PARALLELED: Wait! Why Am I Suddenly Filthy Rich?

Chapter 21: Silent Mourn

Tanya watched Riley as the kid happily chose her school bag from the racks.

“Waaa~ They are all beautiful. How can they all be so equally pretty, sister Tanya? Ungh. I can’t decide!” Riley exclaimed as her eyes were in awe in front of the different prettily designed school bags in front of her. She was having this silent dilemma that Tanya and the others, find cute.

After contemplating so hard, Riley has finally decided to choose a plainly designed bag. Tanya was surprised. “Are you sure about this? You always can pick that cartoon designed bag over there. You seem to like it, earlier.” She said, pointing to the pink-colored school bag from a nearby isle.

But Riley just smiled and shook her head on Tanya. “No. I like this better, sister Tanya.” She said. Riley’s eyes say that she speaks the truth, and Tanya can clearly read it. With a smile, Tanya accepted the bag and handed it to Gilbert. “Let’s go pay for it, then.” She said.

While they wait in line, Tanya suddenly felt Riley’s hug on her waist. “Hmm? Is this my “thank you” for today?” Tanya asked and looked down to meet Riley’s eyes.

The girl happily nodded. “Yes. This is my thank you sister Tanya. And not just for today. But for everything, too. I’m really happy to meet you and the others. I really do.” Riley sincerely said while still hugging her.

Tanya smiled and patted Riley’s head. “You’re welcome kid. You’re welcome. And we too, are happy to have you as our family. And since we are now a family, can you promise me one thing?” Tanya asked.

Riley looked up at Tanya. “What is it, sister Tanya?”

Tanya squatted to level with Riley and offered her pinky. “Promise that you would study hard. That you would have a lot of friends in school. And that you would be a good student to your teachers.” She said with a grin.

Riley took a few seconds to respond. Then shortly after, she finally smiled as she also took out her pinky and forged the iconic pinky promise with Tanya.

“The promise is now sealed. Gilbert, Monty and Morty witnessed it, too. You can’t break it anymore, Riley.” Tanya teased that made Riley cutely pout her lips.

“I won’t.” She sulked.

Tanya just chuckled and then moved up to the counter, to finally pay. After that transaction, they then moved to a few clothing stores to buy Haru and Sasaki’s needs, such as clothes.

Considering the sibling’s situation, Tanya decided to hide the two inside her mansion for a while, just to be safe. Thus, buying their own things personally would be impossible. That is why, she took responsibility and offered to buy it along with Riley’s.

After almost three hours of jumping from one store to another, they were finally able to buy what they need.

“I need to pee, sister Tanya.” Riley announced after they exited from their last store.

Tanya also felt like peeing so she nodded and came with Riley inside the ladies’ room while the three men stayed outside. Tanya finished first and was already washing her hand when she remembered about the shopping bags that she left on one of the boutiques’ counter, two floors above. She knocked Riley’s cubicle and told the kid to wait outside with Gilbert if she’s done, as she will go upstairs and fetch the forgotten shopping bags together with Monty and Morty, who insisted to come.

Riley agreed to it so she walked out right away. “Bye bye, sister Tanya.” Riley spoke just before she could exit the room. Tanya stopped and turned around. “I’ll be back immediately, Riley. Wait for me okay?” She reminded once again but Riley did not respond anymore, thus she blindly proceeded and left.

Upstairs, Tanya almost took 10 minutes to get her shopping bags. The boutique’s staff did a mistake and misplaced her items with the others. They had to check the CCTV footage just to find it as quickly as they can. And when they did, Tanya immediately went her way and hurried back to where Gilbert and Riley were. She told them both to wait, that’s why they will never follow them no matter what. That’s just how Gilbert was, so

Tanya decided to use the escalator rather than the elevator as it was faster. That is why, as they slowly went down to the right floor, they immediately noticed the commotion below.

“What is happening? Isn’t that where Riley and Gilbert were waiting?” Tanya voiced out her question for Monty and Morty.

