⚠️T/w: Emotional manipulation, Negative thoughts⚠️
____________________________________________

☆✿☆Madeline's side of the story☆✿☆

Our parents had recognized the importance of proper upbringing and education as kids, and they hired a governess for Amelia and me.

Lady Guinevere, as she was known during that period, was a woman of grace and refinement, and she took it upon herself to instill in us the virtues of proper etiquette and manners as well as other related subjects.

Under her guidance, we started our training for high society. Lady Guinevere was strict yet fair, teaching us everything we needed to know.

Our daily lessons were held in a sitting room adorned with elegant furniture and large windows that allowed the sunlight to enter the room. Lady Guinevere would sit regularly in a chair and impact us with knowledge.

Amelia and I approached our lessons differently. Amelia was bold and confident, eager to put her teachings into practice almost immediately. I, on the other hand, preferred to observe from the sidelines, taking my time to gain confidence before attempting new skills. This contrast meant that Amelia often progressed more rapidly in her studies than I did.

Our parents were quick to praise Amelia's achievements, while I received words of encouragement and a pat on the head. I didn't mind the difference. I knew that I could perform just as well as my sister if I put in the effort. My reserved nature was simply a part of who I was.

However, as time passed, I couldn't help but notice a change in Lady Guinevere's approach. She began to show her displeasure at my reserved nature. She would shower Amelia with praise in my presence, subtly highlighting my shortcomings. It seemed that no matter how hard I tried, I could never measure up to my sister's accomplishments in Lady Guinevere's eyes.

My parents still encouraged me to do my best and told me that I shouldn't be bothered about being perfect, but they ensured I tried my best. I believe them, but all that changed until I saw a whole new perspective, Lady Guinevere's perspective.

One evening, after our lesson, Amelia left the room first to set up our dolls to play with. I eagerly got out of my sitting position to follow Amelia. Lady Guinevere called me over to her. Her tone was gentle, and her eyes bore kindness, which was foreign to me since I felt she didn't like me.

"My dear," she began, her voice soothing, "I've been observing you for quite some time."

I shifted uncomfortably, not used to her noticing me. "You have?"

She nodded, a reassuring smile gracing her lips. "Indeed. And I believe you have so much potential, much like your sister."

My face glowed at her compliment, and I giggled. "You think so?"

Lady Guinevere knelt to my height; her hand brushed against my face, a touch filled with warmth and reassurance. "Absolutely, my dear. I've seen glimpses of it-your potential to surpass even Amelia."

"My parents said that I don't have to be like Amelia; I am perfect being myself." I scratched my cheek innocently.

Lady Guinevere gasped with a shocked expression, placing her hand on her chest, shaking her head sympathetically.

Her actions confused me. "But they said it's alright." I shrugged. Lady Guinevere held my hands.

"Well, I think you can be better!" She smiled at me. The thought filled me with newfound confidence.

"Then what should I do, Lady Guinevere?" I asked

Her eyes bore into mine, their intensity unwavering. "You just need to do as I said and always listen to me. Okay?"

I nodded eagerly. "I will, Lady Guinevere."

Her smile widened, and she hugged me. "I have no doubt you will."

In the following weeks, I began to try my best to match Amelia. Lady Guinevere watched with satisfaction. She seemed increasingly pleased with my progress, and her affectionate gestures became more frequent as I improved gradually, but Amelia was still ahead of me, and my parents continued to encourage me.

One afternoon, after our mid-day lesson, I met Lady Guinevere in our garden, taking a stroll. My face lit up with excitement, and I ran to her, calling her name with enthusiasm.

"Lady Guinevere!" I waved my tiny hands in the air as I approached her. She chuckled warmly and knelt to my height, her eyes filled with affection.

"What's wrong, my dear?" She asked, her voice filled with warmth.

"I just wanted to say bye before you leave." I said bashfully while I fidgeted with the hem of my gown.

A surprised look crossed Lady Guinevere's face. "Well, I am not going anywhere now. I got permission from your parents to pick some flowers. Will you join me?" She pinched my cheek affectionately.

Her offer filled me with excitement, and I eagerly nodded, taking her outstretched hand. We walked together through the garden, enjoying the beautiful colors of the flowers surrounding us.

As Lady Guinevere picked flowers and explained their names and meanings, I listened intently, absorbing the knowledge. Her presence was comforting, and I felt a deep connection with her.

But as we continued to walk, I couldn't help but notice a change in the atmosphere. Lady Guinevere's tone shifted, becoming more serious and persuasive.

"You know, my dear," she began. "I have high expectations for you." I looked at her as she spoke.

She continued, her gaze locked on mine. "You have something special within you, something that sets you apart, but it will require dedication and hard work."

