Chapter 7

***

"What’s gotten into you, Josh...?"

Cedric almost sounded like he was about to cry when he spoke. It seemed like my words had shocked him.

"I don’t like you either!" but Joshua seemed unfazed, menacingly glaring at me as he spoke out each word.

‘He still doesn't know anything, does he? Well, he's only eight years old. Sure, I can understand.’

…But I couldn’t forgive him for calling me ugly.

I looked at Cedric and spoke up bluntly.

"He said I'm ugly!"

"Of course, I would call an ugly ugly. Did you expect me to call you pretty?"

"Josh, d-don’t say that..."

Cedric's expression now made him seem like he was about to shed a tear. He sounded like he was soon about to choke up.

Half of it was just to provoke him. I thought maybe he was only pretending to be nice in front of me and Julianne.

But he was clearly quite flustered, and seeing that all he could say was no, I could see that it wasn’t just some kind of act.

I tilted my head slightly as I organized my thoughts.

A person like him was such a rare sight, although I couldn’t understand why his nephew was like that.

"Um, Julianne, I'm really sorry. The Winstons entrusted their son to me for a while. I couldn't leave him alone in the mansion, but I couldn’t take him to the palace either, so…”

Soon enough, Cedric started pouring out excuses, mumbling on and on.

It truly was a pitiful sight to see.

He was now hated by the sister of the girl he liked and had lost some brownie points all because of the nephew he suddenly had to take care of.

Even I would be crying if I was in his shoes.

"Well, I'm fine, Cedric..."

Julianne glanced down at me in the middle of her sentence.

Well, from Julianne's perspective, she could’ve just thought that a kid could say such things, and I agreed with her.

Besides, he’d clearly grown up in a privileged environment. Being loved and raised from a young age, he probably didn’t think twice before saying anything.

"I'm okay, Lia…"

I smiled brightly at Julianne as I immediately blurted out my next words.

"…He's far more uglier."

"Lili...!" she called my name in a truly regretful voice.

‘Why? He started it!’

Acting innocent, I rolled my eyes and spoke up again.

"I want to go inside. Mister Michael brought dessert! I want to eat it!"

Hearing my words, Michael’s eyes curved as he smiled and stuck his hand out toward me.

"Should we go together then, Lili? I’ll grab your hand."

"No way."

Of course, I refused right away.

He was always trying to grab any chance he could. I could clearly see he was trying to use the situation as an opportunity to get closer to me.

But I wasn’t going to let myself fall for such a petty trick like a fool.

That brat was that brat, and Cedric was Cedric.

Even if I had told Cedric that I hated him for the show earlier…

I rolled my eyes and glanced at Cedric. He stood there looking so depressed, almost like someone who just fell to hell.

‘Oh god, I bet he’ll cry in three seconds.’

Of course, I wanted to see him cry at least once, but...

"…You come too, big bro."

But not right now. If he was going to cry, I wanted him to do so in front of my sister only.

I turned my head primly after finishing my sentence.

‘You poor thing, thank your modesty and knitting skills for saving you.’

***

“You can only have two today, okay?”

Julianne quietly said as she handed me a chocolate tart.

‘…But you let me have five cookies last time, Lia!’

I looked up at Julianne with a sullen expression, but it didn’t seem like she was going to go back on her decision.

I knew my sister was actually quite firm, but not that much…

In the end, I cannot help but nodded helplessly.

If such extreme cuteness didn’t work, then nothing was going to work.

I had no choice but to give up.

Allen was going to bring a whole cake at dinnertime anyway, so…

"Here, Joshua, you have some too."

Julianne handed a tart to Joshua, who was sitting there with a sour look on his face. I immediately gave him a menacing look.

‘Why is she giving him my tart? Michael bought that for me!’

“…Thank you.”

Ignoring my gaze, Joshua carefully accepted the tart and smirked at me.

