"My lady?"
Lucy smacked her forehead in exasperation. Anastasia had disappeared from her sight again. The young lady loved playing hide-and-seek, perhaps because she longed for someone her age to play with.
Lucy scanned the room, her gaze landing on the thick bedroom curtains. A small smile formed on her lips as she noticed a familiar pair of sandals peeking out from beneath the fabric.
"Peek-a-boo!"
She pulled the curtain aside, expecting to find Anastasia giggling behind it-but instead, there was nothing but a pillow and a pair of abandoned sandals.
Lucy's heart skipped a beat.
"My lady!!"
Her panicked shout echoed through the room, but before she could react further, Anastasia was already running down the hall, stifling a mischievous giggle.
"Hehehe."
It had been weeks since they moved into the manor, yet not once had she set foot in the garden-the very place she could only admire from her attic window. Locked away in her room most of the time, the only moments she was allowed to leave were during mealtimes.
She missed playing. The vast, colorful garden seemed like the perfect playground.
Several maids froze in their tracks as they spotted Anastasia wandering the halls. Some exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of how to react-after all, they knew she wasn't supposed to be outside her room.
But others hesitated and simply let her be.
Abandoned or not, she was still a Winston.
Anastasia came to an abrupt stop, her breathing slightly uneven from running. She glanced around, realizing she had no idea where she had ended up.
Her original plan to sneak into the vast garden was completely forgotten the moment an irresistible aroma filled the air.
"Gggrrrwlll..."
She instinctively placed a hand over her stomach as hunger gnawed at her. The delicious scent only made it worse.
Anastasia couldn't help but feel envious. She had hoped that, now that she was living in the manor, she would finally get to eat proper meals-but after more than a week, that hope had yet to come true. The food Lucy brought her was barely different from what she used to eat in the old castle-thin soup and a single piece of bread.
So what was this rich, mouthwatering smell?
Curious, Anastasia carefully peeked around the corner, drawn by the familiar sound of a voice.
"Hey, Ingrid. Eat this. I heard it's your favorite." one voice said.
Before Ingrid could respond, another voice chimed in.
"No, that's not her favorite. I heard she likes steak more than salad. Here, Ingrid, eat this instead."
Anastasia's emerald eyes widened slightly.
"W-wait, Brother Lion and Brother Dion... I can't eat all of this..." Ingrid stammered.
Anastasia watched quietly from her hiding spot, feeling something unfamiliar twist in her chest as she took in the sight before her.
Anastasia stood frozen at the sight before her.
From her hiding place, she could see the long dining table where her brothers sat, eating together with the girl Lucy had told her was her cousin. At the head of the table sat the duke, his usual cold and unreadable expression in place-though this time, he looked calmer compared to the first time she had seen him.
What struck Anastasia the most, however, was the way her brothers looked at Ingrid. The same brothers who had only ever cast her cold, disdainful stares now smiled warmly at the girl sitting beside them.
There was a softness in their eyes, a fondness that she had never once received.
She didn't fully understand why, but in her young heart and mind, a painful realization took root-they were happier with Ingrid than with her.
Maybe... maybe what the maids in the old palace had whispered behind her back was true.
Maybe she really was abandoned by her own family.
And maybe... if they had ever truly cared for her, she would have been the one sitting in Ingrid's place, laughing and sharing a meal with them. But she wasn't.
At that moment, a blurred memory began to cloud Anastasia's young mind.
"You're no longer needed in this family. Get out!"
"What the hell! Not only do you keep pestering us, but can't you do anything right? I'm ashamed to even call you my sister."
"Get lost and never come back!"
"You're asking me what you did wrong? How I wish it was you who died instead of Mom!"
A sharp pain shot through her head as the voices echoed relentlessly in her mind. Her small hands trembled as she clutched at her head, eyes tightly shut, trying to block out the cruel words that played over and over inside her head.
Where were these voices coming from?
Before she could make sense of it, a sharp, impatient voice cut through the haze, yanking her back to reality.
"What are you doing here, Lady Anastasia?"
The haunting voices faded, and Anastasia's breathing hitched. Slowly, she looked up, meeting the cold, irritated gaze of a woman standing before her.
"I'm asking you again, my lady. What are you doing here? This is a restricted area. You shouldn't be wandering around where you don't belong. Don't you know that?"
She blinked and instinctively took a small step back. Standing before her was Flor, the manor's head maid.
"You're not supposed to be here, my lady." Flor said, her brows furrowed in displeasure. "Before the duke sees you, just do yourself a favor and go back to the attic where you belong."
A quiet snicker came from behind Flor.
Anastasia's gaze shifted toward the sound, landing on a young girl peeking out from behind the older woman. The girl's lips curled into a sly smirk, her amusement barely contained.
Anastasia clenched her small fists.
She didn't know why, but something about that laugh sent an uneasy feeling through her chest.
Unlike her, the little lady was dressed far better. Her clothes were clean and elegant, a complete contrast to Anastasia's own worn-out dress.
When the young girl noticed her staring, she immediately raised a brow.
"What are you looking at? Didn't you hear my mom? She said you shouldn't be here because only true members of the Winston family are allowed to join during lunch and dinner."
"Huh... b-but I'm a Winston too... so that means I'm also allowed to join them, right?" Anastasia asked innocently.
The girl scoffed, crossing her arms.
"Didn't you hear what I said? Only true members of the Winston family have the right to dine with the Duke. And you're not part of that because you're just an abandoned daughter. Isn't that right, Mom?" She then turned to Flor.
Flor nodded without hesitation.
"My daughter is right, my lady. Since the Duke doesn't want to see you-nor do the young masters-it's best if you just go back to the attic and wait for your food after they finish eating."
Anastasia's stomach let out a loud growl. She clutched it instinctively, her face filled with hesitation.
"But I'm hungry... Can I have just one bite of what they're eating? I promise I'll hide well from them." she pleaded, her gaze drifting longingly to the four figures at the dining table.
They looked like a happy family-something she could never be a part of.
The little girl let out an amused snicker. "Pfft. What a poor young lady. I bet you only eat leftovers."
With a smirk, she reached into her pocket and pulled out an apple, holding it out toward her.
Anastasia's eyes immediately widened in surprise. That fruit-it was something she had always seen the maids eating back at the old palace. She had never tasted it before, and curiosity sparked in her as she wondered what it would taste like if she ate it.
Just as she was about to reach for the apple, the girl deliberately let it slip from her hand, letting it fall to the ground.
"Oops, sorry. My hand is a little slippery. But if you want, you can still eat it, even if it's already fallen."
A mischievous smile played on the girl's lips as she eyed Anastasia from head to toe. However, her smirk quickly faded when Anastasia didn't show any sign of anger or annoyance. Instead, she happily picked up the fallen apple, wiped it against the hem of her dress, and took a bite.
"Wow! So this is how it tastes!" she exclaimed before taking another bite.
"Thank you! I'm Anastasia Winston, by the way. What's your name? You're the first one to give me this fruit!" she said cheerfully.
The young girl froze, caught off guard by Anastasia's unexpected reaction.