Chapter 92
“Here, wear this. I don’t wear it anymore.” Giovinetta was always like that. She was incredibly kind to me, a girl whose origins were a complete mystery. She’d often give me her clothes and ribbons, dressing me up herself. But back then, I was so thin and small compared to her that nothing ever fit. The clothes hung off me like I was playing dress-up in my mother’s wardrobe, and I had to take exaggerated steps just to keep from tripping. Giovinetta found my clumsy gait amusing.
On other days, she’d fill my hands with sweets and candies, treats I’d never tasted before. They were far more precious to me than the useless silk clothes and trinkets that never fit. “This is delicious! I’ve never had anything like it.” I couldn’t help but express my delight whenever she gave me these gifts. Then, with a smile playing on her lips, she’d ask, “You’re such a simpleton. You like that?”
No one, aside from Annalisa, had ever shown me such kindness. It was only natural that I adored and followed this beautiful, haughty young lady who had suddenly burst into my small world. Giovinetta was good to me, even if it was just a whim, a fleeting amusement to break the monotony of her days. It was hard to deny the joy I felt because of her. As this continued, I even started to believe that we might actually become close, like real sisters.
But the good times didn’t last. Time passed, I was assigned a tutor, and I gradually adjusted to life in the family. Strangely, Giovinetta’s attitude changed noticeably. She became cold and distant, and her visits with gifts of sweets and clothes became less frequent. I didn’t know the reason for the change, and there was nothing I could do. Our relationship had always been one-sided; her attention a gift bestowed upon me. I reasoned that the favored elder daughter’s kindness towards her unwanted, illegitimate half-sister had simply been a temporary whim. I adapted to her shift in demeanor.
As the days turned into weeks and months, the distance between us grew, threatening to disappear altogether. Then, one day, this happened.
The dress Giovinetta had given me was the catalyst. I had grown since arriving at the mansion, and I longed to wear something prettier than the plain apron dress I wore every day. “Giovinetta, look! This dress fits me now.” I wanted to thank her for the dress. I mimicked her usual flourish, lifting the hem to show her. Suddenly, the atmosphere turned icy. “Why are you wearing that dress?”
“B-because… you gave it to me…” I was utterly bewildered. I never did figure out what had offended her so deeply. In the end, the dress was ripped to shreds by her furious hands.
Giovinetta was a fickle child, her moods changing a dozen times a day. They say understanding another person is never easy, but she was a complete enigma to me. “She’s impossible to understand.” Even now, I don’t understand why she was so kind at times, yet at others, she treated me cruelly, as if she wanted me dead. The contrast was jarring.
After she pushed me down the stairs, I gave up trying to understand her. It was a brutal act, and even years later, I never received a sincere apology. That day marked the ruin of our relationship. I was left with scars that would never fade, and she, astonishingly, became even more hostile, flying into a rage whenever she saw me.
Thinking about Giovinetta made my chest tighten. She truly was remarkable. She had the uncanny ability to ruin my mood in an instant. That’s why I’d made a conscious effort to avoid thinking about her…
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