Introduction
Chapter 1
Introduction
My name is Helena, and I suppose I should begin by telling you a little about myself. I am just an ordinary girl, born into a humble family, living quietly in a small yet beautiful place called Lotus Village.
Perhaps you’ve heard stories about village life—how neighbors live side by side, helping each other, sharing joy and sorrow in harmony. That is true, most of the time. Yet, like in every place, there are always exceptions. Not all neighbors are kind or considerate.
Take, for example, the family who lives right next to our house. Their home is lively with four people: the father, Yulian, his wife, Sienna, and their two daughters, Emma and Beatrice. At first glance, they appear to be an ordinary family, complete in every way. But behind their smiles lies something that often troubles my days.
For reasons I still do not fully understand, they treat me and my parents as if we were less than them. Their words and actions are often sharp, their behavior careless, as though our feelings carry no weight at all. And so, while Lotus Village is a place filled with warmth for many, for me it is also a place where the shadows of this family constantly linger.
