Chapter 3 (1/2)
NOTE: the dialogues with ‘ ‘ are thoughts; ‘italicized’ are Emilie’s thoughts (this format is for her only) while I will put (_) for others….. the POV’s are sometimes random so I hope this helps.
The names of the men who saved Emilie are Victoire Daughtry and Damon Daughtry. As expected, it was a father-son relationship.
‘Those names, I’ve heard them somewhere…’
I was curious, but I don’t know who to ask.
“Don’t you like peaches?”
“I really like it.”
“But why aren’t you eating? It doesn’t suit your taste?”
“I’m full.”
“The type to eat less?”
This is because Damon Daughtry, the young man in front of her, asked rapid fire questions without giving her a chance to.
When I was asked with a soft smile, as if cream melted in my mouth, I couldn’t help but answer.
“I usually eat this much.”
“Usually?”
Damon looked again at the little girl sitting in front of him. A figure smaller than her peers and a frail-looking complexion. At first glance, she looks like a rich lady, but if you look closely, she looks like a child in danger of falling apart at any moment’s notice.
“There is a reason why Emilie is so skinny.” Said Damon as he patted Emilie’s head.
But as soon as Damon touched her, Emilie hunched over her shoulders in surprise.
“Ah, sorry.” Damon quickly withdrew his hand.
(D) ‘This child, she’s scared. I just patted her head.’
It was clear that the male adult did not have a good memory. Especially when one’s hands are touching.
(D) ‘No way.’
Damon was horrified by the terrible idea of passing through his head at the moment.
(D) ‘This child was hit.’
Emilie, who doesn’t know what Damon was thinking, was awfully anxious to see his face darken.
“I’m sorry. I was rude because I wasn’t used to someone patting my head.”
“No. It’s my fault. Anyone would be surprised if a stranger suddenly stroked her head. I made you uncomfortable. Sorry.”
Emilie was startled.
‘He apologized to me.’
He even feels ashamed, saying, ‘I made you uncomfortable.’
When she lived back at the Cabezo duchy, she always had a hard time. Her father and her half-sister, Polia, were laughing amicably while Emilie was out of place.
No one cared whether Emilie was uncomfortable or not.
Something like when she tried to eat something, it kept getting stuck in her throat. Emilie, who was hungry for her father’s affection that was long gone.
<Father…>
The Duke Cabezo, who smiled brightly when he opened his mouth, immediately became icy cold.
milie. Can’t you see I’m talking to Polia? There’s no such thing as consideration! Wait until the conversation is over.>
‘Even if I wait until the conversation between the two is over, he doesn’t even look at me once!’
I wanted to say that. Look at me too. However, the Duke Cabezo made a bitter remark in exchange for a chance.
<Well, if there was some kind of consideration, I wouldn’t have pushed my stepmother down the cliff.>
My father used to say that with a sick face.
But father knew. The day her stepmother fell from the cliff and died, Emilie was in tears and grieved.
<Father, mother on the cliff…!>
<You, you devil!>
But the father grabbed the crying little Emilie by the collar and shook her.
<You, you killed my wife!>
The eyes were not the eyes of a father looking at his child. The eyes were eyes glaring at his life-long enemy.
Emilie pleaded her innocence desperately. But no one believed her. Not a single person in her previous life until she died.
He was ashamed that his young daughter killed his stepmother, so he prevented rumors from spreading. But internally, Emilie was the devil who killed his beloved wife.
Polia always grinned at the depressed Emilie.
<Dad, please don’t do that. Sister’s sad.>
<No, Father. That’s…!>
This is because Polia kept lying in front of people.
Maybe a needle fell off only from Emilie’s clothes, or she had a stomach ache alone when they drank tea together.
Emilie had no choice but to correct that it was not.
Slap!
But Duke Cabezo slapped Emilie on the cheek instead of listening to her.
<You don’t know how to be sorry, Emilie! Get out of here!>
***
“Emilie, Emilie?”
Damon’s voice brought Emilie into reality.
(D) ‘What is she thinking about.’
Damon looked closely at the little girl, who seemed as if she would pass out at any moment.
It was only for a moment that she was lost in thought, breathing like she had just awakened from a terrible nightmare.
Emilie’s little heart rattled up and down. It looks like it’s going to break down.
I’ll have to do something for you. (D)
“You can eat as much as you like here as you like without looking around.”
“…..”
“Go on.”
Damon pushed Emilie’s plate to her instead of asking what she was thinking. Seeing Damon smiling affectionately, Emilie’s eyes were burning.
A kind word heard from a stranger who doesn’t even know her. Emilie was hurt to the point of tears.
“Thank you for saving me.”
“You don’t have to say that.”
Damon said softly.
“Why did you save me?”
Emilie asked carefully. Damon was still smiling, but he was silent.
‘Why did you save someone like me?’
She wondered. What value did she have to be saved, who was not even loved by her family.
Unlike Emilie, who doesn’t know who they are, they already knew Emilie’s name and family.
I knew Emilie was Emilie, so I saved her for a reason. (D)
‘But nobody likes me……’
Emilie’s big eyes trembled with Damon in them.
“Do you want to go home?”
Emilie was frightened by Damon’s words.
“Ah, no!”