desire | liskook

21

Cyrene
"Claris, tell us a bed story please," Anna pleaded.

Claris glanced at me, then tucked them in instead without saying a word.

"How about I do the story-telling tonight, hmm?" I questioned from the door, startling them a bit.

"Mama, you are home?" Anna questioned surprised that I had come home early that day. She has always been the observant one amongst them both.

"Really, mama?!" Lisa exclaimed excitingly.

"Hm, so I have a story to tell and at the end, you'll have to answer a question. It's like a riddle, how about it?" I asked eagerly.

I never should have told them that story, I never should have made them fight for love and affection.

The things I had them do because I worried about both of them— that what happened to me wouldn't happen to them too, is unforgivable.

I needed them to be strong, but there was no excuse that they were just kids, and such tough life lessons shouldn't have been a burden they needed to bear at that young age.

Ji Ah, Jungkook's mother had asked me the same question when I was at my lowest and needed her help.

"Two princesses living in a castle painted white, sisters they were but rival they were born to be. Soon the castle will be painted red with blood, for there is only one crown for the ambitious enough and one grave for the innocent. Whom among you shall wear the crown?"

I didn't realize just how learned my daughters had become, they understand everything— at least Lisa did and it was a mistake.

As the days went by, the company kept taking more and more hours of my days, until there was none for my children.

I knew I had to teach them to be strong and brave, able to weather the storms of this world of greedy men on their own.

I thought they were too young to understand, and I wished I had never got an answer to that question that night.

"I'll wear it, mama." Lisa replied.

Imagine my horror at her proclamation, but I didn't let out my surprise. For all I know, she could have only heard the fancy word 'crown' from all I said.

"Of course you will darling. Your crown will be beautiful and one day you'll have to rule my empire after all." I replied jokingly.

"But I want to wear the crown too." Anna bickered, about to throw a tantrum.

"And you will, but your sister's crown would be weightier than yours. She is my heir you know." I replied stating the fact that Lisa is BRC Inc heiress.

"But... I want mine to be wealthierrrr.." Anna dragged, feeling sad.

"You can't, because one day I'll rule our empire and you will be a subject to me Anna. My crown will paint this castle red, but your crown will be buried in a grave... na-na-na-nana" Lisa teased her sister, unaware of what she just said.

"But mama, I don't want...to be in the graaave" Anna sobbed, surprising me as I tried to pacify her by telling her she won't be in a grave.

"Neither will I, but someone has to be and it won't be me. Right mama?" Lisa said proudly, starring up a discomfort in my bowls.

"Hey, shut up okay? No one is going to be in any grave, not you nor your sister. It's just a stupid riddle." I said.

Even though it was just a story, but that story brought down hell on my household.