[TKOSINM] 23 - Never Been Your Daughter

         “I do not know what goes on in that head of yours, Irene.”

         It was not long after Riel had gone out, assisted by the maids, that Irene’s parents decided to pay her a visit. At her mother’s words, Irene just turned her head away without uttering a single sound.

         “You weren’t like this as a child. You were a good daughter who never made me worried. Why have you changed so much? Is it that man who made you change like this?”

         The Countess looked at Irene, an expression of resentment and sadness on her face whilst the Count only appeared to be angry. It was evident that he could not let go of the humiliation he had suffered earlier from Noel. Irene shifted her gaze from the wall to see her parents. The couple flinched at Irene’s gaze, because she glared at them with such sharpness, she had never shown them before. 

         “He didn’t do anything to me. It was both of you who made me like this.”

         “What are you talking about!! Do you know how many things we’ve given you!”

         Irene’s words made her father impatient, and he began to scream at her, enraged. Normally, she would have been scared by now when her parents scolded her, but Irene would not back down this time. After all, she had been through and the beacon of light, she refused to timidly back down. She wanted to end this on a final note that would liberate her from this family. Irene stared straight at her father and clearly enunciated the words she wanted to say.

         “Mother, Father, have the both of you ever recognised me as your daughter?”

         “Of course!”

         “Irene, quickly apologise to your father!”

         The Countess yelled at her, but Irene kept looking straight at the Count and continued.

         “Then, don’t bother with my business.”

         “How can parents not care about their daughter?”

         “So far, you have never cared about me.”

         “What…!”

         “I cannot remember a single moment that you have ever shown care for me.”

         Irene got up from her seat and said while facing her father.

         “You always prioritise Riel, and then Riel. I was just there for you two as her sister and nothing more. But I do not wish to be her sister anymore….”

         Pang!

         Irene’s head turned away. A burning pain spread out on her cheek.

         “What a heartless person! Do you know how much Riel thinks of you? If you say that one more time, I won’t stay still!”

         The Count busted out in anger. Irene raised her hand to touch her hot cheeks. Her father’s big and strong hands that hit her were much more painful than when her mother hit her. But compared to this momentary sting, the pain in her heart she had carried with her for the past twenty years hurt far more. However, Irene lifted her head again and emotionlessly looked at her father. Her pompous father was dumbfounded at Irene’s action.

         “This is the evidence. It’s proof that you only see me as Riel’s older sister. Please leave my room. I don’t think I have anything more to say to you.”

         Then, Irene turned her back against them and faced the window. The Countess roughly dragged the Count out of the room and left a last word for Irene.

         “You’ll regret it!”

         Bang.

         The door slammed shut. Irene looked at the garden where the streetlights were going off and touched her hot cheeks. She could feel that her skin was turning red as if it had started to swell up. But she felt unsettled.

         Normally, I wouldn’t have been able to hold it in.

         If it were any other day, Irene would have collapsed and become frustrated like when she had been hit by her mother before. But this time, she wasn’t. She could bear it, because she had hope.

         Irene closed her eyes, and Noel’s face came to her mind. Just by imagining him, a sense of peace settled onto her.

         After that, a week passed, but there was no contact from Noel. Irene became worried that Noel might have changed his mind, but she held onto the belief that Noel was a man of his word. He would not be like that. 

         Irene clearly remembered that Noel had said that he had to sort out important matters first before he could get in touch with her. But she still had yet to hear anything from him.

         Perhaps a complication has occurred?

         Otherwise, it was impossible that he would not contact her. Irene’s family thought that Noel had lost interest in her, but Irene refused to believe that.

         The Grand Duke of Kristen.

         There was a high possibility that he disapproved of this idea. Because the only person who could defeat Noel, the Duke of Kristen, was his grandfather himself. Noel’s predecessor, the Grand Duke of Kristen.

         Is there anything I can do to help him…?

         However, Irene could not meet Noel, so she could do nothing even if she wanted to help.

         Huh, Irene sighed resignedly, realising she had no power to aid him. Noel had been helping her, but she could not do anything to reciprocate his kind gestures. She felt uncomfortable because she felt like she was receiving too much.

         Then, the door was carefully opened, and the maid came inside. When Irene stared at her with a cold gaze, the startled maid avoided her eyes. 

         “The madam asked me to bring you down….” The maid said.

         “What is the matter?” Irene asked.

         “That... you’ll know when you get down.”

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