Episode 14
“No…!”
As Layla ran toward the burning carriage, it felt like the ground was stretching.
She kept running, but the carriage didn’t get any closer.
“No, no… Easton!”
Her vision blurred and her breath caught in her throat.
She couldn’t run anymore and dropped to her knees.
She had experienced things like this before—too many times.
Click, click.
She turned around with a pale face when she heard a familiar sound—someone clicking their tongue.
“You’re already flirting with a man? Just like your mother.”
The sweet, fairy tale-like dream was over.
Yes, this was her real life.
Instead of spending her days in a flutter with first love, like a summer romance…
“I have to take care of him myself.”
She lived a life full of fear, waiting to be slaughtered.
“N-no way…”
Her eyes trembled as she looked at him.
“You…!”
“You?” he repeated mockingly.
He was a middle-aged man in a neat, expensive suit—just like Easton.
He wore a luxury watch, a diamond tie pin, and a huge gray spinel ring on his finger.
Everything about him showed high status.
He grinned, showing his teeth.
“To your father.”
He was Duke La Rose—leader of the noble faction in the Inverno Empire, and Layla’s father.
“H-how could you…”
She couldn’t speak properly. Her lips shook, and her limbs trembled.
She tried to stand, but her legs, weak with fear, wouldn’t support her.
“You poor thing.”
The man’s shadow loomed over her. It felt so big, her lips trembled on their own.
Slowly, she raised her head.
“This time too…”
Smirking, he knelt down slowly and whispered:
“He died because of you.”
Layla’s pupils shook violently.
Someone had died. No—her first love, whom she had just come to understand her feelings for.
And again, it was because of her.
“You killed someone again…”
“Ahhh!”
She screamed and grabbed her hair, collapsing.
“Get out of my way!”
A fancy noblewoman kicked a little girl standing in front of her.
“Ugh…”
The skinny child rolled on the floor.
Her hair was dirty with sweat, her body covered in dust, and her clothes looked like they’d fall apart at any moment.
Her bright pink eyes looked slowly at the noblewoman—Duchess La Rose.
As soon as their eyes met, the woman flinched.
“Why is this filthy child walking around the mansion?”
The duchess slapped the maid beside her.
“I told you to lock her in the attic!”
“I-I did! I’m sorry…”
The head maid looked confused. She was sure she locked it well—how did the girl get out?
Still puzzled, she grabbed Layla by the back of the neck.
“Let’s go, miss!”
She called her “miss,” but treated her harshly.
“That’s too much, isn’t it?”
Just then, Duke La Rose appeared. He clicked his tongue and frowned.
“Why slap a loyal maid for something like this?”
Layla looked at him. Maybe he was the one who gave her life, but he was never a father.
A real father wouldn’t lock his daughter in an attic without food or water.
“You’re upset over one small, dirty child?”
“Hah. Isn’t she your child?” the duchess snapped.
“You should take responsibility. Don’t just stand by.”
She sneered at him, but the duke didn’t back down.
“Better than abusing her, isn’t it?”
“Haha!”
The duchess burst out laughing.
When she stopped, she smiled coldly and walked up to him, gently dragging a finger down his chest.
“What woman could love her husband’s illegitimate child?”
Her eyes turned dark and sharp.
“You should be glad I didn’t kill her.”
She had known about the duke’s affairs for a long time.
She gave him one rule: have your fun, but don’t make a child.
But he failed. He brought home that filthy girl.
Every time she saw Layla, she felt furious.
“She must’ve been pretty,” the duke added.
“She’ll be useful one day. So go easy.”
He didn’t tell her to stop the abuse—just walked away after coughing.
The duchess sighed and gave the maid a signal.
The maid grabbed the weak child and dragged her like an animal.
When they got to the attic, she threw Layla in.
Again, she tumbled like a leaf in the wind.
But Layla crawled to the maid and grabbed her leg.
“H-hungry…”
It had been two days since she ate.
She had tried to unlock the attic and find food.
The old lock had finally broken, and she escaped.
But she was just five years old—too young to think of escaping the mansion.
She just wanted to eat.
“H-hung—”
“Speak clearly! I said no bread if you stutter!”
The maid pushed her off.
Layla tried not to stutter. She moved her fingers nervously and did her best.
But the more she tried, the more nervous she got.
“Ba-ba-ba…”
“Ugh! So annoying!”
The maid plugged her ears.
“You won’t eat today either!”
She slammed the door shut with a bang and locked it with a new, stronger lock.
Layla clutched her hungry belly.
“I’m hungry…”
When she was alone, she didn’t stutter. She only stuttered because she was scared of adults.
To her, no adult had ever been kind.
She hugged her knees and buried her face.
She had lived here ever since she could remember.
No one loved her. Everyone hated her.
She didn’t even know what love or sadness truly meant.
She didn’t know how to cry out loud.
So tears fell silently as she sobbed.
Then, she heard the sound of a lock being opened.
Nervous, Layla moved aside and stared at the door as it slowly creaked open.
A beam of light entered.
And the person who came in was…
“O-Oppa!”
Her half-brother—Prinel.
