01
2042 Words
Chapter 01
"Papa, what do you think? I'm so pretty, right?"
The young Bailey stood on the other side of the room, looking at her sister, Beatrice. The woman sparkled because of her beautiful clothes and the jewelry she wore.
Both she and Beatrice came from the same orphanage, but their adoptive parents favored Beatrice because of her beauty. Beatrice had naturally blonde hair, blue eyes, and naturally beautiful skin.
Bailey looked at her reflection in the window. She, on the other hand, had jet-black hair, deep black eyes, and a larger build. She wasn't fat or thin—just not the typical body for her age. In short, she was far from being beautiful and cute.
Bailey looked at Beatrice, who was currently holding their adoptive parents' hands, seemingly ready to go out to eat.
Bailey quickly ran after them and asked if she could join. The Madrigal couple immediately stopped and looked back at Bailey.
"Since when have we ever taken you with us? Do you want people to laugh at us? Stay here, don't leave, and clean Beatrice's room."
Before leaving, Beatrice looked back at her and smiled. Bailey bowed her head and grabbed her arm.
The young Bailey couldn't help but cry. She also wanted a family and to be embraced by the Madrigal couple just like they embraced her sister, Beatrice.
"Miss Bailey."
Bailey stopped and turned around. One of Beatrice's maids, who was the only person who showed her concern in that mansion, approached her.
The maid smiled and knelt in front of the young Bailey.
"There's still some cake left in the kitchen from yesterday. Would you like us to get it later and eat it together?"
Bailey wiped her eyes with her arm and nodded. The maid's expression softened.
"I'll clean Miss Beatrice's room. You just sit on the sofa for now," said the maid, but Bailey insisted that she was ordered by the Madrigal couple.
"If you break something of Miss Beatrice's, you'll surely be punished. Let me handle this, Miss Bailey."
The maid started cleaning. Bailey asked the maid what her name was.
"Do you know how long I've waited for you to ask my name?" the maid said, laughing. Bailey stopped and slightly lowered her gaze to the floor.
She didn't know why the maid said that, as everyone in that mansion was only interested in Beatrice. No one paid attention to her, asked for her opinion, or cared about her.
"My name is Miranda, but you can call me Miran."
Bailey stopped and looked at the maid, who was currently picking up scattered dresses.
"Miran? Why are you kind to me? You come to my room to bathe me, bring me food, and clean my room even though I'm not Beatrice," Bailey asked. Miranda was the only maid in that mansion who attended to her, as most of the maids there wanted to gain Beatrice's favor, who was said to be the future wife of the heir of the most powerful family from Italy.
Bailey knew that the Madrigals adopted them to marry them off to prominent families that would give the Madrigals power.
To her knowledge, Beatrice and she were not the only ones adopted by the Madrigals and married off.
They had a sister on paper who is now a queen in a distant country and another who is the wife of a minister.
In short, the Madrigals were known for producing capable wives fit for heirs.
"Because, like Miss Beatrice, you also need care," Miranda answered, saying it was her job.
"Miran, do you think I can also find a capable husband like Beatrice? Will there be a man and family that need me?" Bailey asked. Some maids in the room tried to suppress their laughter.
Miranda looked gently at Bailey and said she was sure there would be.
In Australia, where Bailey's features were considered below normal for beauty standards, Bailey couldn't avoid being judged and compared to her twin sister, Beatrice.
If Beatrice hadn't insisted on bringing Bailey, the Madrigal couple wouldn't have thought of including her, which explained their treatment of her.
Bailey was somewhat grateful that, like Beatrice, she had her own room in the mansion, attended classes like Beatrice, and ate three meals a day.
"Miss Bailey, Mr. Madrigal is calling for you in his office."
Bailey, who was sitting on the edge of the bed reading a book, stopped. She stood up after hearing Miranda's voice from the other door.
"Dad is calling me?"
Bailey couldn't help but feel excited because it was the first time she was called, and it was in the office that only Beatrice was allowed to enter.
Bailey reached for the doorknob and opened it. She saw Miranda bowing with a worried expression on her face.
"Miran? Why?"Bailey asked, puzzled. Miranda smiled slightly and shook her head. She took Bailey's hand and said the Madrigal couple and Beatrice were in the office.
"Is there a family interested in taking Beatrice and me?" Bailey asked. Miranda stopped. Bailey, who innocently looked at Miranda, confirmed she was right because of Miranda's reaction.
Even from the corridor, they could hear Beatrice crying. Miranda knocked on the door and then opened it.
Bailey entered, and the Madrigal couple, who were currently trying to calm the crying Beatrice, immediately looked at her.
"Honey, why did you bring Bailey here? Don't tell me you're giving her to the Nicastro family," said Mrs. Madrigal. Her husband turned and asked if she had any other solutions.
"Beatrice doesn't want to marry one of the Nicastro heirs. Besides, it's better if we give Bailey because we're not sure if that child will become the head of the Nicastro family."
Mrs. Madrigal hit her husband's arm, saying they introduced Beatrice to the public as their biological daughter.
