After the manor and garden tour, Stella was invited to join the Chevalier for lunch afterward. The events and dialogues were going according to what she remembered, and this would be the first time in this life that she would meet with the entire family. As Stella and Ophelia were on their way to the dining hall, coincidentally they ran into the youngest alpha sibling who was on his way to the hall as well. Stella’s eyes grew wide for a moment as her eyes met his.
Marquis Chevalier’s genes must be strong, as all his children inherited his signature pink-shaded hair, but in a variety of tones depending on their secondary gender. Theo had a much deeper pink hair tone compared to Ophelia, but he shared the same sparkling green eyes just like hers. When their eyes met, Stella instantly recalled the last image she had of him in her past life. Even though she wanted to forget what she saw, she couldn’t possibly erase the image of Matteo’s gruesome death as he drowned in his own pool of blood while holding onto a sword—
“Ah, you must be my sister’s fiancée, right?”
Stella snapped back and realized she had slipped into her reverie for a moment. Even now, the memories of the past and this overwhelming guilt would occasionally haunt her. She gave her attention to the boy once again and noticed he was a very shy and soft-spoken boy. Matteo was about three years younger than her, so he should be 17 years old right now. Stella stared at his face for a couple of extra seconds before she let out a smile of relief. Even though she knew his name already, it was best to pretend she didn’t know him. After all, this was their ‘first’ encounter with each other in this life. She hoped this action of hers would set a new beginning for their friendship.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Stella.”
“Nice to meet you too.” The young man smiled. “You can call me Matteo.”
Stella could tell from his smile that he was a sincere man. Did he always have a gentle expression like this since the beginning? Most likely, she never noticed it before in her previous life. As she no longer held onto her hatred and anger, she was able to see things much more clearly than before. This realization only brought her more guilt and regrets that she should’ve realized this sooner.
At the dining table, Stella was warmly welcomed by the Marquis and Marchioness. Everyone in the family was there, and she clearly remembered who they were. The person to Marquis Hugh’s right was his first wife, Marchioness Shannon Chevalier, biological mother to Theo and Ophelia. To his left was his second wife, Lady Florence, Eleanor’s mother. Lastly, the older lady sitting slightly opposite Stella was the 3rd wife, Lady Clarissa, Matteo’s mother.
It wasn’t rare for alphas of a noble lineage to have multiple partners, especially if it was a marriage for convenience. She remembered learning about this in the past: both Lady Florence and Lady Clarissa married a Marquis to strengthen their family’s business with the Chevalier. One thing for certain was that she didn’t miss seeing Theo and Eleanor at all.
“I look forward to getting to know you better,” Theo said.
“Please make yourself at home.” Eleanor chimed in.
Theo and Eleanor wore their pretentious, friendly smiles to mask their filth beneath. Stella felt funny seeing them pretending to be nice when they were innately the most abusive and cruel individuals in this place. She remembered vividly how inhumanely they treated their servants and everyone else they deemed to be beneath them.
For the next couple of days, Stella was invited to go to the nearby city every day by the pink-haired fiancée on the pretense that she wanted to show Stella around. However, she basically just wanted to indirectly flaunt to the public that she had such a close relationship with her Albrecht fiancée. She was very much used to this kind of treatment from her past life already. Ophelia made her accompany her whenever she left the manor for the city. Most of the time, none of her matters were related to her at all. It was either she wanted to go on a long shopping spree, attend tea parties with her aristocratic colleagues, or many other trivial matters that Stella doesn’t exactly remember anymore. By the time they returned to the manor, the whole day was gone already.
“I’m sorry to make you accompany me, Stella,” Ophelia said. “There are several things I must purchase for the urgent tea party today.”
“That’s okay. I don’t mind it.” Stella turned to her with a smile.
Stella lost count of how many shops they went to as Ophelia bought plentiful, extravagant dresses, shoes, and accessories with an unlimited budget. Since it was just the two of them together, ultimately, Stella was the only one who had to carry all the shopping bags for her. She knew that this was Ophelia’s plan to get on her nerves by dragging her around, ultimately wasting her time, since it worked wondrously in her past life.
“I must go to the tea party now.” Ophelia’s gaze landed on her. “It shouldn’t take that long. Could you wait for me here?”
“Sure.” Stella’s smile widened. “Take your time.”
