"I hated you for my own reasons. I wished your mother had taken you with her, and when I saw the letters from your grandparents, I almost wanted you to be sent with them until I saw the gifts they sent you. I had bad thoughts about you from a young age," said Kate.
Kate never told her mother all that went on inside her head.
If she had the courage to, would her mother have helped her?
"I wasn’t going to be known as the girl who heard voices in her head, so you had to be the cursed one. I really hated you, and part of me still did as of late, but I know that it was wrong of me, and I want to let that hate go," Kate confessed.
Kate found the courage to look Alessandra in the eye and said, "I was wrong for starting the rumour about you being cursed. For acting with my mother to stop the maids from bringing your food, tearing the dresses father handed to you, and hurting you in secret. For what I started with your face."
Kate couldn’t count on her fingers how many times she would visit Alessandra’s room to hurt her in some way. Even if her parents found out about it, they said nothing.
"I’m sorry about the kitten you had. There’s much I have to apologise to you for, but I’ll acknowledge wanting Simon to go after you next. I lived every day with hate in my heart and envy that you had found someone with status. I was evil," Kate admitted.
Kate’s eyes fluttered. She fought not to cry before Alessandra. It was the last thing she would ever do in her life.
"I know that I am still quite awful. I wasn’t a good wife or mother, but none of that matters to you. I hope that, as it will help me, my apologies will help you. I truly mean it that I am sorry for what I did, and I know that I was wrong," Kate said, nervous about Alessandra’s response.
"I know that you are being honest. It has been so long that you didn’t have to apologise, but you did," said Alessandra.
Alessandra gave up on the thought of ever hearing Kate apologise, and with so many years having passed, she didn’t think Kate would ever approach her to apologise, but she did.
"I accept it," Alessandra said.
This was more than her younger self would ever get from Kate.
"But this changes nothing between us. I cannot change that we are sisters, half as you would say, but we weren’t meant to be close. I am glad to hear that you are doing better and that you are helping young ladies. You’ve grown up, and I have a feeling Clark would be thrilled," said Alessandra.
"I didn’t think we would start acting like sisters. I am not that healed to do such a thing, and I know it’s best that I keep my distance from you. I don’t want to see another lady ignore the signs of men who mean to harm them, so I will keep working with the court. It’s better than sitting around doing nothing," Kate said, chuckling. For origınal chapters go to 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵·𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮·𝓷𝓮𝓽
"Just so you know, we are going to sell the mansion. It is too big for Noah and me to manage by ourselves, and a smaller home without stairs is best for me. If you wish to have it, I could hand it over to you-"
"It is your home, Kate. You loved it more than I ever did, so do whatever you want with it. I will not get in the way of you selling it," Alessandra promised.
The old mansion held nothing but bad memories for Alessandra. There was no reason for her to have it.
It was a bit of a shock for Alessandra to hear that Kate wanted to get rid of it.
"Still, I thought I should give you a chance. I know that it was William’s son targeting your family. He annoys me, but Mark comes around often. Knowing this, I understand why you hated our father so much. You could have died if you went with William," Kate said, feeling an ache in her chest.
It made Kate feel even more guilty to think of how she wanted her father to send Alessandra to William so she could have Edgar.
"I can’t forgive him for killing our father, but I understand why he did it. I heard from Mark that you gave Clark money after he went to you. I am grateful for it. It took me a long time to realise how much of a burden I was to Clark. I didn’t get to apologise or thank him," Kate said, plagued with regret for waiting so long to realise.
After a moment of silence, Kate asked, "Did you do it? The money, I mean."
"I did. I saw that Clark was turning his life around and changing what others thought of him. He didn’t ask for a big amount. Just enough to help you both, and he shared his plans for it. He would write to me from time to time. You can thank him at his grave," Alessandra suggested.
"Thank you for helping us, but don’t be so foolish again," Kate said, regretting her words when Edgar moved. "Our uncle was a good man, but don’t help everyone. I say this even though your kindness helped me. Learn how to be a little selfish and turn your back as others did."
Kate continued to say, "I took advantage of your quiet nature and at times, your kindness when we were younger. Still, it seems you haven’t changed one bit and forgive easily. I understand why you are kind. It feels warm inside, but be a little bit more reluctant."
It was the same advice Kate gave to the young ladies in the court. She had never offered Alessandra good advice, so she wanted to leave on that note.
"I cannot stay in Noah’s arms much longer, so we will retreat to our carriage," said Kate.
Since their carriage was old, which led to the wheel breaking, Mark offered a carriage from the court, but it needed to return to the court soon.
"I won’t approach you anymore. No one from my family will go to you and trouble you. You have my word," Kate promised.
"And you have my word that no one from my family will trouble you," Alessandra returned the promise.
Kate smiled. It was small, but noticeable.
A weight was lifted off Kate’s shoulders. It was another small step to not feeling terrible about herself when she spoke with the ladies in the court.
Alessandra waited for Kate to be placed back in the carriage, followed by Noah, and then for the carriage to set off.
Alessandra pinched herself to test that it wasn’t a dream. "This has been a day full of surprises," she said.