Loathed Treasure

Chapter 40: Despair

"Yes so, please. Let me-"

"No need, Hannah" She sighs and looks at her. "Be honest. Do you know where it is?"

".... No, My Lady" She answered in shame.

Lily was puzzled by her response and questioned how she doesn't know where it is. Hannah claims that there's no position within her body at all no matter how hard she tried. Therefore, they had to get a magician to track it but Diana refused.

"No. Tell them to go back and it's too late" Diana requested and they were in disbelief. "... The poison has already killed me. Tell them that"

"But My Lady, we can't lie or let you die. Please there's a ch-"

"No!" Diana yells and Hannah flinches. "It's too late so don't waste their time." She put on a bittersweet smile and they frowned.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked and Diana looked at her straight in the eyes.

"My fate was sealed from the beginning so please your job from now on is to protect Athanasia. Everyone protects Athanasia" Diana said. "Lily, please do that for me. Promise me that you'll take care of her and your baby too"

"I promise," Lily vowed.

"Me too, but still!" Hannah gets on her knees while leaning on the side of the bed, crying to Diana. "We can't lose you just yet!"

"Where's Athanasia?" Diana ignores her and pats her head. "I want to see my daughter for the last time even though I don't want her to see me like this" She laughs softly.

BAM

The door burst open and the light came flashing in. One person stood in the doorway and they all stared at her. The maids yelled from outside, telling her to leave but she didn't listen. She lifted her chin and they shivered at her cold eyes. She barged into the room and stomped to Diana with a dead yet regretful look.
"... Diana" She calls out and frowns while staring at her complexity. Tears swell her eyes and they all gape at her in shock. "What about Athanasia?"

Diana sighed and told the two to leave them alone while Anastasia stayed. The clone who evolved has developed another feeling. She cared about Athanasia and knew losing a mother is heartbreaking though she doesn't know how she'll take it. Anastasia never experienced such love or relationship at all, she just witnessed it.

"Diana, she'll be alone if you go"

"No she won't" She cups her face and wipes the tear. "Sit down"

The clone sits on the side of the bed and stares at her. Diana hums weakly and Anastasia shakes her head in disbelief.

"Even when you're like this, I don't understand how you can be happy?" The clone clenches her chest. "I don't know what joy feels like at all. I'm just a thing"

"It's all in the heart" Diana coughs and Anastasia stands up to get help but she holds her hand. "Don't"

"But-"

"Just stay," She said and Anastasia listened. Diana lay back in her bed and stared at nothing while Anastasia held her hand in anxiety. "One life and two. Now is my final"

".... What?"

"Anastasia, I have a curse if you haven't noticed. It's a small one though I never really let it bother me at all" Diana chuckled softly. "I can never let it ruin my remaining time with Athanasia"

Anastasia held her hand and wrapped it tightly. "Please wait"

"You know Anastasia, I gave life before" Diana makes eye-contact with her. "A gift that only I have"