Stella was more than used to waiting for her for hours. She knew how to entertain herself with books or take a good nap, unbothered by any Chevaliers. Stella found a nice, comfortable seat at the café located opposite where the tea party was hosted and finally had her peaceful, quiet moment to reorganize her thoughts. Memories could fade away over time, so ever since she returned to the past, she had been spending time writing down important events that happened over three years.
“Now I have plenty of time to plan things out peacefully…” Stella leaned into her seat. “Hmm, her birthday is about a month from now.”
The first major event was Ophelia’s 22nd birthday, and that was when things would change drastically. That woman would intentionally shame her in public for presenting her with a tacky gift. However, it wouldn’t be the smartest idea to prevent the incident. Stella needed to come up with a plan that would allow her to benefit from this situation instead.
“It would be smartest to stick to the original events rather than trying to prevent them, for now.” Stella rested her finger against her lips.
With that approach in mind, she would know all the upcoming events and be able to plan the best course of action around them. If she tried too hard to change the events this early on, then the trajectory of the future would change to the point that things would become rather unpredictable to her. That would only jeopardize everyone, including herself, and Stella wasn’t here to play that kind of game yet.
Until then, she had some time to plan out and deal with Ophelia’s provocation.
Technically, Stella had no reason to be here, and it was more of a waste of her time. In her previous life, she recalled things escalating when she began refusing Ophelia’s invitation. She began treating Stella like her property, using her cruel façade to indirectly alarm Stella as early as possible. However, she wasn’t that same naïve person anymore.
This time, Stella planned to enjoy some sweet little revenge against the older omega for getting on her nerves and being such a pain in the past.
A whole week flew by quickly, and everything happened as Stella predicted.
Ophelia took her out every day for the past week to show off her as her fiancée to her circle of aristocratic friends, and they were all extremely envious of her. As Stella was the youngest of the Albrecht family and also an alpha, most aristocratic ladies across Northland secretly showed great interest in her for multiple reasons.
“Oh my, I bet others will be extremely envious of you.”
It was a given that she’d be eyed by many omegas or betas as they searched for an alpha of a higher status than themselves to marry into, which made Stella become the center of attention as an Albrecht noble and the only alpha in her family. However, that wasn’t the only thing that made her awfully popular among the ladies.
“I’m very glad to meet you once again, Lady Stella.” One of the ladies at the tea party, Lady Alice, said with a warm smile. “I never had a chance to thank you properly that night…I hope you’ll accept this gift!”
Lady Alice held out a small gift box to her, and inside was a luxurious blue handkerchief of the finest silk embroidered in gold threads. A few years back, at the grand annual banquet when Stella was about 18, she had saved this same woman from an abusive noble alpha, notorious for his reputation as a playboy.
“Lady Alice, you really didn’t have to gift me something extravagant such as this at all.”
“Is it not to your liking…?” Alice asked, sounding disappointed.
“Not at all.” Stella shook her head, maintaining her calm and humble demeanor. “It is a very beautiful handkerchief. I don’t know if I deserve this.”
“You do!” Alice insisted. “If you weren’t there to save my life, I don’t know what could’ve happened to me…”
She had been genuinely grateful for the way Stella had stood up to protect her that night. It was a moment she would never forget. The alpha nodded and accepted the gift with a courteous smile, which left her blushing bashfully. Even though every lady at the gathering knew that Stella was already taken by Ophelia, that didn’t stop a few sparks of admiration, or a crush, from blooming for this charming alpha. Alice hesitated for a moment before finally asking if they could meet again sometimes, hoping they could become acquaintances.
“That’s sneaky, Alice.” Another lady chimed in. “I want to get to know you better too, Lady Stella.”
“Me too.” Another lady joined in. “I always wished I had an opportunity to get to speak with you in a more casual setting that’s not some formal banquet…”
Several ladies at the tea party quickly jumped in and expressed their interest in befriending her. This was a rare opportunity to make a good impression with an Albrecht noble, and they wouldn’t want this chance to slip.
“Sure, it would be my pleasure to get to know Ophelia’s friends as well.” Stella smiled and reciprocated their requests out of courtesy, and they were overly joyous.
It would be rather impolite to refuse a request from a lady, even though she wanted to. Stella turned her gaze over to Ophelia and decided to play along with this role as a good fiancée a little bit.
