"You selfish, ungrateful brat!" Thomas snarled.
"How dare you speak to Josephine like that? She's been through hell, and all you care about is yourself!"
Grace nodded in agreement, her eyes flashing with anger.
"Yes, Guinevere. After everything Josephine has endured, the least you could do is show some compassion."
Josephine clung to her parents, tears streaming down her face. She sniffled dramatically.
"My adoptive parents were monsters," she sobbed.
"They starved me, beat me... and their sons were even worse."
Guinevere watched the scene unfold with a mixture of disbelief and disgust. She knew Josephine was lying, but she also knew that no one would believe her.
"Why should I care about your sob story?" she asked coldly.
"I didn't ask for us to be switched at birth," Guinevere said as she turned around she felt so annoyed and headache coming.
Guinevere went to sleep when she woke up early in the morning. Guinevere took a shower got dressed she stepped out of her room. She saw Josephine was being pampered like crazy. Guinevere doesn't recall when David and Grace pampered her like this it has always been studying, learning instruments, and table manners.
"Josephine mum wants to take you shopping you suffered so much my poor baby," Grace said.
"Yes yes sister here is a 2 million pound check," Thomas said and David gifted her own villa. Josephine was in cloud 9!
"Mom, brother, dad thank you!" Josephine said. Guinevere grabbed a bottle of apple juice.
"Josephine about my parents contract information," Guinevere asked. Josephine held on Grace arm.
"Mum, I really, I really am scared what if they ask for money and…"
Guinevere sneered this girl is just…forget it she doesn't feel like fighting.
Grace frowned, her expression turning stern.
"Guinevere, I think it's best if we don't discuss this right now," she said firmly.
"Josephine has been through enough. We need to focus on her wellbeing and helping her adjust to her new life."
Josephine nodded vigorously, burying her face in Grace's shoulder.
"Yes, please," she whispered.
"I don't want to think about them anymore."
Thomas glared at Guinevere, his arms crossed over his chest.
"You heard my mother," he snapped.
"Drop it."
Guinevere clenched her jaw, fighting back the urge to scream. She knew she was outnumbered and outmatched. But right she was not in rush to get out.
"Oh and Guinevere take Josephine to Penelope tea party and introduce the high society ladies," Grace said. Josephine was so excited Guinevere is a fake heiress she her biological family is dirt poor farm people while she is the real heiress who has returned so of course she wanted to take advantage of Guinevere.
Guinevere smiled and she nodded her head. Guinevere knows Penelope temper and her taking others in as her friends is like asking some powerful warrior to kneel down.
A memory from when she was five years old. She was in her room reading book about magic spells, martial arts enforcers and ability users at the time she was so excited she could not help but feel excited. Once Grace and David told someone she was a fake and she did not understand so she applied herself.
Such a cruel words for a five year old child to hear. To make both her parents proud Guinevere recalls working hard.
"Miss. I believe the madam would so happy!" The wet nurse nanny said.
"What really Nanny Sofia!" Guinevere said at age five years old. Guinevere was so happy as she looked at her nanny and her teacher.
"Don't forget to tell mama and papa!" Guinevere said.
Sofia carried Guinevere where Grace was in her office doing matriarch work.
"Come in."
"Madam Grace, Guinevere shows many talents and one of them is economic."
"She is not a Blackwater if she is able to achieve that."
"Tech if it was not the engagement with the Blackwood I would thrown them out."
Guinevere felt like crying but she did not as she looked at Grace.
"Guin you fall while dancing with Jason."
"Yes."
"You must be punishment," Grace said.
"Madam Guinevere is only five years old!" Sofia said. Grace dragged Guinevere away.
"Mother I was wrong! I won't do it again! Mother please!" Guinevere shouted as she thrown on the attic and she fall down and she tried to rush forward.
"Reflect on your mistake that made the Blackwater Family lose face."
"Madam please calm down forgive her this once she is only five years old."
"One must take on their own punishment," Grace said.
At the time she prayed that what her mother said was wrong so she prayed the day every day and night. When she was in the dark she recalls how Nanny Sofia was always there soothing her pain away.
In the attic nanny was old but always came to there to talk to her. But than she heard a cough and Guinevere lost the only person who loved her that night. Guinevere screamed as a powerful cycle of light blasted out and she saw her nanny was on the ground gone. Guinevere screamed in pain. She held on the nanny and saw the bracelet she had as going to gift her for her birthday she put it. She still did not know what the fake was but being thrown away just because she was not real? She did mind she stopped smiling, she stopped crying and worked hard. Guinevere life fall over and over again but got stronger.
After that well one can guess the times she has suffered but never spoke about it.
"Guinevere!" Tun Tun shouted. Guinevere snapped out of long memory from her childhood it's good that she was reborn when she was 17 years old.
"Sure she can go to the tea party," Guinevere said.
Josephine was smug about this.
"Sister you won't mind would you?" Josephine asked. Guinevere was indifferent but she smiled her smile was gentle yet cold as she chuckled if you are able to handle Lily and Penelope than she would clap for her. Those two don't have any close friends other than the three of them.
Josephine beamed, thinking she had won this round. She linked arms with Guinevere, pulling her towards the door.
"Come on, sister," she cooed.
"Let's go get you ready for the tea party."
As they walked, Josephine leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"You know, I've heard rumors about Penelope," she said.
"It's said that she's quite... particular about who she associates with."
Josephine giggled, a cruel glint in her eye.
"I wonder how everyone would think when they find out you are a fake," Josephine said.
Guinevere was indifferent. Guinevere Blackwater was indeed the pride of a perfect daughter of the Blackwater Family Clan. Economy, commerce, spell making, academic, politics, they all stood out she was a pride in the school she went to. The high society too only have high praises. But no matter what she was just a nobody with Grace, Thomas, and David.
"Guinevere come to my office," Grace said she walked passed Guinevere and Guinevere followed her.
"Josephine is the true bloodline of our family and the only heiress, your brother is the heir of our businesses, Guinevere your parents are poor from the slums, in a month the world would know about Josephine within that mouth I hope you help Josephine get used to the society," Grace said she had no affection for Guinevere. Guinevere did not say anything used to this she closed eyes and opened them.
"Um I understand," Guinevere said.