Living Up to Your Expectations - Chapter 10

I forcefully pushed open the door to my half-sister Lilith’s room. I knew my fiancé Dario had come straight here.

With the slam of the door, the air in the room froze instantly.

“And what, pray tell, is going on here?”

I deliberately spoke in a slow tone, not moving a single eyebrow as I addressed the two sitting cozily together on the sofa.

My voice was quiet, yet laced with thorns.

“Ah, Sister…!”

“Laila, what is this?! Barging in without knocking!!”

“Knocking? Hehe, should I apologize? A man and woman who aren’t engaged, alone in a private room. No, even if they were engaged, this is far too reckless behavior!”

“W-we were just studying!”

“That’s right, we weren’t doing anything improper!”

Their excuses were all cut from the same cloth. Yet the way they sat side by side on the sofa spoke more eloquently than any words.

“Lilith. Was Dario your fiancé?”

“I’m sorry, Sister. But since you weren’t here, I was just keeping him company.”

I was here?

“Making excuses like that – you’re always taking what’s precious from me.”

“N-no, it’s truly a misunderstanding!”

“A misunderstanding? You think this can be settled as a misunderstanding!”

I picked up the vase Lilith cherished. It had once been my treasure until Lilith took it from me.

But yesterday, I had replaced it with an identical cheap imitation. The color and sheen were perfect copies, but this was a fake. The reason being.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

Crash.

I let the vase slip from my hand, dropping it to the floor without hesitation. The corner of my mouth relaxed slightly.

“Oh, I’m sorry. How careless of me. I accidentally dropped it.”

I let out a small sigh, then proceeded to throw an accessory box against the wall.

I knew it was filled with nothing but gifts from Dario anyway. So, my throwing hand held no hesitation.

“Eek, my accessories!!”

“H-hey, Laila, you!”

I could hear Dario calling out, but Lilith’s angry shout cut him off.

“Tch! What the hell are you doing?! Have you lost your mind?!”

Ah, Dario, look closely. Isn’t it frightening? I can’t help but be delighted watching Lilith’s beautiful face crumble.

“How dare someone of your station throw my precious things around! What were you thinking!”

“Dario is my fiancé. If you try to take what’s precious to me, I have every right to break what’s precious to you, don’t I?”

“Wh-what did you say?! Don’t get cocky with me!”

At those words, Dario, who had been watching dumbfounded, finally intervened.

“L-Lilith? What’s with that way of speaking?”

Too late to intervene, Dario. Lilith has already removed her mask and shown her true nature right before your eyes.

Still, Lilith tried to cover it up.

“…! I’m sorry… Sister, I just reached my limit and raised my voice. Please, stop it…!”

“No.”

I immediately pulled down the canopy cloth from the bed in one swift motion. The sound of the cloth cutting through the air echoed through the room. Along with that sound spread pure tension.

“Tch!”

Lilith’s voice became wordless. Hehe, she’s angry. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her face contort further.

“Stop it, Laila! So it’s true after all. Lilith told me you’ve been breaking her belongings and harassing her. Don’t you think that’s pitiful?!”

“I don’t.”

I stated coldly and decisively.

“I’m the one who’s far more pitiful.”

With those words, flames of hatred welled up from the depths of my heart.

“A strange half-sister who appeared right after Mother died. Father’s love was immediately stolen by you, and he stopped paying any attention to me. And in the end, Dario, even you…”

“…I’m sorry, Sister…”

Lilith’s small apology reached my ears. Even though she doesn’t mean it.

“Why are you apologizing? You don’t need to apologize, Lilith. You’ve done nothing wrong… Laila, why don’t you be kinder to your sister? Isn’t that why the family head pays you no attention? Lilith always tells me through tears how she endures your coldness.”

Dario spoke to me.

“Endures”? A faint smile escaped my lips.

“I have no intention of being kind.”

Having said my piece, I gently picked up the perfume bottle on the table. Then let it slip from my fingertips without hesitation.

A high, clear sound rang through the room. The broken glass from the table scattered across the floor, and the fragrant liquid slowly spread.

“Wh-what are you doing? That’s perfume that’s hard to come by! I’ll tell Father on you!”

Lilith raised her voice. See? You’re not enduring at all. Your true nature is showing again.

“…Lilith…?”

There, Dario’s confused voice. At that gentle yet perplexed tone, Lilith’s movements stopped for a moment.

“Ah… Lord Dario, but Sister…”

My, what freely flowing tears.

“Ah, Lilith. You poor thing.”

Dario approached gently, speaking as if comforting Lilith.

“You must have reached your breaking point. So much that you lost yourself and became upset. But such language doesn’t suit you. Calm down. I’ll handle this.”

“Lord Dario.”

Moist eyes, trembling fingertips.

Ah, perfect. A textbook “heroine.” Were you so foolish, Dario, as to not notice that artifice?

But believe what you will. Take her fake tears as truth.

“Laila, please stop. I never knew my fiancée could be so violent.”

At his voice tinged with disappointment, I laughed softly.

“Very well. If Dario says so, I shall take my leave for today.”

I bowed slightly and turned on my heel.

“Lilith, let this be a lesson – don’t approach Dario ever again.”

I elegantly stated what I considered less important than dirt under my fingernails.

“How could you… That’s terrible, Sister…”

A trembling voice, brimming tears.

—But I saw it. The definite smile that appeared on her lips.