Chapter 3

I'd been with the Caldwells for over a month. Since that day I met Mrs. Caldwell at the orphanage, she hadn't shown her face again.

Asher, on the other hand, I'd occasionally run into him at dinner. Every time I saw him, I'd smile and sweetly call him, "Brother."

But him? He never acknowledged me, not even bothering to lift an eyelid.

I wasn't angry, nor did I feel embarrassed.

Because I simply didn't have time to dwell on such things.

My days were packed lately, so much so that even taking a breather felt like a luxury.

Mrs. Caldwell hadn't appeared, but her orders certainly hadn't stopped.

From morning till night, it was either learning posture, practicing dance, or horseback riding; all sorts of elite classes were piled onto me.

And it was still summer vacation, a time that should have been relaxing, but it was more exhausting than school.

Even Maria, who cleaned the rooms, saw my bruised knees and her gaze softened.

"Miss, won't you tell Mrs. Caldwell to let you rest for a day?"

I bent down to put on my shoes, shaking my head gently:

"No need."

The day I arrived, Mrs. Caldwell had made it clear. "A Caldwell child has no right to be lazy. Even if you're not blood-related, you can't bring shame to this family."

"Unlike that girl next door from the Taylors', who's out having fun every day."

Maria sighed, handing me my backpack:

"Exactly, they were making a racket early this morning. I heard the whole family booked tickets to go abroad for the summer."

She said that, really, to show she felt sorry for me. She felt that at my age, I shouldn't be cooped up indoors every day, laboriously practicing these etiquette rules.

I stood up, took the backpack, and smiled:

"Maria, I'm not suffering. I want to learn this."

Outsiders might find the Caldwells' rules terrifyingly strict, like a literal ice chamber.

But I knew, this was an opportunity. The Caldwells are an old-money family, with deep roots and extensive connections.

Any path they chose was something the Taylors, a new-money family, couldn't achieve in decades. Here, I could learn, and I could rise higher.

Even if everyone in the Caldwell household treated me coldly, Mrs. Caldwell was mercilessly strict, and Asher wouldn't even give me a direct glance…

I was lost in thought when suddenly something soft brushed against my leg—a ball of white fluff. Immediately after, an agitated and annoyed female voice rang out:

"Oh, sweetie! Wrong person! Come back!"

"Brother! Help me catch it!"

"Silly thing."

I bent down, picked up the kitten, and stood up. And came face to face with a young man walking towards me.

A smile played on his lips, his eyes filled with indulgence. I recognized him immediately—

Liam Taylor.