Chapter 2

Hazel’s POV

No one made me miss my birth mother more than Reina. She was truly a cruel woman who seemed to have some kind of grudge against me. Well, nothing less was expected from her anyway, but there was always something about her that made me feel like her hatred for me went beyond anything else.

I pathetically missed the days when my mother used to braid my hair and tuck me into bed before whispering lullabies in my ear, making sure no monsters under my bed could hurt me. I had lived with my mother for the majority of my childhood, only because my father was a busy man, but he was still there for me. And like during my childhood, he barely spent any time with me. He was my father, but only in name.

But after her death, I was left alone in this cruel world filled with two-faced personalities. When my father married Reina, I thought she would treat me like her own, but life was never about me. She treated me worse and worse with each passing day, and my annoyance and hatred for her had only grown with time. It wasn’t like my father didn’t love me, but he never had time to ask me if I was all right.

And I never questioned his silence. He was a good man who took care of me after my mother passed. Despite how much I loved my father, I drew the line at tolerating his so-called wife and her many, many daughters. Isabella, Irene, and Tiana were Reina’s daughters from her first marriage, and after her first husband died, she married my father. Ruby and Soni were from my father’s marriage to Reina.

And call it a blood bond, but Ruby and Soni were the only ones who showed me some love and kindness. Reina was unaccepting of my relationship with Ruby, but guess what? No one cared! My father was the ruler of Hora, with hundreds of acres of land and villages all over the world, each in a different country, filled with expensive nothings. His wealth and fame were easy to see. This luxurious castle was an example in itself, elegantly filled with expensive furniture and decorations.

Isabella and Tiana weren’t my father’s biological daughters, but he was closer to them. Their beauty and elegance were considered the finest in my father’s world. They had their mother’s light green eyes and pale skin, with tall, lean physiques, unlike mine. I was always the one left out. My father preferred them over me. And as time passed, I accepted the fact that love couldn’t be snatched. I found ways to keep myself happy in the little garden outside the mansion.

“She’s such a disgrace to our family,” Isabella scoffed.

My nostrils flared as I prepared myself to reply to her comment, but then my subconscious stopped me.

“Margaret!” Gaia said, snapping her fingers. “Help her wear something better than what she’s wearing now. She’ll disgrace her father if she dresses like this in the evening.”

“Why is she even invited? She’s not the one who’s going to marry any of them,” Tiana said, puckering her lips in the mirror before applying rose tint to them.

I rolled my eyes. It wasn’t like I was going to marry any of them. “Mind your tongue, Tiana. Don’t create any nuisance until the event is over.”

Reina sighed in disappointment as she helped Isabella fix her dress. I eyed the red fabric Isabella wore. The sequins glimmered in the light, and the tight, body-hugging dress looked amazing on her, which suddenly made me self-conscious about myself.

I averted my eyes in frustration as Margaret grabbed my hand and led me a few feet away from them. I was not the eldest child, but I was still older than Tiana and Ruby. Yet no man had ever asked for my hand in marriage. It wasn’t like I had ever been introduced to one. I was always kept hidden behind the four walls of my room. Only Isabella, Ruby, and Tiana were considered true daughters of my father. And even though Liana was my real sister, she was also welcomed at occasions such as balls, proposals, and other events. But I never was.

Irene and Soni were still underage. I stared at myself in the mirror as Margaret tugged down my soil-covered dress.

“Pathetic.”

I heard Tiana loud and clear as the others snickered after her, but I tuned them out. I was not like any of them, but I still loved myself. I was not tall, but I was happy with what I had. But my mother dearest was against that. She would always make sure to make me feel low and unhappy.

“Get her ready, Margaret. Make sure she looks decent enough not to ruin her father’s reputation.”

By the time Margaret fetched a dress for me, Isabella was already ready, Tiana was fixing her tiara, and Irene and Soni were standing beside each other, fixing their appearances.

“How about this one?” Margaret asked me as she held up one of the pink-colored dresses. It was indeed beautiful, with long, sheer sleeves and a deep neckline.

“Come on, girls. I need to prepare you before the evening ball,” Reina said as Isabella rolled her eyes and followed Tiana and Irene.

Ruby stopped as she walked toward me, and I smiled softly.

“I am sorry—”

“Stop it, Ruby! How long will you keep apologizing for her actions? It is not your fault,” I said.

Ruby frowned. “I just wish… she would stop doing this.”

I rolled my eyes. Ruby chuckled as she hugged me and whispered sweet nothings into my ear before following her sisters. Just as Reina left with her daughters, Liana peeked inside the room, and believe me, I had never been this happy.

“Lia!” I exclaimed as I hugged her.

“Come on, sweet pea. Get ready before Mother—”

“How many times do I have to remind you that she’s not our mother?”

I rolled my eyes at her. Liana was the kind of girl who saw good in everyone, and I saw the real in everyone. Despite the bad things Reina did, Liana always seemed to forgive her, but I could never forgive her. She had done nothing to earn my forgiveness. I was not as forgiving as my sister.

“As I said earlier, I wish not to quarrel with you over something irrelevant. What’re you going to wear?”

She asked as I rummaged through the whole damn closet. This was not just a closet; it was something only royals had access to. It contained ball gowns, sparkling dresses, beautiful pieces of jewelry, everything a girl needed. My eyes sparkled as I found what I was looking for.

“Something unexpected,” I said as Liana frowned.

“What do you mean—oh! Well, you’ll look beautiful in this.”

I smiled as a nostalgic feeling engulfed me. Of course, I would.