Golden Blessing

Chapter 1 - Betrayal

*crackling**hissing*

The sound of burning wood turned silent when I heard him say those words.

"I'm sorry, Lianne. But I have to get Sylvia to a doctor. I really have to go.. I'm sorry. "

Those words echoed in my mind.

'My own brother.. My twin whom I grew up with. Chose someone who he knows for barely a year..'

'I know I've always been cold to the touch. But was it truly needed to betray me like this?'

Then, the edge of the wood I was holding.. broke.

As I fell down those three floors, all I could think about is how he betrayed me. 'He's such a foolish little brat', I thought.

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︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎

I've never had an easy childhood. My father and mother would always fight, day and night, until they finally decided to get a divorce. Not even a couple of months passed, he already brought in a new wife. 'Cassandra'. My stepmother. She was abusive not only to me and my brother, but also to the staff in the Duchy. She would spend her days either attending tea parties or dress shopping. I thought all will finally be better when my father told me news of him and my mother getting back together. But.. Cassandra, she sued my parents of committing a crime harsh enough to be considered treasonous.

The court found both of them guilty, sliding Cassandra off the hook because it was known to the staff members of our mansion that my father and mother were getting back together. They were both sentenced to death. Though, they were still nobles of a long, glorious lineage, so they held a funeral to send them off properly. I remember bawling my eyes out from crying everyday.

Once while I was hiding in a corner in the mansion, mourning my parents' death, I overheard Cassandra talking to the judge that sentenced my parents.

'She bribed him. She was the real reason of their death. I thought my parents truly did something wrong but, it was her doing!'

I got up and ran from there because I was so overwhelmed by the news. But.. I think that was also how she found out my secret.

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︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎

Our family once had familial ties with the Imperial Family. It was such a long time ago that no one would be ever thought that I, would get the Golden Blessing.

The Golden Blessing is simple, really. But it was only given to the Imperial Family. To be born with golden hair and golden eyes. It was a legacy passed down from generation to generation. It was a sign of prosperity and royalty. But I've never heard of the Golden Blessing having.. that kind of power.

I would always get compliments about my golden eyes. Saying how rare it is for a person that is not part of the Imperial Family to get it. But, they don't know how much I hated it. When I cry, I cry tears of gold. When I get hurt, I bleed blood of rubies. Even my sweat are opals. Nobody knows of this fact except for me and my parents. It was secret I had to keep. I didn't know why when I was kid. But now.. I know.

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︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎

When I ran away after hearing Cassandra talking to the judge, she probably saw bits of gold there and saw me. Because after that, she came looking for me. I was scared. I didn't know what to do. I was just a kid. All I could do was cry. But, that just made it worse. She saw me. On my bed. Crying tears of gold.

She busted the door and grabbed me forcefully. She threatened me to give her the gold or else she will tell everyone about my 'blessing'. I was so scared back then that I'd forgotten how to speak. Her nails dug deeply through my skin that I started to bleed. Then, she also saw the blood of rubies. I was also sweating so much, she saw the opals.

"So, you had this kind of power.. AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME?!"

I, couldn't think back then. I was scared. So I, just agreed..

Every. single. day. I had to torture myself in order to give her her specific amount of jewels. Every month for more than 10 years now.

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︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎

That's just one of my problems. When my father and mother were sentenced, Cassandra still kept her title as the Duchess. But the nobles couldn't accept her as one. So the judge decided for her to keep the title but she can never call the Duchy her home.

As the Duchess, it was her responsibility to take care of the Duchy's duties and problems. But when I just turned 10 years old, I found out that she's neglected her duties and work kept on piling up. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I studied political issues, financing, everything. From beginners to experts. I learned it all. It was hard at first but I needed to do this.

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︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎

I've done so much, for this Duchy. For my home. Despite all the hardships I've faced. Why? Well.. that's because of Liam. My twin brother who also lost his parents alongside me. We were the only ones left after our parents' death. We have never met our other relatives before. So we only had each other. I've never told him about how Cassandra collects jewels from me or how she neglects her duties. All he thinks of me was how others do.

Nobles, aristocrats, even commoners describe me as someone who's cold and indifferent. In my generation, I was never liked because of it. But in the previous generations, they think my behavior is acceptable as a noble. Me and my brother was described as opposites. Liam is, a himbo. He isn't knowledgeable and would always go head first into a situation. But he was loved for his kind personality. I, Lianne, was described as a cold and indifferent woman. Who never shows her emotion. But she was smart and observative. The only thing that Liam and I have in common, was our good looks. Liam and I were born with white, glistening hair. Though, Liam was born with blue ocean eyes, and I was born with the Golden Blessing's eyes.

Me and Liam have our differences but we would always work it out. But.. when he left me for that girl, I.. couldn't accept it.

Chapter 1 - Betrayal – END