“It depends on Lady Ophelia if she would allow me to accompany her to her future tea parties.”
All the ladies turned to the tall pink-haired woman with pleading eyes. Ophelia was caught slightly off guard since she expected the alpha to fluster in this unfamiliar setting. It turned out that Stella was able to handle the situation impeccably and even directed the conversation to her instead.
“Hmph, why wouldn’t I bring my fiancée along with me?” Ophelia wore her signature courteous smile as soft chuckles escaped between her lips.
She walked over to Stella and hugged her arm to display their intimacy, and a few gasps could be heard around them. Everyone at the tea party unanimously agreed they were such a perfect power couple. They were surprised and touched by how Stella always escorted Ophelia to every tea party, which was extremely rare for any alpha to do for their partners.
“That’s just so sweet that Lady Stella always accompanies and waits for Lady Ophelia until the party is over.” One of the ladies commented with envy before she let out a quiet sigh. “I wish I could find an alpha that would take care of me like this too.”
“I know, right?” Another lady nodded. “She’s such a gentleman. I wish my alpha was like that too.”
Stella could hear the chatter in the background complimenting how perfect they were as a couple. The more that others saw them intimate, the less that people would suspect the filth brewing behind the scenes, and the more that Marquis Hugh would be pleased with Ophelia’s progress. A few minutes before the tea party was about to start, Ophelia asked her to wait at the same place until she was done, as usual, which would be for the next couple of hours. This chapter is updated first at novelping . com.
“Please wait for me at the usual place,” Ophelia said. “I’ll come find you once I’m done.”
“Take your time.” Stella nodded.
Even after countless hours of waiting over the past week, Stella was more than happy to spend time outside the manor reading novels with a cup of hot Earl Gray tea while admiring the beauty of the bustling city. It had been a while since Stella was able to relax without having any worries about her responsibilities as the Duchess, and she considered this a nice vacation to unwind all the stress she had accumulated for almost a year. Before she realized it again, it had been more than five hours before Ophelia showed up again.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Ophelia approached her. “It has been a while since I met with my colleagues, so they asked me to stay a little longer.”
“Not at all.” Stella’s smile widened. “I had a good time reading books and trying out different snacks and drinks here.”
“Oh, that’s good to hear,” Ophelia said, her expression shifting subtly with surprise. “Let us return before dinner time.”
The pink-haired woman was puzzled by Stella’s overly joyous reaction. The alpha knew Ophelia intended to provoke her, but then this turned out to be quite fun for her as she saw this cunning woman flustered. On their way home in the carriage, Ophelia demanded a gift that she received from Alice, and Stella knew exactly what was about to happen.
“Give me the handkerchief Lady Alice gave you.” Ophelia extended her hand, expecting the alpha to comply with her.
“Why?” Stella shot a question back.
“Don’t ask, just give it to me.” Ophelia’s tone became sterner, but that didn’t faze the alpha.
“I’ll give it to you if you tell me what you’re planning to do.” Stella crossed her arms, responding to her fiancée with patience.
“You’re not in the position to negotiate with me.” Ophelia shot back. Her tone was getting colder and sharper.
Stella’s words were not going to reach Ophelia at this rate, and that was when she decided to catch her off guard instead.
“You want to get rid of it, am I correct?” Stella asked.
“…” Ophelia paused for a second, gazing directly into Stella’s blue eyes. She was confused and surprised that the alpha had somehow read her mind, but that wasn’t enough to stop her from following her plans. “I don’t need my alpha to have another woman’s gift, especially from an omega. Do you have an issue with my decision?”
“Yes, because I don’t want you to do something so cruel like that.” Stella shrugged nonchalantly.
Something flickered across Ophelia’s face for a split second. She clearly hadn’t expected Stella to be this calm, to look at her so gently, enough to make her heart flutter with hesitation. She bit her lip, suppressing whatever emotions she felt, and berated the younger alpha for not doing as she had demanded.
“You're nothing more than my possession. Something that your own family discarded.” Ophelia’s tone dropped to glacial temperature. “Now that I own you, know your place. Be obedient, if you still value your life.”
It was this precise moment Stella was forced to admit the cruel truth of her situation: she was discarded from the family to become Chevalier’s property. If it were the past Stella, she would still be too speechless to say a word, or grieve over the truth slapped across her face. However, she only exhaled quietly before returning her gaze to Ophelia.
