Garden of Withered Roses || ON HIATUS

A Flower Blooms in A Prison

"Hilise, please," Ricardo said. Penelope was right behind him, attempting to punch the shit out of him.

"Die in place of Gabrielle."

"YOU BASTARD!" Penelope screamed. She went into the hallway and screamed again. Hilise didn't pay any attention though, not when her focus was on the cruel words Ricardo had just uttered.

Hilise had zero expectations of him. Not once did she dream of him attempting to bail her out of jail. Yet deep in her heart she wished that just once he would admit he worried for her. Even if it was a lie, she wouldn't care. She just wanted him to worry for her the way he worried for Gabrielle.

"What do you mean die.." She mumbled.

"The reason you're there in the first place... it was for Gabrielle's sake, was it not?"

"I don't have a choice! Gabrielle has a weak body, so she wouldn't withstand living in a prison! Also.." Ricardo burst out.

"Then what about me?" Hilise asked.

"Am I not able to be hurt?"

"It's fine if I die!?" Hilise shouted. My heart, which had already been stabbed countless times throughout my life, was completely broken at that moment.

"You... You did it before you've already repeated seven lives." He started, unable to look Hilise in the eyes. Hilise shuddered as she stared at him.

"Die...Die then go back to the past"

It was such a heartless request. Penelope listened in through the hallway. She knew the man had been cruel, but she had never expected him to reach such a low.

"Don't...Don't say it." Hilise sobbed.

"So Hilise,"

"Don't."

"Please die instead of Gabrielle."

Penelope punched a wall. How many times had she watched Hilise die? How many times had she failed to protect the child she promised to always be with? She thought that maybe in this life, she would've been able to stop her death and let her have a happy ending. She thought that she could make the 7th the last loop.

"It's just for a moment anyway. After that, you will still go back." Ricardo pleaded desperately.

"You didn't believe me." Hilise blurted.

"You despise me for talking nonsense to get other people's attention. Now you're bringing it up because you don't need me anymore?" She yelled. Every piece of her hurt. How many times. How many times had she believed in him? How many times had she loved him just to be left behind?

"I'm sorry. But, Hilise. For the first and last time, I ask this of you,"

Then he knelt in front of her, his head was down. It was ironic, really, that he'd do anything for Gabrielle, whom he did not share a drop of blood with but he'd let his own sister die in Gabrielle's stead.

"Haha.." Hilise burst out laughing.

"This is hilarious."

Ricardo's shoulders stiffened, was Hilise mocking him for begging on his knees? Despite that, he made a silent appeal.

This was how much he cared for Gabrielle. He loved her so much that Hilse was nothing to him. Penelope witnessed all seven of her lives, she admits that in all of them she had been miserable But this time, Hilise did not cry.

"Ricardo."

"I won't call you brother anymore. Actually, you've never been my brother since the day I was born."

"Thank you, Ricardo."

The man flinched, finally raising his head to look at her. Her face was as dry as her voice. As soon as Ricardo managed to look her in the eyes, his expression faltered. His eyes quivered as he made eye contact with her.

"I'm glad you're still absolute trash until the end."

"It's my turn to throw them away first."

———————————

Penelope opened her eyes. She's back here again. Right beside Hilise's window, just like when she first awoke in this universe. Hilise was six years old again. Her soul would always follow years after Penelope returned.

"Daddy!" The oh-so-familiar voice of Gabrielle called out.

This scene was all too familiar. There they were, the picture-perfect Inoadens. Their laughter rang all throughout the estate. But there was Hilise, right beside her, dumbfounded at what just happened.

Later that night, Penelope snuck back into her room and hugged her, nearly crying.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

In Hilise's first life, Hilise had asked her to go look for Ricardo. While she was out in the gardens, Ricardo had pushed her down the stairs and she had died.

Where is that bastard? I looked around, the rose bushes' scent was sweet. Too sweet. She wanted to get out of the garden as quickly as possible. She ran back to the entrance. She would just tell Hilise that he wasn't at the estate. He's bound to turn up at some point.

Suddenly, I heard a loud thud. That was near the staircase. I began to sprint in that direction, passing through the walls if there was one in the way. I panted as I reached the first-floor landing. I bent over and stopped for a moment to catch my breath. I look up the staircase to see Ricardo, hand outstretched and staring at something below.

I averted my gaze to what he was staring at. For a moment, it seems like the world is falling. Hilise was on the floor, blood rushing out from her head. She isn't dead right? No. No, she couldn't be. This was a joke.

Ricardo. That bastard. He pushed her, didn't he! I hugged Hilise's lifeless figure. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry. The one time you needed me to protect you, I wasn't there.

A tear slipped out of her eye. She thought that maybe that would be the last. The last death Hilise would have to suffer, after all, she wouldn't wish what happened to her on her greatest enemy.

She loved someone. She truly cared for Hilise and she knew Hilise felt the same way. But she failed to save her. Seven times. Sure, she was useful to her. Since Penelope's soul regresses earlier than Hilise's, she's able to gather information. But after her 5th life, it really didn't matter anymore since the most important events just repeated themselves.

"If it came to it, I would've burned down the world for you."

She was the closest thing to family she had ever had. Well, Yvonne was an exception. But she had never got the chance to meet her until she was about thirty loops in. She stopped for a moment. What was Yvonne doing just now? Had The Leila won again for the 79th time? Would anyone there be able to stop them? So many questions yet no answers.

She got up. There was usually at least a five-year interval between their regressions. But what the hell was she going to do for another five years? She would be wasting her time if she tried to gather information as usual.

Hm. One of the things she hadn't done was spy on the four major families. But this information won't even matter by the time Hilise returns. She silently screams into the pillow.

"Ugh, my situation is hopeless."