She's Not Our Daughter! Ch 30

If the Steps Get Tangled, That Is the Tango

[Cassius] "Your hand."

She looked up at him. His earlobes glowed a faint red, but his gaze remained steady and direct. His eyes, dark with a bluish tint, reminded her of a desert night.

[Sierra] "Should I just move however I want?"

[Cassius] "Yes. Usually, we move to the music, but I will teach you the basic steps first."

She tried to act indifferent, but tension gripped her. She was about to hold his hand, dance with him, and be held in his arms.

Just as she flinched, Cassius leaned in and whispered near her ear.

[Cassius] "I am starting."

The moment the words left his lips, he moved.

Knowing nothing of the dance, Sierra stiffened her body to avoid stepping on his feet. She kept her eyes fixed on her own feet as they took each step. His gaze remained on the top of her head.

[Cassius] "The Tango is a dance where you must look into the partner's eyes."

Sierra recalled hearing something similar before. Pushing aside her doubt, she slowly raised her eyes. His eyes, curved into a gentle shape, watched her. Her breath hitched.

In that split second of distraction, she stomped hard on his foot. Cassius didn't show even a hint of pain.

[Cassius] "Again."

[Sierra] "......I stepped on your foot."

[Cassius] "Mistakes are allowed."

Cassius, who had returned to his usual expressionless face, smiled with his eyes again.

Seeing his smile, Sierra moved her feet more nimbly. She didn't follow the tempo of any music; she followed the tempo of him.

You are distracting me, Cassius.

The moment her thoughts drifted, her foot slipped. Since she was a terrible dancer, any loss of focus led to a mistake. However, Cassius naturally stepped into the next move, leading her through the dance. Sierra blinked and followed his lead. They moved at a steady pace, neither too slow nor too fast.

He whispered into her ear.

[Cassius] "There is a saying that if the steps get tangled, that is the Tango."

[Sierra] "Does such a saying exist?"

[Cassius] "Yes. The Tango is a very free dance. So, relax your body and move comfortably."

She met his deep gaze. The tension made her toes stiffen. She tried her best to relax and move her feet. Of course, mistakes were unavoidable.

[Sierra] "This isn't easy."

Even when she stepped painfully on his foot again, he let out a low laugh.

[Cassius] "Like this, just for a moment....…"

[Sierra] "....…"

[Cassius] "The steps just got tangled for a second."

He spoke slowly, his words hesitant.

[Cassius] "We can just start again."

His feet met hers.

In the terrifyingly quiet hall where no music played, only the sound of heels clicking against the floor echoed.

Sierra kept her eyes locked on his as they moved. The motions grew more dynamic.

[Sierra] "This is strange. I have two left feet."

[Cassius] "It's fine. We are dancing together."

[Sierra] "Dancing with you makes me feel like I can actually move."

She smiled brightly, feeling relieved. Cassius reached out his hand again.

[Cassius] "One more time?"

She nodded, her smile lingering.

She was definitely a bad dancer. After a few more turns, a mistake in her steps almost sent her head crashing into his chest.

His heartbeat is so loud.

She wished there were music. The silence made every one of his reactions feel more intense.

She bit her lip.

This won't do.

She straightened her posture and muttered quietly.

[Sierra] "Let's stop here."

Cassius nodded in agreement. With that, their dance ended cleanly.

Sierra pushed down the restless feelings in her heart. She only intended to find Cassius a good friend. But whenever she looked at him, her emotions grew complicated. Her toes curled, and she couldn't stop blinking.

Hating complexity, she quickly pulled her hand away.

[Sierra] "I think this is enough practice for today. Since you are...... good at it."

[Cassius] "Alright."

Surprisingly, he backed off without an argument. But she paused as she watched him.

Were his eyes always that deep?

The thought kept surfacing. She forced herself to look away, suppressing her chaotic emotions.

It felt strange. No, "strange" wasn't enough to describe it.

---

Lately, Hanael had many reasons to be excited. Everyone adored her, and the Grand Madam even kissed her on the cheek. It was a luxury she had never felt in the village.

Hanael skipped outside. She planned to play jacks in the lobby today.

Clutching her stuffed doll, she searched the manor for the young maids. She eventually spotted Sera, a young maid she had become friends with.

She ran toward her like a wild little kid.

[Hanael] "Waaa—"

She opened her mouth to greet her but stopped abruptly. A large man, a gardener, stood beside Sera.

What are they doing?

Hanael tilted her head, her eyes wide. A very kind voice reached her ears.

[Gardener] "My daughter isn't working hard for you?"

[Sera] "No, Dad. I'm okay!"

[Gardener] "Daddy loves you very much."

[Sera] "Hmph!"

[Lexel] "Mommy loves you too."

The bearded gardener and the Head Maid in her neat clothes laughed together. Sera stood between them, holding their hands tightly with a happy smile. The sunlight streaming through the window wrapped the three of them in warmth.

