“Why did you do it?”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“Why did you do it?”

Aileen, who had been smiling shyly like a young girl, suddenly met Cairn’s gaze.

Their eyes, similar yet different, scrutinized each other. The coldness in Cairn’s eyes made Aileen flinch involuntarily.

“Brother, I, I don’t know what you’re talking about…?”

Aileen feigned ignorance, hiding her fear and speaking sweetly. Cairn patiently waited for her to finish her words and then asked again.

“Why did you do it?”

It was the third time he asked the same question. Aileen took a step back.

“Brother, y…you’re scaring me…”

Her voice trembled as tears welled up in her eyes. Seeing her, Cairn sighed deeply, a sneer forming on his lips.

“Did you really miss me? Me and our older brothers? …Did you really miss us?”

“Brother…. Are you doubting Aileen’s sincerity…?”

“I see. That’s what your answer is until the end.”

Cairn standing before her was different from the person in her memory. Aileen realized for the first time that even the simple-minded Cairn could make such an expression.

“Brother Cairn…?”

“You could have come to see us at least once.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“If you really missed your family and wanted to see us, you would have come. You could have said it was a misunderstanding, that you missed us.”

“It was a misunderstanding, Brother!”

“Right, it was like this.”

His sneer turned into a bitter smile. Cairn looked much thinner than the last time she saw him, yet he let out a small laugh looking at his beloved younger sister.

Sensing his complex emotions, Aileen quickly spoke.

“I don’t know what misunderstanding you have, but I really tried to come! But, Sister… Sister Violet, she…”

Clear tears trickled down from her pale green eyes. Someone nearby sighed at the sight. Critical glances were cast at Cairn, who had made Lady Aileen cry.

Cairn paid them no mind.

“Did Sister tell you not to come?”

“Y-Yes, really. …I really missed my family. But Sister didn’t understand my feelings…”

“…Ha.”

The laugh that came from Cairn’s lips was far from what Aileen expected. As she pretended to wipe her tears, she froze.

Her words were half true. Violet had indeed told Aileen not to expect any support from House Everett. If she visited, she would undoubtedly be turned away at the door.

“Yes, I see…”

But Aileen was not the kind of person who’d be discouraged by such rejection. When Violet had been confined to the annex, hadn’t she visited, carrying her own painting to flaunt?

So her words were just poor excuses.

Cairn, knowing this, called her in a gentle tone. It was a soft voice, one she had never used before.

“Aileen.”

“Yes.”

“Live a good life.”

With those words, Cairn left without looking back.

“Live a good life…?”

Only Aileen remained, staring blankly at his departing figure.

“Live a good life, here. Here, you tell me to live a good life…?”

What more do you want me to do!

It was a cry that wouldn’t be heard.

She had always presented herself the way others wanted, refrained from actions that would annoy people, and strived to live in a way that others envied.

Aileen had lived as a good and kind child. She had made someone else the bad person to maintain her own image as a good child, but she didn’t think it was a big deal.

So why did she have to hear such words?

‘…Violet.’

Ultimately, the object of Aileen’s anger was Violet.

If only you had remained the bad person, I could have continued being the good child and received everyone’s love—

.

.

.

Leaving Aileen behind, Cairn paused in the hallway and sighed deeply, looking troubled.

She didn’t stop him. She didn’t further say it was just a misunderstanding. She didn’t ask questions. She didn’t smile gently while speaking.

“Not once did she ask how I’ve been.”

Cairn felt like a sinner in front of Violet, but that was his burden alone. He suddenly thought that Aileen’s side might be different.

In fact, Cairn had come here to hear Aileen’s side.

Though he doubted any meaningful conversation could come from such a meeting, he still harbored a sliver of hope…

But in the end, he could only laugh bitterly at the reality before him.

No, Aileen had always been like this. He just hadn’t realized it until now.

The cousin he faced without his rose-colored glasses was more of an open book than he had thought.

His inability to see this earlier was his own foolishness.

Ultimately, the line between virtue and hypocrisy is paper-thin.