“…I already know how my brother and Dowager Duchess Yvette want to get rid of me,” Stella said, nearly chuckling. “They have nothing but hatred towards my mother and me.”
“Oh, you knew.” Ophelia leaned back into her seat.
“It’s obvious that this is a marriage of convenience as a cover-up.” Stella continued. “Appearing as a perfect couple in the eyes of the public to hide the truth that I’m ultimately the Chevalier’s property, am I correct?”
Ophelia fell silent. Stella’s unperturbed reaction was the last thing she expected. It didn’t seem like it was the first time the alpha had heard about this. She already knew that for quite some time. Stella’s response was peculiar, catching Ophelia’s attention at once.
“You’re oddly too calm about this,” Ophelia questioned.
“Well, we never got along with each other for years.” Stella shrugged nonchalantly. “It doesn’t surprise me he would abuse his powers to get rid of me as his first agenda as the duke.”
Perhaps the tension between the two siblings was far worse than what Ophelia thought. Nonetheless, her focus returned to Lady Alice’s gift. Once she made her decision, Ophelia would do everything she could to carry on her mission.
“Well, now that you know your place. Don’t make me repeat myself,” Ophelia glared at her. “Give that thing to me.”
“…”
Stella went quiet for a moment. It made her stomach churn uncomfortably seeing Ophelia doing everything she could to paint herself a heartless villainess in her eyes when the truth was that she had such a gentle soul. Stella didn’t want Ophelia to sacrifice herself for her, not anymore. This time, it was her turn to show her commitment too.
“…If you don’t want me to keep it,” Stella said as she looked straight into her eyes. “Then I’ll get rid of it instead.”
“Huh?”
Stella took the handkerchief out of the gift box before she tore it right in front of Ophelia. At that moment, she looked at the alpha with her mouth agape. The omega couldn’t believe her eyes that Stella would tear the handkerchief with her own hands, leaving her in greater confusion. Stella did feel bad doing this, but she had to if she wanted to stop Ophelia.
“Will this suffice?” Stella asked. “Or should I tear more—”
“Stop, that’s enough.”
The awkward silence fell upon them, and Ophelia couldn’t comprehend Stella’s actions since a kind-hearted soul like her wouldn’t destroy a lady’s gift without a shred of hesitation. Nothing about this made any sense. As the omega fell deep in her thoughts, Stella broke the awkward silence between them first.
“I know you won’t stop until you get what you want,” Stella answered what seemed to be on Ophelia’s mind. “Since I don’t want you to do something so heartless and cruel, I did it instead.”
“Oh? Suddenly trying to be such a good puppy to earn some approval from me?” Ophelia responded, still having her guard up. “I commend you for the effort, but it is futile.”
Her green eyes were just as cold as her tone, but Stella confronted her with equal persistence and made herself extremely clear to the woman across from her.
“It doesn’t matter to me if I earned your approval or not,” Stella said. “I’m simply doing what I want.”
The alpha’s words were simple and childish, yet they conveyed such a great weight that Ophelia couldn’t describe. For someone as forthright as Stella, it was hard to believe that she was lying to her. Luckily, the awkward silence between them ended once they arrived at the manor. The gentle alpha stepped out first and turned around to extend her hand for Ophelia to take.
“Watch your steps.” A soft smile touched Stella’s lips.
The omega fell silent, pressed her lips together, before reaching out to take Stella’s hand. After they had such a turbulent exchange earlier, Stella was able to wear such a tender expression. Her tone carried no animosity or discomfort. The more those blue eyes gazed at her with tenderness, the more Ophelia’s heart raced. The more sorrow twisted its knife into her chest. The more Stella smiled, the more it only made things harder for her. It would have been easier if the alpha aimed her anger and hatred at her.
As days went by, Ophelia tried countless methods to challenge her fiancée’s limits. She made Stella spend the entire day with her, to the extent that she couldn’t have any personal time alone. Even when she tried to sound harsh and indifferent, Stella was still unbothered by it.
“Stella, we’re going out for a picnic in the garden,” Ophelia said.
“Okay. I’m ready to leave any time.” Stella nodded.
She knew Ophelia would try to catch her off guard, so she made sure she was always prepared. Even though Ophelia was good at hiding her expression, Stella was able to see through her impregnable façade. She may be the mastermind behind the grand, flawless scheme in her past life, but this woman was technically younger than she was now. When one encountered the unexpected, it was inevitable that they became even more frustrated over time.
