Another chance... Another painful life... Numbing feeling... Unpleasant... Torturous ending...

Hera Grand-Hale woke up to the same day over and over again after her death, she lost count of how many lives she had been living as... the unloved daughter of Duke Silverna.

The first time she woke up on that day she felt relieved, she thought everything can be changed, what a naive girl. The first chance she tried to live her life happily, away from all of them but fate dragged her back to their palm. As if it's just a reminder that her life will eventually get the same end.

The second chance, she tried to get along with Alicia, her younger step-sister, the sweet gentle lady from the Silverna household who everyone loves. But that did not end well either, the servants became more suspicious and then something happened to their beloved lady and everyone put the blame on her.

Gained their trust, their love, their attention, befriended the servant, didn't work. Being more close with her father, of course didn't work. Just because they already labeled her as the nuisance, a curse, changed their perspective is not easy as it seemed to be. To the point no matter what she did, nothing will ever change. She became tired of trying anything until the same end occurred, being accused of betraying her own family and beheaded.

After that, chances after chances keep dragging her back to that day, she became distressed to change something that could not be changed no matter how much she tried.

So, when Hera woke up for another chance, she just sat on her bed, staring at her own reflection on the mirror across her bed, her black hair wave around covering almost her face. 

After a while she started to gather her hair and tied it into a messy bun, now showing her full face, her grey hollow eyes with a hint of small birthmark like a crescent moon under it, faint red lips and clear white skin. She just turned seventeen years old tonight, the tenth birthday she celebrated alone in her dark room.

The thunder storm raging outside, the sound of wind smacking her windows, it's raining heavily tonight. Just like how she remembered, soon enough that little girl will come. At that thought, Hera wrapped herself in her blanket, waiting.

"Are you asleep? Can I sleep with you?" Alicia showed up outside her door, hugged her pillow tightly on her chest. Her straight shining blonde hair cups her chubby face with a cute bang covering her forehead, making her look adorable with clear blue eyes, she looks more lovelier than her black hair and cold-hollow grey eyes.

In the first few chances Hera would ignore her step-sister, but now... If nothing ever will change even with all the chances she got then maybe with the hope this would be the final one, Hera let Alicia crawled into her blanket, instantly fell asleep while hugging her.

"Just for tonight." Hera closed her eyes, tried to fall asleep again. Wondering what she should do to make the story progress faster to the end.

---

"Did they find her?"

"Yes, Your Grace. Miss Shin found her with Lady Hera. She might be scared of the thunder and went to her room."

Silent filled the room for a moment, while thunder and lightning continued striking down. What an unusual thing to get reported about the two ladies, especially the fact that Hera let Alicia sleep with her. But Luca knew Kyle always told the truth, so what made Hera do that kind of thing, they wonder.

"Do you think we should take Lady Alicia out from that room?" Kyle asked carefully, whatever concerning the two girls always be a sensitive topic for Luca.

"What's Hera doing right now?"

"They are sleeping, Sir." Lady Shin answered with her usual expressionless face.

"Just sleeping?"

Lady Shin nodded, "They hug each other."

Unbelievable expressions came across both Luca and Kyle's face, the Hera they all knew would never let Alicia into her room let her sleep beside her while hugging each other.

"Just stay alert. We never know what she might do to Alicia."

Just like that Lady Shin made her way to Hera room, leaving the two men with their own mind, wondering what will happen tomorrow.

Hera woke up on her bed all alone, she was sure Miss Shin already took Alicia to her own room, away from her.

Hera looked around her dark and cold bedroom, not like other noble women out there, where their personal maid would wait for them to wake up and then attended them. Hera saw no one in her room, like always, so she pulled the blanket over her head and went back to sleep.

"What did you do to her? Why did you leave her there?"

Hera saw herself in her dream stay silent, staring blankly at the man in front of her. That day, the day before her last death, she lost her own battle for the first time. The last hope that Hera got from that chance was forcefully removed from her own hands while she just stood there in silence, yet no one knew about that.

No one knew that her heart, the already broken heart that Hera tried so hard to heal, just shattered in front of her eyes with all the false accusations he threw at her. Hera could not raise her own head to face her family in front of her, she was afraid, scared to lose her mind if she looked at her father's cold and ruthless eyes.

They don't care about her explanation, no one ever listens to her cries for help before, so she stays silent but her mind keeps screaming so loud inside her head. That it was not her fault, that she was the one who lost her baby while that woman faint just because she saw blood. Yet they took her baby away from her, they took the only light and warm she ever felt in that cold and dark place and just left her all alone. Finally broken beyond repair.

