I Was a Substitute

I’ve lived my life as everyone wanted me to, the perfect Young Miss. But I was only adopted to fill the vacancy of the real Duke’s daughter. When the real Miss returned, they all turned their backs on me. “If I had known this was going to happen, I wouldn’t have let you in.” I loved them dearly, but to them I was nothing but a substitute for a Young Miss. “Should I tell you something before dying? Actually, I’m a fake too.” The Young Miss, who seemed like an angel, was actually a fake. Just like their ‘false love’, which I believed in. “Can I call you Big Sister from now on?” I had no choice but to reply with a lie as well. I swallowed the dry saliva down my throat reflexively at the red eyes looking down at me. I could see the man’s bare chest through his open shirt. “When did you find out about what I’d dug up?” “I’m quite sensitive about these things.” Which means he knew from the start— the sound of me gulping was louder than expected, and I opened my eyes wide in shock. “Enjoyed the show?” “No, I didn’t see anything!” “I already know that you were pretending to be asleep.”