I stared at her with wide eyes, soaking up her words like a sponge. She got to a bush with white flowers painted red at its center.

"These are geraniums. Geraniums are known for their vibrant, long-lasting blooms and hardy nature. These flowers symbolize determination and tenacity because they continue to thrive and produce beautiful flowers even in challenging conditions."

A sly smile crossed her lips, and she leaned closer, her voice almost a whisper: "Conditions where normal flowers can't thrive."

I nodded fervently, taking in the new piece of information, but I felt she wasn't particularly referring to the flowers.

"You remind me of a geranium!" She picked a flower and placed it in my hair, my eyes sparkling in fascination when she compared me to the pretty flower.

Her smile dropped to an empathetic expression: "Even if the people around you try to hinder your development, you still blossom into a gorgeous flower."

I became confused by her analogy, furrowing my brows as I tried to grasp the meaning. "What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled.

Lady Guinevere sighed, her eyes searching mine. "Don't you ever feel inadequate compared to your sister?" She began, and I considered her question for a moment before shaking my head.

"No, Mother and Father have always told me that I am different from Amelia, that even though we are twins, we are still different people, and we are special in our own way," I replied innocently.

But Lady Guinevere's face was disappointed face as she shook her head. "Maybe they tell you that because they don't want to admit the truth."

I blinked, my smile fading into a confused frown. "What truth? I don't understand."

"Because she's the one who truly matters to them," Lady Guinevere continued, her voice dripping with a hint of bitterness. "They may say you're special in your own way, but the reality is that they see you as the lesser twin, the one who needs to catch up to Amelia."

I felt a sinking feeling in my chest, and a sense of unease settled over me. Lady Guinevere's words contradicted everything I had been told by my parents, and I didn't know who to believe.

"But why would they do that?" I asked, my voice quivering with confusion.

Lady Guinevere held my hands as her eyes bore into mine. "It's because they don't see your worth. They see you as an extra, Amelia's extra."

Her words made my heart sink. I trembled in my spot, tears pooling at the corners of my eyes as I processed her words.

"But that doesn't mean they don't love me, right?" I sniffed, and Lady Guinevere hugged me, patting my back and soothing me. I clenched my dress as I wailed into her chest.

"If they loved you, they wouldn't think that way! Don't cry, my dear." She whispered, stroking my hair. Her touch calmed me.

"What should I do, Lady Guinevere?" I asked, my voice trembling as I sniffed, "I don't want to be an extra!"

She leaned in closer, her voice a whisper, with a reassuring gaze. "Of course you are not. You are yourself. Only I see you that way, Madeline. I know your worth, and you mean so much to me.

I stared at her, a sense of unease creeping over me as she continued. Lady Guinevere's gaze softened, and she placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"They will later regret their decision to ignore you and push you aside. As for me, just listen to whatever I say and believe me. Don't cry!" She wiped my tears and kissed my forehead.

"That's my flower! Let's continue our stroll. Shall we?" She laughed as she stroked my head affectionately.

As we continued our walk through the garden, Lady Guinevere's words lingered in my mind as confusion took over. Could I be just an extra?
____________________________________________

After Lady Guinevere left, I couldn't shake off the lingering feeling of being overlooked and being less important than Amelia in the eyes of my parents. Her words had planted a seed of doubt in my mind, and it began to grow with each passing day.

Then I became overly attentive to how they treated the both of us. Amelia mostly interacted with them; they always listened to her stories and played with her. I always watched their interactions, feeling neglected.

I began to actually believe Lady Guinevere. The more I discovered this, the more I became detached from my family, locking myself in the room, not wanting to have anything to do with them.

My parents became worried, but they weren't going to fool me; I knew they didn't care about me as such. So I kept ignoring them. But to my chagrin, they kept interacting with Amelia and taking her for garden picnics while I was left in my room alone.

Then it finally came to me: the root of my problem was Amelia. She stole our parents' attention away from me. I felt resentment toward her. Our once-close bond began to break as jealousy and insecurity crept into my heart.

One evening, after a particularly long session, Lady Guinevere pulled me aside. Her tone was warm.

"You're doing wonderfully, my dear," she said, giving me a pat on the head, and I beamed. I liked it when she touched my hair.

"Thank you, Lady Guinevere." I gave her a toothy grin.

She leaned closer and pecked my forehead. "I am so proud of you." I genuinely felt happy at her words. It seemed like Lady Guinevere was the only one who understood me and wanted the best for me. I was her precious flower.

