Behind Glass and Secrets

Chapter 1

"When light enters a different medium, some of it is reflected and some refracted at the interface of the two materials."

Sir Alaric had just graduated from high school, and it was her mother, Captain Lady Isolde, who arranged for her to tutor a freshman student during their summer break.

This served a dual purpose: it allowed Sir Alaric to earn some extra money, while also keeping her occupied so she wouldn’t get into trouble.

Yes, Sir Alaric had fallen in love early.

What started as a mild infatuation erupted into a full-blown romance.

She and Master Theo hadn’t even kissed yet; they merely walked home hand in hand, only to be caught in the act by three seniors, including Lady Isolde herself.

Both Master Theo and she were top students aiming for the prestigious universities in town, so their young love was akin to a meteor crashing into the earth, stirring up rumors that would ignite the entire senior class.

During the Grand Examination that year, Sir Alaric narrowly missed her chance at the top schools, while Master Theo aced it and chose an elite institution in Hong Kong.

Sir Edmund and Lady Isolde had a long discussion behind closed doors about Sir Alaric’s missteps, and this entire drama was ultimately signified by Elden University’s admission list. Though not as prestigious as the top schools, Elden University was still on their radar.

Sir Alaric endured a week of lectures from her parents, and both Sir Edmund and Lady Isolde were feeling worn out by it all.

On the day the admission list was released, the three of them went out for hot pot.

Lady Isolde passed Sir Alaric her favorite iced tea, her tone turning serious as she said, “Sir Alaric, your father and I truly feel disappointed. I mean, if Master Theo had done poorly in the Grand Examination, that wouldn't be so bad, but look at what happened. Your early romance with him led to you both missing the mark—he went to an even better school than the top ones! It’s not that we don’t want you to date, but you’re not yet of age, and you're not thinking things through.”

Being a skilled politician, Lady Isolde’s words nearly put Sir Alaric to sleep.

Sir Edmund interrupted, saying, “Enough! She knows she made a mistake.”

Because of the whole situation with Master Theo, Sir Edmund had lost his temper and slapped Sir Alaric, a decision he now regretted.

As people grow older, their thoughts become more sensitive.

To change the subject, Sir Alaric said, “Lady Beatrice also got into Elden University. I’ll be attending with her, so you won’t have to worry as much.”

Lady Isolde sighed, “You used to rank higher than Lady Beatrice by more than ten spots, and now you’re going to school together.”

Sir Alaric replied, “Isn’t it possible she just performed exceptionally well?”

Sir Edmund added, “There’s nothing wrong with Elden University. It has many social resources; it’ll offer more opportunities down the line.”

Sir Alaric had no solid plans for the future and absentmindedly added another spoonful of chili oil to her dipping sauce.

Noticing this, Lady Isolde cautioned, “You shouldn’t eat it so spicy; it’s not good for your stomach.”

As for Sir Alaric’s acceptance into Elden University, Lady Isolde was still tossing and turning at night.

Sir Edmund, feeling the strain of Lady Isolde’s restlessness, asked, “What are you so worried about?”

Lady Isolde replied, “I can’t relax, knowing she’s going to Elden Town. There are so many temptations there. What if our daughter goes astray? I wish we’d just sent her to Broughton; at least we’d have more family to keep an eye on her.”

Sir Edmund pondered for a moment and recognized the validity of her concerns.

Sir Alaric would be going to Elden University alone in an unfamiliar place, and what if something happened in that bustling city?

He sat up, put on his glasses, and grabbed his phone.

Lady Isolde inquired, “What are you doing?”

“I’m texting Lord Cedric to have him call me in the morning,” he replied.

Chapter 2

Lady Isolde slammed down her phone. “Is there really no one else? If we’re going to talk about this, what about Mom? What if Cedric still resents you and your family after being sent away as a child?”

Lord Cedric was the younger brother of Sir Edmund. As a child, he was adopted by Sir Edmund’s family, the Captains. Only after the death of Sir Edmund did Lord Cedric return, and now he operated his own architectural studio in Elden Town.

Lady Isolde hesitated in involving Lord Cedric regarding Sir Alaric for several reasons. First, it had been years since Lord Cedric had actively reached out to their family, indicating a distant relationship.

Sir Edmund’s mother was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Initially, she was cared for by her daughter, Evelyn, but by the end of last year, Evelyn had insisted on getting married. It would have been acceptable if she was marrying someone ordinary, but Evelyn chose a Squire with baggage.

