My own reincarnation story

Badad

"So this is her...?"

A beautiful but cold looking man with breathtaking eyes and an aura that shouted athority asked.

Though more than a question, it was a statement.

The man was Cedric Stellaris, the Duke who had taken his title at a very young age do to his parents sudden passing.

He was forced to take on Lycoris Radiata, the first daughter of the Marquis Radiata as his wife to solidify his position as the head of the house.

Countless hearts had been broken do to this, however...that included his own.

It seemed as if time stopped at that moment.

The man looked at Raven.

Raven looked at the man.

One tall and one short figure staring at each other.

If this were any other type of story, it would've made for a beautiful scene.

In this one, however, it did not.

The servants at either side of them felt a chill run down their spines,fearing what would happen next.

It was no secret to the people inside and out of the mansion that the Duke hated the duchess.

He hated her.

Their marriage.

His powerlessness to refuse.

And the vile spawn that came out of it.

And everyone knew.

They looked to see the young Miss's reaction to finally meeting her father.

But the young miss just stood there.

Observing the man in return.

The young miss had been very bright since young.

Even at four, she was usually able to somewhat make out a person's position by the stance people took around them and the treatment they received.

She should be able to figure out who the man standing before her was.

But all she did was look him up and down, as if analysing him.

The Duke wouldn't know since he never paid attention to anything the young miss or his wife did, but the servants that had been with the young miss since the beginning knew.

The young miss was dissatisfied.

She was silently demanding a reason for having never met before.

In truth, Raven didn't really care about this so called "father" of hers.

As long as he kept providing her with the capital she needed to live comfortably, she couldn't care less if they were to meet here or a couple years later.

If he let her do her business, she would let him do his and keep out of the way.

However....she was confused.
Her mother had always talked about him.

She talked as if they were one happy family.

Why had he only appeared now?

Yes, the current Raven didn't care.

But...if it were any other kid in her position...it would've hurt.

They'd feel abandoned.

Ignored.

Worthless

So she stood there and flashed a cute smile, innocently asking

"Who are you, mister? I've never seen you around before"

She saw the servants at her side visibly whiten and start sweating.

Now.

You may be thinking, "what are you doing?!?! Do you want to purposefully get in trouble?!?!

Well, the thing is, when you're a baby, people don't usually put up walls around you.

So she always knew that all her maids and staff had been payed off by her mother.

Usually servants of the Stellaris house wouldn't dare work undercover for someone other than the Duke, but it had been made clear since the beginning that he didn't care about the duchess or her daughter, so though doubtful at first, they slowly started to have a little more courage and do the duchesses bidding.

Raven wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but she knew that something was stirring in the shadows.

In wait.

However...she couldn't ask anyone, as the only people she regularly talked to worked under other people's orders....*sigh*

Anyways.

Her mother would probably be pleased to know that her daughter was as enthusiastic as her in forming a family with the Duke, so she had no problems at that side....

Raven sighed once again, this time looking the man right in the eyes and straightening her posture while at it.

The man just frowned even more

"Don't let her come to the gardens anymore. She's an eyesore."

And with just those words as parting, he left.