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A few hours past midnight; the light of dawn still distant.
The room was dark, musty with the scent of neglect. The air was stale, particles of dust danced to the faint street lights filtering through the grimy, sealed-off windows.
Reene struggled awake.
Rising from bed with a haggard visage, her obsidian black hair tumbled in disarray. Her ruby red eyes sparkled faintly in a muddy light.
The day started the same as any other.
Untangling the knots by running her fingers through her hair, Reene thought wearily over how she should leave her room.
The door was barricaded by the haphazard stacking of furniture, stretching from one end of the room to the other. Cupboard, drawers, desks, chairs—their varnish sun-faded and edges worn.
The arrangement of it made her room look ridiculous, yet it was this extreme practice which had kept her safe from threats within her household.
She shuffled out of bed and walked to the door. Checking the lock and confirming that it remained untampered, she pushed away the wheeled drawer placed against it.
—Creak.
Carefully, through the narrowly open gap, she peered out into the eerily space beyond.
She exhaled; a sigh. The hallway was empty.
Silencing her footsteps, she went out with the door closing quietly behind her.
The first place she went was the bathroom.
Bringing along a change of clothes, she roughly cleaned and washed her previous clothes with whatever soap was available.
She was lucky that today the bathroom had everything she needed. Some days it didn’t even have proper running water to use.
Returning to her room, she went to hang her crudely washed clothes in one corner. Water dripped, damping the rotting wood floor.
It was only after finishing laundry did she head out to the kitchen.
Just like any normal person, she wasn’t immune to hunger.
The kitchen was a mess, storing mostly half opened alcoholic beverages or food that had long gone bad.
The only reasonably edible items she could find were leftover smoked jerky and the stone hard bread she saw three days ago but didn’t bring into her room.
Reene reached out for the grub, wrestling disappointment.
Stacking the loaves of crummy bread and funky smelling jerky in her hands, she headed back.
Cleaning herself and scavenging for food, these necessities to sustain herself could only be done during nocturnal hours when people slept.
During the day she was limited to the confines of her room.
Such was the girl’s life.
Small, unending series of actions done all for the sake of her survival.
All her life, she lived in isolation.
Everyday was a struggle.
And today her luck had run out.
…Reene dropped the food at the door.
Shadowy figures.
Reene who stood frozen at the door saw two ruffians who had entered while she was away, rummaging through the little she owned.
Her personal room which she had painstakingly tried to defend… was breached.
‘Get out…’ She wanted so much to scream.
The heart wrenching pain, boiling frustration—emotions she could hardly describe pounded at her entire being.
Why?
Why did they have to do this to her? What had she ever done wrong?
The pungent scent of alcohol was so strong it made her dizzy. Lecherous eyes ogled at her.
She felt the hairs of the end of her skin tingle, a chilly feeling ran down her spine. Experience had told her what would happen if she tried to provoke these degenerates.
Reene quickly picked up the piece of bread she had dropped and ran…
Ran…
Somewhere… anywhere…
Suppressing her breathing to hide away sounds. Footsteps that were muted, by abandoning her shoes, running barefooted.
Her lungs felt like it was being crushed, she couldn’t stop herself from shaking.
A secluded corner of the manor she arrived. Crouched within heaps of discarded furniture, underneath a desk she heaved.
She thought about all the things they would do in her room.
The things she would lose, and the destruction they would cause.
Quaffing down the tasteless bread, she wept silently.
She was anguished, afraid, frustrated… yet what could she do?
It had always been this way. Always.
She was a fragile and weak girl… what fight could she muster? Any attempts to gain agency over her life was only met with swift collapse.
How long could she hide here?
Would she ever return to the safety of her room?
Were there no other alternatives for her?
“Why…” Reene cried. Tears flowed endlessly from her eyes.
Before the sun comes up and wakes the rest of the manor’s disgusting residents, did she have to go back to face those intruders?
“Why is life so hard…”
What if she already lost everything?
A life so miserable, was there even any point in living?
“Wh—”
“Reene.”
Reene bit her tongue, killing her voice.
“Come out.” A voice that wasn’t her’s.
Her entire body shook, she covered her ears, sinking deeper into the shadows. Tears swelled. She knew this voice; she hated this voice.
It called out to her gently.
Tighter, smaller… reducing herself as much as possible.
Holding her breath, suppressing her tears—the recoiling pain of repression that threatened to expose her presence.
Go away—
The girl pleaded with all her heart.
“I’ll wait for you, take your time.” The rustling of his clothes—he settled nearby—she could hear it.
It was futile.
“I’m sorry…”
The one to inherit the family heritage… the young master of the Copper family—
Pervert, asshole, sadist. Someone whom she had been forced to coexist with ever since she stepped foot inside this damned house.
He left for Oben Academy a week ago, and when she learnt of it she cried tears of joy. Having been at the receiving end of his frequent abuses, how would she not feel overwhelmed?
She thought he wouldn’t come back. She thought he would no longer be a bother to her life.
So why…
WHY?!
Why did he come back?
Why couldn’t he have just stayed?
Just what did he want from her?!
“I won’t hurt you, I promise.”
It was terrifying.
Seconds turned into minutes. And minutes into hours.
His presence hadn’t left even after the sun had risen, drawing shadows on the ground.
Reene had emptied herself. Her hopes were drying up, it was pointless to deny reality any longer.
She finally gave in. Slowly…
Slowly she climbed out and revealed herself to him. Standing unbalanced, eyes reflecting a surrendered despair, she looked at him, resolved to be swallowed whole.
His lips quivered.
