Morning light streamed through the tall windows of Maristella Manor as servants rushed to prepare for the day's momentous occasion. The air hummed with excitement, carrying the scent of fresh flowers and beeswax polish from the busy hallways.

"Hurry! Every candle must be lit, every petal in place for Lady Veria's 18th birthday and debutante!" The head servant's voice echoed through the corridors, mingling with the rapid footsteps of staff hurrying to perfect every detail.

In her chambers, Veria sat before her vanity, her white hair cascading around her shoulders as Salsa applied her makeup with unusual roughness. The servant's fingers pressed uncomfortably against Veria's cheek as she worked.

"Stop squirming! Today of all days, you must look perfect," Salsa snapped, her brown eyes glinting with an unfamiliar malice that made Veria shiver.

"I'm sorry, I just..." Veria's voice trailed off as a strange feeling of dread washed over her, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand up.

Meanwhile, deep within the forest surrounding the manor, Veria's aunt Yvonne muttered ancient incantations beside a glowing circle of magic. The ground trembled beneath her as the air crackled with dark energy. When the光芒 faded, a figure stood before her—an entity she had summoned to carry out her long-planned vengeance.

"Take her place," Yvonne hissed, shoving a sketch of the Maristella family into the entity's hands. "Make my niece suffer as she deserves."

As evening fell, the debutante ball was in full swing when Vincent, the Duke's right-hand man, appeared at the entrance with a disheveled blonde girl. Gasps rippled through the crowd as all eyes turned to her—those golden curls unmistakably marking her as a true Maristella.

"My Lord," Vincent bowed deeply to Duke Frederick, "I found this girl wandering the grounds. She claims to have been abducted and swapped at birth..."

The revelation hit Veria like a physical blow. She stumbled backward as conversations erupted around her, the warm atmosphere turning icy in an instant. Her father's shocked expression, her brother's thoughtful gaze analyzing the newcomer, and the accusatory whispers of the guests all merged into a nightmare she couldn't wake from.

"You there—Salsa," Duke Frederick's voice cut through the murmurs, "From this day forward, you will serve our... guest instead of Veria."

As her former servant rushed eagerly to the blonde girl's side, Veria felt the walls of her world crumbling around her. The life she had known since birth was slipping away, and she suddenly found herself alone in a room full of people she had known her entire life.