Chapter 215 - Nothing But Secrets

Millie sat against the cupboard and sighed, "Seri... Please cheer up. I'm sure Dante will calm down soon. He's just a little upset that such an important thing was kept secret from him. I'm sure he doesn't actually blame you. Just wait, I'm sure he will forgive you any day now."

My voice croaked out from the cupboard, "N-No he won't... He's never going to s-speak to me again..."

Hearing me sob silently inside the cupboard, Millie sighed. "Seri... What can I do to cheer you up? Should I kill Dante for you?"

"N-No..."

"Then what can I do? You've been hiding in that cupboard for several weeks now. I don't think that's very healthy." Millie muttered to herself, "How have you even been using the bathroom?"

"It seems like no matter what I do, I never change." My voice was strained, "I did this exact thing when I was a child..."

Millie tilted her head in confusion at the cupboard, "You did?"

"I was always hiding and running. Whenever my mother was upset, I would hide from her. If I didn't, then she would attack me relentlessly. My brother was too young to understand this and died as a result. Maybe I should have tried harder to protect him..." I sobbed silently inside the dark space, "After that I learned that it was always better to keep secrets because the truth would only make things worse."

Millie was beyond confused, "What are you talking about Seri?"

"When I told the truth, they took my brother away from me..."

"Seri. I don't understand what you are talking about. Your brother is with your mother at home."

My voice croaked in frustration, "I'm not the real Seri, Millie. I came here from another world. I'm not your Seri. The real Seri is gone and I'm more like a ghost possessing her body. I am Leia, and if you want to kill me then you should just kill me."

Millie sat next to the cupboard silently. Although she had dreamed of taking Seri's life, she didn't want to do it like this. She sighed, "Seri... I don't quite understand what you mean, but I don't care who you really are. To me, you are you. I don't care if you are just a ghost who possessed another's body. You will always be my Seri."

I shouted, "No I'm not! I'm not your Seri. You are just lying to me like the rest of them are... William left me. Dante left me... And you are going to leave me as well. It's better if you just kill me and get it over with."

"I'm not going to leave you Seri. I promise." She paused before continuing, "As for killing you, I don't want to just yet. And honestly, I feel a bit worried that you even suggested such a thing." She nodded to herself, "I think you just need to do something fun in order to cheer up. What if I invited your family over? I know you are always excited to see Oliver."

I choked out, "I don't care..."

Millie sighed and stood up, "Well... I will write them a letter. My sister's baked you your favorite cake. It's right outside the cupboard if you want it."

As she walked away, I glanced through the crack in the cupboard door to see the cake on the ground. However, I had no appetite. How could I eat that knowing that I had ruined everything once again? Everything I touch always becomes worse. I should have known that I would ruin this world too.

Really... It would have been better if I had stayed dead...

I wiped my cheek and pulled the letter out of my pocket. I looked at it using the thin slice of light coming into the cupboard. I read the letter:

Dear Queen Luna, I have only met you and your husband one time. But once was all it took. I'm sorry to admit that I had an affair with your husband. It was not what I had planned, but it was what happened. I only tell you this because the child delivering this letter is the child from that affair. I had to escape my country in order to save him. If you are reading this, then that means I am already dead. Please... Please take care of my son. He has no one else.

I sighed and folded the letter back up and placed it in my pocket. I don't know how many times I had read it. I don't even know why I keep reading it. There was nothing identifying the mother of Dante. It was only revealing that his father was the King. Even though the letter wasn't helpful for discovering the identity behind Dante's mother, I still kept it close beside me. It almost felt as if Dante was right beside me.

But he wasn't.

It had been weeks since Dante discovered the truth behind the identity of his father. It had also been weeks since he had spoken to me. He hadn't even returned to the room I had in my mansion specifically for him. I had no idea where he was living because he also wasn't staying at the Imperial Palace.

I also didn't want to know either. I didn't deserve to know after all the secrets I kept from him.

Millie had found out about where Dante was somehow, but I told her not to tell me. She respected my wishes, but she still secretly kept a close eye on Dante's whereabouts. She also told me that William and Dante were refusing to speak to each other and William even went as far as to ban Dante from entering the Imperial Palace.