With her focus on her husband's family, Evelyn had no time left for caring for their mother. The siblings were considering sending their mother to a nursing home, but they wanted one with decent conditions. Good conditions came at a price, and they struggled to outlay funds for arranging a better place for their mother.

Thus, during the New Year, Sir Edmund, after much deliberation, mustered the courage to call Lord Cedric, inviting him home for the holidays. During their New Year’s Eve dinner, he brought up the issue, and Lord Cedric generously agreed to cover the cost.

For Sir Edmund and Lady Isolde, asking Lord Cedric to care for Sir Alaric posed a challenge. Lady Isolde was particularly apprehensive because Lord Cedric had been raised with a Western education and was nearing forty without settling down, leading a reckless lifestyle that she feared could negatively influence Sir Alaric.

Of course, Lady Isolde wouldn’t dare express these concerns to Sir Edmund. Sir Edmund had complicated feelings about Lord Cedric. If the family hadn’t been in such financial distress, they would never have consented to Lord Cedric being adopted out in the first place.

Meanwhile, Sir Alaric listened to his parents argue without any real comprehension, much like their earlier discussions about placing Agnes into a nursing home. No facility, no matter how reputable, could match familial care. Sir Alaric longed to find a job and make money so he could bring Agnes to live with him.

Throughout the summer, amidst becoming a tutor and spending time with Agnes at the nursing home, Sir Edmund and Lady Isolde clashed relentlessly. Eventually, they called Lord Cedric again.

When Lord Cedric answered, he had just wrapped up a night out with some female friends, and one of them was driving him home.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner that Lila got into Elden University? Don’t hesitate to count on me; Lila is my niece, and I’ll look after her,” he said.

As he hung up, Lord Cedric rubbed his temples. One friend asked, “I can’t believe you have a niece this grown-up.”

At nearly forty, Lord Cedric was anything but a young man, but he was known for his playboy lifestyle, making it hard for others to reconcile that image with the idea of him having a niece.

“What? Shouldn’t I have a niece?” he replied.

“It’s not that. It’s just hard to picture you as someone who looks after relatives.”

Lord Cedric chuckled. “She called me for help, so I can’t refuse.”

Three days before moving, Sir Edmund and Lady Isolde brought Sir Alaric to Elden Town. They didn’t want to burden Lord Cedric, so they booked a hotel nearby and only informed him on the day that Sir Alaric was arriving.

As it happened, Lord Cedric was free that evening and had reserved a private dining area in a restaurant to treat the three of them.

“How is Mom doing?” Lord Cedric asked.

“The nursing staff is very professional, and she’s doing much better than before,” Sir Edmund replied.

Habitually, Lord Cedric reached for a cigarette and offered it to Sir Edmund, who declined, saying, “Alaric can’t be around smoke.”

Though Sir Edmund and Lord Cedric were only ten years apart, they seemed from two different eras. Prior to coming to Elden Town, Sir Alaric had been a diligent student surrounded by diligent peers; he believed forty-year-old men should act their age.

In her town, no forty-year-old man would have the physique to stand so tall, nor the habit of wearing cologne.

This past New Year, she had seen Lord Cedric once but hadn’t spent much time with him, as she was in a quarrel with her parents regarding Agnes. She didn’t think that Lord Cedric resembled her father at all; he looked and carried himself differently.

“Come on, Alaric,” Sir Edmund urged. “Thank your uncle.”

Sir Alaric raised his glass filled with juice, offering a toast to Lord Cedric.

Lord Cedric clinked his glass. “If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. It’ll save your parents the trouble.”

Chapter 3

Since Sir Alaric first met Lord Cedric on the first day of school, she had not reached out to him since.

She had added Lord Cedric on social media but had never opened his profile. He was likely too busy to contact her as well.

After military training wrapped up, Sir Alaric had tanned noticeably.

Friendship dynamics among girls could be delicate; sometimes it wasn’t about compatibility. Sometimes, things just didn’t mesh well.

In Sir Alaric's dorm, there were four girls: one majoring in art, another in humanities, another in science, and then there was Sir Alaric, the engineering major.

They were like different colors thrown together, hardly blending at all.

The girl majoring in art, named Lady Margery, got along well with Sir Alaric. Lady Margery studied theater.

She often let Sir Alaric borrow her sunscreen and skincare products, which Sir Alaric had not really explored yet. Lady Margery would gently scold her, "You'll regret it when you really need it."

With striking features and a bold presence, Lady Margery wasn’t always well-liked among other girls.

Sir Alaric often heard whispers that Lady Margery had eyelid surgery and had gotten lip fillers.