“So, aside from shopping, attending tea parties, and having afternoon picnics,” Stella continued as she turned to Ophelia. “What are your hobbies?”
As Ophelia attempted to waste her time, Stella used this chance to pester her with questions to learn more about her. She asked about her hobbies, favorite food, and drinks, as well as what she disliked. The omega took a sip of her tea as she turned her attention to the curious fiancée. Find the original chapter at NovelPing.
“Why do you want to know?” Ophelia asked, her tone laced with suspicion.
“Why wouldn’t I want to know about you?” Stella responded.
“Because that’s none of your business.” Ophelia shot back.
“How bad would I be in public if I couldn't tell what my fiancée likes?” Stella shrugged, her brows furrowing.
The emphasis on fiancée made Ophelia’s fingers twitch subtly. The alpha made a good point that they should know each other because it would arouse doubts about their relationship if they barely knew a thing about one another.
“Very well then.” Ophelia sighed, somehow giving in. “I enjoy reading books as my pastime.”
“What kinds of books?” Stella asked.
“Business management, commerce, and finance,” Ophelia said, her eyes still fixed on the cup in her hand. “House Chevalier owns several major businesses across Northland. It's mandatory that every member of the family be well-versed in them.”
“What about novels?” Stella continued with another question.
“I don’t have time to waste on unusable fiction,” Ophelia responded, her tone growing sharper and more clipped.
Despite her brusque response, Ophelia was still giving enough detail in her answers. To make things fair, Stella offered her own answer as well. She aimed for things to be different between them this time. This little activity of theirs eventually became a routine every afternoon when they spent time together.
“What’s your favorite color?” Stella asked a different question.
“It’s blue, particularly something like azure,” Ophelia responded. She still wasn't meeting Stella’s gaze.
“What a coincidence; that’s my favorite color too.” Stella smiled, trying to get her attention.
“…”
Even though it seemed like a one-sided effort, Stella knew that she was putting on a disinterested façade to discourage her. The omega was still reluctant to share facts about herself, and her reaction was quite entertaining, honestly. Back in her previous life, she barely knew anything about Ophelia even though they lived together for three years. And so, Stella put effort into closing the gap between them, bit by bit. Hopefully, this would bring them closer and allow her to gain Ophelia’s trust over time.
Today was one of the ordinary days when Ophelia forced her to go out for a picnic in the garden. As they walked past the manor’s library, she caught a glimpse of a young, lonely man reading by himself. Every time they passed here, she could always see Matteo alone in the library, aside from meal hours at the dining hall.
“Ophelia, I have a request,” Stella said, stopping in her tracks. “Could we invite Matteo for the picnic?”
Seeing a young man who should be spending time outside like any other boy of his age, hiding behind his books was depressing. This was the first time Stella ever asked for anything, and that instantly made the omega stop dead in her tracks. She paused for a couple of seconds before she looked over her shoulder, still in doubt.
“Why?” Ophelia asked.
“I don’t think it’s good for him to cope in the library alone without getting some fresh air,” Stella answered, genuinely concerned for him. “He shouldn’t stay indoors like this, especially for his age.”
“…”
The alpha knew exactly what she was doing. She knew how much Ophelia cherished and cared for her little brother, even though she never did express it in public. Which was why she would consider her request. As she expected, ever since that day she asked, Matteo had been invited to join the picnic and spend time with them every afternoon. A week flew by with the three of them sitting in the garden, enjoying the chilling breeze accompanied by a subtle sweet fragrance of flowers. Stella had been using this opportunity to get to know him better as well. Matteo always stayed in the library reading books without interacting with other siblings and cousins as much, which unfortunately made him unmemorable and practically nonexistent in Stella’s past life. She felt partly guilty for being one of those people who didn’t recognize or even remember him.
She hoped she could make it up to him this time.
If it wasn’t for Matteo, who left that letter at the manor for her, Stella would remain blind to the Viscount’s actions. She would still be following his words unconditionally and misunderstanding Ophelia for the rest of her life. This time, it would be different. Perhaps driven by guilt, Stella wanted to return them a favor by preventing both Ophelia and Matteo’s tragic demise.