"I felt like what you told me was true; my parents don't care about me, and Amelia is hogging all their attention; it's like I am invisible to them." I confided my internal troubles to her. She was the only person I could tell about my problems. She had a sympathetic look on her face as she knelt and gave me a reassuring pat on the head.

"True family ensures nobody feels left out. You don't have to care about them anymore. I care about you; I could be your new family!" She said, her voice soft and inviting. I nodded, and she pecked my forehead.

"I promise to treat you better than your actual family!" Her gaze bore into mine as she smiled warmly. I was so touched by her declaration that I couldn't help the tears that fell on my cheeks.

"Don't cry!" She shushed as she wiped my tears with a handkerchief she always had with her. "You are my strong flower; now don't cry."

After a while, my eyes were already red and swollen from crying. Lady Guinevere held me in her arms, patting my head soothingly.

"You know, you can't always cry all the time when things become overwhelming for you." I nodded. "Good!"
____________________________________________

Lady Guinevere continued to be our governess for a year. I still tried to be better than Amelia, and I didn't want Lady Guinevere to be disappointed and leave me for my sister. But I was just being insecure.

After lessons, I would take a walk with Lady Guinevere in the garden, and we would just talk and enjoy each other's company.

Our parents continued to spoil Amelia; she became so proud and thought she was naturally better than everybody, yet everyone still favored her, and they paid little attention to me. I didn't care, though, as long as I had Lady Guinevere.

While she gave me her lesson about horticulture, which I listened to attentively, She turned to me and began.

"It's about time I taught you something." She spoke, and I noticed the change in her tone. Her lighthearted expression switches to a serious one.

"In the world of nature, plants engage in a relentless battle for survival. In this relentless competition, it's a stark reality: either a plant thrives and flourishes or its neighboring rivals must ultimately yield and make way for its growth. Do you know how that applies to you?"I shook my head, confused by what she said.

She chuckled. "You're a smart young lady? I expect you to have figured it out!" She said it with a bit of dissatisfaction in her voice. I felt disappointed; I didn't want Lady Guinevere to lose her respect for me.

"Tell me when you figure it out, okay? Take your time if you like."She gave me a pat on the head. I smiled wistfully. I didn't want to disappoint her.

The next day, Lady Guinevere didn't come for our lesson because, apparently, she let Amelia sniff a particular flower, which caused her to have a terrible allergic reaction.

I didn't know the name of the flower Amelia sniffed, but the fact that she was with Lady Guinevere troubled me. She shouldn't dare steal her from me like she did with our parents.

After a few weeks, Lady Guinevere still didn't show up at our estate, and I got concerned. But I didn't want to ask my parents what happened to her. So, swallowing my pride, I went to Amelia to ask if she knew.

I entered her room, and she was making an embroidered handkerchief. She saw me and dropped what she was doing.

"Maddie! You finally came to visit." She hopped down from the chair she sat in and ran to me happily. "Do you want to see my handkerchief? I made it for Father!"

"No! I don't care about your handkerchief. I just wanted to know if you know about Lady Guinevere. She hasn't been coming these past few weeks."

"Oh! Mummy and Daddy sent her away after my allergy crisis." My mind went off at the sudden news.

"Madeline, it was so scary; I never knew I would be allergic to that flower." Amelia grabbed my hand dramatically as she continued talking about herself, but I could only focus on the news I just heard. My heart sinks at the realization.

"Why...?" I removed my hand from her grip, moving away from her. The only person who cared about me was gone. I was on the verge of breaking down.

"What's wrong, Maddie?" Amelia looked with her big, round eyes, tilting her hand to the side like she was confused. I glared at her with tears pooling in my eyes.

"You caused this!" I screamed at her before dashing to my room, sobbing. I cried for hours. I felt so sad and alone. Lady Guinevere was never coming back.

After that encounter, my hatred for Amelia solidified, and I detested her with my whole being. She took everything from me and acted like nothing was wrong. Then that's what I will do, too. I will take everything from her until she's left with nothing, and although it might take time, I will stop at nothing.

On many occasions, I bullied Amelia under the guise of being a loving sister, and Amelia was so foolish to think that I cared for her. It wasn't enough to satiate my anger towards her; I was going to make her crumble to pieces for causing me pain.

A month later, I received a letter with no sender. The letter had just a sentence in it, and with that, I already knew the sender:

'Have you thought of the answer to my question?'

I was overjoyed with the letter; she decided to send it to me. I thought I would never see her again. Also on that page was an address.

Tears of joy flowed from my eyes as I rapidly wrote a reply, expressing all my emotions in a heartfelt letter, and had it sent to the address I saw in the letter.

A few days later, another reply came. I beamed as I saw the first line of the letter.

'I MISSED YOU TOO, MY PRECIOUS FLOWER'