"I'm home," said a boy with long white hair as he walked into a house situated beside a riverbank, accompanied by a girl with purple hair.
"Welcome home, Eden~," a woman with beautiful silver hair greeted them with a smile as she quickly emerged from inside the house.
"Marine," Stephanie smiled as she looked at her 'daughter,' who trembled at her words.
"M-mom," Marine bowed her head, struggling to utter the words.
"Come inside," Stephanie said as she led the way into the house, with Eden and Marine following behind.
As they entered the house, the warm aroma of home-cooked meals filled the air.
The interior was cozy, with comfortable furniture arranged neatly around the living space.
"Sit down, both of you," Stephanie said, gesturing towards the sofa.
As Eden sat down on one end and Marine took the middle spot, Stephanie settled into the chair in front of them.
"So, Marine, how have you been?" she asked, looking at her 'daughter,' whom she hadn't seen since she woke up from her coma.
"I have been fine, mother," Marine replied, her voice trembling slightly.
"And how about your new mother?" Stephanie inquired as if discussing a stranger. "How is she doing in the new house... in a new environment?"
"She has been doing fine. I have been helping her if she needed anything," Marine answered, glancing around the house.
"Does your father know you are here?" Stephanie asked, making Marine look back at her.
Marine hesitated before answering, her gaze dropping to her hands folded in her lap. "No, I haven't told him. I... I wasn't sure how he would react."
Stephanie's expression remained unchanged as she nodded. "I see."
If her father had known, he wouldn't have allowed Marine to come here or anywhere near Stephanie.
Marine nodded silently, feeling the weight of her secret heavy on her heart.
She knew she needed to tell her father about her visits to Stephanie's house, but the fear of his reaction held her back.
"Master," Sarah's voice interrupted the heavy silence as she entered the living space, addressing Eden.
"Yes?" Eden replied, turning his attention to her.
"Can you come with me? I need to buy some things," Sarah asked, bowing slightly.
Eden frowned at her request, considering their current situation. "Can it wait? We have a guest here."
"Eden," Stephanie called out to him, drawing his attention, "go with her."
Eden hesitated but ultimately acquiesced, sitting there for a moment before standing up. "Do I have to go, Mother?"
"Let the mother and daughter have some time alone," Stephanie replied with a slight smile.
"Then why don't I get alone time to talk with you?" Eden retorted, his eyes narrowing.
"Oh, are you jealous, Eden~?" Stephanie teased, her smile playful.
As Eden and Sarah departed from the house, Marine and Stephanie remained alone in the living room.
Marine shifted uncomfortably in her seat, feeling the weight of unspoken tension between them.
"Marine," Stephanie's voice broke the silence, "you can speak without any problem."
"....What should I call you?" Marine asked, looking at her. "You are not my mother, are you?"
Stephanie smiled softly, leaning back in her chair. "Call me whatever you want."
"Why did you do that?" Marine's voice was soft, her head hung low. "Why did you pretend to be my mother?"
"..... I was helpless too," Stephanie replied with a tired sigh.
"You took... all the things that my mother deserved," Marine whispered, glaring at her with her red eyes.
"... And your mother is now in her rightful place," Stephanie replied without looking at her, her tone calm. "Miss Morton, Duchess of the Morton dukedom."
"You... Took my father's love... his freedom, just so you could fulfill your agenda," Marine glared at her, her voice filled with accusation.
"I did," Stephanie nodded as she looked back at her. "And I gave both the twins the love of a mother, even though I didn't have to."
"We didn't ask for that!" Marine's voice rose in rage as she trembled with emotion. "Our mother was alive, and you separated us from her just because you felt like it, didn't you?"
"And what do you plan to do about it?" Stephanie asked calmly, ignoring her outburst. "You plan to take out all your frustration on Eden, don't you?"
Marine's anger bubbled within her, her fists clenched tightly as she struggled to contain her emotions. "I... I don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just—."
"Have I not woken up, had Eden not changed, your plan would have been to take all your frustrations out on him, wouldn't it?" Stephanie interrupted her words, looking deeply into Marine's eyes.
"I....I..."
"You would have tried to separate Eden from me, wouldn't you?" Stephanie continued, her voice still calm.
Marine's breath caught in her throat, her mind reeling at Stephanie's words.
She hadn't realized how transparent her intentions had been until now.
"I... I didn't mean to," Marine stammered, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "I was just... angry. Confused. I didn't know what else to do."
"You can't let your emotions control you," Stephanie mumbled, as if she were trying to remind herself. "If you let emotions like guilt and anger consume you... everything will be over."
Marine looked at her as Stephanie continued to mumble, "The pain I have caused him, the things I have done... one day I will have to answer for all of that... one day the sinner will be punished... One day I will lose everything."
Stephanie snapped out of her daze as Marine called her. "Are you okay? Why... are you crying?"
She reached out and touched her cheeks, feeling the wetness on them.
"It's nothing," Stephanie replied, wiping her tears away.
"Are you feeling guilty now?" Marine pressed further, her voice tinged with accusation. "Are you feeling guilty for what you did to us?"
"Marine, don't get ahead of yourself," Stephanie replied in a chilly voice, causing Marine to tremble in fear. "And no, I am not feeling guilty for what I did to you."
Stephanie stood up and walked closer to Marine, who tried to move away from her but was grabbed by the face, forcing her to look at Stephanie.
"Marine Morton," Stephanie said, ignoring her trembling body. "I will say this once and only once—don't ever try to harm Eden."
"Even though I see you as my child," Stephanie continued, applying pressure to Marine's cheeks as she squeezed them. "Even though I have watched over you for more than six years, I will not hesitate to kill you and destroy your family if you ever do anything to harm Eden."
Marine's eyes widened in shock as Stephanie's words sank in.
The icy tone of her voice sent shivers down her spine, and she felt a wave of fear wash over her.
Despite her best efforts to hide it, she couldn't suppress the tremble in her body as Stephanie's grip tightened on her cheeks.
"I... I understand," Marine managed to whisper, her voice barely audible.
Stephanie released her grip, allowing Marine to pull away, her heart beating louder in her chest as she remembered the look in Stephanie's eyes.
All she could see was madness.
....
....
....
Meanwhile, in a different place, Eden looked at Sarah.
"What was your question again?" Eden asked as he glanced at Sarah, both of them standing in front of a clothes store.
"Do you prefer pink or black?" Sarah asked, her expression unchanged.
Eden looked at her strangely, unsure of how to respond.
"Why are you asking?" he inquired.
"Just answer," Sarah insisted.
"Pink," Eden replied with a sigh.
"Then it's pink," Sarah muttered as she walked into the store.
"Wait, why are you asking?" Eden questioned, following her inside.
"I'll tell you another time," Sarah replied, looking back at him.
Indeed, it's a story for another day.