A Young Lady Who Has Had Everything Exploited By Her Sickly Younger Sister Will Not Let Anyone Take Anything From Her Anymore - Chapter 4

Before Colette could even react, her mother shouted in anger.

“Right in front of Liliane! Can’t you be more thoughtful?!”

“……!”

“It’s okay, Mother… I’m sorry for causing trouble because I’m always so weak,” Liliane said, her voice sad and her eyes lowered, her body trembling slightly.

Her mother snapped, “You were off chasing boys while Liliane was suffering!”

“Why can’t you understand how Liliane feels, you fool?!”

“Ah…”

Colette was shocked. She hadn’t realized her family thought she was being selfish for staying away from the estate.

At the same time, a deep, painful feeling rose inside her.

“You don’t even talk to Liliane anymore—just playing around! Colette, you’re…!”

*****

“I’m disgusted with you! How dare you say those things in front of Liliane! Do you have no heart?!”

“I didn’t mean to…”

Before she could finish, her father slapped her hard on the other cheek.

Colette fell to the floor.

As she got up, holding her cheek, she saw something she couldn’t believe.

Liliane… was smiling?

Her soft pink lips curved into a neat smile—as if she were enjoying Colette being scolded and slapped.

It wasn’t her imagination. Liliane was smiling.

While her parents yelled at her, Colette felt the little bit of light and hope she’d found—with Van and the parties—fade away.

Her world turned gray again.

Her parents then forbade her from going to parties or tea gatherings for months.

*****

Colette couldn’t argue. She wasn’t allowed to talk back.

She stayed in her room, quiet and hidden, just trying not to be noticed.

She had learned that if she behaved like Liliane and showed care for her, her parents wouldn’t get angry.

Seeing her obey, her parents said, “This is how it should be. She finally understands Liliane’s pain.”

What am I to them? Why am I even here…?

Those questions floated in her heart—but she never asked them out loud.

She stopped wearing the fancy dresses Liliane liked, stopped wearing jewelry, and didn’t make any friends.

Eventually, she stopped caring about the reasons behind it all.

She was disliked by her parents—and soon even the maids and servants avoided her.

Colette began to feel like she didn’t belong anywhere.

*****

One day, as she sat alone in her room, reading a book, she thought:

When I read, I don’t have to think about anything.

Her parents had even told her to read the books Liliane had finished.

Lately, it had become a routine—listening to Liliane talk about the books she read.

That was the only thing they could talk about.

Every day, Colette visited Liliane’s room and forced a weak smile, telling the same boring stories about their uneventful life. The stories Liliane seemed to enjoy.

Little by little, Colette chose more difficult books that Liliane didn’t like. That way, their conversations could be shorter.

She buried herself in study and learning to escape the sadness.

Liliane stayed as her beloved daughter.

And Colette?

She had nothing—not even the right to ask for anything.

Since she couldn’t leave the house, she began studying estate management, as her father had ordered.