Amerigo’s gate opened while Abella and Enoch continued their conversation.

Enoch nudged Abella on her shoulder as if he were waking her. She began to slowly move.

Abella decided to walk on the longer pathway to get from the gate to the front door. As a child, it was the path she’d play on with Carlo and their father.

Wildflowers would bloom in the spring, and raspberries were ripe in the summer. Their boulevard was carefully maintained by a gardener.

A long time ago, she looked at the blooming wildflowers with Carlo and their father.

“What flower is this?”

“Well, since it resembles you, wouldn’t it be called an Abella flower?”

“What? You don’t know what flower it is?! Father, you fool!”

“Carlo, shh. You’re embarrassing your father.”

Abella could practically see her young self and Carlo running around with a smile. She felt as though their father, who slowly trailed Carlo, would call out to her any time from now. Abella bit her lips.

She then saw herself walking alone on that path.

Lost without Carlo and their father.

Step, step.

The spring flowers, which were in full bloom, shook with the motion of Abella’s steps. Her heart pounded.

“Are you okay? You look very pale.”

“I’m alright.”

Abella answered stubbornly.

She knew what would be at the end of the pathway, but even so, she shouldn’t be breaking down this much.

Did she personally choose the path to hell?

Enoch stared at Abella’s trembling back.

Would anybody find it so difficult to see their family?

Although he had maintained a relationship with Abella for seven years, this was the first time he’d ever seen her like this. Enoch followed Abella, who was holding her breath.

Abella reached hell when she arrived at the end of the long pathway.

The butler, who wandered around the front of another firmly closed gate, ran to her with wet eyes.

“Miss!”

“It’s been a while, Hannibal.”

“I’ve been waiting for you ever since the moment you said that you were coming. A long period of time has passed since you were last here. Welcome back!”

Hannibal held Abella’s hand while he wondered what he should do.

Still, somebody greeted her at least.

Abella nodded softly.

“Hannibal, you’re still here.”

“I wonder if that’s really the case. Our pretty lady is here as well, but this Hannibal is already a graying old man. Go in, Milady.”

“Where is my mother?”

“She’s upstairs in Master’s—no, Duke Carlo’s room.”

Abella raised her head. Carlo’s room, located on the second floor, was large and had a lot of sunlight shining into it.

“A lot of guests must have come.”

“Yes, they were served in a separate building instead of our main building.”

“Good job.”

Abella replied with a sighing voice.

“But the guy next to you..”

“He’ll help me with my work in the future. His name is Enoch Clemington. Enoch, this is Amerigo’s butler, Hannibal.”

“Nice to meet you, Hannibal.”

“Thank you, Sir Enoch.”

At Hannibal’s hand gestures, the attendants took Abella’s and Enoch’s luggage. The front door, originally closed, gradually crept open. The smell of the Amerigo mansion, which was buried within her memories, penetrated Abella’s lungs.

Step.

Abella moved carefully, step by step.

The maids waiting in the entrance hall bowed their heads towards Abella. While she walked in between them, Abella took a deep breath.

Everything was strange yet familiar.

She heard impatient footsteps upstairs. Silence swept through the hall, which was brightly lit by a splendid chandelier.

A noble lady wearing silk pajamas rapidly bolted down the stairs while holding a brush in her hand. She had messy hair and a shaky face.

“Mother.”

“Why did you come here? Go back! The funeral was already overflowing with attendance. You shouldn’t have come!”

Even at the funeral, which went on all morning, she did not receive a warm glance. She wasn’t disappointed because she didn’t expect any in the first place.

Abella’s heart, already full of scratches, didn’t budge when confronted with Mrs. Amerigo’s spiteful venom.

“I’m going to take over Amerigo.”

“What are you talking about!?”

Mrs. Amerigo exclaimed hysterically.

“You got rid of your younger brother, and now you’re coveting his spot? Are you even human? Abella, are you human!?”