I was raised as the daughter of an old aristocratic family, but when I was kidnapped, I was reportedly switched with the daughter of a maid.
All the rage was directed at me, as I saw Siena, the true daughter, struggling as a maid.
“I’m holding back the urge to drag you out like a dog and bury you in the rain,” said my brother, his words piercing me like a dagger.
“Why should I help you? What benefit is there for me in helping you?”
After being ousted from the family, my friends turned their backs on me, and the fiancé I loved mocked me.
The only person who approached me was Aiden Calypso, a common war hero of slave origin who had just become a nobleman.
He proposed that I become a private tutor, saying he needed someone to teach him social etiquette, and offered a salary of 30 gold, which would be more than enough for me to save up and leave this place.
With nowhere else to go, I became his tutor. Gradually, I saved up my wages and started my own business, eventually proving that I was the real daughter.
Those who had abandoned me then came begging, “My dear daughter, we’re sorry. Please come back home.”
How laughable. When I shouted that I was the real one, they ignored me.
“It’s too late for apologies now. Regret is your burden to bear.”
“When you’re in trouble, lean on me. Even if I can’t become a strong tree, I can at least be the undergrowth that shields you from the wind and rain,” said my student, Aiden Calypso, wrapping his arm around my shoulder with a gentle smile, his gaze burning hot.
That’s when I realized – his request for a private tutor had all been a ruse. From the beginning, he had wanted me.
