The image of Amy’s contorted face flashed before Vieta’s eyes—the same Amy who would immediately scream if even the slightest speck landed on her bright yellow dress that resembled a freesia.

If Vieta appeared wearing this dress, Amy would surely throw a fit from sheer anger.

She stared at Winter, who was looking down at her with satisfaction after helping her dress.

Vieta nearly burst out laughing at Winter’s transparent intentions.

Vilter and Amy already disliked her enough.

And it was always Lady Winter who gave them powerful motivation to act against her.

“She’s fully dressed, my lady.”

The head maid stepped back.

The yellow dress didn’t suit the gaunt Vieta at all.

The maids only exchanged glances at the sight of her, who looked as though she were wearing someone else’s clothes.

“Much better. Everyone, back to work.”

Winter roughly grabbed Vieta’s shoulder and pulled her out of the kitchen.

She dragged her to the spacious entrance hall of the mansion.

Several servants, Vilter, and Amy were already there.

When they saw Winter bringing Vieta down, the servants all lowered their heads as if they’d witnessed something they shouldn’t have.

“Has the Duke not arrived yet?”

At her words, the two siblings who had been standing with bored expressions turned their attention to Vieta.

Vilter wrinkled his face in disgust, while Amy immediately rushed toward her.

Though she couldn’t bring herself to grab the dress, she seized Vieta’s black hair instead.

“You filthy thing! Did you steal my dress this time?”

Vilter shook his head and sighed as he watched the enraged Amy and the expressionless girl.

“Amy. What are you doing? That’s so unrefined! The Duke will be here any moment!”

Lady Winter, who had been watching them tangled together, hurriedly separated the two.

Through her disheveled hair, Vieta stared at Vilter, who was humming to himself.

Noticing her gaze, Vilter shuddered and furrowed his brow as if he found her creepy.

“But this is my favorite dress! Do you want to end up like your mother, Vieta? You have such bad habits that we should cut off your fingers—”

Before Amy could finish, Lady Winter made a shushing sound and moved her next to Vilter.

“Amy. You shouldn’t treat your sister like that.”

“Mother!”

She let out a sound close to a shriek.

Amy’s face was a mixture of bewilderment, anger, and resentment.

Vieta quietly observed Vilter and Amy, who had both become younger just like herself.

The young her had once spent sleepless nights due to the verbal *buse from her half-siblings.

Though she had responded with childish defiance, not wanting to appear intimidated, in truth, she had feared these siblings.

To be precise, she had feared the Duke and Lady Winter who would always take their side.

But Vieta, who had once killed them, no longer feared the siblings standing before her.

The way they pleaded for their lives in the face of death had shown her they were merely weak humans.

Vieta watched their actions with complete indifference.

Young Amy’s chin trembled as she met Winter’s eyes.

Just before tears could burst forth, Winter gently cupped Amy’s cheeks.

“Vieta has agreed to admit all her wrongdoings. Right in front of the Duke. So you don’t need to feel so wronged, Amy.”

At her words, Amy’s heaving upper body gradually calmed down.

“But the dress is too much! Do you know how special this dress is?”

“What can I do? She was so insistent on wearing that dress.”

Amy glared at Vieta with such intensity that the whites of her eyes were visible.

Vieta looked back at Amy while fixing her own tangled hair.

She grabbed both sides of the dress skirt and revealed her ankles.

“At least I didn’t ask for different shoes. Cheer up, Amy.”

For a child, Vieta’s feet were covered in calluses, and her big toe had a large bruise.

Winter slapped away Vieta’s small hands holding the skirt.

The skirt fell back down like a closing stage curtain, once again concealing Vieta’s feet.

“Showing your ankles without hesitation? How vulgar, Vieta. Just like your mother in some ways—”

Just as she was about to add a few more words, a servant entered and announced that the Duke would arrive shortly.

Winter pulled Vieta over and positioned her next to Vilter and Amy.

Soon the door opened, and Duke Lukbiche entered.

The man with rare black hair in the Empire, contrasted by blue eyes, removed his coat and handed it to a servant.

Ironically, among all those greeting the Duke, only Vieta resembled his hair color.

The eldest, Vilter, was the spitting image of his mother with chestnut hair, while blonde Amy resembled her maternal grandmother.

He removed his gloves, shook the snow from his hair, and handed them to a servant before embracing Lady Winter tightly.

“I’m home.”

“You must be tired. Children, greet your father.”

The two siblings approached the Duke without hesitation.

Vilter offered a polite greeting, while Amy threw herself into the Duke’s arms like a beloved daughter.

After doting on the two children he had raised with love, the Duke glanced at Vieta, who stood apart from them.

Upon seeing her, he silently turned his gaze to Lady Winter.

“Vieta says she has something important to tell you, my lord.”

“Very well. Let’s hear it.”

The Duke’s face was full of fatigue as he looked at her.

The past Vieta would have looked at the Duke’s face as if he were vermin.

But even in this hell that felt all too real, she was thinking of ways to make these beasts pay.

She decided the fastest way would be to create a crack in the seemingly close relationship between these four people.

She carefully recalled her past.

And remembered one filthy scandal.

It was rumored that her mother, Susan, had an affair with a knight working for the ducal family.

The knight had disappeared, leaving behind only unsubstantiated rumors.

Vieta knew well that it was a complete fabrication.

Her mother had never been apart from her all day.

After that vile rumor spread, the Duke had increasingly ignored her mother.

‘Was that when we were moved from the servants’ quarters to the attic?’

As an adult, Vieta had tracked down the knight and learned the truth.

It was Lady Winter who had been enjoying secret meetings with the young knight.

She had discovered their love letters in the greenhouse, thanks to the knight’s confession.

‘Did I k*ll that knight? What was his name? Come to think of it, he left me with some final words.’

Vieta turned her head and stared at Amy standing beside her.

She only glared back at her with a face full of discontent, no longer acting as she had before.

‘Did he ask about Amy’s well-being?’

Why would he specifically ask about Amy?

Vieta stood with her mouth stupidly agape, as if she had found a puzzle piece she didn’t even know she had lost.

The knight’s blonde hair and Amy’s blonde hair were remarkably similar.

Even down to the curly locks.

‘So Lady Winter was the first to commit adultery?’

“Vieta? Father is waiting,” Winter’s cold voice brought Vieta back to reality.

She quickly put on an expression as if she might cry at any moment and tightly gripped the skirt of the dress that had originally belonged to Amy.

Seeing this, Amy looked ready to pounce on her, but with the Duke present, she didn’t dare act.

“I saw the blonde knight.”

At Vieta’s change in attitude, Lady Winter’s face hardened.

“W-what are you talking about, Vieta?”

Winter tried to cover her mouth, but the Duke moved faster.

He walked slowly past Vilter and Amy to stand before her.

“Do you mean the knight who caused the scandal with Susan?”

Vieta nodded slightly.

The Duke turned to look at the butler, who showed surprise as if hearing this for the first time.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I’m afraid he might take Mother away. Maybe that’s why he came back!”

At her words, the Duke’s expression turned cold.

“Where did you see him?”

“In the greenhouse. I saw him leaving a letter. The knight’s letter should still be in the greenhouse!”

After speaking, Vieta looked at Lady Winter who stood behind the Duke.

Her face had turned not just pale, but a sickly blue.

“But something’s strange. My mother can’t read. Why would the knight leave a letter for my mother?”