Just after stepping into the main hall, a realization dawned on Liliana and Iskarth almost at the same time. Her gaze flicked toward the girl who stood beside Igaris.
"Shirley? Isn't that the name of Sophia's daugh—"
"Yes. She is my daughter."
A calm, steady voice echoed through the entrance, interrupting their thoughts.
Their heads turned in unison.
There, standing beneath the soft lantern light, was Sophia. Her posture poised, her expression composed. But her eyes shimmered faintly, betraying the weight of emotions hidden beneath her calm exterior.
"Sophia…" Liliana whispered, her voice trembling. "You're alive… after all this time."
"Yes, I am," Sophia answered. Her voice didn't falter, but there was a quiet pain layered within. "And now I know… I wasn't really your sister. I was just an abandoned piece of someone else's story that our father picked up from the streets."
For a brief moment, silence fell over the room.
