Chapter ten (Extra chapter for my readers)

Filephina,

County jail,

Prison wards,

Visitors lounge....

Iris was charged for the murder of the convicted murder of nine people and sentenced to a life imprisonment, left there to rot and spend the rest of her miserable days in solitude. Her skin had turned pale and sickly, her once beautiful face had lost it's shine, and even she herself had changed a lot,

Most of the time she spent sitting alone in her cell, doesn't talk to anyone, doesn't retaliate whenever she's mistreated by her cell mates to the extent that even they themselves got tired of it and eventually left her to her solitude.

It's been two years now, but it really all didn't matter to her, it was as if she was stuck in a whole different world entirely. She's had no visitors, not like it would have mattered either way.

Even her own son had moved on, totally forgetting about her, though she didn't blame him in any way, like Dion had said: it was all my fault!!

She had claimed to hate the Burke's so much that she hadn't even noticed she was doing the same thing she hated them for.

Justin was not fully to blame, neither was his family, but that didn't change the fact that she hated him to the core....

But at the end of it all, it was her stupidity and ignorance that cost her her happiness, her future, her family (Rose), and her sanity, like everyone, she should've known that a noble like Justin could never marry someone like her, even if he wanted to, his family wouldn't permit it,

as beautiful as she was, even more than Sarah Burke, it could never had worked. Though regret it she did, but regret doesn't change the past, the future, or the present.

A guard banged on her cell, snapping her out of her trance:

Hey you, you have a visitor, hurry up!!

She looked at the guard but at the same time wasn't really looking at him, she was seeing through him, in her thoughts.

She ignored the guard and lay on the floor to sleep;

Who would possibly visit me, probably a mistake.

Annoyed, the guard banged on her cell louder, drawing other people's attention to them, she sighed.

Hey! I said get up. You have a visitor, she's been coming here since last week, hurry up before I loose my patience!!

The guard yelled.

It was only then she reluctantly got up on her thin dry legs and followed the guard to the visitors lounge to avoid unnecessary attention.

On getting there, he pointed to an empty seat by a wall with a window-like gap in the middle.

She arched her back forward, trying to see who her unexpected visitor was.

At first she didn't see anyone, bit slowly a figure came into view ;

Rose?!!

With a strength she didn't think she had, she grabbed hold of the window bars, surprising both the guard with her and herself.

Rose, is that really you?!! Talk to me,

She pleaded as tears flowed freely down her bony cheeks

Rose chuckled softly.

Hello sister, it's been a while, hasn't it?

Rose, please forgive me, I know I wasn't the best sister, I know I've wronged you greatly, please forgive me, I can't die here knowing you haven't forgiven me!

Iris pleaded crying.

Rose scoffed in disgust ;

As usual, you're still the same as always, as selfish and self centered as always.

Iris shrunk back in shame.

Rose eyed her irritatedly and sighed.

Unlike you sister, I don't have the heart to do all what you did no matter how much I want to, plus, I should thank you, if it hadn't been for your selfish aspirations and goals of greatness, I would never have met Dion Brisbane, he freed me, freed all of us, from the shackles of slavery. Now we're all free to live our lives the way we want.

Iris smiled slightly.

But sister,

Rose's voice became cold.

I will never forgive you for sending my own nephew to kill me, all in the name of getting rid of your past.

Rose got up to leave, Iris jumped out of her seat,

Where are you going to, you're leaving already?

Iris asked panicking.

Rose smiled at her genuinely this time...

I'm going back home Iris, back to where I belong, there are too many bad memories here. I'm going back to Rome, good bye forever, sister.

With that Rose left without looking back as Iris collapsed to the floor, crying!!

A year later, Iris passed away, they said she had just slept and didn't wake up.

As the saying goes...

The show must go on;

life keeps going.

Dion didn't remarry, he died single, so his dukedomship was passed on to Dorian, who married a Spanish woman and had five children; four boys, and a girl. He named her Emilia and one of his sons he named Dion.....

And so the curtains close on their story; indeed a play of identity.