The Red Roses Before the Grave

Giselle's smile widened into a squinting grin. "I knew my brother was the best!"

With that, she tilted her head up and pressed a kiss to Luca’s cheek.

For a brief moment, Luca froze. Then, snapping out of it, he quickly snatched the phone from her hand, his tone carrying a hint of reprimand. "How old are you now? You can’t just do that. People might get the wrong idea! You’re not a child anymore."

Giselle pouted, her voice laced with grievance. "But we’ve always been like this since we were kids. Why can’t we now?"

Luca instinctively glanced at Olivia, worried she might be upset. But her face remained unreadable as she replied calmly, "You’re siblings. You grew up together. It’s only natural to be close."

Her detached response unsettled Luca. He felt as though she were speaking in that deliberately ambiguous way again. Not wanting to entertain it any further, he said flatly, "Alright, we’ll talk later. Sober up on your own."

With that, he ended the call.

Olivia stared at the darkened screen, then let out a quiet, self-mocking laugh before setting her phone aside and heading to the bedroom.

She needed time to think about what to do.

Five years of one-sided love. Four more years of chasing after a man who never truly looked at her. She had once believed that if she gave enough, Luca would one day let go of Giselle.

If she had not died in her previous life, perhaps she would have still been naive enough to believe that now.

Olivia never wanted to see Luca again.

At midnight, the soft beep of the fingerprint lock echoed through the apartment. As Luca stepped inside, the first thing he saw was Olivia standing motionless in front of the French window.

Taking a deep breath, he spoke in a low voice. "Olivia, about today…"

Before he could finish, Olivia turned, her gaze meeting his directly.

Avoiding her eyes, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small box. With a guilty air, he handed a ring to her, identical to the one Giselle had flaunted earlier.

"The brand sent this to me a few days ago. I meant to give it to you, but I kept forgetting."

Forgetting. A convenient excuse Luca had always used.

But was his memory really that bad?

Luca began his acting career at the age of seven. He had an exceptional ability to memorize lines that would take others weeks to learn, but he could have them down within a few days. He knew every director and screenwriter’s preferences and he could recall the exact number of times he had shot each scene.

But how was it that he could not remember that Olivia loved that ring?

He knew his words were hollow. Yet, he also knew Olivia loved him deeply. As long as he offered her an out, she would take it, as she always had.

To his surprise, Olivia did not accept the ring. Instead, she spoke in a calm, detached tone. "Luca, you know I’ve always had a soft spot for orphans."

Luca frowned, irritation creeping into his voice. "What are you talking about? It’s not like there’s only one of these rings."

"I know there’s more than one, but I wasn’t the first to receive the ring you gave me."

Without sparing him a glance, Olivia stood up and passed him, her movements deliberate. She made her way to the sofa, her back turned to him as she lit a thin cigarette.

Luca assumed she was simply jealous and that he was at fault. He lowered his head, trying to placate her. "Alright, don't be upset. Giselle isn’t just some other woman. I know you're jealous, but you don’t say anything about it and then expect me to guess. If you keep doing this, I’ll get exhausted. Let’s not make things harder than they need to be, okay?"

He sat beside Olivia, gently taking her hand in his, speaking in a soft, patient tone. "Please, don’t be angry."

But Luca did not notice the coldness in Olivia’s gaze.

Was Giselle really just Luca’s sister?

They were not biological siblings, something everyone knew but few dared to acknowledge.

Olivia did not respond. She simply finished her cigarette in silence.