"What if the Nicastro family finds out that Bailey is adopted? Haven't you heard the rumors that Mr. Arthur Nicastro wiped out the second generation of the Nicastro vessels? What if he does the same to our family—"
"No one will know, okay? Once the Nicastro family accepts Bailey, I'll take care of everything—I'll remove all the documents related to Bailey's adoption, just like I did with Beatrice."
"It's better to preserve Beatrice because I see that the families under the Nicastro family favor the only son of the current head of the Nicastro family, and I heard the first family is already looking for someone to arrange with their only son."
The older Madrigal said that Bailey would be engaged to the son of the Nicastro family's second family.
The Nicastro family was one of the prestigious families that were not good to be enemies with. Aside from the spreading rumors that they had their own secret organization, the father of the boy betrothed to Bailey was also a murderer.
One of the twins also didn't appear in public, so many rumors spread that one of the heirs had an unpleasant appearance.
Bailey couldn't help but be scared of the idea that the family of the person she was betrothed to was very dangerous.
"I don't want to die yet."
Miranda asked Bailey why she suddenly said that. Bailey stopped and looked up.
The young girl hugged her knees while on top of the bed. She saw Miranda holding a candle and walking towards her.
The lights in the mansion suddenly went out because of the heavy rain and thunder.
"I can't stop thinking about the family of the boy I'm betrothed to."
Miranda held Bailey's head and said that the Nicastro family wouldn't harm her.
"It's just a rumor, and if the Nicastro family had no sense of justice, they would have been imprisoned immediately. It's just a rumor."
Bailey stopped at the idea that Miranda was right. She shouldn't judge the Nicastro family based on a rumor.
The next day,
Bailey looked down while Beatrice talked to their teacher, telling her about the agreement between the Nicastro and Madrigal families.
"Dad promised me he would marry me to the future head of the Nicastro family."
In Bailey's mind, Beatrice deserved it since she was beautiful, and anyone would like Beatrice.
"Miss Bailey."
Bailey stopped and looked at the door. She saw Miranda excusing herself to the teacher.
"The Nicastro couple has arrived. They want to see you."
Bailey stood up, immediately feeling nervous. She heard Beatrice whispering that the family suited Bailey.
"Monster."
Bailey's face soured, and she left the table. She passed by Beatrice, who seemed annoyed by her behavior.
Bailey walked towards Miranda. Bailey didn't expect the couple to come immediately to check on her.
"Miran, do you think they will like me despite my appearance?" Bailey asked. Miranda looked at her and asked if she wanted to wear a nice dress and get ready.
Bailey turned and asked if that was possible. Miranda's expression softened, and she said that the Nicastro couple would surely wait.
---
"Wow," Bailey said after Miranda got her ready. Miranda dressed her in a beautiful dress and styled her hair.
"Where did you get this, Miran? I haven't seen this dress before," Bailey asked, touching her dress and the heels she wore.
Miranda propped her arm on her knee, put a finger to her lips, and said it was a secret.
Bailey looked at her and then thanked her. The woman just smiled.
Miranda held Bailey's hand and led her out of the room. They walked towards the office. When Bailey opened the door, she was immediately greeted with glares from the Madrigal couple.
The madam forced a smile, then approached Bailey and apologized for Bailey being late.
Bailey's face slightly crumpled when the madam touched her shoulder and squeezed it. The child quickly adjusted her expression and looked at the other sofa.
Bailey shyly bowed her head after her eyes met with the madam of the Nicastro family.
"How about we let the child sit down first? It's not a big deal that we waited since we were the ones who came here suddenly after receiving the invitation from the Madrigals," said the madam of the Nicastro family. The Madrigal madam moved slightly away, indicating that they were clearly excited to meet their future in-law.
"Why not? That child will be the partner of one of my children," said the madam with a smile. Bailey was stunned by the madam's beautiful smile and she seemed really kind.
"Aren't you going to sit?" the madam asked with a smile. Bailey looked around because she didn't know where to sit. She glanced at Miranda, who suddenly looked at the Nicastro couple.
Bailey also looked to the other side and then walked towards the couple. The husband of the Nicastro madam turned to look at Bailey approaching them.
"Ahm."
The man scooted over and made space for the child between them. The elderly Madrigal cursed in her mind. Miranda covered her mouth to avoid laughing. The young girl really sat between the Nicastro couple instead of beside the Madrigal couple.
"Sorry for the ignorance of my second child, Mrs. Nicastro. She's too spoiled and an attention seeker compared to my first child who—"
"Like you said, she is a child. We also have children, and it's natural for kids to make mistakes," said the Nicastro madam. Bailey stopped and looked at the madam because of the idea that she was being defended by this madam from her own mom, who said it was just natural.
"Stop talking nonsense, this is just a sofa and we have space here."
The madam couldn't believe she would hear such that remark especially coming from the child's own parents.
The head of the Madrigals immediately apologized for his wife's attitude.
"She is the one disciplining our children, which is why she reacted that way. It also seems that my wife was upset because our child chose to sit next to her in-law."
Miranda wanted to applaud the head of the Madrigal family for his eloquence.
Miranda looked at the Nicastro couple. It seemed their impression of the Madrigals was not good anymore; it was clear from their faces that they did not like the attitude shown towards Bailey.
- Writer
