Chapter 3Beauty Remedy Secret

Late that night, I rolled over in bed, only to find Del wasn’t beside me.

Remembering her earlier outburst, my heart sank. Could she have snuck into the cellar?

Despite Mom’s strict warning not to, I got up, both anxious and curious, and headed to the cellar door.

“Del?” I whispered as I opened the door, trying not to make any noise.

“What are you doing here?” Del’s voice was strangely soft, almost too alluring, a tone I’d never heard from her before.

She was in the cellar, up to something that didn’t sound right.

“Del… what are you even doing in here? Mom will kill you if she finds out!” I hissed.

“Just go back to bed… I’ll be out in a minute.”

After a long moment, she finally emerged, her eyes glassy, yet she threw a lingering glance back toward the cellar as if she couldn’t tear herself away.

Back in our room, she warned, “You better keep your mouth shut, or I’ll tell Mom you came in, too. If I go down, you’re coming with me.”

Angry and betrayed, I clenched my jaw and nodded.

What had she been doing in there alone? And why was she acting like this?

Soon enough, Del’s nightly trips to the cellar became routine, her self-control waning with each visit. She started asking me to stand guard, and her beauty blossomed unnaturally. Her once dark complexion became fair, her features more delicate and shapely.

Despite my curiosity, I never peeked inside, trusting Mom’s words.