Magnolia blossomed.
Adrina Grimaldi silently raised her eyes to the tree.
Unable to bear the weight of the accumulated snow, the branches sagged and the white flowers drooped. Although their appearance heralded the end of winter, it did not necessarily mean the onset of spring.
It was snowing, despite the fact that the time was inappropriate for it. Among the snowflakes swirling in the strong wind, the petals wriggled and fell as if dancing, as if mourning his death.
People fell to the body of a man of unknown age - no longer a boy, but not yet a youth - and screamed in despair. Sobs echoed throughout the mansion. Some were drowning in grief, some denied death, and some were looking for someone to blame.
“It’s all because you’re cursed! - was addressed to Adrina. “Adrian died because of you!”
For some unknown reason, the Count locked himself in his office and did not come out. People pointed their fingers at the woman, blaming her for what happened: “Because you were born!”
How unchangeable they are.
Adrina couldn’t help but chuckle quietly, looking at the constancy of the people in this family. This barely audible sound broke the silence, and screams and curses rained down again. But new curses had no effect on someone who was already cursed.
"Give me back my Adrian!"
Yes, it's all because of me.
Adrian Grimaldi's death came without warning.
Like a curse.
No matter how much everyone shouted that he could not die, no matter how much they denied, it was impossible to bring the cooling body back to life. The blue of the grave spread across the once flawless white skin.
The funeral continued. The pain of those who could not accept what happened hung heavily over the mansion. It seemed as if the air itself was saturated with sorrow. Adrina tried to sort out her feelings. Either it was sadness, or the pain of loss, or maybe she felt nothing at all.
Adrian Grimaldi's funeral took place three days later.
In an open coffin lay a young man who looked remarkably like Adrina. His bluish skin stood out sharply against the snow-white fabric. The armful of magnolias in his hands seemed out of place. Mournful lamentations were heard all around, tears flowed. Then someone said: “It would be better if you...” The words hung in the air, like a sentence: “Yes, you should have died.”
“You are the curse of Hadrian. The voice seemed to buzz and then became louder. “Why didn’t you die?!”
Intangible words entangled people. Human hatred seemed almost visible. Anger mixed with the fog hanging in the air and rushed towards Adrina. But she didn't react. She just stood straight, looking at the blue face. Same as hers.
Poor little brother.
They say favoritism makes both those who are favored and those who are not favored unhappy. As much as Adrina was unhappy, Adrian was also unhappy. But now he had thrown off his bonds, and his sister thought he felt better.
She didn't answer. She just calmly watched the people who shouted to her: “Why didn’t you die!” — and her facial expression did not change. She didn't know how she should react in this situation.
A stone fell with a thud right in front of Adrina. The Countess, without hiding her anger, bent down again to pick up the next one. The already thrown one did not even reach the target.
Weak power, mansion flower. The face of the once beautiful lady seemed to have dried up along with the loss of her son. The withered flower spewed curses.
Unlike those under the veil of grief, Adrina felt like a lonely observer somewhere in the distance. She thought her brother would feel the same way.
At that moment Count Grimaldi arrived, who was not expected. The face of the man who got out of the carriage did not look like the face of a man who had lost a child.
He approached slowly. The Countess walked towards him, glancing at her daughter as if asking what he was going to do with this child who had neither blood nor tears. However, the head of the family only glanced at his wife once before standing in front of Adrina.
“During our separation, your hair has grown so much, Adri. - it was an inappropriate statement. “There’s so much fuss over the death of some girl.”
Everyone turned around at the following words: “Isn’t that right, Adrian?”
At the count’s phrase, the girl’s gaze stopped at the corpse and then dropped.
Everyone here knew that Adrian Grimaldi had died. But her father named her Adrian. When he put his hand on her shoulder and said “Adri,” Adrina’s lips twitched slightly.
Both Adrian and Adrina had the diminutive name "Adri", but it was used as if it belonged only to Adrian. Therefore, she doubted whether they were addressing her with this nickname, because such a thing had never happened.
