The room was bathed in the sun's radiant beams, as they streamed through the sheer light gray curtains, casting a warm, golden glow upon Diana's countenance.
Diana's brows knitted together imperceptibly as she gradually parted her eyelids. She strained her eyes, gradually adjusting to the abrupt surge of luminosity, only to be confronted by an unfamiliar ceiling.
A perplexed frown etched across her forehead, as she grappled with the disconcerting realization of her unfamiliar surroundings.
Where was she?
Despite the throbbing ache in her head, she mustered the strength to sit up, wincing at the pain. It felt as if her skull was on the verge of splitting into two.
Meanwhile, Adriana, who had dozed fitfully on the chair besides Diana's bed, was instantly awakened by the subtle movements on the bed. She blinked to get a hold of what was going on, and when she did, her eyes widened as she whispered, almost in disbelief, "Diana?"
Diana, who had yet to be aware of the presence of her mother, with her eyes closed, sucked in a deep breath while massaging her aching temples. She couldn't help but wonder why her head ached so much.
Did she perhaps have a head injury? But then again, no bandages were wrapped around her head and it seemed to be free from any injury, so the idea was quickly dismissed.
Adriana, who was still in shock and disbelief, frowned slightly upon realizing that her daughter had yet to take notice of her presence. She couldn't be hallucinating again, could she?
As if to confirm her thoughts, Adriana slowly raised her hand to tap Diana softly,
Diana's furrowed brows deepened as she slowly opened her eyes at the disturbance. However, her expression quickly morphed from that of annoyance to shock once she saw her mother's glazed eyes. "Mother?"
But then, she frowned. Why did her mother seem to have lost weight? Or was it her eyes playing tricks on her?
As Diana's voice reached her ears, the floodgates of pent-up tears burst open, impossible to contain any longer. Adriana instinctively clasped her hand over her mouth in an attempt to muffle her sobs, but her efforts proved futile. Her shoulders trembled uncontrollably under the weight of overwhelming emotions, and as her self-restraint crumbled, a heart-rending cry escaped her lips.
How long had it been since she yearned, pleaded, and wished for her daughter's consciousness to return? The answer eluded her.
Perhaps, she believed, this was a divine retribution for the transgressions of her past. The pain and sorrow she had inflicted upon both the innocent and guilty haunted her.
The blood that stained her hands, that coursed through her veins, seemed to bear witness to her guilt.
She couldn't help but think that karma had exacted its revenge, extinguishing the flickering spark of hope within her heart, leaving behind an abyss of despair and desolation.
In this chapter of her life, only one thought persisted in the depths of her mind, serving as an unwavering reminder.
If this was indeed a punishment from the Divine, then they were just as merciless as she had once been. How could they condemn her daughter for sins she had not committed? What had her daughter done to deserve such cruel retribution?
But just when she felt her sanity slipping from her hands, like a light finally shone in the dark abyss of her heart, she heard her daughter's nuance, hoarse voice.
And now, she couldn't help but wonder if truly this was her daughter or, perhaps, a figment of her imagination.
What if she opened her eyes and saw her daughter's cold, lifeless body waiting for her?
What if this was her mind creating a spectrum of illusions for her eyes to see?
"Mo…!"
What if these tears of joy she shed now, turned out to be screams of sorrows and despair?
"Moth…!"
What if―
"Mother!" Diana yelled, drawing Adriana's dazed eyes to her.
Diana quickly knelt down besides her mother with worry marred on her face. She noticed how pixilated her mother seemed to be.
Her cascading waves of waistlength, brunette hair, coveted even by the most exquisite silk, and kissed by the sun's gentle touch, now appeared neglected, lacking its former vibrancy and allure.
The once-proud canvas of her pale skin, once a testament to youth and beauty, appeared devoid of its former radiance and charm.
Her eyes, capable of inducing surrender in men and intimidation in women, seemed to have surrendered their own vitality.
Not only that, but her once statuesque figure seemed to have bowed in humbleness, relinquishing its former strength and grace.
Why did she look so defeated? Why did she appear as if she had waged an ardruous battle within herself?
No, this wasn't the mother she knew.
The woman she had always admired would not exhibit such fragility, resembling a delicate glass on the verge of shattering from mere whispers.
The stoic yet melancholic gaze that now adorned her mother's once bright and expressive eyes scared her.
What had happened?
Diana's throat and lips were parched, and she could guess that she had been asleep for a long time.
Did she bear responsibility for her mother's plight?
But how?
Diana could recall the tormenting pain that had engulfed her before succumbing to darkness. However, the memories that followed remained hazy and elusive.
