The history of the Burrough family intertwined with the Castillos when Cora married Ottoni, brother of Cyra Castillo, Cielle's mother. Cyra, the youngest of the Castillo siblings, was a well-known figure in Pearce's high society, known as "the girl of the four pillars" – beauty, education, skill, and kindness. Cora, aware of Cyra's unshakeable reputation, couldn't help but feel envy, which only grew over the years. After Cyra's death and the tarnishing of the Castillo name, the family was ostracized by Pearce's elite. Ottoni, under Cora's influence, abandoned the Castillo surname, leaving young Cielle as the sole bearer of this legacy.
"When she grows up, she'll deal with it," Cora whispered to her husband. "Your brother, Caelum, has left, and your sister is gone for good. Bury that surname. You don't need to carry that burden."
Ottoni renounced his origins, distancing himself from anything that reminded him of the Castillos to reintegrate into the elite.
Cielle, orphaned of both parents, went to live with her aunt and uncle. Her grace and beauty, so reminiscent of Cyra, were seen by Cora as an affront.
"No, no, please!" Cielle screamed, being dragged up the stairs by Cora.
"How dare you try to ruin my daughter's birthday by going to the stables?" Cora reprimanded, dragging her to the dark, dusty attic.
"I just wanted to see the horses!" Cielle cried.
"Liar!" Cora accused, her voice echoing at the threshold of the attic. "You wanted to steal the attention on my daughter's birthday!"
"Today is my birthday too. I just wanted to see the horses. And eat cake," Cielle replied between tears.
"Enough drama," Cora retorted, pointing to the attic. "You'll stay here until morning!"
"No, it's cold here!" Cielle was pushed inside, hearing the door close behind her.
Alone, Cielle wiped her tears, her face still reddened by Cora's hand.
"I just wanted to see the horses... And eat cake," she murmured, dragging herself to a ray of sunlight coming through the stained glass.
Lying on the cold floor, she heard a noise near her hair. A little mouse was watching her. Cielle smiled.
"Hi, little friend. Are you alone too? Where is your family?" The mouse hesitated. "Are you hungry?" She moved her hand, and the mouse ran to hide. Cielle took squashed buns out of her pocket. "It's all I could grab. They should still be good." She threw crumbs and curled up, making space for the mouse.
"It's cold, isn't it?" she murmured, tucking her feet in. The mouse reappeared, searching for the crumbs. "If I imagine I'm in a warm bed, the cold goes away." The mouse ate, losing some of its fear. "Stay until I fall asleep, okay? I don’t want to be alone."
Wrapped in thick, cozy sheets, Cielle lay in the large bed, curled up like a child. A ray of sun, filtering through the window, caressed her face, gently waking her from her deep sleep.
She yawned, stretching as she sat up in bed. Her eyes roamed the luxurious room, still feeling out of place in this environment. Getting up and walking to the window, a spontaneous smile appeared on her face as she watched birds flying freely, a reminder of the freedom she longed for.
Her gaze fixed on the garden, where workers were beginning their day in the greenhouse. The thought of the boy from last night, Jasper, came to mind. "He has very clean hands for someone who works in the garden," Cielle pondered, leaning against the window.
The sound of two gentle knocks on the door interrupted her thoughts.
"Come in," Cielle replied softly.
The maids Nancy, Demira, and Selina entered the room in an orderly line. The three curtsied simultaneously, saying in unison:
"Good morning, miss. We've come to prepare your bath."
Cielle, still getting used to such formalities, welcomed the gesture with a kind smile.
"Good morning to you too. How are you?" she asked, her voice tinged with genuine interest in their well-being.
Cielle experienced a level of care and attention that left her almost astounded. In the bathtub, surrounded by warm water and scented with bath salts, she felt relaxed and pampered. Nancy gently poured water on her back, while Selina attentively took care of her hair.
"You really don’t have to do all this," Cielle spoke, her voice laden with gratitude and a touch of embarrassment.