Hera closed her eyes tightly, turned her back away from that scene, slowly her hands rested on her stomach and caressed it. She was supposed to be happy that day, the happiest day in her life became the worst day in all her life. Just like that her mind broke.

When she opened her eyes, Hera saw another scene of her walking towards her mother's grave with a bloodied dress drenched from her cut wrists. She sat there cried her heart out, she cried and cried until there was no voice coming out from her mouth. At the end Hera just sat there, stared at the skies with her mouth open, still shouting in silent.

And then the next second she saw herself jump down the cliff to her last death.

Hera started shivering, she can feel the sharp pain all over her body, the cold water in her lungs. She woke up once again, breathless and in a cold sweat. The skies outside her window just got darker, Hera slept way longer than before. When she opened her eyes another day just passed.

Yet no one knew about it.

Hera opened her window with just one push, she let the cold wind brush against her face, a small smile rose on her face. The quiet night always makes her calm for some reason, she likes it, maybe this time Hera could find another small village to run away from all of them. Far away to the northern side of that kingdom, with the oceans surrounding it. Lived peacefully for a couple of years before fate dragged her back here.

“... what kind of ending would I get now?” She mumbled to herself, Hera picked another rose and started to pluck the petals one by one. She didn't care when the rose thorns stabbed her palm until it bled, she even tightened her grip on the rose. This kind of pain was nothing compared to that pain.

“Hera sis… Are you still awake?” Once again Alicia found herself entering Hera’s room, however this time Lady Shin stood behind her holding Alicia’s blanket and pillows. “Can I sleep with you again?”

“Up to you.” Her voice sounded weak but cold, she hid her now bloodied hand and stood from the chair she sat for a long time. “I just woke up. Just make yourself comfortable.” Hera walked to her bathroom and closed the door, if she declined Alicia wishes then she would be sad and all the servants would blame her for making their beloved lady in brick of crying. But no one cared about her comfort, nothing in this mansion felt like home for her anymore.

But Hera could never hate Alicia, because she was the only one who really treated her with kindness, but also can’t love her as her own sister. For Hera, Alicia was the root of her suffering.

Alicia raised her head towards Lady Shin, her eyes filled with joy, even if Hera still looked and sounded so unapproachable she now let Alicia sleep with her for another night. And maybe in the near future they could take a walk in the garden, and eat together with the whole family.

Without waiting another second, Alicia jumped into Hera’s bed and tucked herself inside the heavy blanket. “Ah… Miss Shin… You can go now…”

“I will be gone when Lady Hera comes back. For now…” Lady Shin put the blanket and pillows in her hand on top of Hera’s bed, “Do you need something else, Milady?”

“... Can I have tea time with Sis Hera?” Before coming here, Alicia already had a list of things she liked to do with Hera, one of them was enjoying tea time together before sleep.

“Right away, milady.” Lady Shin approached the place where Hera was sitting before they entered her room, on the table there is a vase with ruined roses, around it there was a rose petals with bloody rose stems and a couple drops of blood. Looking at the mess, Lady Shin fell into a deep silence.

She clearly remembers the look on Hera’s face before she went to her bathroom, there was no expression of pain, but rather a deep darkness on her blank eyes. Keeping her expressionless face, she tidied up the mess before Alicia saw it, and then went to prepare tea time for Alicia and Hera.

When Lady Shin came back, Hera already sat in front of that window again, this time Alicia sat across her with the biggest smile on her face. She chatted a lot of things, but there was nothing on Hera’s face, she just sat there propped his chin and looked back into the darkness of the night.

Lady Shin froze where she stood, the child that used to seek anyone attention now looked so… lifeless. “Lady Hera…” her voice trembled, Hera turned her head and stared blankly deep into Lady’s Shin eyes.

“Hera, sis… You wouldn’t mind having tea with me, right?” Alicia’s cheerful voice brought Lady Shin back to her senses before her whole body began to tremble under Hera’s deep gaze.

“Sure.” Hera looked out the window again, ignoring the uninvited guests in her room, once again there was nothing in this mansion that truly belonged to her. Her eyes become more and more lifeless, and then she smiles when realize that someday, maybe in this life she will finally lose all of her.

Hera sipped her tea slowly, eyes narrowed down looking at her reflection on the tea, her hollow eyes looked through her as she blinked.

