004 The Scheming Half-Sister
1679 Words
Lyria Ravenwood was covered in wounds, blood, and mud on her body and face, obscuring her once beautiful appearance. Yet, she wore an unusually radiant smile, her eyes full of mockery, rendering Duke Ravenwood powerless for the moment. Her entire demeanor exuded a defiant resilience, despite her battered state.
Lyria’s life or death was of little consequence to her father, but since the Emperor had decreed her marriage, she couldn’t die in the Ravenwood estate; if she had to die, it must be in Prince Alex's manor. If she died at the Ravenwood estate, it would seem like the family disapproved of the marriage to Prince Alex and thus allowed Lyria to commit suicide. Such a scenario would bring untold shame upon the Ravenwood name.
The entire kingdom knew of Lyria's unrequited love for the Crown Prince. Being rejected and then betrothed to the fallen genius, Prince Alex, was reason enough for despair. The Ravenwood family would then bear the disgrace of negligence and be ridiculed by the world, most importantly, causing the Emperor to lose face with Prince Alex. The political ramifications were severe, and Duke Ravenwood knew it all too well.
“Sister Lyria, why are you doing this to yourself?” Before Duke Ravenwood could speak, a sweet and gentle voice, like an oriole emerging from the valley, echoed through the room. The voice was soothing yet carried an undertone of hidden malice.
Lyria narrowed her eyes at the voice, recognizing it instantly...
A charming petite young woman had entered the room, dressed in a light blue gauze dress. Her hair was styled in a coiled serpent bun, adorned with delicate silver hairpins. Her eyebrows were like willows, her eyes large and bright, her nose dainty, and her lips cherry-red, presenting a pitiful appearance that indeed stirred compassion. This was Sienna Ravenwood.
Sienna was the third daughter of the Ravenwood family, born to one of Duke Ravenwood's concubines. She had third-grade talent and was currently a second-grade spirit apprentice. Most importantly, she was a loyal follower of Seraphina and Amara, her half-sisters, and also one of the renowned beauties on the kingdom’s beauty rankings. Her presence always seemed to brighten any room she entered, but Lyria knew better than to be deceived by her innocent facade.
“Sienna, what brings you here?” Duke Ravenwood’s voice softened instantly upon seeing Sienna. Her arrival seemed to provide him with a way out. In front of Sienna, he was the perfect father, his face full of kindness and his voice gentle, as if the vicious man who had just beaten and insulted his own daughter wasn’t him.
“I came because mother was worried you might be troubled by sister Lyria, so she sent me to check on things,” Sienna said playfully, blinking her large eyes.
By “mother,” she didn’t mean her birth mother, but Lady Isolde. Although Sienna was born of a concubine, only Lady Isolde had the right to be called “mother” in the Ravenwood estate.
Her playful demeanor added a touch of charm, making it hard for anyone to refuse her anything.
But she always addressed Lyria as “Sister Lyria” instead of “elder sister” or "big sister," which would be proper for the eldest daughter of the Ravenwood family. It was as if Lyria was merely a distant cousin, an outsider in her own home, rather than a daughter of the house.
Such small details were meticulously crafted to belittle her, to undermine her status within the family subtly.
The original Lyria had been naive and foolishly raised by Lady Isolde. Despite knowing that Sienna was Seraphina and Amara’s lackey, she still trusted and obeyed this two-faced, sweet-talking sister. It was a testament to how deeply manipulated and isolated Lyria had been within her own family.
Lyria had learned about her broken engagement and subsequent betrothal to Prince Alex from Sienna’s “accidental” disclosure. It was truly laughable. As the person directly affected, she was the last to know, only informed by this deceitful sister. The betrayal had cut deeply, yet Lyria had no choice but to endure it.
“If your sister Lyria had half your sense, your father wouldn’t be driven to death!” Duke Ravenwood glared at Lyria before turning back to Sienna with a gentle and loving expression, as if his earlier outburst had never happened. His sudden change in demeanor was jarring, highlighting the depth of his hypocrisy.
Aside from Lyria, the Duke was very loving towards his other children, especially the two born of Lady Isolde, who possessed fifth-grade talents. His favoritism was blatant, making it clear where his true affections lay.
“Father, don’t be so hard on sister Lyria. It’s not her fault she’s a failure. Who would willingly be a failure worse than a beggar?” Sienna tried to defend Lyria, though her words were dripping with malice. Her tone was soothing, but the content of her words was like poison, slowly eroding Lyria’s dignity.
