Chapter 3 - One More Chance At Life?

"Mmm..."

Iris slowly opened her heavy eyelids. The excruciating pain she had been feeling for a while has started to subside. Her vision was blurry and her mind was a mess. She was half conscious. Unable to understand her surroundings, she slowly close her eyes again.

After a while, Iris woke up again. As she adjusted to the light, she saw that she was lying on a rough bed in a shabby looking room. After looking a little, she realized that this place was awfully familiar to her...

"..!?"

Wasn't this the room she lived in back at the North?!

She sat up abruptly, bringing a wave of dizziness. She hurriedly looked around, confirming that this really was her home. Confusion filled her blood-red pupils. Suddenly, she felt something with her body. It felt....lighter?

She moved to the mirror and looked at herself.

"!!"

Her body...her body was that of a 15 year old?!

Her eyes widened. She couldn't believe it as she touched her face. The smooth white skin and long black hair that she had lost in the wars....was now back?

'Tap tap tap'

The sound of footsteps woke her from her trance. Iris hurriedly turned around. On the door stood a woman. She had brown hair tied into a bun and red eyes similar to those of Iris. She had white skin but was a little pale and seemed malnourished and weak. Her clothing was rough and haggered. However, this did not dampen her beauty too much.

"Iris, my baby is awake? You really scared Mommy, fainting and getting such a high fever. Are you better now?" She softly smiled with care and concern in her eyes.

Looking at the person at the door, Iris's eyes were immediately damp with tears and surprise.

No...no way. Mommy....Mommy.....

Iris ran to her mother and tightly hugged her, sobbing uncontrollably. Her mother had left her so early....so so early. Just looking at her and listening to her voice was a dream. Now to see her in person, Iris's hearted ached with happiness.

Riya was surprised at her daughter's sudden outburst. She patted her back comfortingly.

"It's okay, It's okay, Mommy is here. What happened? I...*Cough* *Cough*" Riya started to cough suddenly. Iris let go of her and supported her to sit on the bed then went out to get her water. As she went out of her room, she realized that she really was alive again.

She was back to being a 15-year-old in the Northern country-side.

She was reborn!

Once more...

She got a chance again!

The gleeful and relieved feeling that evoked from the depths of her heart made her realize how much she wanted to live and see her loved ones.

To protect her family, to make them live a good life and to carry out her blood vendetta, this time she will not waver!

...

After sorting out her thoughts, Iris gave her mother the water, inwardly contemplating how to help her mother out of depression. Riya had always been unable to get over Azer, though the latter couldn't care less. Iris needed to have her mother snap out of this sorrow. Her mother had been neglecting both her and herself.

Iris sat down in front of her mother, looking directly into her eyes. She took a deep breath then stated solemnly.

"Mother, let's have a talk. It's about... Father."

" Iris, I told you never to talk about that. Let's not continue this conversation, okay?" Riya spoke almost instantly.

Back then as well, she would stop Iris from talking about this matter just like now. Keeping everything bottled up inside.

The result?

Iris clenched her fists.

"Mother, listen to me. You can't keep doing this to yourself! You know your health is worsening. You don't eat anymore and don't care about anything at all, not even your own life! All the time, you stay depressed. So what if Father betrayed you? So what if he lied to you? So what if he chose that wife over you after all the sweet promises he made? Will you let that kill yourself?!"

"Iris!!" Riya yelled in indignation.

" Mother! Why do you live for the sake of someone else? You should live your own life, for your own self! Let bygones be bygones. Forget about those people. Move forward!"

"But I... I really trusted him... cared for him. He told me that I would always be there with him." Riya hung her head low, tears lacing her eyes.

All that time, Riya felt betrayed. The man that once showed her love and care and made her marry him, now threw her away because of somebody else. Looking at her in disdain, she really didn't know what to feel anymore.

"Mother, that man doesn't care for you. He doesn't find you worthy to enter his gaze. But so what? If he treats you like grass, you don't have to treat him like a V. I. P either! Some people don't deserve your care, they don't deserve your attention. They only deserve the worst Karma for their doings. These people will suffer, the ones who hurt you. No, I will make them suffer! Mother, I don't care what you decide to do, but I definitely will not let these people off. I have to say, Mommy, if you don't want to live for yourself, just live.... for me."

After dropping those words, Iris got up and left the room. Her mother needed some time to think. Her decision was entirely up to her. She just hoped he words got through.

Her mother has to learn to be strong. Otherwise she won't survive later in the struggles of the Silcia family.

....

After Iris left, Riya thought deeply.

In her daughter's eyes, she saw a chilling gleam of light. Like a blade unsheathed, ready to strike. A very murderous d.e.s.i.r.e. She didn't know this side of her daughter.

But perhaps, she never really knew her daughter at all. Iris's words were true. She couldn't go on like this. Even though she knew, she didn't want to accept reality. Honestly, a tiny part of her heart had hoped that he would call her back. Back to his side. That yearning, she knew she had to end it. Not only for herself, but also for her daughter.

That man destroyed her innocent heart. But she won't let him destroy her and her daughter's life.

It was about time she wake up. About time she stopped neglecting the things around her, especially her daughter. After all, for her daughter to have become like this, so cautious and untrusting, it must be her fault. If only she was stronger and wiser and never married Azer in the first place, perhaps she could've achieved happiness as well.