Chapter 1

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December 29, 2018. (About 6 months before the banquet from the prologue)

"Ayla honey, can you get the door? I bet your father is back from his business trip!" Mrs. Silber yelled from the top of the stairs. She gave all the servants a holiday today as it was 2 days until the new year, so the house was all alone except for her and Ayla. Elan was returning from college tomorrow while Ayla returned yesterday.

"Sure mom, just give me one sec." I replied while getting up and sprinting towards the door. Although dad didn't talk much and he seemed kind of withdrawn all the time, I still loved him. He was still my dad, was he not? Just like how everyone loves differently, I thought his care for me showed in small things. I felt like his personality was just naturally reticent. Despite all this, I still held on to the idea that one day he would ruff up my hair and smile at me. When I was younger and I saw people from school trying to run from their parents' affection, I wanted to hit them. How could they not realize how loved they were? But rationality would take hold of myself and I would slowly drift my sight away.

I walked through the corridor, letting the white light wash over me. My home slippers stepped on the ground, with big white squares making a distinct pattern on the light colored marble. I placed my hands on the antique doorknobs, pulling the door open while smiling. It's been so long since I've seen dad.

The second I opened the door, however, my smile vanished quickly. In front of me I saw Dad, wearing his routine gray suit. The suit fit him perfectly, not a bit too tight or loose. Despite being an older man, the 50+ years of age didn't wither him down. He still looked pretty dashing, carrying with him charm that developed through his years. Maybe he was in a hurry though, as his normally stiff ironed suit was slightly messy, and he was breathing a little heavily. This wasn't what made my smile disappear though. It was what I saw my dad was doing. He was holding hands with a girl behind him, smiling.

Actually, girl wasn't the proper title. She was clearly a person my age. She had pale skin and rosy cheeks. Her golden blonde hair was lively, somehow blowing as if there was a gentle breeze inside the house. The breeze sent a mild sweet scent towards me, and I got encased in the smell of vanilla and coconuts. Her figure was voluptuous, having curves in all the right places. To say she was stunning...that would be an understatement. Her looks were an innocent kind of beauty, with her big doll eyes and palm-sized face giving the impression of a delicacy.

Dad was smiling  while holding her hand. I felt my heart ache, the dull pain spread throughout my body, making my hand holding the door open tremble.

Dad never smiled. Ever. Be it in front of me, Elan, or even mom. He was always stone faced. I spent so much effort trying to please him when I was younger, but I never got this smile in return. 

A smile I never received when I became the class president every year since 1st grade.

 A smile I never got when I got into the most prestigious university in the nation, without family connections. 

A smile I never got when I made him a birthday cake as soon as I returned from my first semester at university. It was chocolate cake too, his favorite flavor.

I gave him a questioning look, trying to hold in the feelings my gut was having.

"She's your new sister. She's two years younger than you, so make sure to take care of her. You're the older one after all. Corinna, this is Ayla. Ayla, Corinna." He gave me an answer, but it just gave me so many more questions. Why did I get a random sister out of nowhere? Where did she come from? WAIT! 

Holy Crap! Did dad cheat on mom and raise an illegitimate daughter, and decided to bring her back home to get recognition?!

"Hi Ayla, or should I call you Big Sis now? I've never had a sibling before in the orphanage, and I was one of the oldest, so I was always taking care of the others. I hope we get along well!" Her voice was high-pitched, giving off the impression that she was an innocent being that needed all the care and attention available from others.

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