They spoke with such conviction.

One weekend, while Lady Margery was away, Lady Rosalind, who shared the dorm, took the opportunity to tell Sir Alaric, “Did you hear that Lady Margery has someone funding her?”

Sir Alaric shook her head. The term "funding" sounded harsh to her.

“Maybe it's just her boyfriend,” Sir Alaric offered.

Lady Rosalind replied, “Hard to say. If he were just a boyfriend, why all the secrecy?”

Sir Alaric didn’t want to play detective in someone else’s business.

She quickly changed the subject and asked Lady Rosalind about the club elections.

After starting freshman year, Sir Alaric stayed in touch with Master Theo.

Thanks to social media, it was easier than ever to keep in contact.

Sir Alaric wasn't ready to give up on Master Theo; she was thrilled when he passed The Grand Examination. She had been looking forward to their winter break, eager to meet him again so they could date openly.

Master Theo was living the high life in Hong Kong, exploring nature or hitting up clubs with friends every weekend.

Listening to him share stories about life in a different culture filled Sir Alaric with a sense of longing.

That was until she stumbled upon Master Theo’s latest social media post.

It was a photo of him kissing a girl, taken in front of a small crowd.

In the picture, Master Theo looked tanned and stronger than ever, his bare arms showing off some muscle, radiating a newfound confidence.

The girl wore a form-fitting sundress and heavy eyeliner; even though only half her face was visible, it exuded self-assuredness and beauty.

Master Theo had never mentioned having a girlfriend, and after posting that picture, he hadn’t spoken a word to Sir Alaric about it.

Sir Alaric found the whole thing somewhat laughable.

Feeling down over the weekend, she spent two days in the library. On Sunday night, Lady Margery returned to the dorm and noticed Sir Alaric wasn’t herself. With determination, Lady Margery grabbed her jacket and dragged Sir Alaric out to the campus field.

Sir Alaric showed Lady Margery the photo of Master Theo revealing his relationship.

Lady Margery burst into laughter.

“What year are we in? That kind of reveal feels so outdated—definitely screams ‘innocent freshman.’”

“Don’t say that about him,” Sir Alaric protested.

The girl in Master Theo’s picture was undeniably attractive, with a body that turned heads. Lady Margery took Sir Alaric's phone, holding the image on screen, her finger pausing over the girl’s chest.

Lady Margery assessed, “She doesn’t look artificially enhanced.”

Chapter 4

She turned to Sir Alaric and reassured him, “Don’t worry, you’re just as good as she is.”

Sir Alaric blushed at her unexpected compliment. “What does my size have to do with anything?” He was referring to the chest of their companion, Captain Beatrice.

Lady Margery chimed in, “Breasts are one of the most prominent feminine characteristics, so I’d say it matters.”

Sir Alaric understood Lady Margery’s point, but that didn’t help her situation. She struggled with a body image issue that had haunted her for years, especially now when the trend among girls was leaning towards androgynous looks.

Lady Margery didn’t think Master Theo’s relationship troubles were that serious. She encouraged Sir Alaric, saying, “If he’s dating someone, you should try dating too!”

Sir Alaric's looks were decent, especially her fair complexion; however, she always wore baggy athletic clothes and never bothered with makeup, which made her blend into the background.

“Do you want me to set you up with someone?” Lady Margery asked.

Sir Alaric shook her head. She was still reeling from the blow delivered by Master Theo’s actions. After a long hesitation, she finally asked Lady Margery, “They say you’re being supported by someone. Is that true?”

“Give me a break.” Lady Margery rolled her eyes dramatically. “Instead of gossiping about others, they should spend some time on Taobao and give themselves a makeover.”

“I know you aren’t,” Sir Alaric replied earnestly.

Lady Margery took Sir Alaric’s hand and said gently, “Alaric, you’re so good to me.”

Though Sir Alaric had plenty of female friends, this was her first close friendship with someone as stunning as Lady Margery.

With the first of November approaching, Lady Margery shared that her boyfriend had family obligations and wouldn’t be able to spend the holiday with her. Sir Alaric quickly invited Lady Margery to her home for some fun.

Kingston, rich in history, was a charming city that retained much of its traditional character. Sir Alaric had made good friends at Elden University, Sir Edmund and Lady Isolde, who were excited to show her around popular local attractions.

As November rolled to an end, the two friends were preparing to head back to the Elden campus. Lady Isolde had come to see Sir Alaric off at the high-speed train station. In a quiet moment, she pulled Sir Alaric aside and reminded her thoughtfully, “Don’t listen to your dad. Try not to bother your uncle too often; he’s busy with his business, and we don’t want to be a burden.”

