The Stepsister's Redemption

The cool breeze that afternoon brought a sense of calm to Diana as she stood by the cemetery. She took a moment to smell a white rose before placing it gently on the headstone in front of her. "Hi Eilias. I'm here," she said softly, touching the picture of Eilias on the headstone. A sweet smile appeared on Diana's face as she looked at the one person she missed the most. "I miss you so much. Do you miss me too?" Diana spoke as if Eilias's spirit were standing right in front of her. Eilias was Diana's secret love who had passed away two years ago after a long battle with brain cancer. Their year-long relationship made it incredibly painful for Diana to accept his permanent loss. "Starting today, I'm moving back to this city. I'm tired of hiding. You always told me that if I had problems, I shouldn't run away but face them, no matter what others say," Diana recalled Eilias's words that had given her the courage to return. Since her stepsister, Aubreilla, married the prince of Grandbell, the Emmerson royal family had ordered the arrest of Diana and her mother in retaliation for the cruelty they had inflicted on Aubriella in the past. She managed to escape capture because her mother had urged Diana to flee first, fearing what might happen. Unfortunately, Mrs. Janet was caught and imprisoned in the palace. The torture Mrs. Janet endured in the palace made Diana determined to rescue her from the hell created by the palace. After hearing a year's worth of stories from a friend who worked at the palace about the cruelty toward her mother, Diana could no longer bear it. She decided she would take on all the pain her mother had suffered. She deserved to be punished. "I promise I will help Mother. I know it's my fault for torturing Aubriella. But isn't there even a small chance for me and my mother? We realize our mistakes, Eilias. I know I shouldn't have treated Aubriella that way,"Diana expressed with deep regret. Mrs. Janet and Diana had created a world for Aubriella similar to Cinderella's, leaving no room for the girl to find happiness, all stemming from an event that made Diana hate Aubriella. Diana buried that feeling, letting it turn into a grudge. "Pray for me, Eilias. I hope I can get through all this. I have no one left in this world except for you and Mother." "I know you're always watching over me from above, playing baseball with your uncle," Diana smiled, recalling Eilias's excited expression when he talked about his favorite sport. "I miss you so much, darling. How I wish you were here with me," Diana sighed weakly. She needed both her mother and Eilias, as they were her sources of strength. Diana glanced at her watch. In half an hour, she was supposed to meet Abby to handle some matters. "Eilias, I have to go now. I'll come back next week. I love you," she said, giving Eilias's picture one last touch before leaving. "Ehem!" A gruff voice clearing its throat behind her startled Diana. Her heart raced with fear. Could the palace guards have found her already? Diana swallowed hard, feeling cold sweat forming on her forehead. "Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?" the voice demanded sharply. Without responding, Diana turned to run, not looking at who was behind her. She could feel the intimidating presence of the man even though she didn't see his face. "Wait. Run after you answer my f*****g question, young lady." The man grabbed Diana's wrist. He turned his body to see her face, but Diana quickly covered her face with her hand. She couldn't let anyone know she had returned to the city. Diana wasn't ready to be caught. "Who are you? Mute or deaf? I heard you talking at the grave just now," the man shook Diana's arm, forcing her to answer. Summoning all her strength, Diana wrenched free from his grasp and ran away as fast as she could, leaving the cemetery behind. She needed to escape. As she ran, she hoped the man wouldn't follow her. The man intended to chase her but stopped when he saw a white gold bracelet with the letters DD on the grass. He picked up the bracelet, examined it briefly, and a knowing smile appeared on his lips. "Diana Darian," he said, stroking the letters on the bracelet. He clenched the bracelet tightly and slipped it into his pocket. His eyes followed Diana's diminishing figure as she left the cemetery. He quickly grabbed the white rose from the headstone before walking away. He brought the rose to his nose to inhale its fragrance. "Finally..."