Chapter seventy four
Dallas
Lucien's screams echoed through the cliff as he rolled off the edge and fell. His cries soon faded into thin air. I rushed to the edge and stared down to see how far he had fallen, but I couldn't see his body.
The cliff is hundreds of feet high. There is no way he would have survived the fall. My head throbbed as the reality hit me. Lucien is dead. And I killed him.
Atlas's screams of agony pierced through the air, intensifying the throbbing in my head. I didn't turn around but kept my eyes fixed on the spot Lucien rolled off from.
I felt someone wrapped their hands around me and scent of mint enveloped me. I didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
Oliver spun me around and hugged me tight to his chest. If I hadn't been so shaken up, I would have joked about how tight he was squeezing me. But now, I couldn't bring myself to hug him back, I couldn't even close my mouth.
“I'm so glad you're okay. I'm so sorry I couldn't get here sooner.” I heard Oliver say.
He embraced me like there was no one else present. He didn't even seem to care that I had just pushed a man to his death. He pulled away and scanned my body, probably looking for a physical injury.
“Are you hurt? Did they touch you?” he asked and cupped my cheeks, his eyes was full of worry.
“I'm fine, just startled.” I said weakly. My throat hurts as I swallowed down.
He didn't seem convinced by my answer. Honestly, I wasn't convinced either. I was half aware of the police officers surrounding us and yelling others at themselves.
I could still hear Atlas's screams as he cursed at me for killing his love, I could hear Jim's cries if protests as he's hauled back into the police van.
But somehow, I couldn't get the sound of Lucien's screams as he fell out of my head. It was when Oliver took my hands in his that I realized I had been trembling.
“He's dead,” I said in an almost whisper. I still couldn't believe that he just…died.
A part of me was afraid it'll become real if I said it any louder.
I wasn't quite certain on what to feel. He just openly admitted to orchestrating my mother's murder, and just attempted to take my life. I stood there, waiting for the relief to wash over me that Lucien was finally dead, but it never came.
Should I feel pity for him or be glad that he finally met his end? He totally deserves it, right? Or should I be mad that he didn't get punished by the law?
Several questions swirled in my head but I had no answer to any of them.
Oliver didn't say anything. He simply held me close to himself. My body trembled against him as all the emotions overwhelmed me, but I didn't cry. I was so exhausted and didn't have the energy to push the tears out.
After what seem like forever, I finally got a grip of myself and disengaged myself from Oliver's embrace.
“I'm okay,” I said and forced a smile on, but that didn't seem to ease the worry in his eyes, neither does it look like he believed me. But he didn't argue with me.
He simply nodded and gave me a soft smile. He plucked the tracking device out of my hair and shoved it in his pocket.
“Let's go home.” He said and draped his arm over my shoulder, clutching my other arm tightly, as if I would fall and break if he loosen his grip.
Home. The word tasted strange on my tongue. I've never really had one. It was always someone else's, never mine. Mum chose the daughters she didn't give birth to and the husband who didn't want her over me. I lived in boarding houses throughout my stay in Korea, mostly with Lisa. And after my mum's death, it became Lucien's home.
But strangely, there's only one place I could think of as I repeated the word in my head. The only place I wanted to be.
“I have a better idea. Let's go somewhere else.” I said.
.
.
.
Few minutes later, I was at the cemetery. I dragged my feet towards the tombstone, trying not to stumble on my steps. I fixed my gaze on the inscription and clutched the flowers in my hands tightly.
“Hi, mum.” I swallowed down the lump that formed in my throat and let out a small smile.
‘Isabella Gilbert. 1979 - 2022. May her sould rest in peace.’ was boldly inscribed on the tombstone.
I've been coming here for years, but seeing the tombstone doesn't hurt less each time I see it. Memories of when I first came here four years ago flashed across my mind and my chest tightened. I gasped to force some air into my lungs but there was suddenly not enough air.
“Been a while, huh? I'm sorry I couldn't come visit you sooner.” I sighed. “I have a lot to tell you, mum. I don't even know where to start.”
I dropped the flowers and knelt on the ground. I blinked away the tears that form at the corner of my eyes.
“I got them arrested,” I started. “The people who were responsible for what happened to you. All of them, but Lucien…” I stopped myself before I could continue, a lump forming in my throat.
“I'm sorry,” I said quietly. A tear fell from my eye. “I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you that day. I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance to explain. I'm sorry for always been a rude, demanding daughter. I'm sorry for…everything.”
I sobbed quietly, my head hung low.
“I miss you so much, mum. I really do. I can't do this anymore.”
The sound of my cries grew louder each passing second, but I didn't care who was listening to me. I didn't have the energy to stop the tears so I let them flow.
“He's dead. I pushed him down the cliff and he…” I couldn't bring myself to complete the sentence. “I don't want to be a murderer, mum. No matter how much he deserves it for what he did to you, I don't want to be like him. I can't…handle it, mum. It's too much. “
“I really want to see you and hug you right now. I just miss you so much.”
My body suddenly felt a little bit lighter as if a huge burden had been lifted off my shoulders. The breeze gently caresses my skin in a soothing and almost loving way. I felt her calming presence and it brought that familiar feeling that I've known for years. Home.
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