Nancy and Selina responded in unison, with almost perfect synchrony:
"It's the master's orders, miss."
Cielle swallowed hard, a bit overwhelmed by the situation.
"Even so, it seems too much..."
"Miss, do you feel uncomfortable with us?" Nancy asked, her voice full of concern.
"No, not at all! I just don’t want you to think that I’m incapable of taking care of myself," Cielle hurried to clarify.
Nancy fixed her gaze on Cielle's face, conveying a message of understanding.
"Miss, taking care of you is our job, and we do it with pleasure. We hope you feel comfortable and don’t hesitate to ask for whatever you need." Nancy's look was affectionate and sincere.
For a moment, Cielle's expression overflowed with angelic serenity.
"Thank you, I am truly grateful for your help," Cielle replied, her sincerity causing Nancy to blush slightly before such beauty and kindness.
At that moment, Demira entered the bathroom, holding two clothing options.
"You can choose between the floral dress or the clothes you wore yesterday. Unfortunately, those are the only options besides your pajamas," Demira explained, making a sympathetic face.
Cielle nodded, understanding the situation.
"That's fine, I'll wear the dress," she decided, mentally thanking them for the attention and care received.
Rafaell had already been immersed in the bathtub for quite some time when Stewart had to knock repeatedly on the bathroom door to catch his master's attention.
"Come in," Rafaell said, closing his eyes and relaxing once again in the water.
"It's not like you to take such long baths," Stewart observed, holding a towel.
"So what?" Rafaell responded acidly, keeping his eyes closed.
"You seem quite thoughtful. Is this related to your encounter with the lady last night? Thinking about working in the garden today?" Stewart's voice carried a playful tone. Rafaell immediately opened his eyes.
"I had to! She mistook me for an employee!" he exclaimed, his expression revealing indignation.
"Would it be so hard to reveal your true identity?"
"I thought about saying it..." Rafaell hesitated, his face changing. "But it was easier this way. I don’t believe she would have been so candid if she knew who I really am."
Stewart noticed the concern on Rafaell's face.
"Did you discover something?"
"They manipulated her! She didn’t accept my marriage proposal as well as I thought. I’ve known Cielle Castillo for two months. My first meeting with the Burroughs was a month ago, and she only found out about the proposal yesterday! They waited for the dowry and debts payment, making her feel guilty and without any option but to accept."
"That’s serious, sir. It wasn't what you planned," Stewart warned.
"I know!" Rafaell exclaimed, agitating the bathwater. "Moreover, they sent her here alone, without a car or proper luggage. They didn’t even bother to confirm if she arrived safely!"
Stewart watched, concerned for Rafaell's state.
"And what have you thought?"
"Many things..."
"Are you going to send her back?"
Rafaell shot a quick look at Stewart, then turned to his reflection in the water.
"Recovering the dowry would be a headache, but not impossible. As we’re not married yet, the debts aren’t entirely mine. I can easily back out."
"But will you just send her away?"
"She only arrived yesterday, don’t tell me you’ve already grown fond of her?"
Stewart replied confidently:
"And you, sir, after seeing her last night, would you send her away?"
Rafaell remembered her, frightened yet serene, like a delicate porcelain doll with a subtle crack.
"This decision will be hers. I will make it clear that I’ll only marry if she agrees. Of course, if she says no, my plans will go down the drain."
Rafaell stood up, and Stewart wrapped him in the towel.
"So, should I prepare a romantic breakfast on the terrace for the two of you?"
"What? No, absolutely not. I need to get out of here as quickly as possible," Rafaell replied.
Stewart was surprised, watching Rafaell leave the bathtub.
"But I thought that..."
"I'll talk to her, but not now. I’m not ready to reveal who I am yet," Rafaell said, walking towards the bedroom.
Stewart watched his idea of a romantic meeting crumble.
"So, you're just going to run away?"
Rafaell put his head back in the bathroom, his childish side emerging naturally.
"Exactly."
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