CHAPTERSIX
1158 Words
The whole mansion was quiet the next morning that if a pin fell, you didn't have to be attentive before you heard the sounds.
Aria went to bed very late because she was thinking of everything she saw and her confrontation with Damain.
She felt very sorry for Lila that she didn't know when she said aloud:
"Oh! Poor Lila"! I can't imagine the pain you went through, got burnt in a fire that happened as a mistake from the man you both love each other."
Tears roll down from her eyes down to her face. She didn't clean it. She allowed it to flow easily as though the tears would wash away the sadness she had encountered from the pain around the mansion.
"She was more than my fiancée...that word rang in Aria's head like a bell. She couldn't help it, but felt so sorry for Damain too.
For the first time, she had seen the human in the man she always looked at as a beast.
"Maybe we should try to get closer to people before we conclude their real characters.
Some people are just using their strictness as an avenue to cover their weakness". Aria said to her as she sat up in her bed.
But she finds it so disturbing that people in the mansion are taking it so differently from the way she was told.
She felt there was more to the death than what she was told: the fire, the Damain's guilt...but something is still not being disclosed to her.
She stood up from the bed and walked towards her door on bare feet. She was walking like someone tired and unhappy.
She opened the door, then walked down the hallway in a manner you could say she hadn't slept all day.
She passed by many servants who were doing one chore or the other. They greeted and quickly lowered their gaze and walked fast.
Instead of responding to their greetings, she only nodded and walked like she were unconscious of where she was.
Finally, she got to the kitchen and saw Evelyn arranging things, and she put some tea cups on a silver tray.
Evelyn turned towards her as she heard the footsteps.
She smiled and greeted her with an energetic voice: "Good morning, Mrs. Stone, and I trust you slept well.
"Aria...I would rather you call me Aria". That is my name". Aria replied.
Evelyn smiled and walked closer to Aria. "Apology, Aria, but that is who you are, ma",Mrs, Stone?
"Aria..., please call me Aria". Aria replied again in a soft voice.
"Ok," Evelyn responded with a hand gesture that showed that she surrendered.
But, you didn't sleep well? Do you?
Aria nodded then replied, "I didn't sleep well" I was just thinking about everything that happened.
She sat down at the small breakfast chair. Evelyn served her a cup of tea, then she took a sip and continued. "How could he keep that huge secret?"
Evelyn placed her hand on Aria's shoulder gently and said as if she was whispering to her ear:
"Mr Stone doesn't like to discuss it with anyone. Trying to make him talk will do more harm than expected".
Aria carefully dropped the cup of tea, stood and faced Evelyn.
"On the contrary, he was just hiding his weakness under the pretence of strictness. It is written all over his face that he needed someone to talk to." Aria said
"Aria," Evelyn said as she held Aria by her two shoulders softly,
"Some pasts are meant to let it be in the past because bringing it to the present can ruin the future."
"Likewise, burying oneself in one's past is dangerous to attain happiness in life".
Aria said as she pulled Evelyn's hands away softly.
Evelyn looked at Aria in disbelief. They both looked into each other's eyes, and the kitchen was filled with silence
She walked close to Evelyn and told her to ponder over their discussion, then she left for her room.
Some hours later, she was taking a stroll. She got to the main hall, and she was staring outside through the big, tall glass window.
She saw Damain's car and the driver was already prepared. She walked closely and watched.
A few minutes later, Damain came out of the mansion and the car door was opened for him.
"You are going out already?" Aria asked softly.
He responded without looking up. "Business calls"
"Is that another name you give as a way of running from reality?" Aria responded
Damain looked up and for some seconds , he didn't say anything. He then broke the silence. "Aria, please, I am not in for this".
Aria replied softly. "As if you have ever been in the mood for it".
Damain replied with a mid tone that you could neither tell if he was calm nor angered.
"Don't go near the door to the east wing. They are meant to be closed."
"At times when you read a chapter in a book that refers you to the chapters you have read before, you need to go back to it and check what you are not getting right". Aria replied.
Damain at this time was annoyed. He looked at her and said to her in a voice that seemed to be a threat.
"It seems you've forgotten who you are, and I think I have reminded you now."
"You don't have to because I always do," Aria replied, smiling softly.
Damain was confused. He left without saying another word.
Aria was still standing, looking at the car as they drove till it faded.
She turned to go back to her room, and she was surprised to see Evelyn at a distance, part of the hallway, watching her.
"You have been listening to our conversation?'' Aria asked in a mid tone.
Evelyn replied in a tone that seems she was advicing Aria to let the secret be secret.
Aria replied with a soft smile, "I will. Only if you people can tell me what is more to this matter than what I knew, because you are all acting as though there is more I haven't seen or heard."
She walked closely to Evelyn and said to her as if she whispered into her ears,
''I will find out myself and I don't care what it will cost me".
Then she left.
- Writer