That morning, Hera once again woke up with Alicia no longer sleeping on her bed. But unlike the usual morning, this time a certain someone was already standing near Hera's bed when she woke up.

A young maid has been waiting, no one knows how long, to help her get dressed before guiding her to the dining room to have breakfast together.

Nothing like that ever happened to Hera before, even if her used to be father in her heart, called for her, often enough the maid or butler would left her get dressed on her own. And then she would be late and saw them already eating without waiting for her, it was very humiliating for Hera, especially with the sitting position.

Her whole family gathered on the end of the table, while she sat alone on the other side, all alone with the worst yet edible meal they served for her. A meal portion so little that left her hungry all day until dinner time, now her body used to eat like that and once Hera overeating she would puke it all out, her body already set a boundary of how much food she could eat.

It had been a while since she ate together with them, if Hera had a choice she preferred to eat in her room, like she used to do. But the maid forced her to come, she treated her roughly, leaving bruises on her wrist and waist.

The maid even purposely tied Hera corset tightly wrapped around her figure, leaving her breathless, with lack of oxygen she soon looked pale.

Hera sat on her usual seat and saw nothing on the table, she sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm her emotions. It's this kind of a joke? She raised her head, the Duke and her older brother looked at her without saying anything, Alicia and her mother were nowhere to be seen.

“Milady… yours seat was not here, but beside the young master.” The same maid, Hera believed her name was Freya, whispered into her ears.

“I’m fine with my seat. Could you bring my meal here?”

“But milady… Your grace the duke already…”

“On the other hand, I’m not that hungry now…”

Freya's expression turned bad, with force she pressed her hand on Hera’s shoulder and whispered a whole bunch of threats. With a lot of distance between Hera and her so-called family, they could not bother to see what happened on her side.

No one could see Hera's emotionless gaze towards the maid, who immediately released his grip on Hera's shoulder and stumbled back.

Fear overwhelmed the maid immediately, she didn't even know why she was intimidated by that gaze, and soon that fear turned into resentment.

Right. Freya balled her hands into fists, soon a scornful smile spread across her face. But before she could do anything to Hera, that girl already stood up and walked towards her older brother's seat and sat next to him in silence.

"What's wrong with you? Father called you a couple of times yet you don't even…"

"Lyon, enough." Luca interrupted Lyonnel's words, with both hands supporting his chin he looked straight at Hera with a deep frown, "Hera… what did you do to Alicia?"

That's not what he wanted to ask her, but he remained silent waiting for an answer from Hera.

"So the rumors are true? Alicia spent her night with you?" Lyonnel hissed angrily.

"... If you want, you can ban her from entering my room. If it's you she will listen well." Hera put her tea cup slowly without making any noise, she stared at the steak in front of her, just looking at that red meat made her want to vomit. "Or... you can send me away. So she couldn't find me." So no one can find me.

"... that's not... what? Stop talking nonsense." Lyonnel growled furiously, he clenched his fists tightly under the table, his face red with anger.

Luca glared at his only son, "Lyon, shut your mouth." Now he shifted his focus to Hera, who still had no emotion on her pale face, "Hera... No one will send you away."

"You will... eventually." Hera said under her breath quietly, she started to breath heavily.

Hera raised her head towards the butler standing behind the Duke, "Can... I have my usual breakfast? I'm fine with... that greyish looking puree."

"What are you talking about, milady?" Michael looked at her confused, "This is the usual breakfast for the Duke family, requested by Lady Alicia."

"No…" With her emotionless and now her white sickly face, Hera shook her head, "That… was… theirs… breakfast…" she gasped for her breath with difficulty, Hera's vision blurred, her head felt heavy. "I... want...mine. That funny looking... puree... with a glass of water, please... Can you just send it... to my room. Like... always."

With her remaining strength she stood up from her seat, propped her body weakly, Hera bowed and excused herself to return to her room. Ignore Luca and Lyonnel who call her name repeatedly, in her mind she just wanted to remove the corset which was making it difficult for her to breathe normally.

Silence filled the room for a long time.

Freya, who had been silent, slowly took steps to follow Hera but then stopped when she heard Luca's voice ordering her to stay.

"Michael… follow her… and call the doctor to check on her."

Michael immediately walked away when he got orders from Luca.

"Lyonnel… tell Shie to keep an eye on her this couple of days."

"But father…"

"Just do what I said… there's something weird about her." Does this have anything to do with that dream?

Luca narrowed his eyes towards the closed door, they fell silent once more until Alicia and her mother came, joining them for breakfast.