Claude's POV
I covered my face with my hands. I was now grieving everything I've done to my daughter.
How could I ever do this to her?
My breathing became rough and my stomach turn.
No, my daughter, my whole world, she's gonna die. She's gonna die tomorrow and I myself ordered for her death-
Thud-
I snapped out of my thoughts and controlled my breathing as I realized that the book fell on the ground, and it opened to a random page.
Sighing, I bent over to pick it up but stopped midway as soon as I read the page.
My whole body froze, and my blood ran cold.
"What will it take for you to love me? Should I become like Jeannette? If I do, then will you call my name dearly like you call hers? And watch me with warmth in your eyes? Will you hold me in your arms without pushing me away?"
"Such a thing won't happen till the day I die."
"Why is that? I'm your daughter too, father. I've been by your side longer than Jeannette."
"You fool. There was never a day I considered you my daughter."
Chills ran up my spine.
It's as if I'm reading what happened that day I detained Athanasia in a book.
I snatched it immediately.
What the hell is this? Why does it have this on here?
I flipped through the pages as questions were raging in my head.
It's like we're all characters in this. What the hell?
I furrowed my brow. I was beyond confused. Who in their right mind would write a damned story off of real people? Why did Jeannette have this? Why did she have Diana's picture?
Then as I reached the last page, I noticed a note stuck in between the paper and the cover. I gently picked it up, and everything started to make sense as I read it.
The note was dated on Athanasia's eleventh birthday. The note was short. It was just one sentence. One sentence that bore so much.
"Mom, I wish I'd known about you in my first life, maybe I'd survive then."
...
Athanasia's handwriting. I could recognize it anywhere.
Her first life is in this book. She lived this book.
And I killed her without mercy in the book. I was about to do it again.
I couldn't control it any longer, and all of a sudden, I burst out sobbing.
My daughter, I didn't know how much you've gone through.
Her smile was so bright you'd have never thought that anything was wrong. My daughter, who obviously never wanted anything to do with me at first, came to love me. My daughter, who came to love the very person who ordered for her death, was let down. I let her down. I earned her love just to shatter it.
To the beautiful blonde young lady smiling at me each time. To my beautiful daughter who only remained silent as I stepped on her heart over and over again, as I remake our memories with a different girl. To my daughter who expected again and again only to be disappointed. To my daughter who always yearned for my love and when she finally had it, I took it away.
I'm sorry.
This was the first time I sobbed uncontrollably. I loved Athanasia not because she was Diana's daughter, but because she was my daughter. My daughter who, although she loved bickering with me, was the firs one that made me look forward to something. She was my whole world, the light who shone into my life. The one who pulled me out of my misery.
And now I've put her into hers.
"I'm sorry," I sobbed, "Athanasia, I'm sorry."
My heart felt so tight and no matter how much I wanted to stop crying, I couldn't. I was grieving, and for who knows how long, I just sat there hunched over and sobbing.
At some point, I decided to read the novel from the start, and by the time I finished, I had a headache from exhaustion and the sun was already rising.
I felt my rage rise within me as I finished the contents of the book.
A happy ending? What a damn joke.
There is no happy ending where my daughter is not.
There will be no happy ending if my daughter will not be here.
And I realized that by this time, it was already time for Athanasia's execution.
Damnit, I need to get there now.
I rushed, pushing everything in my way and not even bothering to change to my outdoor attire.
Athanasia.. Wait for me.
YOU ARE READING
The True Princess (Wmmap Fanfic)
FanfictionBeing framed and executed by the orders of her father in her past life, the gods had pitied her, and so the pathetic princess was given a chance to reborn and read LP book. However, she died again, and so she reincarnated as the LP Athanasia again...
