I could go to school, but Daphne couldn't.
She was jealous of me.
Daphne wasn't particularly smart. Academics weren't her strong suit, but if she'd worked hard, she could've achieved decent results.
But every time she stayed up late studying, Cedric would get angry.
He spoiled Daphne, indulging her delicate nature, and couldn't bear to see her suffer for anything.
So he forbade her from going to school.
Daphne was fifteen then, just about to start high school. She protested, rebelled, even went on a hunger strike, but it was all in vain.
In the end, Cedric grew impatient and locked her in the basement for two days.
Daphne became obedient after that.
The day her desk was removed, I hid behind the stairs, watching as she sat on the sofa, meekly holding Cedric's arm.
"Not acting up anymore?" Cedric asked coolly.
Daphne leaned into his embrace. "I was wrong. Cedric, just think of it as a momentary lapse of judgment.
"I want that new bag from D... and the clothes from M... Will you buy them for me?"
Cedric affectionately tapped her nose and replied warmly, "Of course."
...
"Jealous of you?" Daphne laughed, tears glinting in her lashes. "Rosemary, what do you have that's worth my jealousy?
"I have everything I want. Cedric listens to me, while you... aren't your wounds still healing?
"So what if you can go to school? Do you really think you can escape Cedric by studying? Keep dreaming."
"Dreaming is better than having nothing to hope for," I replied.
Without waiting for her reaction, I walked out of the Ravenswood estate, ignoring her outburst and insults behind me.
---
On enrollment day, I found myself standing in line behind the Beaumont family's young heir.
—James Beaumont.
Daphne's words surfaced in my mind, and my gaze dimmed slightly.
I shifted my backpack to my arms, feigning difficulty and letting out a soft breath.
As expected, James turned around, his eyes lighting up when he saw me.
"Rosemary!"
He eagerly took my backpack from me. "Let me help you. Girls shouldn't carry heavy things."
I looked at him with mild surprise and exchanged a few polite words, successfully bridging the gap between us to the point where I could call him "James" in a soft, upward-lilting tone.
His face turned as red as a ripe apple.
I thought: He probably doesn't know that the Ravenswoods are trying to switch the marriage arrangement.
Cedric's initial rule was for me to return home daily. But Daphne had protested, calling it a waste of fuel and claiming I didn't deserve such treatment. She insisted I stay on campus to endure hardship, and Cedric had agreed to a weekly return instead.
I didn't mind the freedom it gave me.
During the activity at the start of the semester, James and I ended up in the same group.
Under the scorching sun, exhausted and hungry, I ran up to him and handed him a hidden pudding from my pocket.
Blushing, I said nothing and ran back, ignoring the teasing and laughter behind me.
Someone asked James, "Is that your girlfriend?"
He coughed. "No."
"Oh?"
My heart sank.
Countless troubling thoughts swirled in my mind, ready to burst...
Then James suddenly added, "Fiancée."
The chaotic thoughts halted abruptly. I turned back to see James smiling shyly at me.
With my head lowered, I smiled back, thinking: Seduction is far easier than I imagined.
---
James had acknowledged me. Replacing me in the marriage arrangement wouldn't be so easy for Cedric anymore.
By the end of activity, James had neglected sunscreen and ended up visibly darker.
In the dining hall, I couldn't help but laugh as I watched him, now dressed casually, with a distinct color difference between his neck and face.
"Is it that funny?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
Looking down as I picked out the carrot from his dish, I replied softly, "Actually, I don't mind it at all."
"It's fine," I said casually. "It's nothing."
As I peeled the eggs and shrimp and placed them into James's bowl, his face turned crimson while he ate.
The people around us teased him, "James, is your fiancée treating you like her baby?"
"Shut up!"
James sniffed and turned to me with a deeply moved expression. "Rosemary, you're so good to me.
"Ever since I was a kid, my mom wouldn't even peel shrimp for me. She'd just tell me to either not eat it or do it myself."
He looked like he was about to cry, his lashes glistening as if coated with dewdrops... more like a silly, clumsy goose.
I stifled a laugh, propped my arm on the table, and tilted my head at him.
"Why don't you change how you address me?" I asked.
"What?"
"Call me 'honey.'"
"Huh?"
James froze, and the people around us fell silent. Within seconds, they all scattered, leaving behind a James as red as a monkey's backside.
"That... that doesn't seem appropriate..." he stammered.
"Forget it then."
The smile vanished from my face. My expression grew cold, and I stood up to leave.
