The Alyssum’s Inferiority Complex

ou have the nerve. ”

The auburn-haired girls eyes were wide while she smiled. She had a look of disbelief and annoyance on her face.

”Lucretia. Get off your high horse. Do you think you can still get away with this type of thing anymore? Did you think we would always just sit still so you could have your fun? ”

The murmuring in the crowd only escalated, as the green-eyed girl stepped forward. Lucretias shocked face soon turned to an enraged expression.

”What did you say— ”

”I said what everybody else was thinking. The only reason any of us were willing to endure the things you did was because of your family. However, now that its revealed you aren even their real daughter, why should we try to placate you? ”

Hearing what she said, Lucretias face blushed from embarrassment and exasperation. She clenched her hands tightly, as her brows knit.

”You!— ”

”I don think any of us were surprised when we heard about how you weren really a noble. After all, your pathetic attempt to try to imitate a dignified lady said it all. Compared to you, Lady Charlotte was quite easy to accept as a noble. ”

Lucretia had so many things she wanted to say back, but everything seemed to pile up as it choked in her throat. The auburn-haired girl noticed and had a smile on her face.

”Again. What else could we expect from a fake. ”

As if something broke, Lucretias arm trembled, before she gripped her hand tightly, biting her lip. She picked her dress up and ran out of the banquet hall, not wanting to stand anymore of this humiliation.

As the sound of the doors closing echoed throughout the hall, a brief silence followed after.

One of the noble ladies near the auburn-haired girl looked worried.

”A-aren you worried she won come to bother and target you now? ”

The auburn-haired girl stayed silent for a few seconds before scoffing.

”As if she has the means to do that now. Not to mention, her family aren the only powerful ones in this empire. ”

The girl looked at her ruined dress and hair for a second, knitting her brows, before whispering to the other girl with a smile.

”Also, i learned this from my brother recently… ”

…

The sound of quickly stomping feet echoed down a large corridor, only being drowned out by the long carpet laid out.

The silver-haired girl was slightly disheveled, unlike her usual appearance. Her amethyst eyes narrowed as they had a tinge of red to them, her hands clenching into tight fists. She just couldn believe the humiliation she had to go through!

”Did they finally decide to stop being lenient toward you now? ”

Her body stopped as she hadn even realized she had passed somebody. Hearing the familiar voice, she turned to see the platinum silver-haired man she called her brother.

”What are you… what do you mean. ”

Glaring at him, she watched as Lyons cold eyes led to a cynical smirk.

”Since I told a number of my colleagues that neither I nor our father will be picking up after you anymore, Im guessing people aren as compliant as before now, Lucretia. ”

”What do you!— ”

”I mean, didn you say that you didn need us picking up after you, after all? I shouldve done this a while ago, no? ”

Lucretia had a look of disbelief on her face. She didn want to listen to her brothers words anymore, but she wasn sure what to respond with.

”Didn I tell you this before? You couldn keep acting the same way you have been. How many times do I have to repeat myself before you understood. Isn it too late now? ”

As he took a step forward, his mocking demeanor didn change at all, as his downturned eyes looked down on Lucretias still figure.

”Don you have a comeback like before? ”

As if waiting for a response, he looked disappointed as he passed her by, muttering under his breath.

”Whatd I expect from a fake, anyway?— ”

SLAP!!

The sound of an impact echoed through the corridors, as a long silence followed. Lucretias breath was short and heavy as she couldn hide the humiliation on her face. Her hand was throbbing, as she saw what she had done.

She had never hit Lyon before, no matter how annoying or rude he was to her.

”L-Lyon… I… ”

Lyon stayed still for a moment as his eyes widened in stunned silence. Lucretias long fingernails had created a small cut along his cheek during the impact, so the beads of red slowly started the seep through before trailing down the side of his face. Processing what had happened, he stood silent, before putting on a disappointed smile, as if to ridicule her further.

”Hah. Why do you looked so surprised? Isn this just in character for you, Lucretia? You don have to say anything else, since this is just the type of person you are. ”

With a frosty gaze more distant than he had ever looked at her, he turned and walked away.

The sound of footsteps followed him, and by the time the echoes had quieted, Lucretia could finally feel the throbbing burning sensation in her hand. As she clenched them into a fist, she looked down, trying to resist the urge to scream with her trembling body.

Replaying what her brother said to her, she bit her lip, many feelings filling her mind.

”Get off your high horse! You
e the one that picked a fight first! ”

Speaking only to herself, Lucretia still couldn help the gnawing feeling that kept on growing in the back of her head, as she couldn fully deny what he had said.