‘Did that brat just laugh at me? I know you just smiled because you took my tart and thought you won against me! That little piece of… I was just going easy on you because you’re a kid…’

"Lili, your tart is right here. You shouldn't glare at your friends.”

Julianne pointed at my tart and scolded me. It seemed like she was being conscious of Cedric.

It was almost like he was on pins and needles thanks to how pitiful he looked... but still, he’d messed with the wrong person.

I raised my head and looked at Julianne.

‘Think of that adorable orange cat with round eyes.’

I stared at her, trying to seem as cute and sad as him to make her pity me.

"But Lia, those are my tarts..."

"You’re only having two anyway, and wouldn’t Joshua want a tart as much as you do, Lili? You’re a good girl, aren’t you?”

Julianne was kind yet firm as she spoke.

She was a natural at teaching, even going as far as teaching empathy in such a situation.

‘…Hey, wait. No, Lia. He’s not thinking about tarts with such pure intentions. He just wants to tease me. I saw it all!’

“Lilianne."

Thinking that I was throwing a tantrum, Julianne called my name more sternly this time.

‘Lilianne. She just called me Lilianne…! How could you, Lia…?’

Of course, I knew that Julianne was strict when it came to desserts, but even so, I felt betrayed…

"I hate you, Lia."

Julianne's face immediately filled with shock.

‘You’re the one who only let me have two tarts. You even gave it to a brat who called me ugly! That face won’t work on me!’

I wasn’t going to talk to her until she let me have three tarts.

Although it was a bit mean, it didn’t matter to me. After all, I was only eight years old!

Purposely puffing up my cheeks and jerking my head away, I locked eyes with Cedric, who was sitting next to Joshua, right away.

‘If only he didn’t bring that brat with him...!’

Of course, that wasn’t as bad as me only being able to have two tarts, but still...

I rolled my eyes and looked at Joshua, the main reason for this mess. He had already finished one tart and was eyeing another one.

It seemed like he really loved desserts. Moreover, he seemed even more excited because he could even use them to tease me as well.

‘…What should I do about this?’

Ignoring Julianne on purpose, I tilted my head, deep in thought.

‘Since I’m being a spoiled little brat now, should I just go with it?’

That could be an option, but Cedric probably wasn’t going to get involved directly, and it didn't seem like Julianne was going to do anything even though she was shocked.

In the end, there was only one thing left to do.

I raised my head and looked at Michael. He had been staring at me all along, and he smiled when our eyes met.

Reflecting on his grin, I quickly opened my mouth.

‘It’s a little uncomfortable, but let's make an alliance for now.’

"You bought this tart for me, right, big bro?"

When I called Michael big bro, his golden eyes widened a bit, and Julianne and Cedric reacted exactly the same.

Only Joshua didn’t understand the situation. He was still just sitting there with a sour look on his face.

‘You messed with the wrong person, buddy. You think you can feel at home on my turf?’

“Of course. Big bro bought them all for you, Lili.”

Soon enough, Michael replied in a gentle voice. It seemed that he’d immediately understood my intentions, judging by his sinister yet affectionate smile.

That was exactly why I hadn't wanted to make an alliance with him, but it didn’t matter for the time being since he was catering to me.

I opened my mouth once again and spoke in an innocent tone.

"Are all these tarts mine then?"

"Of course."

‘Good! Great answer! Ten points for Michael Evans!’

"Then..."

I deliberately looked as if I was deep in thought before gazing at Joshua. He shrugged as soon as he locked eyes with me as if realizing something was off.

‘Uh-huh, I know you can sense years of experience from me.’

Of course, no one as old as me was as immature and mean, but still…

“Do you want one?”

Joshua sealed his lips tightly and stared at me as I innocently asked. But no matter how hard he tried to think, he only had the mind of an eight-year-old.

A short while after, he nodded ever so slightly. It seemed that instinct had eventually won out over his pride.

‘Yeah, that's what I thought.’

I smiled wryly and continued.

"If you want one, then tell me I'm pretty."