Chapter 5: Uncanny Resemblance II

I look down towards the direction of the sound and see Joshua looking up at me happily. The child spoke with a beaming smile that could not bring up the words ‘I am not your mother.’ Had I told him so, his bright eyes would turn somber as tears begins to well up. My heart is weak. I would not be able to stand seeing such sight so I gave him a smile instead. It was a smile full of positivity.

And this is how I ended inside their mansion.

Upon entering, John exchanged a few words with what appeared to be a handmaiden. He pointed at me several times with his fingers while he had a tight frowned face all this time.

When the handmaiden nodded, John picked the child beside me and walked away without saying anything. The child waved until the two disappeared from my sight. This child, what a cute little thing. Surely he did not get this traits from his cold father.

 “Mama, see you later!”

 “Yes, see you later!”

I waved awkwardly to the child. I felt compelled to do so.

 “……”

After Joshua and John left, a handmaiden came to me. It was then that I saw the handmaiden had a strange look. She could not take her eyes off me, or more precisely, my face. It was filled with both surprise and sadness at the same time. She looked at me as if she was seeing someone who should not be here, like the face of a dead person who came back to life. Her tear eyes suggested a longing for something.

“Will you follow me?”

She said, her voice shaking a little.

That’s strange.

I followed after her, albeit a little to hurriedly.

The lady’s room was located in the bathroom, its size humongous. So the rich lived a lavish lifestyle like this. The handmaiden left the bathroom instructing me to wash myself clean. It was apparent that Josh ordered for this to happen.

I quickly soaked myself in the bathtub, greeted by warm water.

Dirt, my dear friend, the time has come for us to part ways.

I quickly washed myself clean and left the bathroom feeling refreshed. Somehow, I feel much lighter. I feel like a different person and I don’t know why. It has also been a while since I wore such a nice dress.

When the handmaiden saw me, she looked even more peculiar than the first time she saw. She bit her lower lip and looked as if she was holding back her tears.

Why is she crying?

Did she also mistake me for someone else like John and Joshua?

 “I will show you where the master resides…”

She said, her voice faint and solemn.

I nodded and followed her.

On the way, there were many things I wanted to ask her. Like, why did she cry when she saw me? Where is the child’s real mother? I wanted to ask those questions, but I did not. It would be impudent for someone like me, and even if I did, It would be unlikely that handmaiden will reply. She would only answer with a grain of salt. I am a stranger and to speak to me honestly was too much to ask for.

We soon stopped in front of a door and she stared at me for a long time.

Finally, she spoke.

 “You look so much like her.”

 “What?”

I asked, but the maid shook her head from side to side.

The maid hurriedly opened the door and left quickly as if to prevent me asking asking further questions. Sighing, I walked inside. No sooner had I entered the room, I saw him, John Lancaster. He sat on the sofa, legs crossed over. His eyes looked over and met mines.

Then…

His dark eyes trembled.

His face fell and bore a deep look of longing similar to the way the maid looked at me.