How Lilies turn Black Chapter 58 - Tragic News of 1962

Blood splattered across the floor in patches. 

 

The bright red blood streaming down Angelo’s hand in thick rivulets.

Liliana realized someone had shot him before he could even attempt to snipe.

 

‘Ah. They’ve been discovered.’

 

She didn’t have time to consider that her own life might be in danger. Instinctively, her body moved toward Angelo.

 

“Sis, don’t come! Go get the gun!”

 

He shouted through gritted teeth. Now wasn’t the time to come to him—she had to go. 

 

Go and grab the gun.

 

Liliana, who had been about to sprint forward, hesitated and stopped in her tracks.

 

“Go shoot! Hurry! This is our only chance!”

 

What she should do, what she wanted to do—there was no time for clear judgment in that brief moment. But her body reacted first. 

 

Without understanding why herself, Liliana dashed to the window and grabbed the rifle.

 

What if they were attacked? She crouched as low as possible beneath the windowsill and steadied the gun.

 

Then, she pressed her eye to the scope.

 

She had never properly learned how to fire a sniper rifle. 

 

Never even practiced shooting. But the Liliana in this dream knew how to handle it with surprising ease, quickly locking onto her target within the crosshairs.

 

The target stood in the backseat of a car with no roof, waving at the cheering crowd.

 

His face wasn’t visible as he was turned to the side, but it didn’t matter. He was undoubtedly the mark, and all Liliana had to do was aim at the round back of his head, covered in bright blond hair.

 

She aligned the crosshairs directly with that shock of yellow hair. Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger and fired.

 

Bang!

 

At that moment, the man in the convertible turned sharply. Through the fluttering strands of his radiant hair, a familiar face became visible.

 

Wayne Boyd.

 

But her finger had already pulled the trigger, and there was no stopping the bullet once it left the barrel.

 

A dark red hole pierced the exact center of his forehead. The sight of Wayne Boyd—the man she had just killed—falling backward played out in agonizing slow motion.

 

“Ahhh—!”

 

And with a scream, Liliana jolted awake.

 

💫

 

A cold sweat clung to her entire body. 

 

As she frantically scanned the room, she recognized the familiar surroundings she saw every time she opened her eyes.

 

Her sparsely furnished bedroom was bleak, yet filled with sunlight, its warmth wrapping around her.

 

Only then did a wave of relief wash over her, and Liliana let her head fall back onto the pillow. She lay there for a while, blinking slowly, waiting for her dazed mind to fully wake.

 

How long had she stayed like that?

 

Gradually, Liliana realized that those horrifying events had all been a dream—that this was her reality, the life she was living.

 

She lifted her arm to cover her eyes and let out a sigh.

 

“Haa…”

 

Her exhale carried a mix of relief and unease. 

 

Just what kind of dream was that?

 

Even though she knew none of it made sense, the vividness of it all made it feel like it could become reality.

 

Liliana roughly rubbed her eyes with her arm.

 

No, it was just a nightmare. Just a dream. I’ve been thinking about Fidel all day yesterday, that’s all. 

 

Dreams don’t mean anything. It’s just my subconscious.

 

But no matter how much she tried to rationalize it, her mind still hadn’t fully settled. She couldn’t shake the fear that the fates of the two people she loved might drift away into some unintended abyss, just like in her dream. 

 

The unease refused to fade.

 

‘Angelo, you’re the one I’m most worried about.’

 

Unlike the straightforward Wayne, Angelo was unpredictable—she never knew where he might turn next.

 

Liliana sat up, leaning against the headboard, and immediately grabbed the telephone from the nightstand.

 

After dialing, it didn’t take long for the ringing tone to start.

 

Will he answer today…?

 

Ever since returning to life in 1961, she had called him every two or three days. But out of every ten calls, he picked up fewer than five.

 

How nice would it be if he answered today? 

 

Just hearing his usual voice might be enough to calm her pointless worries and lingering anxiety.

 

And as if her desperation had reached him—

 

— Hello?

 

A clear, bright voice came through the receiver.

 

The tension drained from her body at once. Liliana, who had been sitting rigidly, slumped slightly as she called out his name.

 

“…Angelo.”

 

— Yeah, sis. What’s up?

 

Even though she often called without any real reason, Angelo still asked, Why? every time he picked up.

 

It seemed he still expected some purpose behind her calls, and that loneliness crept into a corner of her heart. 

 

Still, hearing his voice lifted her spirits, and a faint smile touched her lips.

