Chapter 6: Rubyrose Is Dead

“Ruby!” the bitch screamed as she ran to my side looking so innocent, she clutched my free hand in a warm embrace and I felt disgusted.

“What number is it now? Ninth? Tenth? I seem to have lost count,” her voice was soft, but her eyes were saying something else entirely.

I couldn't help the frown that came upon my face as I shoved her away from me with so much force.

The push was so sudden and unexpected, she landed butt down on the cold floor, her mouth widened in disbelief.

“Ruby!!!” The woman I had learnt to be my supposed mother screamed, her face frantic as she went to pull Lilian up. Then she turned to me, “why would you do that? Rosemary was only concerned.”

My head rang. “Rosemary…?”

Right. She didn't only betray our friendship, she also lied about her name. It makes me wonder if there had ever been any real friendship between us.

“Don't tell me you also can't recognize your twin sister. Even if both of you don't look anything alike, you were both conceived together.”

Then she turned back to face Lilian. No. Rosemary.

“Please pardon your sister, the doctor diagnosed her with dissociative amnesia. She can't remember anything, I didn't expect that she wouldn't remember you too. He said we need to patiently walk her through this stage and help her remember.” Tears were already flowing from her eyes as she spoke about my so-called condition. I felt my chest tighten as I stared at her.  

She was sincerely concerned. Her worry looked real.

“Mother…” the words were out of my lips before I could even stop it.

She looked up immediately and rushed to my side. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Rosemary's fist clench.

Was she bitter because of the attention Rubyrose was receiving?

 “Yes,” mother answered, her eyes lightening with bright hope. “You remember me now?”

I shook my head.

She sighed weakly, then shook her head and placed her palm on top of mine. “Don't worry, soon your memory will come back,” she choked. “Promise…promise you won't try to kill yourself again.

I nodded my head and she smiled.

I saw Rosemary sneer and I knew immediately she didn't have any close sisterly feelings for Rubyrose as she led people to believe.

I was also once fooled by her pretentious innocence in the past, but in this my second chance— I will make sure the world sees her for who she truly is.

A green lotus. 

“Luna,” the doctor bowed to Rubyrose's mother. No, Rubyrose is no more, which means she's now my mother.

“I don't know how long she's going to be this way,” the doctor continued, “but with time and with the help of her family, she should recover her memory in no due time.”

My mother nodded her head as she stood up and walked out with the doctor, saying something to him in a low tone.

My hands clenched tightly by my sides. Oh, the doctor was wrong. I remember pretty well. I remember how I was blinded by love and got betrayed and killed at the end.

I remember the heavens just gave me a second chance to get justice for myself and I promise I won't fail them. I'm no longer that weak, gullible and naive girl of the past. My death has opened my eyes to what the real world is all about and the kind of people dwelling in it. I see how they hide their claws.

I clenched my fists tighter, my knuckles turning white, my fingers digging deep into my palm, drawing blood. The pain in my palm feels like a sting compared to the pain in my heart.

Max, everything you had stolen from me, enjoy it while it lasts because I will find you and when I do, I will take back everything one after the other, down to the last penny. I will ruin and completely destroy you and you'll wish our paths had never crossed from the beginning.

“Poor Miss Ruby,” a lady’s small voice caught my attention immediately. I turned my head sharply towards the sound. “I don't blame her for wanting to end her life. She's so broken and miserable. Always bullied and ridiculed by almost everyone in the pack.”

I heard a sigh from someone else. For some reason, they seemed to be whispering but I could hear their voices loud and clear.

“And now Miss Rosemary is back again. I'm afraid she will say something to Miss Rubyrose to tick her off just like the last time she came around.”

The first lady lowered her voice but I could still hear her clearly. 

“You think whatever Miss Rosemary said to Miss Ruby was responsible for her trying to commit suicide?”

