Lost (Beautiful Beast I)

Chapter-7

Leia

I woke up before the first ray of sun occupied the dark sky.

After taking a hot shower and spending some time watching the sunrise, I went down to the living room and waited for Nicholas.

No one were up except the maids, who were already in the kitchen, cooking breakfast. I randomly took a magazine I found in the shelf that's situated in the den and started to waste time with my eyes constantly wavering between the staircase and the clock.

Nicholas came down right when the clock struck six. I remember him saying that he'll leave at six. He was busy cuffing the buttons and walked straight to the dining hall, without noticing me. Coffee came to his place as soon as he took his seat.

I walked towards him.

'Good morning, Rose' he said without lifting his head up.

'Morning' my voice was soft.

'Take a seat' He said.

I took the seat opposite to him and he continued buttoning up. I took the chance to watch him. His dark hair resting neatly as ever on his head, his thick lips formed into a think line and his eyebrows scrunched as he fidgeted with the buttons. His muscularity didn't seem to hide behind his expensive suit and his dominant power doesn't seem to waver.

'I'd like to hear your decision'

He took his coffee and looked me in the eye.

'Well, you didn't give me much of a choice last night, did you? You made it clear that I can't step out of this home' I shrugged.

'I don't intend on having a stranger under my roof, Rose. The only reason I'm helping you is because I know Stark and how he runs his business. What you saw last night is just a flicker of hopelessness'

'Why did you come there anyway?' I asked the question before I could think. He raised one of his eyebrows and looked me with interest.

'Business' Was his reply.

'That was not a place to have any business'

He looked at me for a long moment, his stare immediately making the heat creep to my neck and cheeks.

'You don't want to know, Rose. Now tell me, what have you decided?'

'I'm truly grateful for your help. I don't know what would I've done that night if you didn't come to help. I-I'll stay here...for a while, you know, until they stop searching for me but I fear I might be intruding' I tugged the hair behind my ear.

'You are not intruding. In fact, mom and Sophia seem to like you'

I didn't ask when they spoke about me to him, considering that he came too late last night and they were all asleep.

'You are a guest here. I'll inform you when Stark's men finally leave your trail and you can go back to your normal life' He continued.

'Yeah, that sounds better'

'Is there anything else?'

Oh, yes, I was wondering what a criminal like Lanstov Vladimir Antonovich was doing at your home last night?

I didn't ask him that, of course.

'Nothing' I said instead.

He gave a curt nod placing his empty tea cup of the table and stood up before looking at his watch 'I need to get going. Take care, Rose'

With that, he left.

I saw the clock on the wall. 6:10 a.m. Took me ten minutes to talk very little.

Irina and Sophia came down after an hour. We had breakfast together and Irina went off to attend an important meeting, leaving behind me and Sophia.

I was totally bored doing nothing. At the noon time, Sophia locked her up to finish her assignment while I roamed about in the empty halls when the maids left.

I killed some time in the gym, mainly because I've never visited one and never tried any. I did try on some of them, the least heavier ones (which was actually not) and soon got bored.

I didn't dare to enter into other rooms but I couldn't help but enter into one which was situated in the living room, farthest to the kitchen and den. I never saw anyone going in there and the rooms on the top floor are the only ones been occupied.

The door opened when I accepted it to be locked. The room was big enough to park two trucks. There was a large desk with a chair behind it and two in front. One of the sides had shelves with books and documents while the other side had lockers. The floor, unlike being marble like in other rooms and hall, it was wood. Every step I took made noise on the wooden surface and clearly the room is an office. There were newspapers and a document on the table which took my interest and the moment I opened the document, the first thing I saw was a picture. The image in it is a restaurant. The name on the restaurant read Dell Amore Food, written beautifully. The entrance had glass doors and looks like a five-star hotel.

I flipped the picture and went to see the papers in it.

'What are you doing here?'

I jolted and turned around to see Sophia watching me with an irritated expression.

'I was —

'You are not supposed to enter this room' she walked swiftly towards me, gripped my elbow before walking both of us out of the room and locking it behind.

'You can't enter there' Her voice was stern.

'I'm sorry to intrude. I was just —

'It's alright. Don't do it next time' She gave an uneasy smile which didn't help the situation.

'Come on, I have something to show you' she said and walked up the stairs with me right behind her.

'Are you done with your assignment?' I asked.

'Yeah, almost. I can't wait for the holidays to get over. I remember dreading for these holidays but now I'm so bored and can't wait to get over it'

'Here, come' she opened a room with a key, a room that's right beside Nicholas's

We entered in to complete darkness before Sophia switched on the lights. The large room instantly lit up with orange glow, not only because of the chandelier on top, but the other lights too. It had a large item in the center with a cloth covered on it. It wouldn't need a genius to know that it's a piano. My lips curved into a wide smile and I saw Sophia from my peripheral view, watching me.

The rest of the room is barren. There's a couch which is also covered and there's no shelves and racks, and just a single small photo on the wall at the corner of the room.

'Go on' Sophia encouraged.

I walked slowly, me eyes solely on what's there in the middle of the room. Clutching the cloth in a tight grip, I pulled it away, letting it land on the floor beside me. The instrument was black and shinny I was able to see my own reflection in it. It's the same type of piano I learned to play in Russian Community Of Dance and Music but it was medium in size, also this piano was so massive and the texture was nothing like the ones used at current times. I removed the cloth from the bench too and watched the piano on with great desire. I always Dad to buy me this Grand Piano but he didn't. I always had to use it in the class, nowhere else.

'It's beautiful' Sophia said.

'Yes, indeed' Was all I could say.

'It's one of the best. My grandfather bought traded this with a landlord in the 90s for an antique jewelry, it'll cost worth millions now but h

'Belongs to my dead Aunt, whom I never knew. Dad loved her so much that when she died, a part of him died with her. He use to play it every night after her death, mom was alive then and tried to bring him out but she later died due to sickness, which was another impact on him. He couldn't handle the pain, he was not able to cope up and move on, so he left us'

'Do you hate him?' I asked 'You father, do you hate him for what he did?'

'I wish I could' She said.

'Well, do you play?' I asked lightly.

'Oh, no. I don't' she waved her hand 'This may remain abandoned in this house but it's the most precious thing for all of us here' She gave a soft smile.

'No one played after —

'No, no one knows to play in this house. Aron, my brother never enters this room, he loathes it. I come here because this is the closet thing to my father. I don't get to see him often, you see' she chuckled dryly.

When she was out of the room, her eyes were sparkling in excitement to show me this but after she entered in and saw the piano, all the excitement got replaced with past events and she still didn't realize she's talking all this to me, a mere stranger.

'I was one year old when my mother died in a car accident. She was behind the wheel, alone in the car driving back home to us, to me. The accident was brutal, the car burned to flames and by the time help arrived, it was just ashes remaining' I said when the silence became overwhelming.

'Oh...Rose, I'm so sorry' she said, walking towards me and placed her hand on mine which was on the piano table. 

Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears and concern took over her features.

'It was twenty one years ago. I was too little and...guess it didn't effect me much until I grew up and understood that my mom was gone' I said.

I felt her pat my back before taking a step from me.

'I'm glad you shared this to me' I heard her say.

'I'm glad you showed me this room and gave a piece of you' I said, smiling at her.

'Do you play?' she asked the question I was dreading to hear.

'Yes' I replied, my smile brighter than the room.

'I'm your guest, then' she said.

She's removed the sheet covering the couch and sat down.

I sat down on the bench and gave a smile to Sophia before my fingers touched the keys.

My heart is content and I don't know whether it's because I finally got to play or because I made a friend.