Like a family.

Raelle closed her eyes and went to sleep.

*after dawn*

The door of Raelle's room was pushed open without permission. The maid came inside and just put the water basin in the bathroom. She didn't even greet Raelle.

"Since you are awake, go and take a bath. I'll bring your breakfast afterwards." She didn't give Raelle any chance to reply and went out of the room.

Woww!! Such audacity! Even a maid can order her around. Bold, very bold. Well, let her be bold for one more day. She won't be able to look at tomorrow's sun anyway.

Raelle didn't even went inside the bathroom. With a flick of her index finger, she cast a cleaning spell upon herself and changed into formal clothes.

She went and stood near the window. After a few seconds, she heard the sounds of someone laughing and giggling. She looked down only to see a young beautiful girl happily playing with two men. One was an adult who looked liked somewhere around 20 years old and the other looked like somewhat in his thirties. But she knew that he was already in his forties. Both men were her brother and father who were playing with their only beloved daughter.

They left their own blood related daughter like a rag and instead pampered someone else's daughter. What an irony!!

She didn't understand how could her other half be so foolish. She was used and played by them for seven lifetimes. Damn seven lifetimes!! She would rather be an orphan instead of having a family like this.

Well they really look like a happy family. Those who didn't know would assume that her step sister Lise was her mother's daughter just because of her golden hair.

Raelle has seen her dead mother's portrait. She had golden hair and amber eyes and she was very beautiful. Lise was also beautiful and has golden hair so anyone would assume that she was her(Raelle's mother) daughter.

And that was also the reason why her older brother Rick and her father loved her so much. Lise didn't have amber eyes, she has green eyes but it didn't diminish their love for her.

***

"Hello. We will be your mother and sister from now on."

That happened when Rylie was six years old. Over the course of so many lives, it has become a very old memory of the past.

But because it was the turning point of Rylie's life, it still lingered in her memory as if it was just yesterday.

"Nice to meet you, children."

Our father, Ronaldo, brought them here. The beautiful woman and the girl, who looked like she's a year younger than her, both have honey blonde hair and dreamy doe eyes.

"Please get along with Lise too."

They looked strikingly similar to the portrait of our mother in the corridor.

When she saw Rick's face, she could tell that he was fascinated by the people that Father brought.

She also liked the two who looked like her mother that only existed in a portrait.

However, they didn't usually call me at family gatherings.

So she had to spend time in her room more often than before.

"Daddy!"

One day, she opened the window in her room and saw them in the garden.

Lise was running on the green grass towards Father, her shiny hair fluttering.

Unconsciously, Rylie almost tried to stop Lise.

The other day, when she approached Father and held his hand, he harshly shoved her hand and turned away.

Hot tears streamed down her face. She had no choice but to hold her hand that turned red and gaze at her father's retreating back.

She was worried about Lise.

Don't. Father will get angry because he doesn't like being touched...

But he lifted the running Lisee with a warm smile that she's never seen before.

KAARR, the sound of glass breaking was heard from my chest.

Rick and our stepmother, who stood right beside him, approached the two.

It was like a family painting.

It came as a big shock to Rylie.

What she have only imagined in her room so far, was finally happening.

But contrary to her imagination, it was Lise, not her, who was in that beautiful landscape.

Lise, who resembled her mother, was a pretty child. She was like an angel.

That's why she thought it was only natural for her father and brother to like her.

Rylie really liked Lise and her stepmother too.

Yet, even though that's what she thought, she at back against the window and covered her ears.

But the laughter outside seemed to penetrate her eardrums as it kept on getting louder.

***