Solitary Lady

Chapter 8

I felt the gaze on me grow sharper.

I continued, “What you said is not even true.”

I turned to meet the eyes of the person in front of me.

“You are fooling yourself.”

I could feel that my father was suppressing his anger.

“You are fooling yourself into thinking that you own something that you do not,” he said, muttering in such a low voice that it was unclear whether he was talking to me or himself. There was even a faint hint of contempt in his eyes now. However, I knew that his eyes would be filled with much more passionate hatred and loathing toward me soon.

“If you continue to act so arrogantly, I shall...”

“You shall what?” I interjected.

He would have no choice but to admit that I was the next heir of the Power. Even so, he would think that I had taken the Power away from his beloved son Ricardo, who was supposed to have it.

I curled up the corners of my lips and gave my father a pretend smile.

“Will you lock me inside this room until I become obedient? Or will you whip me on the pretense of educating me? Or...”

My father’s face grew more and more ferocious with each word I spoke.

“Will you kill me and make me disappear for good so I cannot upset you anymore?”

He would probably think that I was being too harsh on him since he had never done anything remotely similar to me until now. However, he was brutally cold and cruel. They were all things that he had done to me in my former lives. Although they happened in futures that were now gone, they were also memories of my past. So, even if they never actually happened in this world, I could not treat him as if nothing had happened.

“Father.”

Out of my past seven lives, I had lost my life at this man’s hands thrice.

“If I fall from here, would I die? Or would I live?”

Only one of those deaths was directly caused by him, with the other two being indirect and the result of several other factors. Nothing, however, changed the fact that I had died because of him.

In my former lives, my father had hidden the news about my Power and made me live in Ricardo’s shadow. I was only allowed to go outside when our family had to show the Power in public, though even then I was required to be well-concealed. Otherwise, I was imprisoned at home.

Back then, I believed my father’s words about it being for the best for myself, Ricardo, and the entire House of Inoaden. I really was foolish and naive then. When it became more and more difficult to deceive everyone, my father became obsessed with trying to find a way to transfer my Power to Ricardo. I could never forget the things I had to go through because of that, no matter how many more lives I might have to live in the future.

“This is only the third story, but it’s quite high up. I might hit my head and die if I am unlucky.”

I grasped the windowsill and stood up. The wind gushed in, shaking my long hair and sleeping gown.

“What in the world are you talking about?”

He was looking at me in bewilderment, but he seemed to sense something was going on, as he stayed where he was instead of ignoring me and leaving.

I generously explained to him what I was going to do.

“I shall fall from this window.”

“What?”

My hair was flying around and disrupting my view, so I tucked it behind my ears. I could now see my father’s stiff face. He looked at me and opened his mouth, but he did not make a sound. He seemed to be unable to decide how to react to this. Seeing his slightly pale face, I felt a little cheerful.

“If I really have the Power, I will survive, and if not, I will get injured or even die.”

Just then, May returned to my room. She started to walk inside but paused as she saw me. I could see the curiosity in her eyes.

I looked at my father again and gave a cold smile.

“Which… do you want it to be?”

Whoosh.

A sudden gust of wind surrounded me and swallowed me whole.

“Oh! My lady!”

May’s shocked scream rang out above my head.

Between the strands of my hair fluttering in the air, I could see the bright, clear sky. I could feel myself falling. Although it was only a short moment, it felt like I was falling for an eternity. But like all things in this world, it eventually came to an end.

Plop.

A moment later, I felt something soft and comfy instead of pain. I slowly lifted my eyelids, smelling the strong scent of flowers. The blinding blue sky seemed like it would collapse over my head. I could also see the white curtains from my window fluttering in the wind. I lay down beneath it, looking at the view above. I could tell what was surrounding me without having to see it for myself.

Finally, my father appeared by the window with a much paler face than before. Like a sleeping corpse in a tomb filled with flowers, I closed my eyes among the bed of roses. The bright sunlight warmed my entire body. It really was great weather for a nap.

Side. A Piece of the Past: 1

Hillis could remember every death she had experienced so far. Her first was because of Ricardo. Hillis’ Power was a bolt from the blue to the House of Inoaden, and to Diego and Ricardo, it was especially catastrophic. Their plans for the future were completely ruined.

“I-I’m sorry, Father,” Hillis started. She was also startled by the incident. “I do not know why Ricardo’s Power came to me. It was supposed to be his... I am sure there has been some kind of mistake.”

But she felt much more fear than surprise. Ricardo and Diego were giving her icy glares more terrifying than before since hearing the news about her Power.

“So if I give it back to Ricardo...”

“Quiet! Stop saying such stupid things and shut your mouth!” Diego barked.

Hillis took a sharp breath and cowered at Diego’s shout.

“If there was a way to give it back to Ricardo, we would have done it already! We are concerned because there is no way!”

“I...”

Diego had sometimes shown cold anger toward Hillis in the past, but he had never lost control of his temper and shouted so violently at her before.

“I’m sorry...” Hillis was terrified.

Ricardo was sitting in his seat silently with a rigid face. Hillis was afraid that he would also reproach her angrily, just like her father. Diego grasped his forehead and took several deep breaths as if trying to control his rage. Then he spoke to Hillis with a calmer tone.

“As you know, there has clearly been a mistake. We will find a way to fix this, so don’t go around spreading nonsense and just stay in your room.”

His voice and expression were still colder than ever. As she exited the room, she heard him muttering behind her.

“Oh, I really cannot stand her.”

Thud.

Hillis closed the door and walked away, holding back her tears.