She lost consciousness and had just opened her eyes again. What could she do if someone else took her here?
Doah was just wondering because she couldnât understand why she was brought to the central palace.
Even so, Angelus seemed to be convinced she had actively sought to be in Opheliaâs room.
âWell, itâs a familiar feeling.â
Just the same with Bunny, Doah was also a person who was accustomed to this kind of treatment.
She had also experienced much worse than this.
âI am not deluding myself.â
As sharp as a knife, Doah retorted.
Really, it didnât seem like it was an answer expected out of Bunny.
For a moment, Angelus looked up and down at Bunny with his eyes opened wide as though he was doubting what he heard just now.
He seemed to find fault with her even when all sheâs doing was breathing, and now that she gave him the answer he was looking for, she wondered why heâs being so speechless.
ââŠâŠâ
But that was only for a moment.
In Angelusâs blue eyes, there was a clear distrust directed at her.
âYouâre pretending to be faultless.â
As expected, he didnât believe her.
To be honest, she wasnât expecting much either, so Doah wasnât feeling all too unfair.
âYouâd better be telling the truth.â
He sneered in a very low voice.
âEspecially you, if you ever try to ask me about becoming part of this family, youâll have to turn me inside out before that happens.â
ââŠâŠâ
âNow that youâve driven away Opheliaâs beloved maids and finally stepped into this room, Iâm sure youâre just glad as if youâre in your own world.â
In other words, heâs saying that he already knew what sheâs thinking and that she shouldnât pretend.
Although Doah had been answering calmly until now, she had no choice but to frown at this remark.
He was insinuating that Bunny had planned the situation and pulled the strings behind it all.
âThe fact that the maids were driven out, I found out just now thanks to what you said, Young Lord.â
Doah emphasized the words âjust nowâ since she had just woken up.
Then, she continued, staring back at him expressionlessly.
âI canât be framed as the jewelry thief.â
âHave you ever been falsely accused before?â
ââŠâŠâ
Bunny had done some things before, so unfortunately, she had no excuse.
Doah felt like the shepherd boy who cried wolf.
However, at least this time, she was obviously the victim.
âHave you heard what those maids have done to me?â
Then, his smooth forehead slightly crumpled.
âWhat are you saying?â
ââŠâŠâ
Do you know that Bunny had been abused?
Sheâs sure that he already knew, but she still asked.
As though he was at a loss for words, Angelus crossed his arms and spoke loudly.
âThat was obviously the other sideâs fault, so youâll be rewarded for it separately.â
âRewardâŠâ
She was rendered speechless.
Doah clenched her fist and closed her eyes. She had to bite her lower lip.
âAt first, I wondered why Bunny was being treated like this here⊠And now I know.â
It was only to make this conversation possible.
No matter what Bunny said, they would cruelly rip through her wounds and dig through everything there was.
âWhy do you have to do this?â
Doah thought this to herself.
That sheâs glad sheâs not the real Bunny.
No matter how much the other person here would shoot out poisonous words, itâs fortunate for Park Doah because she wouldnât feel anything from it.
âThe main point here is that, I donât know what you did, but Father has decided to let you stay at the central palace.â
What?
She raised her head in surprise.
When she opened her eyes in this place, she wondered if this might be the case, but she didnât know that it really was going to be like that.
âThatâs why youâre acting so abrasively.â
This girl from the lowest dregs of society had been trying to take his younger sisterâs place all this time through all sorts of tricks, and for once, she finally succeeded and was given permission to stay in Opheliaâs room.
It was only a room.
Still, Bunny being allowed into the central palace meant a lot of things.
At the very least, this meant that she was publicly considered as an âofficial replacementâ for Ophelia.
âHas that grand duke gone mad?â
Bunny had always acted like a time bomb thatâs ready to explode at any given moment.
She had been completely ignored and neglected by the Grand Duke of Credel. And besides, he never seemed to be willing to accept and embrace her.
âBut youâre letting me enter the palace now?â
Doah hated this.
As though they were photocopied one after another, the Credel family was exactly like the Park family.
She had already been betrayed and killed off by similar people once. How could she ever trust anyone like that again?
âNo matter how much money you have, no matter how much food, clothing and shelter you give meâI donât like this.â
She wasnât given any freedom. Whatever she did, she would be monitored, and the good treatment sheâd receive would always be proportional to the obligations sheâd have to fulfill.
Moreover, Bunny had already done many things so far that could only incriminate her.
Wasnât that already the case with the person in front of Doah now?
âYou mentioned a reward.â
Doah looked up with her wide, doll-like red eyes.
When Angelus heard this, he smirked crookedly as though he was already expecting this.
âIs there anything you want?â
âYes.â
Thatâs what youâve been aiming for, right?
Was what he seemed to say.
In an instant, there was a look of contempt in his eyes, as cold as a lake that had frozen over during the winter.
âIâll tell you in advance, but you canât wish to be Opheliaâs replacement even until you die.â
ââŠâŠâ
âDonât call me âBrotherâ unless weâre in public. Thatâs the only time youâre permitted to call me that.â
What was he saying.
Doah stared at Angelus, who had been spitting delusional nonsense all this time to himself.
âEven in that kind of situation, I hope Iâll never have to call you.â