any blow.

 

“Who do you think you’re calling ‘Father’? You’re nothing but the filthy blood of a slave.”

 

That day, in that moment, Charlotte’s world shattered completely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last night, after washing up and lying in bed, Charlotte spent the night restlessly tracing the scars on her body.

 

The heat that once felt like it would consume her whole had long since faded, and now, the rough scars no longer brought pain. she could barely even feel the sensation of touch on them.

 

Even so, sleep wouldn’t come. It felt as if the agony of the moment when her body was branded still lingered somewhere deep inside her.

 

Her breath, spilling onto the pillowcase, burned like molten iron against bare flesh. It stayed that way through the night.

 

Only when dawn neared did Charlotte finally manage to end her day and close her eyes.

 

But she barely had any time to surrender to slumber before she was forced to open her eyes again.

 

A persistent knocking at the door refused to cease.

 

Even if she sent the visitor away and closed her eyes again, she doubted she would be able to sleep.

 

Deciding it was pointless to resist, Charlotte rose from bed, pulled on a robe, and granted entry to one waiting outside.

 

It was Sophie who entered her room, wearing a vaguely uneasy expression.

 

Charlotte looked at her, wondering what the matter was.

 

Bowing slightly, Sophie approached and whispered.

 

“The items you ordered have arrived.”

 

“Ordered?”

 

Charlotte echoed the unfamiliar words, confused.

 

Sophie parted her lips to continue her explanation—

 

But before she could, a maid stepped through the open doorway, cradling a lavish dress in her arms with utmost care.

 

She was not alone. Behind her, another maid stepped in, and then another, each carrying dresses that were undeniably luxurious.

 

The line of maids seemed endless, moving in a procession toward the dressing room.

 

A dozens of dresses. The once barren dressing room was suddenly bursting with colors and fabrics more extravagant than she could count.

 

Just as Charlotte began to wonder if she was dreaming after her sleepless night, shoes adorned with dazzling jewels started making their way into the room. Too many pairs to even count.

 

It was only then that Charlotte realized the cause of this absurd situation.

 

It was herself.

 

“I’ll let you spend my money however you please.”

 

The conversation she had with Leo had come back to bite her.

 

Charlotte swallowed a sigh before it could escape.

 

The maids arranging the shoes inside the once-empty cabinets did not look pleased.

 

So, the infamous princess had been pretending to behave only to reveal her true colors at last.

 

Their thoughts were practically transparent.

 

It was only after various accessories, each undoubtedly worth a small fortune, were neatly placed inside the room that the maids hurriedly made their exit.

 

Even Sophie hesitated awkwardly before Charlotte waved a hand to dismiss her as well.

 

At last, she was alone in the dazzlingly opulent space.

 

“…Ha.”

 

Where in the world had they managed to gather all these things overnight? And at this early hour.

 

It looked as if half the shops in the city had been ransacked.

 

“I only meant to put on a show…”

 

Charlotte gazed down at the jewelry box, now filled to the brim, before picking up an ornate hairpiece.

 

She had taken what Leo had offered. Now, it was time for her to keep her promise.