In Between Thorns and Roses

Chapter 2: Family Breakfast

Chione's PoV

The ticking sound of the clock beside my bed kept me awake from dusk until the sun rose up.

I cried myself again.

I probably look horrible right now.

The attic was warm, and the sweet singing of the birds could be heard from my bed.

The Lazuellan Mansion was three stories up and three stories under, but the trees were gigantic enough to still reach the window of the huge attic.

It felt like a perfect day for everyone else that is awake during this time, unlike for me.

This is the day I cursed again and again. The day that I woke up from death.

The only escape I have from an abyss only to wake up to another.

And like every day, no one even came to serve me.

This time, everything feels real, real.

I sat on the bed, feeling the moist air behind me, I let my feet touch the familiar dirty carpet of the bedroom.

It was something I almost forgot about, as I had successfully left this exact room and lived with Zephyr in my last life.

Seeing it makes me remember where I came from.

I need to take a bath and clear my head.

Even though I am perfectly fine now, I feel as if there is blood around me. Relentlessly flowing from my neck down to my feet.

That fishy stench whose color is bright red.

As my feet entered the water-filled bathtub, the coldness traveled from my feet and slowly up to my neck.

I held my head up high even though there was no need at all.

There was just this one time when I died on the water out of overthinking.

I unconsciously fell asleep in the bathtub and didn't know that I had already drowned until I opened my eyes in the room I woke up in earlier.

The feeling of drowning is the very same feeling of dying but with less pain.

Or maybe my mind was too clouded so it was less painful.

I woke up like I did earlier.

After that, it took me a long time and I found it very hard to convince myself that I needed to wash myself even when it's hard.

Just like that, I enjoyed the bath and continued to overthink. Truth be told, in this lonely life, overthinking became my hobby.

If I escaped now, I would have enough jewels to sell.

Bringing them all will look suspicious that's why it may be better if I wear simple but pricey earrings, rings, or necklaces.

I should also put a bracelet on my ankle.

Even when it can't be seen, I can still pawn it for immediate money.

The Lazuellas won't even notice a penny gone from their riches. It is because those were still accessories from a very long time ago, accessories from when I was still a beloved child.

If they forgot about a person like me, surely they'd forget a mere piece of jewelry.

All I need to do is just to run far away from this family and place.

Who cares about being their daughter anymore?

If they'll take an orphan in and throw it just like garbage, they shouldn't have reached out for me in the first place.