Chapter 17

"I regret to inform you that my name is not Ophelia," she said with a hint of apology in her voice. Emaline introduced herself to the child, gently extricating herself from the tight embrace.

"I am an only child," she informed the young one.

The child eagerly shook her head, even though she couldn't see her. "No! Ophelia!" she exclaimed, "it is you! You are my younger sibling!" The young girl muttered with a tinge of anger directed at her.

Emaline was left in a state of bewilderment as she tried to comprehend the child's words. It was particularly perplexing for her, given that she was older than the child and had never experienced having a sibling. Her mother had been facing difficulties conceiving again, which only added to Emaline's confusion.