When Wendel was born, he was constantly sick. The village shaman claimed that the only way to ward off misfortune was to adopt a girl to take his place as the family’s scapegoat. And so, the Lancaster family took in Iris.
Back then, many poor families couldn't afford to raise their children, so they simply abandoned them by the roadside, leaving them to starve. With that in mind, Iris had always been grateful to the Lancaster family for taking her in.
That was until she turned eighteen—when she learned the truth.
She hadn’t been abandoned. She had been kidnapped.
Her real parents were wealthy who had never stopped searching for their missing daughter all these years.
Overcome with shock and hope, Iris tried to contact them—only to receive a vicious slap across the face from her adoptive mother.
With a vicious glare, Stella spat, "I raised you all these years, and now you want to run? Look at Esther—why doesn’t she try to run? Did a dog eat your conscience?"
"Look at Esther."
She had heard those words for over a decade.
The year she was brought into the Lancaster family, her adoptive father, Ronald, suffered a near-fatal accident while serving in the army. From then on, her adoptive mother saw her as a bad omen.
But when Esther arrived, it just so happened that Ronald retired from the military and landed a stable job as a store clerk, providing for the whole family.
Stella often praised Esther, saying, "Our Esther is such a blessing to this family. She saved a life and even brought good fortune to us! Unlike some people, but I won’t say more."
Whenever she heard those words, Iris pretended not to hear, enduring them silently.
But now, she didn’t need to endure anymore.
Soon, she would leave this house forever.
For now, though, she didn’t want them to suspect anything.
With a gentle smile, Iris maintained her usual obedient demeanor as she turned to Esther.
"I’ve already made up my mind. I’m not very smart anyway, and I’m not cut out for studying. But Esther is so bright—she’s the perfect choice for school."
Hearing her words, Stella’s joy deepened. She quickly grabbed Esther’s hands in excitement.
"Esther, you must study hard! Having an education will give you a bright future—working in a factory can’t compare to being a scholar!" she exclaimed.
Stella was so elated that she failed to notice Esther’s face turning pale.