The only one who called her that was her now dead brother. Her facial expression, which seemed ready to crumble at the sight of a name she would never hear again, froze again at the Count’s next words: “The curse of the family has been lifted, isn’t this a reason for joy?”
Her name followed her brother's name like a shadow.
“Everyone just has to be happy.”
The name intended for her should not have existed. Just as a detail of Adrian, Adrin’s name was written down on the papers and no one spoke it. Everyone called her “you”, “it”, “clump of curses” and the like.
“That’s right...” - Adrina easily grasped the count’s intention.
Adrina is Adrian's curse. In this country, everyone born as twins is cursed by witches. Therefore, when Adrian was born with a twin, she should have been abandoned or killed.
She felt the meaning in the surrounding gazes stopping at her. She should have died, not him. But the words of Count Spencer Grimaldi: instead of “you should have died,” they sounded like “you did not die.”
“Your little sister was weak in body. — he made her position and place clear. “Yes, being a man, you shouldn’t show your grief.”
I should have died. No, I died.
The man grabbed the girl's long hair and lifted it. As if dissatisfied with this, he took out a dagger and cut them off.
The strands gently slid down. What he did not have time to hold settled on the snow. The Count contemptuously threw the remaining curls in his palm onto Adrian's body and shook his hands off as if he had gotten dirty.
Adrina looked at her brother, covered in her hair. She collected the strands of hair scattered over the corpse with her hands and smoothed them. They covered him like a blanket.
When the girl retreated, people began to cry again, looking at Adrian's face. It was as if the damned curls covering it were pitiful and sad.
“Let's end our goodbyes here. — according to the count, the lid of the coffin was closed, and the servants nailed it shut. “How long can you run around with this girl?”
Adri, I envied everything you had.
“Everyone will be returned to their seats immediately.”
That must have been the problem.
“The same goes for you.”
Actually, I wanted to be you.
"Adrian".
But I didn't want to become you like this.
"It's time to take your place."
At Spencer's words, Adrina raised her head. In the directed glances, confusion was read. The Countess, unable to shed even empty tears, looked with scarlet hatred and resentment.
What was Count Grimaldi thinking about when he arrived so late? Did he consider resurrecting his dead only son and this family? Have you thought about maintaining sovereignty and power? The result was the decision to kill Adrina Grimaldi.
“You’re right, father.” However, Adrina was no different from the count. “You can’t mourn Adrina forever. We need to let her go."
I only became you after I died.
Those present held their breath, and the head of Grimaldi looked satisfied.
It's snowing. While the hammer continues, snowflakes fall on the lid. The coffin is lowered deep into the ground.
From above, flowers, snow, despair and sadness are buried with him.
Adrina Grimaldi has died.
It was the curse of the twins.
People will probably consider it lucky that she died, not he. The count, without even deigning the burial with a last glance, called out to Adrina: “Adri, come with me.”
In response to the order, which sounded like a proposal, the girl slowly moved. For the first time she rode in the same carriage with her father. When we drove off, he spoke: “Who better to entrust with making the inscription on Adrina’s tombstone?”
She raised her head at the unexpected question. The man's expression did not change. Adrina could not hide the laughter that inexplicably rose inside: “I will look among the masters for one who skillfully works with stone.”
From the voice, in which a grin was heard, the count’s gaze slid over Adri’s body from head to toe.
“She died on the day the magnolias bloomed, you can engrave a decoration in the form of these flowers. - Having said this, Adrina looked out the window. The Countess lay exhausted on the covered ground, and her sorrowful cry could not break through the glass. All that could be seen was her calling her dead son.
“Magnolia decoration?... Well, do as you see fit.” — Adrina turned her gaze to the Count’s words. Just as she considered the count unexpected, so he looked at her with an unexpected gaze. Then, with a slight smile, he said: “Fortunately, Adri is no more.”
Who is this “Adri” really – Adrian or Adrina?
In any case, the girl thought the same.
Fortunately, Adri Grimaldi died. Incredible happiness.