Everything was just a mess at this point.

And the one to blame was probably me.

__________

Oliver looked at my father with a frown, "Daddy. I think something is wrong with big sister."

My father spoke to him, "Oh? What makes you think that?"

"She won't let go of me."

Oliver was placed on my lap and I was embracing him tightly with my head buried in his back. They were the only reason why I even left my cupboard. However, I hadn't spoken a word since they got here. I just immediately picked up Oliver and hugged him tightly. I probably smelled, but I didn't really care at that point.

My father turned to me, "What's wrong baby girl?"

"...Nothing." I muttered not wanting to speak.

My mother moved to sit next to me and rubbed my back, "Seri... Tell us what's wrong... We are here for you. You can just squeeze Oliver as much as you want if it will make you feel better."

Oliver looked at her feeling wronged, but he knew better than to voice his complaints.

My mother spoke in a gentle tone, "You can tell us anything. Maybe we can help?"

I sobbed, "D-D-Dante won't s-s-speak to meeee!"

My father blinked, "Dante?!"

My mother sighed, "Oh my... What happened this time?"

I looked at her with a face turned ugly from crying, "I didn't tell him that the King was his father and he got upset with me for keeping so many secrets and now he won't even talk to me!"

I broke out in another wave of sobs and buried my face in Oliver's back to wipe my snot and tears. He made a disgusted face at the feeling of being used as a tissue and fought off the urge to run away.

My father nearly fell out of the chair, "W-Wait! The previous King was Dante's real father?!"

My mother blinked in surprise, "Oh my... That's.. That's quite the surprise..."

I sobbed, "And we had just slept together too and he doesn't even want me anymore! It was my first time too! Will I never get a second time?!"

My father nearly fainted, "S-Slept?!!?!"

My mother sighed in exasperation, "Seri. Please stop being so honest, we are your parents. You are going to kill your father."

My father twitched like a broken record, "K-Kill him... I need to kill him..."

I looked at her, "B-But what can I possibly do?"

My mother sighed, "It's certainly a big problem..."

My father rubbed his forehead trying to recover from the two blows he had just received, "W-Well... Have you at least apologized?"

I wiped my tears, "Apologized?"

He nodded, "Yes... You know... Apologize for keeping secrets from him?"

I blinked, "No... I haven't apologized..."

My mother smacked her forehead, "Oh Seri..."

I spoke defensively, "But I find it hard to apologize! Every time I try, the words won't come out... Then I just sound like a dying frog! How do you even apologize?!"

My father turned to my mother with a blank expression, "She takes after you."

My mother coughed and looked away awkwardly.

I wiped my face, "But how can I apologize if he is avoiding me? He hasn't even returned back to his room I have for him at my house."

My father's face twitched, "H-His room?!"

My mother stared at me, "Seri. Have you been allowing Dante to live here?"

I nodded, "Yes. Where else would he live?"

A vein in my father's head was throbbing, "Dante must die..."

I turned to him, "Daddy. You can't kill Dante. You were only able to hit him before because he let you. But now he hates me so there's no way he would let you hit him now. He would probably end up killing you."

My mother spoke, "Seri. I am sure he doesn't hate you. That boy has always loved you and followed you around everywhere. True love can't be destroyed so easily."

I looked down with a somber expression, "But what if it isn't true love?"

Dante was always meant to love Mary. I interfered with that. I'm sure that he probably has realized that by now as well.

Oliver sighed, "Sister... Let's just go play. I brought some toys. We can go play pranks on the servants."

I buried my face in his back, "Can't we just take a nap together? Sister isn't in the mood to play..."

Oliver sighed, "Fine. But can I at least change first? There is way too much snot on my clothes."

I picked him up and carried him to my room like he was a stuffed animal, "No time..."

My father made a fist as he watched me slink away sadly, "Dante made my daughter cry. So now he must die."

My mother rolled her eyes, "Honey. Just accept that the two will get married."

He looked at her in a panic, "Darling! Did you just miss what she said?! They aren't even married and he-he-"

"Husband. All the more reason why they should get married now."

My father sighed, "Fine... But I am still going to kill him..."