How long had she lain unconscious?
Where were they at the moment?
The ignorance of her current situation frustrated Diana beyond words. She had so many questions to ask, so many answers to seek.
She wanted to ask her mother, for she held the answers. But considering her mother's current state, she deemed it not the right time.
With a wince, she asked in her unpleasantly hoarse voice, "Are you alright, Mother?"
Adriana blinked, her thick, long lashes dampened by the tears she had shed, her cheeks flushed from the overwhelming surge of emotions. With a resigned sigh, she nodded.
Inexplicably, the mere sound of her daughter's voice had the power to silence the nagging doubts that clawed at the recesses of her mind.
It was as if she had been a drowning soul rescued from the depths, relishing her daughter's long-awaited presence as one would savor the gift of life-giving oxygen.
Her daughter's troubled expression served as a poignant wake-up call for Adriana.
She felt a profound sense of shame for exposing her vulnerability as a mother.
No.
'I must not succumb to these burdensome emotions. They seem to be overshadowing my intellect.' She silently chastised herself.
Above all else, her daughter must come first.
"I'm okay, dear child." She whispered as she took Diana's small hands in hers, "I just became overwhelmed by my emotions after seeing you awake, that's all."
A lie, easy to spot, like that of a red drop of ink on a white parchment paper.
Did her mother think she'd be snowed by her misleading yet convincing words?
It bemused Diana how the empty yet sorrowful look she had seen in her mother's eyes, contradicted yet conceded with her words.
It was quite worrisome.
She despised situations like this. She didn't like when her mother kept everything to herself.
Likewise, she wanted her mother to be aware that she had a shoulder to lean on; that she could share her burdens.
However, she also understood that there were some certain boundaries that she should not dare to cross. Even though she was unwilling.
Her mother had her own personal boundaries which she, as her daughter, had to understand and respect.
Thus, with a sigh, she reluctantly met her mother's resolute gaze, guilt weighing heavily upon her. "I deeply apologize for causing you such distress. It was never my intention. But please, tell me, how long―"
"Your voice sounds terribly hoarse." Adriana interjected, her expression filled with concern. "You have just woken up after a week, how terribly parched your throat must be!"
Diana's eyes widened in disbelief upon hearing her mother's words. A week?
"Mother, what do you mean by a―"
"Diana, I suggest you don't speak for now, to avoid hurting your throat." Adriana muttered, inwardly scolding herself for being so careless, "Please wait a minute, I will be back with a glass of water."
As Diana watched her mother leave, she placed a hand on her aching head and mumbled to herself, "A week? How is that possible?"
…
Once Adriana had gotten out of the room which Diana stayed in, she was met with Sylvain, who stood with both his hands clasped behind his back.
"I got here as soon as I heard her scream." Sylvain said, his dark green eyes briefly moving to the door, before they returned to Adriana's figure.
Adriana sighed, shaking her head slowly, "It is nothing for you to fret about. But considering that you had waited outside, I can guess that you must have heard our conversation."
Sylvain chuckled at her deadpanned tone, his amusement evident in his expression. "It wasn't intentional, but I must admit, it was quite fulfilling to hear your heartwarming interactions. Who would have thought that you, of all people, would be capable of such?"
Adriana chuckled. His words held undeniable truth.
Despite the painful sacrifice she had once endured, relinquishing what was most precious to her, she had never regretted bringing her daughter to this world.
"I should get a glass of water for her." Adriana stated, politely excusing herself as she walked towards the kitchen.
Over the past one week, as Diana remained withdrawn, Adriana had found herself frequently entering and exiting the antique shop, which also served as Sylvain's home. This had fuelled the unquenchable curiosity of the villagers, particularly those who had caught glimpses of Adriana cradling Diana's pale form in her arms.
Adriana was sure rumors had already begun to spread. Especially with her, someone the villagers categorized with infidelity and harlotry. However, that was not what she fretted about.
She worried about how it would affect Diana's daily life. The situation was already bad as it was before, but adding this current problem, was like a sticky wicket for her.
Knowing how petty the villagers could be, she doubted that they would spare Diana from their despicable words.
How irksome.
There never seemed to be a day when she and her daughter were exceptionally placid. Nonetheless, she must find a way to persevere in this situation.
"…do you understand, Adriana?" Sylvain questioned. But seeing her dazed eyes, he doubted she did.
"Huh?"
Sylvain sighed, "I wonder what goes on in that head of yours at times." He said as he pinched his brows.
Adriana smiled sheepishly at his words, "I apologize for my absentmindedness. You were saying?"