Silenced By Words

It was nothing more but hypocrisy and the girl who feigned filial piety didn't even deserve to be called human. In her past life Auriane actually thought that the hypocritical family loved her, so she listened to them and never disobeyed their orders. But what she failed to understand was that their love towards her had hidden motives.

What was love?

Auriane gave a sigh of regret and disappointment, she didn't know what love was, because her believe in love proved her wrong. She thought love was patient because her father was patient with her even when she made the slightest mistake at fulfilling his selfish wills, she thought love would never harm because Stella had never 'hurt' her in the beginning, but it turned out it was nothing more but accumulation of a fatal blow. She thought love wasn't selfish because Angel provided her with what she have, but it was merely dumping her waste in her hands. 

Auriane thought the Whites had given her the real meaning of love, but everything was just an illusion. They faked everything because they wanted to make use of her for success. They needed to use her to climb higher to the throne and once they no longer needed her, they tossed her away like waste.

Still, Angel White haunted her like a ruthless predator, reducing her to nothing by a single snap of her finger. Maybe the start of their plan happened after chasing and killing of Nora. If Nora wasn't there any longer, it would have left her with no goal and no family to guide her. Then her weakness would be revealed and her fear of loneliness to put their plans into action and finally it led to her ruin. Her aunt was definitely a presumptuous one, so much effort to destroy her, Auriane didn't know if she could laugh or cry.

"I'm really sorry junior cousin, I meant no harm, I didn't find the pills given by the hospital, but once we came back I found it, but it was already too late, so...I hid it with fear."

"In such a rush to explain, elder cousin, are you afraid of a sudden discover."

   Cindy panicked once more, but this time she was able to control the emotions that were surging up. She was conscious that if she missed a step it would cause the end of her peaceful life. If she created an enemy of so many witnesses, then she would be digging a grave for herself. News travelled like wildfire, just ears listening would cause more ears to absorb it. That was a reason why she had brought so many witnesses, but if she had known from the beginning that they would turn to be the ones being criticised, then she would have used other hands to harm Nora.

Rumours were fast at spreading and it would have been difficult for even Auriane to be able to control people's opinion. Unfortunately, she hadn't thought of such a plan earlier and had only taken the obvious one to kill two birds, but she didn't even kill a single bird and even ended up in cage set by Auriane.

"Auriane, please don't twist my words, I did a mistake, but my actions just now are just your sister's request. Nora, don't just keep quiet, it was obviously you that told me to keep the secret of your abuse. But Aunt discovered your hidden secret, I was just helping to preserve your pride."

Preserving her pride was definitely something that Nora would struggle to do. She was calm and easy going not because she was weak, but because circumstances had forced her. In her past life, Nora put up with  every abuse and ill treatment from Stella and her family. A reason why Stella never found any reason to tell on her to the neighbors, nor a reason to blame her. It was maybe helpful, but it killed her slowly and gave Cindy the opportunity to take advantage of her tolerance in school.

"Sister."

Auriane tilted her head and looked up at her sister who was slightly taller than her. She hoped to help her, but even if she had lived two lives, she wasn't a medium to be able to tell what had happened between Cindy and her sister. It was obvious that there was an agreement and if she had to defend her sister, she needed to be aware of the circumstances. Her words need to carry some weight and not just a defend from panic.

Nora looked down at her sister who lost in word not because she had been blocked by Cindy, but caught by her ignorance. Even if no one reminded her, Nora knew that it was her duty to defend herself and not let her little sister carry the whole burden.

So what if she lost her dignity, she was already in this state, carrying the child of a mysterious man. She never hoped for such situation, but she couldn't walk out silently, her sister had already done so much to clear her name, so he couldn't disappoint her.

Nora took a deep breath, exhaling she revealed a gentle smile  to Auriane who had been staring at her silently. With nothing more than a gentle smile exchanged she was able relief Auriane who was probably the only one who showed concern for her.

But the moment she turned to face Cindy, her naturally gentle gaze turned cold and fierce.

"Cindy, you're definitely too loyal, I'm afraid I can't accept such loyalty for fear of it cutting my throat."

"You!", Cindy paused and watched the girl who was facing her head on. She was different from the normal docile one who helped her finish her assignments and helped her cheat in class. Like a chameleon she changed colors in a blink of an eye. She wasn't even scared of Stella who stood next to her.

' What had changed her?'

It wasn't what had changed that was the answer to a rhetorical question. Everyone saw in Nora a docile girl, but no one actually knew what had caused the once naughty child that gave her mother was actually just trying to protect her sister. If with her mother by her side she could be a headache because she didn't fear any consequences. But as soon as her pillar died she could only depend on herself and take careful measures in her every action. She wasn't scared of Stella or any of her family members, she was just afraid that she could cause harm to her sister.

But the sister that she carefully protected didn't bait an eye when confronting Stella, so who was she to fall back?

"Cindy, I won't blame you for your mistakes, but not such mistakes that lead to another's ruin and misfortune. You said that I asked you to keep my violation a secret in order to preserve my dignity. But as a sister, did you have to bastardize everything?"

"You..."

"Don't you even dare say that you panicked in a situation or you felt pressurized. If you only took me as a family member, you wouldn't join forces to have me kicked out when you knew my situation, but you would seek to clear my name when you felt that things were going bad."

"You can't blame me for that, I was merely trying to help, it's not my fault if my words caused you much pain than help."

Nora chuckled, but it carried no warmth or mockery, it was more rather felt as chuckles with eyes, silently telling her that she was seen through.

"Pain, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but pain was lost the moment I knew who were my friends and their merits in my heart."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You know it more than I do, right aunt?"

Stella froze when her eyes met that of Nora, it didn't cause any fear or panic in her like Cindy, but those pair of violet eyes seemed to be warning her.

"I've said it all and I'll like to return for a rest, aunt brought me out here not long after I came back and almost had me kicked out, unless your intention hasn't changed. Afterall, even if my name is cleared, I'm still pregnant with a stranger'a child as you had earlier emphasized so much."

Forcing the knife on their already injured pride, Nora was reminding them of their already failed plans to tarnish her reputation. The presence of the child and the neighbors pity towards Nora was a clear prove of their defeat.

Auriane had to admit that her sister was good at killing people's arrogance with a gentle smile and polite words. As for herself, she definitely couldn't be polite towards the people who ruined her life.

She rushed and entangled her arms around that of her sister.

"Don't say that sister, how can you be chased from your home, mother would be sad if she heard that her efforts to build a home for us was in vain. Aunt probably did it in a fit of anger, but now that everything is resolved we should be able to return home now."

Without blinking an eye, Auriane humiliated Stella, reminding her that she was only able to have shelter thanks to their mother's contribution. Who in the Moon district didn't know that the house that the White's lived in was their mother hard contribution with their father. Stella could be considered as a mere guest.

"Right, I remember now, this house was built from Ana Yan's strength and contribution. I heard she even contributed more than Mr. Alfred White..."

"Even if she didn't, she did a lot as helping the workers with the construction, she was such a strong girl."

"Yes, yes, definitely...how can her children not enjoy the fruit of her labour."

   Each of their words were meant to defend and give Nora and Auriane their rightful place, but they tacitly reminded Stella that she didn't contribute for the house, consequently she had no say in it. 

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