But while Monty or Morty answered her question, a conversation from a nearby group of people caught Tanya’s attention first.

“That’s so scary. How can someone, do that to a kid? That’s too cruel!”

Hearing that sentence, Tanya suddenly felt anxious and her heart started beating crazily. But she tried to calm down and dialed Gilbert’s digits. However, the butler’s phone was just ringing and he’s not answering.

Tanya’s mind grew more anxious. She is not liking this feeling she has now.

‘What’s happening?’

“Find Gilbert.” Tanya managed to win over her thoughts and ordered. Morty immediately followed and went to the ocean of people.

“I’m with the police! Step away!”

Tanya heard one person behind him shouted while showing his badge. The man was in civilian uniform but the police badge he’s showing is enough proof that he is indeed a police officer. The ocean of people immediately divided to give space for him. And at that moment, Tanya finally caught glimpse of what was inside the ladies’ room.

Red.

The color of blood.

This information is already expected by Tanya, but when her eyes laid on the color of the dress worn by someone on the ground, her legs automatically moved on its own.

“R-r-riley… Riley!”

Tanya called out the name of the person whom she knew who owns that dress.

“Miss Tanya!” Monty called behind her but she did not stop, nor the police officer could. She continued walking, no. She ran. And the moment she reached the door, her legs failed her and collapsed.

“Riley!” Tanya once again called.

She is seeing Riley’s face from this person lying down on the floor, bathing with blood. But this isn’t Riley, right?

It’s no her-

“N-no…No.” Tanya uttered as she slowly crawled towards Riley’s lifeless body. She immediately scooped Riley’s head and laid it in her lap, ignoring the blood on her hands and clothes.

“Miss! You can’t move the body just like that! What are you even-”

The police officer who tried to stop Tanya from holding Riley’s body was stopped by Monty. The police officer glared at Monty but the man’s authoritative glare was too strong that the police officer backed off unconsciously.

“Hey, Riley. Open your eyes, please. I’m already here. Sister Tanya is now back, kid. I told you to wait, right? You already did, so please…please open your eyes.”  

Tanya’s eyes were bloody red, yet the tears are not falling down. She doesn’t want them to.

“What’s wrong? Why are you lying down in this cold floor?” Tanya asked on Riley’s face. But as she receives no response still, she turned to the standing police officer nearby and shouted. “Ambulance! What are you doing? Call an ambulance! Aren’t you a police officer? Then do your job!”

“Miss Tanya…” Morty, who is already inside the room, called his master sadly.

 “Ughhh.”

Then suddenly, a tiny groan from one of the closed cubicles was heard. Monty immediately moved and looked at it, only to find the missing Gilbert with a wound on his temple.

“Sir Gilbert!” Monty called and immediately aided the old butler. Morty also ran to help.

Gilbert slowly opened his eyes upon hearing someone’s voice. “Monty? W-what happened?” The butler asked while he was being supported by Monty to stand. Then he suddenly remembered something.

“Wait!” Gilbert exclaimed. “Riley, where’s Riley? I remembered seeing a few men entering the ladies’ room after someone knocked my head out. Where is she?” Gilbert asked in urgency but, instead of answering, Monty just turned her head on his left.

Gilbert followed his gaze and almost fell on the ground after. “N-no way… Riley.” The butler weakly called.

“Say, Morty… Monty… Gilbert…” Tanya suddenly spoke, calling out the three of them. “I-is this really Riley? Our Riley?” She asked, voice started cracking.

Monty who was best at keeping his tears, answered. “Yes Miss. That…that is Riley. Our Riley.” He answered carefully, trying not to c***k his voice too.

“Then…” Tanya continued. “Is she really…dead?” She finally asked the question.

“Yes.” Monty directly answered.

Silence followed after that. Then moments later-

“I see. Riley is now really…dead.”

Hearing Tanya’s cracked voice and silent whimpers, Monty, Morty and Gilbert just looked down on the floor and listened to their masters mourn, along with theirs.