Fist clenched—trembling, he said. “Let’s go somewhere to have a change of pace… alright?”
He had never talked to her in such a gentle manner.
She had never seen him so hurt just by looking at her.
What the fuck was this?
Where was his sadistic smile? Where was his fury? His joy? The fun in putting her down and hitting her?
Who is this? Was this another kind of prank? Another new way of tormenting her? Why was he looking at her like that?
She quickly lowered her head and suppressed the tears that overflowed.
He took her hands gently, she flinched, but did not resist.
“Let’s go.”
All her mental defences crumbled. He led her away.
⌌✧ ⫺⪼▫◆▫⪻⫹ ✧⌍
It had been months since Reene tasted these flavours of the outside world. Kairen brought her out of the estate. Morning painted the streets of Estelle Empire.
She didn’t understand where Kairen was bringing her.
He was alone, unaccompanied by guards which he normally ordered around.
Given how they were moving towards an ever increasing crowd of people… was it somewhere public? Did he plan to humiliate her in front of everyone?
Reene shuddered.
“W-Where… are we going…?” Mustering everything, the question barely squeezed out of her.
“We’re going to eat.”
“E-Eat?” Reene thought she had heard wrong.
She hadn’t. When Kairen pulled her into a dainty restaurant, her doubts were cleared immediately.
The waiter handed them the menu, Kairen cordially asked Reene to pick anything she liked. Sitting there with the luxurious paper in hand, she thought that either he had gone mad or she had.
“I-Is this some kind of trick?” She glared at him. Reene refused to take part in this scheme.
With so many observing eyes around, he wouldn’t be spared from causing a scene if he tried anything on her now.
“It’s not a trick. I’ll be paying for it, so don’t worry about the price.” Kairen affirmed.
Reene bit her lips. Her stomach was so empty it hurt… in the end she caved in and ordered.
A big breakfast set of ham, eggs, sausages and toast.
Meanwhile, Kairen had three times the serving of what Reene ordered.
She decided not to comment on the piggly behaviour of his brother as she devoured the food in front of her.
As she ate, more and more she felt her tension ease and then… a tear slid out.
She quickly wiped it away, trying to hide it. But as the floodgates broke, everything overflowed. But at some point, the tears wouldn't stop. The floodgates were opened, everything overflowed.
Emotions which she had suppressed within, it all poured out.
She wept, out in the open.
And with so many eyes on her… and the person sitting opposite to her.
Kairen didn’t say anything. He merely took a few pieces of tissue and offered it to her.
An hour passed just like that.
Reene eventually regained her calm. Realising what had just happened, she tried hard to not tremble out of fear.
Why didn’t he do anything to her? Was he not mad? Or maybe he enjoyed seeing her cry?
She thought and thought… no answers came to mind. Frustrated, and worried for what might happen after this, she mustered the courage to meet his eyes.
“...I’m sorry… young master—”
“No. Don’t apologise.” Not a shred of insincerity could be seen within those amber eyes. “I should be the one apologizing. Reene, I’m sorry for everything.”
“...” Goosebumps rose all over her body, her body shook as if struck by lightning.
wanted to know what was going on in his mind.
“I know it’s impossible to have you trust me because of this single meal, nor am I here for your forgiveness but…” Kairen spoke, in pain. “Please give me a chance to make it up to you, Reene.”
She didn’t know how to respond.
After all, this was something she never thought a pervert like her brother would say.
She had always hoped that somehow, all their abuse was but some kind of act.
Recalling the many times she had been hurt by him both physically and mentally, episodes of near-rape, threats, whippings… the bruises hidden under her clothing throbbed everytime she thought of it.
But it was because of these memories that… she couldn’t just accept his forgiveness.
This could after all be an act. Lower her guard and then… abuse her again. Crushing her hopes, and ceasing her life.
“...I-It’s okay young master, I… don’t feel bad at all.”
“Don’t lie to yourself.” He admonished, voice deep in regret. “The Kairen you once knew is dead. There’s no need for you to try and please me anymore.”
Her chest tightened… swelled. She had never felt this sensation before.
In order to survive, because she didn’t have anyone to depend on, everything she said or did had to be calculated.
Unlike Kairen, Reene was an illegitimate child of the Copper family. An ‘accident’ born when a prostitute became pregnant with the family head’s child.
Yes, her mother was that prostitute, a succubus. Reene’s memories of her only lasted up till she was 10 years old. Without knowing the reason why, she suddenly brought Reene to the manor and had the Copper Family take care of her.
It had been 2 years since Reene last saw her.
The last memory she had of her mother was an argument over why she was always busy and never spared any time to play…
Thinking back, Reene thought how blessed she was to even be by her mother’s side.
Perhaps it was because her mother couldn’t take care of her? Or maybe she thought Reene would be able to lead a better life here in the Copper family?
While she didn’t have a lot, she still thought the time with her mother was miles better than her life now.
If Reene could turn back time, she would have begged to stay with her mother.
She will be a good girl, she will be obedient—she will do anything just to not live in that hell hole.
… But it was a regret that came too late.
“I don’t expect you to trust me.” Kairen said, pulling Reene out of her thoughts. “Instead, I’ll prove it to you through my actions.”
Reene felt nauseous.
“You and I have the same goal.” Kairen resolved. “Let’s get out of here together.”
He was telling her to decide for herself if she could trust him.
He would do it through action, not mere words.
He reached out his hand and stroked her hair. With mixed reasonings, Reene didn’t resist his touch.
Her reality shattered.
For the first time in years, she saw light.
Hope.
A hope that shattered just as she began opening up to that ‘possibility’.
—Betrayal.
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