Chapter : 5
“Ah…”
The moment she realized it, tears slipped down her cheeks.
Drip, drip.
“So… Soya?”
Ilim, flustered, didn’t know what to do as he looked at her.
“I’m sorry. My tears… they just came out all of a sudden. I’m so happy.”
Soya smiled brightly, brushing at the corners of her eyes.
Happy. And… it felt so unfamiliar.
Since that day three years ago, no one had ever spoken to her with such kind words.
It was also the first time someone had wished her a happy birthday.
Come to think of it, that day… the day she was abandoned by her family three years ago, had been her sixth birthday.
Soya swallowed the bitter feeling that arose from realizing this fact.
“Thank you so much for coming to keep your promise.”
Soya tightly held the norigae (ornamental pendant) Ilim had given her and spoke.
Ilim stared at her for a moment, then reached out his hand.
“Let me see that for a moment.”
He pinned the norigae, adorned with a ruby, onto Soya’s jeogori (jacket).
Then, in a calm tone, he said,
“It’s beautiful.”
“……”
“Now it feels like it’s finally with its rightful owner.”
At his gentle praise, Soya felt her face flush.
To be honest, her mother’s keepsake didn’t seem to match her shabby appearance at all…
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Soya smiled happily.
Ilim also smiled softly, following her lead.
“Just call me ‘Ohrabeoni’ like before.”
The two sat side by side on the flat rock, chatting quietly.
“By the way… what happened?”
He asked carefully.
“You look very different from what I remember. Could you tell me what’s been going on all this time?”
At that question, Soya hesitated.
It was embarrassing to reveal her ugly secret to someone from her childhood, but she didn’t want to hide or lie.
“I…”
Soya confessed that she had been the one who stole the lady’s position.
Ilim listened silently, his brows knitting together.
He sensed that something was wrong.
“But… that can’t be…”
Muttering quietly, he suddenly sprang to his feet.
“Ilim Ohrabeoni?”
“Soya.”
Ilim grasped Soya’s hands tightly, surprised by her confusion.
Her small fingers were rough, probably from all the hardships she had endured. That made Ilim a little upset.
There was a shadow over Soya that hadn’t been there in his memories.
Seeing Soya’s withdrawn demeanor earlier and recalling how her family treated her as if she didn’t exist, anger welled up inside him.
‘Even if this child really took her biological daughter’s place, it’s never her fault.’
But despite the hostility of those she once called family, one thing remained unchanged: that clear, innocent smile.
Ilim wanted to protect Soya’s smile. Perhaps he was late, but at least now, he could.
“I need to find something urgently, so I’ll have to return to the palace.”
“Ah…”
A tinge of disappointment crossed Soya’s face.
Seeing that, Ilim hesitated to leave.
But perhaps, in the palace archives, he could finally resolve the troubling doubts that had been nagging him since earlier.
And maybe, just maybe, Soya… this girl…
“Don’t be too upset. I’ll be back soon. And when I return…”
He might find a way to take her from this mansion to the palace.
“I want to take you to the palace, if you… permit me.”
“……”
Soya stared at him in silence.
Ilim smiled and hooked his pinky finger around hers.
Just as she had done with his pinky three years ago.
And from a distance, a pair of eyes watched the scene unfold.
That night, the prince left in a hurry, and the next morning:
“Be honest. You did steal this, didn’t you?”
Riri shouted sharply at Soya.
In her hand was the same norigae Soya had received back from Ilim last night.
“N-no, Miss.”
Soya trembled but firmly defended herself.
“I didn’t steal it. P-please return it.”
Riri’s face contorted seeing Soya speak up, not obediently as usual.
“Where’s the lie?”
Riri had disliked Soya from the very first moment she saw her.
She didn’t like that there was a girl around her age in the mansion, and she hated that this working girl drew attention with a prettier face than hers.
She also disliked how her father and Ohrabeoni seemed unconsciously concerned about Soya.
So Riri had deliberately made Soya her personal maid, always keeping her close to remind her how different their statuses were.
Sometimes she even subtly encouraged others to pick on Soya.
Of course, she had to remain the sweet and kind youngest lady, so she did all of it subtly.
In fact, yesterday, Riri intended to embarrass Soya.
She planned to show Soya’s shabby appearance in front of the esteemed prince and have a good laugh.
She had found it ridiculous how Soya always felt ashamed of her ragged appearance before her father and Ohrabeoni.
‘This will teach her her place.’
But things didn’t go as she expected.
From the moment the prince looked at Soya as he stepped down from the carriage, Riri felt an odd sense of foreboding, especially after seeing them share a kind conversation last night.
Though she couldn’t hear their words from afar, seeing Ilim stroke Soya’s head and give her the norigae made Riri furious inside.
‘I don’t know what that sly fox did, but I have to get rid of her before His Highness returns.’
So, before the prince came back, Riri framed Soya for stealing.
The norigae Soya received from the prince last night was a perfect excuse.
With the prince gone and no witnesses, Riri intended to accuse Soya of theft.
“It’s not a lie. I swear it’s true.”
Soya, with tears brimming in her eyes, pleaded while trembling.
“If you didn’t steal it, then where did it come from?”
“Th-that…”
Soya couldn’t bring herself to answer.
‘Even if I say I got it from His Highness, no one would believe me.’
At that moment, one of the onlookers whispered quietly:
“Isn’t that… the late lady’s norigae?”
“What?”
Riri spun around sharply, and the whisperer quickly closed their mouth with a gulp.
But Riri had already heard it.
“The late lady… so this belonged to Riri’s mother?”
Riri’s voice trembled.
“Why… why do you have something that belonged to my mother?”
At the sharp question, the color drained from Soya’s face.
[Make sure Riri never discovers your identity. If she is hurt because of you, I will not forgive it.]
Her father’s stern warning echoed in her mind.
“I-it’s… th-that…”
“Spit it out!”
Riri, dropping her sweet mask, shoved Soya aggressively.
Soya’s small body slammed hard against the floor.
At that moment, Jeok A-yun and Jeok Hwa-yu happened to witness the scene.
“Riri…!”
The fragile peace Jeok A-yun had maintained shattered instantly.
Riri learned that Soya was the fake daughter who had stolen her place.
Shocked, she collapsed, and the mansion descended into chaos.
The servants whispered about Soya.
How shameless… a thief who stole the lady’s place. They couldn’t even go apologize to her. Poor, dear Riri…
Harsh words pricked at Soya’s delicate skin like needles.
“I-I need to… apologize… I must admit my wrongdoing. I… I’m sorry… for taking the lady’s place…”
Soya went to the lady’s room. She had to apologize.
Even though stealing the lady’s childhood was unforgivable, perhaps her apology could ease the lady’s feelings a little…
Standing in front of the closed door, Soya took a deep, shaky breath.
“Get rid of that girl.”
The voice from inside froze her in place.
“Riri can never live under the same sky as that girl. If you don’t want Riri to die, get rid of her. Before His Highness returns to take her.”
“Yes.”
The immediate response came from Hwa-yu Ohrabeoni.
