Calder stormed through the palace corridors, still furious that she had dared to call him father after everything she had done. Somehow, Rosalind always seemed to bring misfortune into his life, and now people were distancing themselves from him because of her.

It would take considerable effort to restore his standing among the nobles, and it was all because of that girl.

All because of the foolish decision he had made that day.

What had he expected from someone he bought at a black market auction?

She had turned out to be nothing but trouble. Only her innocent eyes had been deceiving, and now that she had finally shown her true colors, he wanted nothing more to do with her.

****

For many years, he and Beth had remained childless. There was no fault on either side, yet no matter how much they tried, they could not conceive. Day after day, Beth would cry because she longed for a child of her own.

Calder had always been patient and understanding because he loved his wife dearly, and so he remained by her side through every disappointment. Yet as the years passed, Beth became increasingly troubled by it. Whenever she saw children playing with their parents or heard their laughter drifting through the streets, something inside her broke.

"One day, I’d like to hear the cries of my own children around this place too," Beth had once whispered quietly.

Calder had felt the same ache, but there was nothing he could do.

Then one day, he went out with several noble friends. They had spoken excitedly about a black market auction where women would be displayed and sold. Calder had only gone because his friends insisted, and he had little interest in arguing with them.

Together, they gathered in the hall and watched as one woman after another was brought onto the platform while the seller loudly recited their descriptions.

While his friends seemed entertained by the spectacle, Calder’s mind remained elsewhere.

Then the final number was called and a little girl was ushered onto the stage.

The crowd immediately erupted into murmurs. "What’s a little girl doing here?"

"How is she supposed to serve anyone?" another man complained.

The girl looked around at the countless eyes staring at her before tears filled her own.

"They’re nothing but greedy animals, trying to sell a child just to make a few coins," someone muttered with disgust.

Others shook their heads in disapproval.

Yet a few men merely smirked as they stared at the frightened girl.

The bidding began. "Ten silver coins," the auctioneer announced.

They did not expect her to bring much money, but even a small profit was enough for them.

"Eleven silver coins."

"Fifteen silver coins."

The auctioneer’s eyes brightened immediately as the numbers continued to rise.

"Twenty silver pieces."

Calder watched with narrowed eyes. He could already tell that these men were up to no good and that the little girl would end up in a far worse situation if one of them bought her.

He had no reason to interfere but then he remembered Beth. He remembered the tears she shed whenever she spoke about children.

And suddenly, a reckless idea entered his mind.

"Twenty silver, going once, going twice..."

"Fifty silver pieces." Calder’s voice cut through the hall and every head turned toward him.

"Fifty silver pieces," the auctioneer repeated eagerly. "Going once... going twice... sold!"

The crowd fell silent.

Meanwhile, the little girl only cried harder.

Once the auction ended, Calder completed the purchase, paid the full amount, and signed the necessary documents.

As the seller finalized everything, Calder glanced toward the child. "She doesn’t look like she’s from here," he remarked. "Where did she come from?"

The seller barely looked up from the paperwork.

"... Merovia, I think," he replied casually. "Looks like she got separated during the fighting. She ended up in our hands, so we figured we’d sell her for a few coins."

Calder had heard rumors about the war in Merovia. He knew people were suffering because of it, especially women and children.

His gaze drifted back to the little girl sitting alone.

She stared at him with frightened eyes.

For a moment, he wondered how many other children had been lost just like her and sold through countless black markets by desperate men willing to profit from another person’s tragedy. "Thank you," Calder said quietly as the transaction concluded.

"Oh, and this was found with her." The seller reached into a box and produced a chain with a pendant attached to it. "No idea what it means, but you can keep it since you’re her new owner."

"I’ll keep it," Calder replied. He then slipped the chain into his pocket alongside the documents.

The two men exchanged brief bows before Calder turned and made his way toward the little girl.

When he reached her, he crouched down to her level and offered her a small smile.

"Hello... What’s your name?" he asked.

The little girl blinked at him, but there was no response. "It’s alright. You can tell me," Calder said patiently.

Because the man standing before her didn’t seem frightening like the others she had seen in the auction hall, the little girl finally shook her head. "I don’t remember," she said softly.

And that was the truth. She only remembered hitting her head against something sharp, and after that everything became a blur. The next thing she knew, she was being taken away, treated by strangers, and eventually brought to the auction. Because she was still so young, she didn’t fully understand any of it.

"That’s alright," Calder replied with a reassuring smile. "We can figure it out together, as long as you come with me."

The little girl looked at him cautiously. "Where are we going?" she asked in a small voice.

"Home," Calder answered.

She blinked again. "Home?"

He nodded before extending his hand toward her. "Come. It’s getting late already."

She looked around once more and everything just seemed strange and frightening. No one else had spoken kindly to her.

After a long hesitation, she finally placed her small hand in his and they left together.

Not long afterward, they arrived before at their destination. When the door opened, a woman stepped outside. She embraced Calder first before her eyes fell upon the little girl standing beside him.

"Who is she?" she asked curiously.

"I’ll explain everything once we’re inside," Calder replied.

The woman smiled and then extended her hand toward the child. The little girl accepted it cautiously, immediately noticing how warm her touch felt. Together, they entered the house.

A short while later, Calder and his wife disappeared into another room to talk, leaving the little girl sitting quietly by herself. She remained still on the chair, looking around with wide innocent eyes as she took in her surroundings.

Moments later, Beth returned, and the moment her gaze landed on the little girl, her expression softened.

"You don’t remember your name?" she asked gently.

The girl bobbed her head.

Beth smiled for a moment before speaking again."What do you think about... Rosalind?"

The little girl tilted her head slightly. "Rosalind?"

Beth nodded.

The little girl thought about it before giving a small nod and an uncertain smile.

Beth’s face immediately brightened. "Oh, she likes it," she said, turning toward Calder.

Then she looked back at the girl, her eyes filling with tears. "From now on, this is your home too," Beth said softly. "And we’ll be your parents. We’ll take care of you, alright, Rosalind?"

The little girl nodded once more.

A second later, Beth wrapped her arms around her. Her embrace was warm... warm enough to chase away the fear and warm enough to make her feel safe.

The little girl’s heart felt full.

****

Rosalind’s chest rose and fell unevenly as she stood in the corridor, staring after Calder’s retreating figure.

A chill had settled deep inside her body, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake it away.

All this time, she had believed they were her parents.

All this time, she had believed she belonged to them.

Yet Calder had looked her in the eye and said she wasn’t even his daughter.

Rosalind knew him well enough to know he wasn’t the sort of man to say something like that, not even in anger.

Not unless it was true.

Her heart clenched.

She pressed a trembling hand to her chest, feeling it ache with every breath she took. No matter how hard she fought to keep her tears in check, they fell anyway.

Everything she thought she knew suddenly felt wrong.

But... thinking back now, Calder had stopped treating her like a loving father after tragedy struck their family. Yet she had always pushed those thoughts aside because she believed they were connected by blood.

Now he had said it himself.

And she couldn’t simply ignore it.

She knew then that she would have to speak to Beth.

Because if what Calder had said was true, then her entire life had been built upon a lie.