Rose Red (Filipino)

Dear Claire,

                       Hello my sister. How are you? How are the things there in the mansion? I never heard about you nor receive a letter from you these past few days. I’m having regrets now. I should have not spare your life if it will be like this. I’m sorry for being a failure older brother to you. If only mom, dad, Tyler and Terrence are still alive. I think they can pass through this. They can solve this matter with a feat.

           Our little sister, I’m sorry if brother can’t be with you now. I will be executed tomorrow. I hope you will find your will and strength to continue living rather than walking like a dead every day. I’m wishing you a great life, our little Claire. I know we never once showed and acted as your older brothers. However, we really love you as our youngest sister.

                                                                                                                      Your brother,

                                                                                                                            Clarence

           Claire put the letter down and gaze at the small bottle beside the letter. She picks up the bottle and open it.

           “Brothers, mother and father. I’m very sorry for being weak. I let myself being fooled and used like a toy. I promise you next time in my life. I want you to be my family again and I swear I’ll you guys,” tears streaming down from her eyes, “It’s all my fault. If I will be given a second chance, I will correct every mistake I made in this life.”

           Claire drink the bottle up to its bottom. In a second she holds her chest as it was burning and something squeezing it. She can’t breathe and blood came dripping out from her mouth. She knows it was a poison and it was her goal to die in that way. She lost all her will to live when she got nothing left.

CLAIRE POV

“CLAIRE! CLAIRE!” a voice calling her out of nowhere.

I can feel my body was shaken by someone and softly tapped my cheeks. They are calling my name to wake me up. I slowly opened my eyes and saw their worried faces while gazing at me.

           “Thank goodness baby, you woke up!” the handsome middle age man who holds me suddenly hug me tightly.

           “I thought you will never open your eyes, Claire,” the beautiful middle age woman is crying, “Quickly! Let’s take her back to her room and wait for the arrival of doctor Falone.”

The man carries me gently and walk me towards the room. When we enter he slowly put me down on the bed. I was sitting on the bed while facing them. They sit on my side while the man was behind the woman.

           “Claire is there something you need?” the woman asks.

           “Or are you hurt somewhere?” the man asks.

           My parents are alive? How come? I thought they were all dead. How come also I’m still breathing. I perfectly remember that I drank the poison on the bottle.

           “Don’t worry I’m fine,” I beam at them. They sigh of relief and smile at me.

           “Thank goodness,” mom said.

           “Still you have to see a doctor,” father sternly said.

           “Yes, father,” I obediently agree.

            They look at me with surprise. Like they are seeing a ghost in front of them.

           “Is there anything wrong?” I ask confusedly.

           “Are you really sure your fine?” mom confirming.

           “Yes, why?”

           “You agree just like that. Like an obedient child,” dad said like it was an absurd thing to happen.

           “Am I not a filial child all this time?”

           I do admit that I never had a good impression on the people even to my family. As the only daughter I was spoiled by my parents that even my brothers doesn’t like my personality but still they loved me as their sister. I’m a spoiled brat that what I wants, I will get. I have a short tempered and always throw tantrums whenever I don't get what I want.

           My parents just giving me what I want. They scold me yes and give me punishments to learn my mistakes. Yet, I know they can’t endure me for I was their only daughter and that thought I took for granted. Didn’t think that one day will come, my family will face its end in miserable way because of my doings and wrong decisions I’ve made.

           “No, it just you never want to see doctor,” mom awkwardly laugh.

           “Is that so,” I reply to her.

A moment later the doctor arrives and check my healthy.

           “Fortunately, there is nothing major injuries she gains from falling from a tree. It is just only those small scratches,” the doctor announces happily.

           “That is good to hear doctor,” mom said smiling.

           “Now, if there is nothing more. I leave now. I need to go to the hospital.”

           “Yes doctor, thank you for coming,” father said.

           “Now young lady, you are forbidden to climb a tree. You got us scared.”

           “Yes mother. It will not ever happened again. Me falling from the tree,” I smile.

           “This child, really.”

I giggle at them. Mom hugged me and I hug her back. Dad hug mother and I. I have been given a chance to reborn. I travelled back in time where everyone is still alive and well. I remember this day where I fell from a tree. I climb a tree out of my rebellious act as to they didn’t permit me to go with my brother in the palace. I want badly to go with them because I want to see the first prince. Since, in the past I was really blind. An idiot who didn’t realize that she was being used.

Yes, that is right. I won’t let this family be ending up in tragic fate again. That happened because I’m so weak and all I can think is getting married to the first prince. Even my family supporting for the throne is the second prince. The previous me pushed her wants to be wed to the first prince. I even held against and bully Sophia. Since Sophia is the kind beautiful girl the first prince meets after we got married. When the prince sat on the throne he announced our divorcement. Since, his reason is that he truly loves Sophia. I was only a pawn that had already served its purpose. To help him sit on the throne without a sweat.

Thus, I really married the first prince because of my status, the daughter of the duke. This power can bring a strong hold in the throne. The duke Leerstrom family is not a weak after all. We are one of the nobilities who can withstand with the royalty besides duke Amblecrown, the Amblecrown family who has a royal bloodline. But because of this power and struggling for throne, adding my stupidity in the past made my family faced the tragic and miserable ending in their life.

In this life, I swear I will never lose again from someone and end up dying pathetically. The end I experienced once, is not where the curtains will fall down. Instead it is where my curtains will rise up and show to them that this woman will perform a magnificent play for them to be entertained. I will be the one who will have the last stand in this second life.