She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 1

Everything Has a Cause and Effect

Five years have passed since Sierra moved to this quiet village to raise Hanael, her sister's daughter.

Today was no different. Sierra walked toward the nursery to pick the girl up, but an odd sensation hung in the air. First, the weather. A bitter wind howled, and the sky turned a bruised purple. Thunder threatened to break at any moment.

[Sierra] "The weather looks grim......"

Bad weather often in the countryside.

Sierra arched an eyebrow and kept walking. Then, a strange feeling of déjà vu struck. A prickle on the back of her neck suggested someone watched her. She rubbed the edge of her brow and whispered.

[Sierra] "It's just my imagination. No one is following me."

She stepped onto the path near the nursery. Her spine stiffened. A sudden coldness gripped her. As she froze, a low, heavy voice whispered from right behind her.

[Cassius] "Sierra."

No one in this village called her by that name. To them, she was the Pharmacist, or simply Hanael's mother. Sierra spun around instantly.

Who is it?

A tall man stood before her. He looked hauntingly familiar.

[Sierra] "Excuse me, but... who are you?"

[Cassius] "I regret leaving you."

Sierra frowned. His voice was deep, and his words made no sense. His sunken eyes and sharp nose reminded her of someone.

He left me? I wouldn't forget a handsome man like this...... wait.

His jawline was sharper than six years ago, and his face had grown cold, but the resemblance was undeniable. He looked like Cassius Ideos—her academy friend, her one-night mistake, and the lover she dated for a month.

[Sierra] "Is it...... Cassius?"

Cassius let out a weary sigh and stepped closer.

Doubt filled her. Why did he look so miserable, as if consumed by regret? Something was wrong.

[Sierra] "What is going on?"

Sierra shrugged. Though he felt like a wild beast now, the Cassius she knew was never dangerous.

[Cassius] "I never knew."

He muttered in pain.

[Cassius] "I never knew you stayed here alone, raising our child by yourself."

[Sierra] "I don't know what you're talking about, but that's not it."

She cleaned her ear with a finger.

What was he saying? Did she hear him wrong? Or was he suffering from a massive misunderstanding?

She stood frozen. Seeing her reaction, Cassius seemed even more certain.

[Cassius] "You think you can trick me by saying that."

What is even happening right now?

She shook her head with a hollow laugh.

[Sierra] "I don’t know what this is, but there has been a mistake."

He stepped forward and snapped.

[Cassius] "A mistake? What exactly is the mistake?"

This situation? The look on your face? Everything you’re assuming right now?

Unfortunately, Sierra couldn't finish her thoughts. The nursery bell rang.

Ding-dong-ding-dong.

She looked around in a panic. Then, she heard the sound of small feet running fast.

A bad feeling took hold.

Wait, no. Please don't let it be......

But bad feelings are always right.

[Hanael] "Mommy!"

Hanael ran toward them with a wide smile, waving her arms.

[Hanael] "Hanael is here, Mommy!"

Yes, she said "Mommy" twice. Sierra shut her eyes tight. In that time, Hanael reached her and clung to her leg. Sierra looked down with a stiff gaze.

Hanael, her sister's daughter......

Due to certain reasons, the girl hadn't seen her birth mother in five years. She grew up believing her aunt was her mother. In short, these two people shouldn't have met in this situation.

Sierra looked back at Cassius.

Are you kidding me! This is a mess!

Cassius, now completely convinced of his theory, rubbed his eyes and growled.

[Cassius] "A mistake? Lies aren't funny, Sierra."

Hanael finally noticed the man. Carrying her backpack, she puffed out her cheeks.

[Hanael] "Mommy, who is this mister?"

[Sierra] "A stranger. Let's go, Hanael."

[Cassius] "We aren't 'strangers.' Don't deny what we had."

His face was a mask of guilt. He looked exactly like a man who had just discovered the woman he loved had fled while pregnant to live in misery.

[Sierra] "No......"

Her lips moved, but no words came out because of the sheer absurdity.

Hanael looked between the two and narrowed her eyes.

[Hanael] "Wait......"

[Sierra] "I know what you're thinking, and that's not it."

[Cassius] "I was wrong. It's my fault."

Cassius moved to drop to his knees. Sierra grabbed him immediately.

One thing was certain: things were getting worse.

[Sierra] "No! Don't you dare kneel!"

[Cassius] "Do I...... not even have the chance to apologize?"

No! You did nothing wrong!

[Sierra] "Let's... let's just talk later. Later."

[Cassius] "You're giving me...... a chance to talk, Sierra?"

[Sierra] "Yes, so just—!"

She shivered and tried to leave. But she forgot one thing: Hanael, the little rascal.

A man had approached her mother, apologizing and looking at Hanael with heartbreaking eyes. To a child, the situation was clear.

[Hanael] "Daddy?"

Hanael puffed her cheeks out even more.

[Hanael] "Hmph! Don't give this mean mister a chance!"

[Cassius] "......?"

[Hanael] "You left us to live a good life alone. I hate you! Go away!"

[Sierra] "No, that's not it."

Hanael was now as misunderstood as Cassius.

Cassius watched the child—who looked nothing like him—scream and stomp her feet. He clenched his teeth, looking shocked.

