Chapter 04
After Selena finished speaking, I explained things to Father.
“We went out today and bought some clothes for Selena to wear. They’ll be delivered from the dress shop sometime next week.”
“I see.”
“Don’t you think the ribbon in Selena’s hair suits her really well?”
Sienna asked in her usual cheerful tone. My father and brother’s gazes fell on my hair. My stoic brother, Zion, spoke.
“It’s pretty. Looks good on you.”
“Thank you.”
While my brother focused on eating, my father continued to stare at my hair.
His gaze drifted between my glossy hair and Sienna’s frizzy locks.
“That hair…”
My father was a man of few words and rarely showed emotion.
Maybe that’s why, when he did show any emotion, it always felt especially vivid.
I still missed the way he used to call me affectionately, “My dear.”
“Your hair…”
Father trailed off, seemingly unable to find the right words.
It seemed like he was bothered by how Sienna’s dry hair didn’t suit her dress.
I suddenly felt self-conscious about my own neatly arranged, soft hair cascading gracefully below my shoulders.
I should’ve taken her to the salon first. Regret crept in.
“Sienna, would you like to go to the salon with me tomorrow?”
“Then… will I look like you?”
She asked pitifully, her eyebrows drooping.
“M-Me?”
I touched my cheeks, which had grown dry over the past few days, feeling puzzled. Then Sienna, eyes sparkling, spoke brightly.
“Selena, you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen! You can’t even compare to the young lady I used to serve in Lady Robenia’s house!”
“Young lady…”
My brother muttered reflexively while eating.
Whenever I saw traces of Sienna’s difficult past, my heart would sink.
It always felt like her life turned out that way because of me, and the guilt was unbearable.
And so, sometimes, her innocent words felt strangely accusatory.
“She’s a good, kind person. I shouldn’t think this way.”
Living under the same roof with Sienna for the past month, I realized she was someone who had grown up cheerfully, despite the hardships.
Unlike me, Sienna was bright and energetic. Her vibrant energy always uplifted those around her.
“Ah… I said something wrong. I’m sorry, sir— I mean, brother…”
Out of habit, Sienna almost called my noble brother “sir,” which made both my father and brother frown. And I…
“Let’s go to the salon tomorrow. And on the way back, we’ll buy a new hair ribbon.”
“But… unlike you, those things don’t suit me. I can’t possibly…”
Sienna glanced enviously at the ribbon I bought today. Without realizing it, I bit the inside of my cheek.
Once she adjusted to life as a count’s daughter, I planned to have her study, too.
That would come later. For now, I wanted to give her everything I had.
“We’ll buy more hats, too. With the duke’s tail feathers on them.”
“Only very wealthy people wear those kinds of hats. Would something like that suit me?”
“Of course. And you need to get used to it now. You have such striking features, Sienna. Anything will suit you.”
I held Sienna’s rough hands tightly. Unlike my smooth hands, hers were chapped from doing laundry in the winter, and the sight of them weighed heavily on my heart again.
After the awkward meal, Father called me aside, saying he wanted to speak with me.
Just before I went to his study, Sienna pulled me back gently and asked:
“Selena, I have a question.”
“What is it?”
Every time I heard the name Selena, my stomach churned. That name symbolized the life I had stolen.
“I heard you don’t remember your childhood. Is that true?”
“Ah… Yes. That’s why I was raised in your place. I’m sorry. Truly… I’m really sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
Her golden eyes, a bit dimmer than mine, seemed to sparkle for just a moment.
“I must’ve imagined it.”
I thought her golden eyes looked that way because they resembled sunlight.
We did share similar hair and eye color. But if you looked closely, there were differences.
Mine were a vivid gold, while hers had a faint reddish hue near the pupils.
“By the way, where did you hear that?”
“Oh, just… here and there, by chance.”
“Well, it’s a well-known secret, I suppose. Anyway, Sienna, I really want us to get along.”
I genuinely wanted us to be good sisters. I believed it could happen.
We decided to tell others that Father made us twin sisters, and that Sienna had recently returned from convalescing in the countryside.
I had tried to step away from the position of Estarion, but both Father and Brother strongly objected.
“Even if you’re not truly Selena, you are still my daughter.”
“And my sister.”
Their warm words made me cry so much. They touched something deep inside me.
Their affection made me vow again and again to treat Sienna well.
“I feel the same. I want us to get along, too.”
Sienna raised the corners of her mouth and smiled, showing her white teeth.
Her smile seemed a little stiff, but I was so happy to hear her say she wanted to get along that I didn’t think too deeply about it.
I should have noticed the meaning behind that smile.