She furrowed her brows, looking at Lyria with a face full of concern and tenderness, “Sister Lyria, you’ve always been the most obedient to father, haven’t you? Why did you anger him today? Quickly apologize to father, and he will surely forgive you.” Her gaze was penetrating, almost daring Lyria to defy her in front of Duke Ravenwood.
Seeing Lyria in such a pitiful state, but with a radiant smile, almost made Sienna lose her composure. Was Lyria actually driven mad by the beating? Her resilience and defiance were unexpected, and it threw Sienna off balance.
Nevertheless, Sienna didn’t give up on “convincing” Lyria. She had done this many times before. Lyria, that fool, had lost her mother at a young age, and Sienna wasn’t blind to how their stepmother, Lady Isolde, treated her. The manipulations and subtle cruelties were all too apparent to Sienna, who had learned to navigate and exploit them to her advantage.
Lyria's biological brother, Xander Ravenwood, had exceptional talent and was highly valued by the Ravenwood family. However, as soon as Lady Isolde entered the house, he was sent away for training and hasn’t returned since. It was a strategic move, removing potential threats to her own children’s advancement.
A nine-year-old boy wandering alone—anyone could guess that a genius is most vulnerable during his formative years. What good was sixth-grade talent if you couldn't live to develop it?
Now, everyone in the Celestria Kingdom knew that Lady Isolde had three children: two with fifth-grade talent and one with fourth-grade talent, which was slightly lower but still respectable. Her children were the pride of the Ravenwood family, overshadowing Lyria and her brother completely.
Who remembered the two children born to the original wife, Lady Evelina? No, who remembered the genius born to Lady Evelina, Xander Ravenwood, the eldest son of the Ravenwood family with sixth-grade talent? He was likely dead by now, a forgotten casualty in the Ravenwood power struggles.
Of course, the most infamous was Lyria, the failure. She was known by everyone, making the Ravenwood family a laughingstock behind their backs. Her reputation was a stain that no amount of achievements by her half-siblings could erase.
Yet, Lady Isolde was most admired for raising this failure left by her sister. When Lyria was nearly drowned in the river by the Ravenwood family, Lady Isolde insisted on raising her. Even after Lyria’s engagement was broken, she arranged a marriage for her so she wouldn’t be left without a place after death. It was a masterful act of manipulation, portraying herself as the benevolent stepmother.
Although Prince Alex was a failure, he was still a prince. Thus, no one failed to praise Lady Isolde for her kindness, treating her stepdaughter as her own. The narrative was perfectly crafted to maintain her image of kindness and generosity.
No one in the Ravenwood family, not even the seven other children of Duke Ravenwood or the servants, respected Lyria. This gave Sienna the perfect opportunity. To Lyria, who was grateful for the only sister who paid her any attention, Sienna became the most trusted person. Sienna’s influence over Lyria was profound, manipulating her actions and thoughts with ease.
“Elder sister Lyria, listen to your younger sister’s advice. Everyone in the Celestria Kingdom knows you’ve had blocked meridians since birth and don’t even have first-grade talent. You can’t practice martial arts, let alone awaken your magical core. Why stubbornly cling to the Phoenix Stone that rightfully belongs to our second sister? You’re only making things difficult for yourself and causing father and us to worry.” Sienna’s voice was gentle, yet the underlying cruelty was unmistakable.
Sienna emphasized the words “everyone in the Celestria Kingdom knows,” practically spelling out Lyria’s humiliation. Duke Ravenwood stood with his hands behind his back, letting out a heavy sigh. Lyria felt like clapping for Sienna. What a master of manipulation!
On the surface, Sienna’s words seemed to be for Lyria’s benefit, but each one was like a dagger to her heart. Everyone in the kingdom knows you’re a failure. Yet, you bring shame to your family, acting selfishly and insensitively.
The Phoenix Stone isn’t yours, but you selfishly hold onto it. You, a failure, dared to dream of being a princess? Preposterous!
Such venomous words!
But Sienna’s guise of concern was so convincing that if Lyria were still her original self, she might have been fooled by this façade of kindness. The intricate web of deceit and manipulation was suffocating.
To Lyria, Sienna was the only one who spoke to her and showed her any kindness. Her isolation had made her vulnerable, an easy target for Sienna’s manipulations.
After speaking, Sienna didn’t give Lyria a chance to respond. She clung to Duke Ravenwood’s arm, pouting, “Father, you still have old injuries. Please don’t be angry with sister Lyria. She surely didn’t mean it.”
Her voice was sweet and childlike, adding an air of innocence to her words, masking the malevolence beneath.
- Writer