Hanael blinked. They looked like a warm, happy family.

Must be nice.

Seeing the happy family, Hanael instinctively backed away. She hid in the hallway right behind the lobby.

Memories of the past flooded her mind. It was the same at the nursery. Dads always came to pick up the children after school. Only Sierra ever came for Hanael. She never asked for a father because she didn't want Mama to be upset, but.......

In her small head, she remembered something from when she was even younger.

Back then, Sierra told Hanael to call her "Aunt." Hanael didn't know what that meant, so she just did it. Then people made fun of her, calling her an orphan with no parents.

When Hanael opened the pharmacy door while crying, Sierra told those people off.

[Sierra] "She is not an orphan!"

[Hanael] "Heh......"

Holding the sobbing Hanael tightly, Sierra pointed her finger at the men and shouted in a loud, harsh voice quite unlike her usual soft tone.

[Sierra] "She is my daughter. She has a perfectly good father. So stop talking nonsense!"

[Man] "Now look here, Miss Pharmacist—"

[Sierra] "I'm not selling anything to you, so get out! Are you deaf? Stop bullying my daughter and get out!"

Her voice was louder than any father's. Hanael remembered the warmth of her mother holding her. But now, they said she wasn't her mother. They said she had a new mother.

Hanael squeezed her doll. She missed her mom.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over her.

[Cassius] "Hanael?"

It was her dad—no, the stupid mister.

[Hanael] "....…"

[Cassius] "Are you crying?"

[Hanael] "No. I'm not crying at all!"

She hated appearing as if she were crying. She was practically an adult now, big enough to protect Mama. She hated looking like a child. But the stupid mister immediately knelt on one knee and gripped her arms firmly. A tear fell from her eyes.

[Cassius] "Right, you aren't crying."

She blinked her teary eyes and muttered.

[Hanael] "Exactly. I told you I wasn't."

[Cassius] "You were smiling. This mister just didn't realize it, right?"

[Hanael] "I guess you don't know because you're a stupid mister."

She stared at the stupid mister. He hadn't looked for her for a long time. So she hated him very, very much. But.......

[Hanael] "I heard everything."

[Cassius] "What?"

[Hanael] "I might not be your daughter...... so go away."

[Cassius] "No, you are my daughter. But even if you aren't, it doesn't matter. I still like you."

Children instinctively sense the truth. Hanael was no different. Cassius' eyes held nothing but sincerity.

Hanael spoke through her hiccups.

[Hanael] "......Then, hic. Hic."

[Cassius] "I will take responsibility for you for the rest of your life."

She asked him carefully.

[Hanael] "......What about Mama?"

She froze. The Cassius before her gave the most brilliant smile she had ever seen.

[Cassius] "I will take responsibility for Mama for her whole life, too. If only she lets me."

Children are good at telling real from fake. To Hanael, his words looked like 100 percent pure truth.

Hanael pressed her fist against her squishy cheek and nodded.

---

While Cassius and Hanael held their secret meeting, Sierra was in her room. She had to select the nobles for the salon.

I wonder who would be good.

She couldn't tell just by looking at the list.

The people here probably have some connection to the Ideos family.

Cassius likely thought she wouldn't notice, but Sierra wasn't stupid. A sensitive man like him wouldn't put just anyone on a list.

I need fresh faces.

She decided to look at other references besides the guest list without telling Cassius.

If he wants to make friends, he needs new stimulation.

She nodded to herself and dug through the gossip magazines she brought from the drawing room.

After checking one magazine, she froze like a hunter who had finally found his prize.

[Is Duke Ideos' First Love Lady Macbeth?]

His first love is Lady Macbeth......?

Several articles about Lady Macbeth were attached. After scanning them, Sierra let out a long sigh.

I feel strange for some reason.......

Maybe it was because she danced with Cassius earlier, but her chest felt like it was thumping.

What is this weird emotion?

Her pulse raced. She shook her head and put the magazine on the floor. She tried to ignore the heartbeat that kept thumping strangely.

Just then, a polite knock came from the door.

[Sierra] "Come in."

The loyal Head Maid entered and bowed.

[Lexel] "I am here to help Hanael with her bath. Is she here?"

[Sierra] "I believe she is with another maid."

Hanael, who had recently taken up jacks, was happily playing with another maid.

The Head Maid nodded, her eyes darting between Sierra and her surroundings.

[Lexel] "Ah...... is there anything I can help you with—"

Sierra grew puzzled when the Head Maid suddenly cut herself off and stiffened.

[Lexel] "Oh, goodness! Such a vulgar article!"

She quickly gathered the gossip magazines on the table—the ones detailing the affair between Lady Macbeth and Duke Ideos.

[Lexel] "This is all, all just rumors!"

She looked extremely anxious, worried Sierra might misunderstand.

Sierra hadn't even been that upset, but the Head Maid's overreaction made her feel even weirder.

---

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