—Basshin!

A sharp pain ran across my cheek.

My consciousness, which had been pitch black, suddenly returned.

What entered my field of vision was the menacing face of my father.

Why is he here?

I lived in the house of Viscount Kinvally. Ever since my marriage, my father never once came to see me. I wrote him letters over and over again, saying, “Help me.” but I never received a reply.

No matter what happened to me, my father acted like it had nothing to do with him. Rather, he might had been pleased to learn of my death. After all, he was that kind of person.

“What are you hesitating about? Sign it, quickly.”

“…Sign?”

Only then did I realize that I was in my father’s study.

…Father’s study?

Did I return to the Duke of Lark’s estate?

How?

Why am I alive in the first place?

I should’ve been killed by Dahal.

Speaking of which, father told me to sign.

“Eh…”

There was a quill in my hand. On the desk, it was stated that Aries would be adopted by the Duke of Lark.

What does this mean?

I didn’t understand. Aries should’ve already been adopted by the duke. She was about to marry my former fiancé, Prince Wagner Vidal. Not to mention, Wagner would be becoming the head of the duke’s family.

Why did I have the unprocessed documents regarding Aries’ adoption?

Not only that, the date on the document read seven years ago…

…I must had been 16-years-old when Aries was adopted. In other words, I traveled back in time?

“Sofia.”

—Basshin!

A sharp pain ran across my cheek again.

I understood late that I was being slapped. Well, hadn’t I been so for some time now?

As I’ve continued being exposed to violence, I grew numb to the pain.

“…I don’t want to.”

“Ha?”

I didn’t want to live such a life again.

Everyone looked and laughed at me. They ridiculed me.

Why did I have to live such a miserable life?

Would I have to endure, endure, continue to endure, and finally get beaten to death?

“I don’t want to, I don’t want to, I don’t wanna—!!”

I didn’t want to go through such a life again.

A life that was so excruciatingly, ruthlessly, painful.

“—!”

A stronger blow than before came.

I was struck on the head with a cane. My body crumpled onto the floor and blood spilled from my head.

It hurts…

“Aries lost her parents in an accident! Don’t you feel sorry for her!? She’s your cousin!! Why don’t you help her!?”

…Feel sorry?

Losing one’s parents in an accident might be pitiful, yes.

But what about me?

Why do I have to help Aries?

Aries robbed me of my fiancé and the Duke of Lark.

In the social circles, I was laughed at for being a tainted noble lady. At that time, neither Aries nor my father felt sorry for me.

After I married into the viscount family, I was abused every day. I wrote to them many times—‘Please help me!’ but neither of them responded.

Then, I died. Without being helped by anyone. Without being seen by anyone. I was all alone. I died in that prison-like place.

At that time, what were you both doing?

Did you forget about me and live happily?

Did you even care about me?

Hey, what did I ever do to any of you to deserve such a life?

Father hit my body over and over again with his cane.

As I continued to be beaten, my senses numbed, and I felt no pain. The places I was beaten burned.

Maybe father’s hand was getting tired, because he stopped. He grabbed my arm, sat me down on the sofa, and gave me the pen. He told me to sign the paperwork to make Aries his adopted daughter.

My father was a former baron and also an adopted son. As such, he couldn’t adopt Aries without my permission. Not to mention, he didn’t possess the blood of the Lark family. I was the sole legacy to the Lark family. My father was acting as the provisional head of the family until I reached maturity.

I was certain that fact hurt my father’s pride.

---

***T/N: So far no one has been kind to our mc 🙁

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