Melissa sitting on the sofa at this time was unlikely, yet there she was, greeting Whitney.

Clearly, Melissa was anxious enough to break her pattern of ignoring Whitney.

Whitney held her breath for a moment and then let it out.

Seeing Melissa’s ever-smiling face made her feel sick. Melissa’s beautiful auburn hair swayed seductively, and her purple eyes were full of curiosity.

“…It seems more like you came looking for me.”

“Me? Why would I seek you?”

Melissa widened her eyes in feigned surprise, yet couldn’t take her eyes off Whitney.

“There’s no reason for that. You hate me, don’t you?”

“Whitney, you seem to be misunderstanding something.”

She approached Whitney with a brisk step and spoke in a tone loud enough for everyone to hear.

“It’s not just me. Everyone in the Orleans estate hates you.”

Of course. Everyone here was under her mother’s influence, having isolated Whitney completely by dismissing everyone who cared for her.
It was inevitable. Everyone here belonged to her mother. Hadn’t they all been dismissed to completely isolate her?

“…I’ll go first.”

“Going for a walk? You asked for a dress for your debutante ball. Well, marriage seems your only option. But who would marry you?”

“Sister would prefer me out of the estate, right?”

“No, I like having you here. Just being around makes me shine. Your plain brown hair makes me stand out.”

Melanie flicked Whitney’s hair and laughed heartily. Her pink thin lace fluttered like a blooming flower. Her waist was slender, and her chest was prominently displayed, enhancing her feminine curves.

The teardrop-shaped diamond between her breasts sparkled, drawing attention.

“With your skinny body and dull hair, plus those scars, who could love you? Wake up. Do you think men will notice you just because you wear a nice dress at the debutante ball? You still don’t understand the world.”

Melissa reproached Whitney with a worried look. Indeed, Whitney was thinner than Melissa due to poor nutrition.

“Right. Sister will capture everyone’s attention anyway. I just didn’t want to be a burden to you and Mother. That’s all.”

“Your very existence is already a burden. You should have died back then.”

Again, it was about her father. Whitney clenched her fists. Did they think they would have been happier if her father hadn’t saved her?

‘They would have tried to get rid of father too.’

Melissa, who even tried to kill her in her last life, clearly had her desired destination in mind.

Something far beyond. Not content with obtaining the status of a countess, Melissa was eyeing the queen’s position.

“So don’t bother me. Just your doing anything annoys me.”

Melissa glared at Whitney, then turned sharply and walked to her room. Whitney watched her sister’s elegantly swaying back, then headed to the study.

Upon reaching the study, Whitney cautiously opened the door and entered.

The musty dust revealed the room’s long neglect. Whitney left the study, borrowed some basic cleaning supplies from the maids’ room, and started cleaning the study.

After focusing on cleaning for a while, she stood straight, the study now tidy.

“Now I can see what’s what.”

Her purpose in cleaning the study was to find books and records related to the Orleans estate’s lineage.

‘I need help to reclaim my rights.’

Whitney was powerless. Even if she claimed her inheritance rights, there was a high chance her mother would take them away again. Identifying people who could be on her side was crucial.

After tidying the study, Whitney decided to leave.

“I should go out to the town today.”

To tailor a dress, she needed to understand the current trends. If she just sat idly, she would be humiliated again.

Whitney refused to be the laughingstock of others anymore.

Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me

One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.

Synopsis:

Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.

But this is still far from enough.

He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.

_____

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