“If you like adventure books, then I believe you’ll enjoy ‘The Lands Beyond the North,’ written by Commander Taran Valens,” Stella said, suggesting a book to him. “That’s one of my favorites.”
“Yes! That’s also my favorite too!” Matteo’s voice rose in pitch, brimming with exhilaration.
After they spoke about his hobbies and interests, the young alpha boy began warming up to Stella quickly. He went from being bashful to an enthusiastic young man whenever they talked about books. Stella was surprised that Matteo showed great interest in the same types of books as hers, which were adventure and explorer biographies. One of his favorite books was written by one of the famous commanders of that era, Taran Valens, who ventured into the uncharted lands beyond the Northland and returned safely to share his expedition tales with everyone.
“It is extremely informative and exciting when he shares the story of his expeditions to the uncharted lands beyond Northland.” Matteo continued. “Have you read most of his books too?”
“You could say it’s a mandatory thing that all descendants of Valens must know the story of his legacy.” Stella chuckled softly. “After all, Commander Taran is my ancestor from my mom’s family.”
“Ah, right!” Matteo’s eyes sparkled as he spoke. “You’re also from Valens, too.”
“Part Valens, part Albrecht, yes.” Stella laughed.
His eyes sparkled in a way that no one in the manor had ever seen before. Even Ophelia herself was surprised by how much her brother had opened his heart to Stella after a few afternoon picnic sessions. They exchanged words as though they had been friends for a long time. Watching her two favorite humans interacting with each other felt something close to a dream. Even though Ophelia pretended to be disinterested in their conversation, she genuinely enjoyed listening to Matteo speaking and smiling openly like this.
This place, the Chevalier Manor, was no different than a prison to the two of them.
No such thing as warmth behind these dark, cold walls where the Marquis instilled the concept of survival of the fittest in all of them ever since Ophelia could remember. If one couldn’t prove their worth as a Chevalier, then they would be deemed worthless, trash, before their family’s glorified name. Whether it was Ophelia, her siblings, or her cousins, everyone strove to become the best if it meant trampling over others. Hence, it felt like a load was lifted off her chest when she could see her younger brother wearing such a wide smile.
“That’s quite rare to see you daydreaming like this, Ophelia.” Stella’s gentle voice snapped the pink-haired lady back to the present. The woman noticed both Stella and Matteo had their attention on her. “You should read books that Matteo recommended. I believe you’ll enjoy them.”
“I told you already,” Ophelia sighed sharply. “I don’t have time for that insignificant information, as they bring no benefit to the family—”
“There’s no harm in trying something new, right?” Stella cut her off mid-sentence. “We’ll choose one book for you to enjoy recreationally during your free time.”
“You—” Ophelia’s brows furrowed, glaring at her fiancée.
Matteo blinked, quite surprised by how Stella was able to handle his elder sister so comfortably. Even though Ophelia showed nothing but an imperious or contemptuous attitude toward her, Stella remained unfazed. Instead, the alpha appeared to enjoy seeing his sister flustered.
“Hah, you seemed to take great pleasure in getting on my nerves, did you?” Ophelia shot back. Her tone was laced with sarcasm.
“I simply want to know you better,” Stella replied. “And now you’re accusing me of intentionally annoying you?”
“You’ve been constantly annoying me with your trivial questions for the past week.” Ophelia’s gaze sharpened as it narrowed.
“You get what you deserve.” Stella shrugged. “Since you’re forcing me around to your afternoon tea parties, then it’s fair I have some fun too.”
Stella did not hesitate to argue back with her words as well, since she was inevitably still petty about how Ophelia annoyed her so much in her past life. Since the omega attempted to get on her nerves once again, she needed to make sure she had fair revenge by having some fun bullying her.
“Y-You—!” Ophelia shot daggers at her.
“As much as you make me have to deal with you,” Stella remained stern and decisive. “Then it’s fair you’ll have to deal with me.”
Stella stuck her tongue out, and that made Ophelia even more annoyed at her mischievous attitude. They began bickering back and forth, and it had become a routine during their afternoon picnic. As the younger boy watched them argue, he realized he sensed no hostility from either of them. Being a natural observer, Matteo was quite sensitive to people’s emotions, and he could tell how much his elder sister seemed to enjoy interacting with Stella despite contradicting her words and actions.
He smiled quietly as he noticed the pink coloration that touched Ophelia’s ears.