Aunt Aude had been ushered into her room and she locked her door after saying she wanted to rest and didn't want to talk to anyone. As for Anna, she told Emmy that she had heard from Aunt Aude about what happened. She was talking to Aunt Aude while Emmeline was talking to Corbin.
"Miss," said Anna, "are you Vincenzo's lover?"
Emmeline was taken aback by the question. She was silent and stared at Anna in disbelief, but her critical thoughts didn't give her time to rest. "No. Why do you think like that?"
"Oh, sorry. My mind was led to think that way. Em ... forget it. Miss, you two had a good time together before he died." Anna was seen shedding tears. She rushed to wipe it. "I was a teenager when Vin died. But what you should know, Vin ... he is a very loving brother. I cried all night after his funeral. Corbin couldn't even leave me for a second at that time even though I knew he was also devastated to lose his brother and best friend. Miss, I don't care if Vin told you lies about us. I'm not mad at him. All I want right now is to hear about the days you spent with Vin in France in his last years. Was he happy? Can you please share stories about Vin with me?"
Emmeline couldn't take it anymore. Her tears had been falling uncontrollably by then. She grabbed Anna's body and hugged her, then caressed her back earnestly. "Of course, Anna. Would you mind if you slept with me tonight?"
Anna freed herself from Emmy's arms. "Not at all. Before going to bed, let's share a story about Vin."
Emmeline nodded her head.
The night was so late. But Anna and Emmeline still hadn't fallen asleep. They were still talking on the bed in Emmeline's room. Anna asked Emmeline many things, and Emmeline also shared many things with Anna. Until the umpteenth time Emmeline saw Anna yawn, Emmeline finally said, "Go to sleep, Anna. You look very sleepy."
"While you yourself are not going to sleep yet?"
Emmeline was silent for a moment. She let go of a languid look. "I honestly wasn't sure if I could sleep before your brother came back. He just left after we talked. He didn't say anything and didn't stop when I called him. Was he mad at me? But why? Or was he upset at what happened? What's on his mind?"
"Do you think it's important what Corbin thinks of you?" said Anna. Emmeline suddenly turned to her.
"What do you mean, Anna? Of course. I mean, isn't that important?"
Anna smiled. "As far as I know, we think what's on someone's mind is important because that person is close to our hearts. My friend once told me that. What I see is that you and Corbin are getting closer, too. I'm even starting to feel, there's something different about the way Corbin looks at you. I don't know if it's just my feeling. But I think I got to know him well after being his little sister for twenty years."
"A-anna—"
"I'm sorry, Miss. Forget my ramblings. I don't want to bother you when you're in a bad mood. All right. Let's go to sleep."
Emmeline refrained from saying more. She nodded her head. She lay down, positioning herself as if she were actually sleeping, even though she wasn't.
A few moments passed, Emmeline straightened herself again. Anna seemed to have fallen asleep beside her. As for Emmeline, she didn't feel the slightest bit of drowsiness.
Emmy moved out of bed. She came out of her room, and after closing the bedroom door tightly, she checked Aude's room. The door to her room was locked tight. Emmeline could only hope that the woman was actually sleeping instead of crying over her late nephew.
Emmy then turned to the front room. Looking out through the window. Corbin hadn't shown any signs of returning yet. Emmeline took a deep breath. She felt really uncomfortable.
Emmy's gaze shifted involuntarily to a key lying on the table. Vincenzo's workshop key. Emmy was moved to take the key.
"Vin," Emmy sighed. Then she gripped the key tightly.
Emmeline moved slowly out of the house and closed the door tightly. Since the afternoon the Vincenzo case had been on her mind. Then that second she couldn't sleep either. The image of Vincenzo continued to flash in the corners of her eyes.
Emmeline opened the workshop door. She entered and immersed herself in the atmosphere presented in the workshop.
In front of Vin's belongings, Emmy felt both longing and curious. Her mind was bombarded with many questions that stifled her chest.
"It's hard for me to think badly of you, Vin," said Emmy. "But why would you lie to me about all the things I should know?" Emmeline closed her eyes as she took a deep breath.
She then spent some time in the room, until after a while, Emmy decided to come out. Reflecting for a while in Vincenzo's workshop had made her decide to hasten her return to Elderville-Bryxton. She actually had a few more days in Brilfaxa, but the situation had made her think it was better not to stay there any longer.
Emmeline walked back towards the house. Corbin still hadn't come back. Emmy exhaled heavily. She kept walking into the house, intending to go into her room to pick up her cell phone and call Chloe Levine. Emmy knew it was late at night. It was even early in the morning. But Emmy couldn't hold back anymore. She wanted to ask Chloe to re-adjust her schedule at work because Emmy was planning to return to France the next day.
Emmeline walked very carefully as she entered the room. Anna was fast asleep. Emmeline didn't want to bother her. After successfully getting her cellphone, Emmy came back out of the room, then walked out of the house. She wanted to be able to talk more freely with Chloe.
Emmy actually called Chloe, and she apologized immediately as soon as the phone was connected, because she had disturbed Chloe at night, but Emmy stated that the atmosphere at Corbin's house was not conducive to continuing the vacation she wanted. "Everything that happened, I'll tell you tomorrow," said Emmy. But after a while of speaking, Emmeline furrowed her brows as she found Chloe not responding much. "Chloe, are you listening to me?"
"E—em, y-yes, Emmeline. I hear you. But ... there's something important you really need to know. I-I'm at the office right now. I've been meaning to call you, but I'm hesitant because it's nighttime. Besides, I'm at a loss as to how to convey it. You've only been out of the office for a few days, but there's already trouble at work. And this is a serious matter."
Emmeline felt her heart beating fast even though she hadn't heard the full explanation from Chloe, but from what Chloe said, it seemed that what Chloe was about to say was really something serious.
"What's the matter, Chloe? Just tell me," said Emmy.
"There's a problem in the production department, Emmy. Someone is trying to sabotage the production department."
"What?" Emmy shrieked softly.
***