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Betty eventually took away my music box. It was never returned to me again.
My father was often away from home attending to his business. Andrea would often call me into her room when he was away. She’d tell me that I have not been disciplined enough by my mother, that I grew up spoiled. That’s why she said that I needed to be re-disciplined.
It seems that Andrea has been ostracized in the social circles. My father doesn’t seem to be aware of this since no one would be stupid enough to show such stupidity in front of the Duke of Stewart, one of the four great dukes.
Aristocrats value their bloodline. That’s why they don’t like Andrea, a former commoner who used her body to seduce my father and then went out to socialize as if she owned the place. However, she continues to try to get close to anyone who looks good and has a good background.
Normally, such a woman can be considered a social butterfly in the social circles, but that is only the case for legitimate noblewomen with excellent bloodlines.
As a former commoner, she is considered to be the same as a b*tch.
She must be aware of it. But it’s not like she could do something about it when it’s just who she really is.
The bullying of the aristocrats is especially insidious, especially for women. That’s why her stress often comes out during my discipline sessions.
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“Ne~e, why does Dahlia have so many dresses and accessories? It’s unfair~”
Betty strolled inside without permission and started rummaging through my room. The maid beside me raised an eyebrow at her behavior. But she couldn’t ask her to stop so she could only pay attention.
Betty is Andrea’s daughter, and the one who has the sole authority regarding household matters is that vixen that seduced my father… sorry, I mean Andrea. If you displease her, you might lose your job. That’s why no one bothers with what Betty does.
“You can’t just go through someone else’s room like that.”
I grabbed Betty’s arm and dusted off a dress that she took from the closet. She looked surprised for a moment. She grinned for a while then suddenly burst into tears and wailed loudly. Immediately, Andrea and my father, who happened to be home on a holiday that day, came in.
Betty hugged the two as she cried.
“What’s wrong, Betty?”
Father looked between Betty and me with confusion as he gently took her crying figure into his arms.
“O-Onee sama hit me!”
“What?!”
Father’s bewildered face quickly turned into that of a demon, and Andrea let out something like a scream and fell backwards.
“Madam,” a maid hurriedly supported her.
“I didn’t hit her.”
The only one who could prove it was the maid who was in my room. But she awkwardly averted her gaze when I looked at her.
If I told the truth, I would be at a disadvantage. But I couldn’t lie, either. Such a conflict was exuding from the maid.
When I saw that, I became convinced. I realized that there was no one here that was on my side.
“She’s lying! Don’t believe her, father! Onee-sama said that I have the blood of a lowly commoner, that I’m a child of a mistress and does not deserve to live here!”
Betty continued to cry on my father’s chest.
“I was wrong to have spoiled you, Dahlia, just because of Florence. Those are words that shouldn’t be directed to your sister, much less violence!”
Father glared at me as his teeth clenched.
Ahh. Maybe I really should’ve just hit her if it was going to be like this. That would have been better.
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