 

“No reason. What are you up to? It’s the weekend.”

 

— Getting ready to go out. Gotta enjoy the weekend, right?

 

“Ah…”

 

Her hand holding the phone trembled slightly.

 

This was the same Angelo who had stubbornly refused to make time for her on weekends—who turned her down with excuses like I’m busy, I’m tired, or Not now, even when she offered to visit.

 

Yet here he was, pushing her away while making plans to go out with others. 

 

Liliana couldn’t fully hide the hurt in her voice.

 

“…Where?”

 

— Going to watch horse racing. Been getting into it lately.

 

Horse racing? 

 

She had never once heard him mention an interest in horse races. 

 

Was this some new hobby?

 

If he genuinely enjoyed watching the races, it wouldn’t be a problem, but…

 

“You’re not gambling on it, are you?”

 

— Come on, what do you take me for?

 

“Then just say no. Why get annoyed? Who are you going with?”

 

— I got people. Did you call just to interrogate me?

 

His voice on the other end had turned prickly.

 

Liliana felt nothing but frustration. All she had asked was where, if he was gambling, and who he was going with—just three simple things. 

 

Was that really enough to accuse her of interrogating him?

 

It was always like this. No matter how much she tried, the distance between them never closed. 

 

No matter how hard she pushed, Angelo refused to let her past a certain line—all under the guise of privacy.

 

So, how far does her interest in him go?

“Am I not even allowed to ask things like this? What, should I just check occasionally whether you’re alive or dead? Is that what you want?”

 

There was so much she wanted to say, but her throat tightened, making it impossible to continue. Angelo, too, remained silent, leaving only an awkward and heavy stillness between them.

 

After a long pause, a muffled voice came through the receiver.

—Sorry.

 

“…”

 

—You know me, Sis. I live the way I want, and I find it annoying when people try to tell me what to do or fuss over me.

 

“…”

 

—I’ll try to be more considerate from now on, but you should meet me halfway, too.

 

Though his apology was straightforward, it felt like a heavy stone had dropped somewhere deep in her heart.

 

‘I’ll try to be more considerate.’

 

Angelo had said it, but she knew nothing would actually change.

 

Suddenly, all the strength and will drained from her body. Liliana lowered her empty gaze and muttered meaninglessly,

“I… told you I moved, remember? You said you’d visit, but I guess you forgot… Come by sometime when you’re free. Let’s see each other and talk properly.”

 

—…Alright.

 

With those words, the two ended the call.

 

After setting the phone down, Liliana quietly pulled her knees-up and buried her face in them. 

 

Only then did the wave of emotions crash over her, forcing her to stifle her sobs.

 

It wasn’t until after their sharp exchange that she realized just how arrogantly she had assumed she could bring Angelo to her side and protect him.

 

He was someone who never cared for others’ advice or opinions, making every decision on his own.

A boy who cherished the life he built for himself above all else.

 

How had she ever believed he would move for her, find a new job just because she said so? She couldn’t even understand it herself.

 

‘It’ll be hard to make him quit his work and the union… Not unless Angelo himself wants to.’

 

Liliana felt nothing but despair.

How could she possibly pull Angelo out of that place? At the moment, no clear solution came to mind.

 

The vague thought forming in her head was that instead of trying to move Angelo, she should target the Corella Family directly…

“Haha… Ha…”

 

Liliana shook her head and let out a self-deprecating laugh.

Even managing the Benedetti Family’s immediate affairs was difficult enough—what could she possibly do against the Corellas? Worse, the information she had was limited to the Benedetti Family.

 

Everything was a mess.

Yesterday’s meeting, which hadn’t gone her way. The nightmare she couldn’t make sense of. And now, Angelo’s problem, with no solution in sight.

 

‘Wayne, I hope at least you’re free of any trouble…’

 

Amid the tangled confusion and helplessness clouding her mind, Liliana thought of Wayne.

He was probably standing firm in his place, as he always did. No matter how much she wavered or crumbled, Wayne would remain unwavering, like the sun fixed in the sky, steadily fulfilling his role.

 

Liliana picked up the phone again.

She pulled out his business card—carefully stored in her drawer—and dialed the number written on it.

 

It was a weekend morning. If he had no prior engagements, it would be a good day to meet for lunch or dinner.

 

When the crisp click sounded, followed by a composed “Hello?” greeting her, Liliana reached out to him once more—just as she had on that endless day of wandering after killing Antonio.

 

“It’s about the jacket you lent me last time. I’d like to return it to you today.”