"The human heart is strange. It becomes kind when weak, and cruel when strong. Sometimes I wonder… did the gods truly create it this way?"~ Claire Hiragi
***
Claire's POV:
"Hahaha! Do you think this ribbon is pretty? Mom just bought it for me!"
"It's so pretty! How did you convince her to buy it for you?"
"Hehehe… That's a trade secret. There's no way I'm telling you!"
"Mouu! You're so stingy!"
The twin girls chatted happily, occasionally breaking into playful little squabbles.
Not far away, a beautiful girl with long pink hair tied into a neat bun sat alone on a swing. Her expression was quiet and lonely.
She stared at the twins with eyes full of envy.
"What a beautiful ribbon…" she whispered softly.
As if sensing her gaze, the two girls turned toward her. Startled, the girl quickly lowered her head.
"Pfft. She's probably jealous of your ribbon."
"You're right."
The twins burst into laughter, openly mocking her. The girl, however, remained silent, enduring their taunts without a word.
Soon after, the two girls left, leaving her alone once again.
"Young Lady, the master has called for you."
A voice came from ahead.
She looked up and saw a middle-aged man in a black suit walking toward her.
"Umm… let's go."
She stood up and quietly walked past him.
The man watched her retreating figure, his expression complicated.
***
Smack!
A sharp slap echoed through the room. The little girl was sent flying a meter away, rolling across the floor as her cheek burned red.
"Very disappointing," the handsome man who had struck her said coldly. "An average score on such an important exam. You've brought shame upon the Hiragi family, Claire."
Claire could only sob, clutching her swollen cheek.
"I-I'm sorry, Father…" she whimpered, lowering her head.
A beautiful and graceful young woman walked over and gently tried to calm him.
"All right, my dear. You're being too hard on her. She's just a nine-year-old child," she said with a helpless tone.
Yet behind her sad expression, a hidden trace of contempt lingered.
Claire sensed it immediately, but she didn't dare say a word.
Her small body trembled as pain and humiliation tangled together in her chest.
"Pfft!"
A stifled giggle came from beside the woman. It was the twin girls from earlier—Claire's stepsisters.
"Even if you say that," the man replied indifferently, "that girl has already disappointed me greatly. Because of her, our family has been looked down upon by other respectable families. It's disgraceful."
Each word was sharp, like a blade sinking into Claire's fragile heart.
"I understand," the woman said softly. "But you must restrain your anger."
Unfortunately, the satisfaction in her smile was difficult to hide.
The man shook his head and strode out of the room.
The woman cast Claire a playful glance before turning and following after him.
"Hahaha! Trash!" the girl on the left sneered, her lips curling into a cruel smile. "I don't understand how the Hiragi family could give birth to someone like you. What a disgrace."
The other girl nodded slightly and added in a cold, indifferent tone, "Just because you were born to the first wife doesn't make you special. If anything, you're nothing but useless trash."
After throwing those insults at her, the two girls turned and walked away as if she didn't even exist.
Claire could only sob in silence, her tears falling without anyone noticing—or caring.
***
A complete family was every child's dream.
At least, that was what I believed at first.
My father was a successful businessman. He had built the Hiragi family into one of the most powerful conglomerates in the entire country.
Back then, he used to be gentle and kind. But after he achieved success, he began to neglect me and my mother.
I didn't feel angry. I didn't hate him either. I told myself he was doing everything for us.
Yet as time passed, his attitude grew colder and more distant.
He was rarely home, returning only once every few days. My mother couldn't stop worrying about him, and before she realized it, that constant worry slowly became the root of her depression.
Then came the day everything fell apart.
My father returned home with a woman I had never seen before. She was young, beautiful, and charming.
As if that weren't shocking enough, two girls—only a year younger than me—stood beside her.
They were twins, and both of them looked almost impossibly adorable.
"Let me introduce you—this is Vanessa. From now on, she'll be my second wife."
Those words came out of his mouth without the slightest warmth, devoid of feeling or affection, and were not something any normal person should ever say.
In that moment, my mother flew into a rage and attacked him. My father stood his ground, trying to reason with her.
But my mother wouldn't listen.
And that led to an incident I will never forget for the rest of my life… My mother's death.
My father pushed her by accident, and my mother fell, hitting her head on the corner of the living room table.
My mother… The person I loved most in this world… eventually passed away.
In that moment, I realized my world had completely fallen apart. The home that had once felt warm and safe had turned into something cold and suffocating.
My father felt guilty—at least for a moment. Not long after, he remarried, and the twin girls I had seen that day were revealed to be his illegitimate daughters.
Yes—he had been cheating on my mother for more than five years.
The image of the gentle, kind-hearted father I once admired shattered in my mind—like glass struck by a cruel blow.
***
"Claire… may I see you one last time?"
A weak voice came from the bed.
Claire approached with an expressionless face. On the bed lay a man in his forties, helpless and frail.
The pride and arrogance he once carried were gone. All that remained was exhaustion and weakness.
"Claire," the man whispered hoarsely. "You must hate me, don't you?"
Claire stayed silent, offering no answer.
The man released a long, shaky sigh. "I have sinned against you, Claire… and against your mother as well."
At the mention of the word "mother," a fierce rage surged inside Claire's chest.
But in the next moment, she forced herself to calm down and slowly shook her head.
"I don't hate you," she said quietly. "If anything, I feel sorry for you."
It was a lie. She hated him. So deeply that she felt as if she could tear him apart with her own hands.
But she remembered her mother's words: "Don't let hatred control you. It will only destroy you."
For her mother's sake, Claire refused to become a vengeful person—not even toward the man who had ruined both their lives.
The man gave a bitter smile. "Even if you say that… your eyes can't hide the truth."
Claire fell silent once more. The room sank into quiet.
Then the man spoke again.
"I'm going to die. Your two sisters can't be relied on. So…" He paused, his voice trembling. "I'll leave the Hiragi family in your hands."
After saying that, his eyelids grew heavy, and his eyes slowly closed.
The man Claire had hated most was finally gone.
Yet strangely, she didn't feel the happiness she had always imagined.
All she felt was... sadness.