[Cassius] "I'm sorry, Hanael."

[Hanael] "Stupid mister! Go away!"

Sierra wanted to cry.

No, Hanael. He didn't abandon you. I was never pregnant!

And you don't know this, but this man is the head of the Duke Ideos family!

If we mess this up, we're dead!

[Sierra] "Hanael, don't be rude to the mister. Let's go home and sleep."

But Cassius growled and gripped Sierra's shoulder.

[Cassius] "Don't deny our relationship, or our child, Sierra."

His eyes burned as he looked up at her.

[Cassius] "I will protect you and my daughter now."

Sierra froze like a statue.

Was it even possible to explain this? Looking at his fiery eyes, she felt terrified. How did he become such a fierce beast? He used to be like a sweet puppy......!

Sierra began to think deeply about how this disaster started. It all went back to six years ago, the night they spent together.

---

[Cassius] "Are you awake, Sierra?"

Cassius sat on the bed and gently touched Sierra's forehead. She stared blankly at his neck, which was covered in faint marks.

So, yesterday......

She touched her swollen lips. The dark mood, the kiss, the touch of his fingers...... her face turned bright red. She took a deep breath.

No, this is a dream. It must be a dream.

She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again. The memory didn't fade.

[Cassius] "Are you very tired?"

His voice was thick with affection.

Not...... a dream......?

She spoke with difficulty.

[Sierra] "So, listen. Cassius? Last night, we......"

[Cassius] "Yes. Last night."

Even through her blurry vision, she felt his sweetness.

[Sierra] "Uh, so......"

We spent the night together, right?

She couldn't bring herself to ask such a shameless question when the memory was so clear.

[Cassius] "Yes."

He kissed her forehead. It was a tender, soft kiss.

Her mind became even more chaotic. They were just friends—comfortable and casual. But yesterday changed everything.

It was the night of their coming-of-age ceremony. They met at a pub and drank to celebrate becoming adults. Sierra got drunk on the alcohol and the atmosphere. Cassius, who was already handsome, looked twice as good while drinking.

So, she made a mistake. A one-night stand.

I was drunk and did something crazy.

She gripped the blanket. Cassius, unaware of her inner turmoil, asked softly.

[Cassius] "You're sweating. Are you sick?"

Cassius Ideos. At twenty, he was already the top student of the academy's swordsmanship department. He was the sole heir to the Duke of Ideos.

Of course, he had a weakness: the label of being illegitimate. But the Duke had recognized him, and he had no wife.

No matter Cassius' label, the status gap between him and a commoner pharmacist like her was massive. She thought they could only be friends at the academy and would part ways after graduation. She never expected to become his one-night partner.

Right. We don't match. I should just tell him to forget last night.

She didn't love him enough to break the barriers of social status. Nor did she want to be a Duchess. She wanted to be a great pharmacist, not a noble wife.

She looked up at him.

[Sierra] "About last night."

[Cassius] "Yes."

He watched her with adoration, as if her small hands rubbing her face were the cutest thing in the world.

Okay, how do I say this without sounding like total trash?

Before she could speak, he opened his lips.

[Cassius] "Can I speak first, Sierra?"

[Sierra] "Yes."

[Cassius] "About last night."

[Sierra] "Yes."

[Cassius] "I......"

He stood up and drank a glass of water from the nightstand.

Sierra buried her head in her pillow, watching him intensely. He looked nervous. He looked sorry.

Wait, is he going to say it first?

She began to cheer for him in her mind.

Yes! Say it, Cassius!

Tell me you're sorry, and you can't take responsibility! Tell me a commoner doesn't match a Duke's son!

She clenched her fists like she was praying.

Clink.

Cassius put the glass down and whispered.

[Cassius] "Yesterday...... was my first time."

A blush crept over his cold face.

This was bad. He was looking at her as if she were his savior.

Yes, she remembered now. The Cassius Ideos she first knew was definitely that kind of cute, puppy-like man!

---

Sierra stared at the threatening beast standing before her now.

Didn't we just date briefly after that and break up cleanly? How did it come to this?

Cassius twisted his lips.

[Cassius] "Are you planning to run away again?"

She never ran away. She didn't even plan to. But the situation was turning extreme.

He rubbed her cheek slowly.

[Cassius] "You won't be able to."

He gently touched her hair with his calloused hand, whispering a warning.

[Cassius] "Sierra, hmm?"

There was a hint of madness in his cold eyes.

As she struggled to fix this, Hanael crossed her arms.

[Hanael] "Daddy—I mean, mean mister."

Even in her small body, Hanael had a powerful aura.

[Hanael] "If you were going to regret it, you shouldn't have abandoned us."

Sierra gasped. If this were a "regretful male lead" novel, those words would be satisfying. But that wasn't the case here. Hanael was pouring oil on a fire.

[Sierra] "Everyone...... please, calm down for a second."

Sierra decided to have a serious talk with Cassius.

She looked into his eyes to ask why he was so mistaken. Then, she quickly gave up.

Nope. Talking won't work right now.

His eyes were half-insane.

[Sierra] "Let's talk after you calm down. So......"

She needed to investigate this bizarre situation first. She used a kind tone to set a firm boundary.

[Sierra] "I think I need a week to think."

In other words: a restraining order.

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