Rebirth Of The Duke's Daughter

Chapter 10

Duke Reynard turned around and knelt down so that he was at eye level with Mila. His expression softened as he looked into her eyes. "Silly girl," he said gently, "I don't hate you for being born. On the contrary, I'm very happy that you were born." He reached out and tenderly wiped the tears from her eyes before leaning in to kiss the top of her head.

"Really?" Mila asked, her voice small and filled with hope. She desperately wanted to believe his words. 'Please don't hurt my feelings,' she thought to herself. 'Our misunderstandings in the past life brought us to this moment, and now I have a fresh start.'

Duke Reynard looked at her with sincerity. "Yes, Mila, I am truly delighted that you were born." His voice was firm yet warm, leaving no room for doubt. He didn't want to lie to her; his words were genuine.

Mila's heart swelled with emotion as she hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks once more—this time from relief and joy. She couldn't understand how she had ever misunderstood her father and brother in her past life. They were far more kind-hearted and loving than she had ever realized.

Now confined to her room, Mila was aware that her sisters had received their punishment: no allowance for two months. To Mila, it seemed like a light punishment, though it was harsh enough for Vita, who loved spending money on new clothes and attending tea parties with other high-class girls. Sitting on her bed, Mila sighed, her thoughts wandering as she stared up at the ceiling. "I'm bored," she muttered, feeling the weight of inactivity pressing down on her.

Just then, Leo entered her room, and concern etched across his face as he noticed her bandaged ankle. "Mila?!" he called out, his worry evident in his tone.

Mila smiled reassuringly at him. "Don't worry," she said softly, trying to ease his concern. "This is something I can survive." She wanted Leo to know that she wasn't weak and that she could handle this.

But Leo's response surprised her. "You idiot! Do you hate me or something?!" he burst out, his voice filled with frustration. Mila was taken aback by his sudden outburst. "I'm going away to school, and I won't see you for a few years. You've never once called on me for help," he continued, moving closer to her.

Mila's expression softened as she realized just how worried he was. She smiled gently, understanding the depth of his concern. "Leo, I can't always depend on you," she said quietly. "You're my big brother, and I look up to you so much. Thank you for worrying about me." She reached out and hugged him, appreciating his love and protection. Leo sighed, knowing that while he wanted to protect her, she was determined to stand on her own.

"Alright," he relented, his voice softening. "But you'd better write to me. I've never been so far away from you before, and I won't be around to help you when I'm at school." His eyes searched hers, and she nodded in agreement.

Leo stayed with her for a while longer before finally leaving, still reluctant to part from his little sister. Once he was gone, Mila found herself alone again, the room feeling emptier without him.

A soft tapping at the window caught her attention. Looking up, she saw Jero, the Crested Eye Quetzal, perched outside. 'That was quick,' Mila thought as she grabbed her crutches and made her way over to the window.

"Hi, Jero," she greeted the bird warmly as she opened the window and hugged him. She noticed a small letter tied to his leg and carefully untied it, curious to see the response from her mysterious new friend.

The letter read:

'A friend? Hmm, I didn't think that would happen so soon. A friend of Jero's is a friend of mine. He is rarely kind to anyone, but with you, it's different. I cannot reveal my identity, but you can call me ZH. Nice to meet you, Mila.' - ZH