“Shush, don't let anyone hear you say that. But I think you guessed right because Miss Rosemary left that day smiling like she had just won a trophy, while Miss Ruby had locked herself ever since, crying. She had refused to eat her food or see anyone and the next thing I heard was she almost committed suicide.”

I turned my face to stare at Rosemary but she wasn't looking affected by what these ladies were whispering. She didn't look like she was hearing their conversation at all. I furrowed my brow as I turned my attention back to the door.

Weren't they standing at the door? 

But…

The sounds I'm hearing. 

I strained my ears further. 

It sounded like someone was doing the dishes.

Could the whispering be coming from the kitchen and not outside this door?

But how's that possible?

How am I hearing people talking from the kitchen?

“You're so useless and worthless that even death doesn't want you,” I raised my head to see Rosemary cross her arms with a sneer plastered on her face as she stepped closer to me and looked at me like I was trash.

Now she has dropped the pretentious act of caring since we're both alone in the room.

After catching a glimpse of Rubyrose and Rosemary's life from this little conversation I just overheard, I now know for a fact that Rosemary was not a good sister, just like she wasn't a good friend. She had pushed Rubyrose toward the edge.

But what could she have said to have pushed Rubyrose to her own death? 

“I should count myself lucky then,” I tilted my head, letting a small smile that didn't reach my eyes touch my lips as I raised my gaze to meet hers. “Or don’t you think so, dear sister?”

She scoffed, narrowing her eyes. “Don’t twist it, Ruby. You know what I mean. Look at you—weak, fat, ragged looking pig… so pathetic. You’ve always been the embarrassment of this family.”

Fat? Aside from these oversized dresses Ruby wears, when I had first looked at the mirror, my eyes had been full of admiration. She had a body that most women would sell their soul for.

Though I don't know the reason why she hid all these curves and gorgeousness underneath dresses that's large enough to contain five people.

It's as if she's trying so hard to hide something.

But Ruby wasn't fat and if anyone should know that truth, it should be Rosemary.

So why? Or was her pathetic sister just jealous?

I leaned forward, my voice calm but sharp.

“And yet, here I am, still standing. And I bet with everything in me that it bothers you a lot. Why Rosemary? Go ahead and tell me. Why does a weak, fat, pathetic sister rile you up so much?”

Rosemary blinked, caught off guard by my tone. Her face tightened. “Who are you?” 

For a moment, I thought I had blown my cover. 

But then she added.

“Since when did you grow a spine, Rubyrose?”

“Since I realized your words only matter if I let them get to me,” I said, my gaze locking on hers. “And guess what, Rosemary? They don’t anymore.”

She scoffed, tossing her hair back. “You really think mouthing off will change the fact that you’ll always be second best? You will always remain in my shadow. No one wants you, not even the man you've loved for so many years. He doesn't even care about you and I know it's painful to know I'm the one he wants.”

Rubyrose was in love? 

I thought of what that felt like — falling for an asshole who did not know how to hold himself. I had been there.

I guess Rubyrose and I have something in common—falling in love with assholes who don't seem to know how to keep their fly in check. 

But I wasn't going to let Rosemary gloat in that.

I lifted my chin. “Second best?” I chuckled lowly, the raw sound making her flinch, guess she wasn't expecting a comeback after spewing that. “If I were really beneath you, you wouldn’t waste so much energy trying to break me.”

“You—” 

She raised her hand and I raised my brow, my gaze icy, daring her to land that slap.

Her lips parted, then pressed into a thin line. She lowered her hand slowly, her eyes red with anger. 

For once, she didn’t have a quick retort.

But I wasn't done.

I stepped closer to her, lowering my voice to an icy whisper. I wanted her to feel every word.

“You’re right about one thing, Rosemary. Rubyrose is gone. She died in that bathtub. What you see now…” I let the words hang, watching her

face tighten, “is someone who won’t ever… ever… let you walk over her again.” 

Someone who's about to become your worst nightmare.