This was advice given by her father, who had pushed his young daughter into society alone.
Ariella despised her father, but despite that, she learned many skills and schemes from him. She intended to use all that she had learned to strike back when she left this place.
Therefore, as she always did, she woke up early to handle paperwork, meet with the estate’s residents to hear their grievances, and assess the financial state of the duke’s household.
Her demeanor was the same as usual, but those who observed her closely noticed subtle changes.
“Doesn’t the young lady seem to be in a good mood these days?”
“Right? Her face seems brighter somehow.”
“Oh, that can’t be. Does that make sense? Not in a situation like this. You must be mistaken.”
Though they thought they were mistaken, the maids kept their mouths shut. They too believed that the young lady couldn’t possibly be in a good mood at this time.
After all, it had already been several days since Lizzy claimed to be the real princess, yet that audacious girl showed no signs of being expelled from the Duke of Bedford’s household.
The duke visited Lizzy’s room daily, engaging in long interrogative conversations, but it seemed there were no significant results. The voice of Lizzy, heard through the door, was only confident, and the duke always returned with a serious expression.
This indicated that Lizzy’s claims had some validity, and that the duke had yet to find even a slight flaw in her.
The whispers among the servants grew louder, and the glances directed at Ariella increased.
Then, on a particularly cold Sunday, Lizzy’s door opened after several days.
It was not to drag her out and put her on trial. Instead, Lizzy emerged with a bright smile on her face.
The Duke of Bedford gathered the household staff in the hall, brought Lizzy before them, and declared:
“From now on, treat Lizzy as the Princess of Bedford.”
As soon as the command was given, the servants all turned their heads back. They were looking towards Ariella.
Both maids and servants stared at Ariella. Some with expressions of excitement, others with concern and uncertainty.
The intense gazes tightened around her neck, but Ariella remained steadfast. Her heart began to race again, but that was all.
Soon, her eyes met Lizzy’s in the air.
Lizzy’s long, horizontal eyes curved into a smile, just like the one she had seen through the door.
Lizzy smiled brightly and said, “I look forward to working with you all from now on.”
***
After the shocking announcement, the Duke of Bedford immediately summoned Ariella to his study.
Ariella stepped forward, crossing the gaze that poured over her.
As soon as she arrived in the study, the duke quickly began.
“I had no choice.”
He sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead in annoyance.
“While the claims she makes are certainly clumsy, there is no evidence to assert they are false. I can’t find anything in her past either. The same goes for investigating the Tolkan slums. As the days go by, the Crown Prince’s pressure is increasing… For now, treat her as she wishes, and we can slowly uncover the truth.”
Ariella slowly looked up at him.
Her eyes, which seemed both flustered and angry, captured him entirely.
“Don’t you doubt me?”
The duke, sitting with his head in his hands, raised an eyebrow as if to ask what she meant.
Ariella continued to question him with a blank expression.
“Don’t you think I might be a fake? Lizzy knows memories I haven’t shared.”
“Well, you must have told her. You always had too much to say to that girl.”
“How can you be so sure? If I lied about not telling her, it would be easy to do. Don’t you think there’s even a slight chance that Lizzy could be the Princess of Bedford or your daughter?”
As her words continued, the shadow on the Duke of Bedford’s face deepened.
Noticing this, Ariella fell silent. A sharp silence filled the study.
As his cold gaze turned towards her, she instinctively tightened her fingers. A taut tension constricted around her neck.
“You’re acting weak, which isn’t like you.”
After what felt like hours but was only a few minutes, the duke replied in a fierce voice.
“Eli, your father is no fool. What kind of idiot wouldn’t recognize his own daughter? Stop with the useless thoughts. My true daughter is undoubtedly you.”
The duke’s response, given without a moment’s hesitation, surprised her considerably.
She thought that if he were her father, he might have other thoughts by now.
Yet for some reason, he still seemed to firmly believe she was his daughter.
Does he trust me?
No, that can’t be.
Even though they had lived together in this mansion for over ten years, there had never been a trust relationship between father and daughter. There was only a businessman who wanted to create a “perfect princess” and a product that thoroughly obeyed his words.
