Ch 002

With Duke Edenite unseeing problems regarding Chevelle and with the Duchess' daily abuses, Chevelle grew numb to pain.

Three years went by as usual and the number of people in the household who cared for Chevelle decreased. And for Violet, she still kept her sister company whenever she had time but she was mostly kept busy by the Duchess to keep minimum to no interaction with Chevelle.

As she had reached sixteen years of age, Chevelle was eligible to attend the debutante ball this spring but she had low chances to go to the ball as she had clothes not fit for social events.

On certain occasions, she was made to wear expensive jewelleries and gowns but as soon as the guests leave, the expensive items would be taken away from her.

As Chevelle was sitting in the library of the Edenite household with thoughts merely clouding her mind, she flipped over few pages of a book. Just then, Violet came to greet her step sister along with her attendant. " Sister dear, Good morning."

"Good morning, dear Violet. What brings you here as soon as you finish your morning classes?"

"Well, it's not much of a matter for me but..." Violet paused for a while. Chevelle closed the book she was reading and diverted her attention towards Violet.

"It's just that ...your sixteenth birthday passed recently. So, I was wondering if sister would be attending the debutante ball in the palace this spring."

Giving a small laugh, Chevelle caressing Violet's cheeks, replied calmly, " Dear Violet, it would be a headache for mother to separately arrange a dress for me to go to the ball. As you know, mother does not have extra expenses to invest on such trivial matter."

She stopped for a while and continued," Wouldn't it be better if I attend alongside with you on your debutante ball instead?"

Violet understood how things worked for Chevelle in the house. She was disheartened thinking that her mother even though allowing Chevelle to go to the palace, she might deny buying a new gown for the debutante ball.

Thinking really hard, she said, " Sister dear, no matter how many times you get suppressed, I despite being your younger sister could be of no help. But this time brave up a little. A debutante ball is a must for a noble lady. So please, request mother for a carriage for the day of your ball and even a tailor to sew a new gown for you.

You are good, well- mannered and have a lot of patience. You even learnt complicated books without a need of private tutor. And on top of that you look beautiful, no one would be able to avoid a dance with you in the ball. Perhaps, it might be a new turn of life for you."

What Violet said was true, not even tutors were allotted to Chevelle for her private lessons. Even though belonging to a great duchy, she had a lot of disadvantages but still managed to study a lot in their private library. And when a doubt arises, she would ask Violet and Violet in turn, would ask her tutor.

Her presence in the household was like that of a ghost but often treated as something more ,like a monster. Not even a personal maid attended her. But it is most likely to be considered lucky in her situation at some point since no one cared where she goes or what she does as long as it didn't involve money or help from others.

But she was often assaulted by maids, workers and even the Duchess countlessly abused her whenever she saw Chevelle, calling her a hindrance and even said hurtful rude words such as to go and follow her dead mother and that the presence of her was intolerable. Her presence were like a barnacle to even the Duke and sometimes she was called a parasite and such for simply her presence.