“Got it,” Sir Alaric nodded, feeling the cool distance still lingering between her and Lord Cedric.

Adjusting to all the coursework at Elden University was challenging, and Sir Alaric usually spent all her time darting between the lab and library, leaving little for extracurricular activities.

One day towards the end of November, while she was studying for midterms in the library, her phone buzzed from its pocket.

It was a lengthy Weibo post forwarded by Lady Rosalind. The content detailed a scandal involving a student from Elden University intruding into the lives of a famous actor’s family, accompanied by screenshots of chat messages.

As she scrolled through the comments, most were from students at Elden University. The most upvoted comment read, “This is from the School of Arts; Elden University is not to blame.”

The actress at the center of this debacle was none other than Lady Margery herself.

Sir Alaric immediately called Lady Margery and asked urgently, “Where are you?”

Lady Margery’s voice cracked as if she had just been crying. “I’m done for,” she said, choking on her words.

“Don't say that. Where are you? I’ll come find you,” Sir Alaric reassured her.

Lady Margery sent her an address—the old theater center in the arts district.

Sir Alaric had an exam scheduled for later that afternoon, but midterms weren’t everything to her. The thought of Lady Margery being alone and possibly making rash decisions pushed her to skip the test entirely.

Chapter 5

The theater center had nearly been dismantled, and Lady Margery sat alone in the stairwell of the crumbling building. Sir Alaric worried she hadn’t eaten, so he had picked up some bread on the way over.

“Why did you come looking for me?” Lady Margery asked.

“I was worried you might do something drastic. Lady Margery, don’t be afraid. Nothing is insurmountable,” he replied reassuringly.

Yes, they were already on the threshold of adulthood.

In the adult world, nothing seemed impossible.

Just like sending Agnes off to that facility; the community had protested fiercely but quickly moved on.

Or when she had faltered during The Grand Examination because of her “puppy love” with Master Theo; her parents had scolded her harshly, but now they proudly spoke of her being at Elden University.

Lady Margery felt a little calmer and turned to Sir Alaric. “I truly loved him, not like what people say about those transactional relationships,” she insisted.

Sir Alaric, unsure how to respond, pulled her into a comforting embrace. “This will pass. People will forget—just hold on for a little longer.”

But that night, Lady Margery leaped from the tenth floor of the academic building.

In every corner of the nation, there lurked tales of a jump or two, the kind of legends that whispered about lives lost to despair.

Thus, Lady Margery’s death caused a stir, though its reach was limited.

That day, Lady Isolde called Sir Alaric, asking, “How did the calculus midterm go?”

“I didn’t take it; I was with Lady Margery,” he replied.

Lady Isolde’s voice turned frantic. “Sir Alaric, you need to distance yourself from her. I saw her story on social media. You’re still so young—you need to know right from wrong, to draw clear lines.”

The commotion Lady Margery’s death caused in Sir Alaric’s world far surpassed its shockwaves through the university.

In frustration, he yelled into the phone, “She’s dead! How much further could I get from her?”

“Listen, Sir Alaric, I know this has impacted you deeply, but Lady Margery was intervening in someone else's family. That’s morally wrong. You can’t just overlook that because she was your friend or because she’s gone. Hello?”

Sir Alaric hung up in anger.

When Lady Isolde called again, he ignored the call. Eventually, Sir Edmund and Lady Isolde began calling him in turns; he simply shut off his phone.

By ten-thirty, Sir Alaric was meandering alone on the campus lawn.

Here, amidst the vast silence, he found a quiet that belonged to him.

He wept quietly, close to losing his voice, grappling with the harsh reality that a life could end, and yet the world moves on as if nothing had changed—as if another’s death could somehow embellish the mundane rhythms of life.

He missed Lady Margery so much that he wished he could text her, asking her to take care of herself up in heaven.

Just then, he opened his phone to find nearly a hundred missed calls.

All from Sir Edmund and Lady Isolde. Just as he was about to dismiss the missed call notifications, his phone buzzed again. The screen lit up with one word.

“Uncle.”

It’s been said that after the last chapter was shared on social media, readers debated the moral dilemmas faced by Lady Margery and her friend.

I believe this: morality is tied to how society treats you. If someone has never been treated kindly by society, there’s no reason to expect them to uphold high moral standards. That was Lady Margery—an eighteen-year-old girl who thought she was in love but was ultimately deceived.

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