The Revenant's Heiress

Chapter II

To be betrayed is perhaps the most difficult thing that could happen to anyone. Averill knew Audrey was still struggling with her pains. He hesitated and turned to go away when she spoke.

“How wonderful it might be- the love of the waters and the sea. For no matter where the waters wander, no matter how long it takes for them to journey, they always go back to the sea where they belong.”

He stopped and looked at Audrey. She was still facing the horizon. He opened his mouth to speak but realizing that the woman was just talking to herself, he turned to leave. He suddenly felt guilty being there when all Audrey wanted was to be alone.

He was about to take another step when Audrey turned and asked, “Do you think I will ever experience that kind of love?”

He felt a painful tug in his chest. He cannot help but look at her with a dejected face. He understood that it was not easy for her to let go. But knowing that he has always been there before, during and after Leo, made him feel like a fool. He felt a quick rush of disdain against Leo. He was the devilish angel he always has been that Audrey cannot--- or would not dare to see. He is deliberately thoughtless and is only concerned about his happiness, but Audrey is completely blinded about that. Although by now, Audrey knows Leo is a real phony. Still, she is hopeful about him changing his ways for the sake of their love. This naked truth made everything more painful… for Audrey and Averill. But even more so, Averill felt sorrier for Audrey than for himself.

“You deserve a love that’s pure and true,” he said with genuine sincerity as he walked toward her, forcing a smile.

And he again wondered at how anyone would dare to hurt such a delicate beauty, especially when he looked into those teary, sincere and naïve eyes. Beside his pronounced admiration toward Audrey, a look of hatred also flickered through his eyes.

He hated her for being so blind. He hated her for allowing herself to be a victim, but he can only be mum about it. He tried to channel all his hatred toward Leo. Audrey never deserved any of his deceptions. And somehow, he has not only broken her heart, but he has taken a great piece from her, too, replacing it with gloom and fear. Her mesmerizing eyes are now clouded with grief. She still looked sweet and delicate, but there’s a line on her lips that said she has matured, grown stronger, even older, in a matter of days.

“Do you think a love like that still exists?” She asked. He was surprised at her cynical tone. Although it would have been easily understandable for anyone who has been deeply hurt, he did not expect such a mocking tone from Audrey who has always been forgiving.

He looked sorrowfully at her mesmerizing eyes and wondered how she was letting herself suffer when she can love a better man. Her fine features indeed reflected her inner self, always too good to a fault.

Despite the complicated mess they were in, Averill sometimes felt a joyful sadness that gave him a ray of hope to his far-fetched anticipated serendipity.

Yes, he always wanted Audrey to find out for herself about Leo, but he did not like her to be as hurt as she was feeling right now. When the two broke up, Averill crossed his fingers, hoping that Audrey will then realize that the love she deserves, has just been there beside her all the while.

“I must be a dreamer because I think it does,” Averill managed to say.

“Yes, I guess so,” she answered, looking at Averill with a controlled smile. And then, she realized she might be misunderstood.

“I mean, yes, I also believe there is still such a love,” she tried to correct herself. “But no, you are not a dreamer… And if you are, you are not alone,” she answered sheepishly.

He nodded. He perfectly understood how she still yearned for Leo. She is clearly the kind of person who would be consciously unaware of a person’s stupidity.

Averill knew that Audrey was aware of Leo’s games even before that grievous incident, but she did not like to open her eyes to the truth. He wanted to haul over the coals on her for being such a shrewd dumb. But Averill often found himself amused at the same foolishness he was inflicting on himself with regard Audrey. What a sweet sorrow.

“Yeah, I sure am not alone,” he smiled and she looked at him knowingly.

Audrey has always been mindful of Averill being on dance attendance on her. He has been there whenever Leo failed to attend to his promises or did one of his disappearing acts, which was often. Just one call was all it took for Averill to be with her in a jiffy.

Gosh, he almost always eats out of her hand like she’s the only thing he cared for in the world. She knows the man shares her sorrows and he has done everything he could to help her cope with a broken heart. He is obviously head over heels in love with her. But he has been like a brother to her, and she did not like to change that. Besides, he cannot imagine him to be an interesting lover, unlike Leo.

Leo--- why can’t she get him out of her head? It seemed that everything she thought about, no matter how hard she tried to forget, was Leo. Audrey looked at the skyline again and noticed it was getting dark. She became silently absorbed in her own thoughts.

Averill understood her sudden silence. He felt foolish again, allowing himself to be hurt over and over with Audrey’s obvious hopes for her relationship with Leo. He wanted so much to embrace the lady and tell her that everything’s okay- that she is loved, that he loves her and that is all that should matter. But he only laughed at himself inwardly for his own stupidity. Despite the obvious absence of Audrey’s interest in him as a lover, he just can’t stop hoping for her to requite his devotion and love… And then, he started to feel the pain worsen again. Averill suddenly started reconsidering if it was a good idea to invite Audrey to the place.

“You came here to relax and forget all your troubles, you know,” Averill forced himself to say, trying to brush off his thoughts and emotions. “Give yourself a break. You deserve it,” he strained to say the words as a lump in his throat betrayed him. He tried to encourage Audrey, but the tension in his voice clearly showed he was also breaking inside.

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to…,” Averill struggled to continue.

“It’s OK. I understand,” Audrey snapped with a careful tone. She was quite sensitive about the feelings of Averill, too, and she did not want to see him break down. Not even when they were alone together… In fact, especially when they were just by themselves.

“I hope we could talk about better days,” Averill said, trying to make their conversation lighter.

“Sure,” Audrey answered with a smile and Averill’s heart hurt all the more. He was growing angry at himself. It seemed that he said all the wrong things at the right time, and he cannot understand why he does that with Audrey almost every time.

Audrey sighed. Averill looked at the lady who was gazing at nothing, alone again in her own thoughts. Her eloquent silence says it all. He knows that better days to her, as he suggested, are days she spent with Leo.

Goodness! Perhaps her worst time with Leo is even better than the days they used to enjoy together. Averill looked away, trying to hold the tears that threatened to fall.

By now, the sun has set and it was starting to get dark. Audrey might not be able to notice Averill’s dismal countenance but he turned, hiding his emotions, trying to act naturally. Thankfully, he spotted their friends waving at them.

Audrey was a little surprised when Averill slightly tapped her on the shoulder.

“Hey, I think the company wants us,” he said, pointing to their friends who were already starting to grill some meat and vegetables.

“Oh, yes,” she said absent-mindedly. Still lost in her thoughts of Leo, she followed Averill as he gently pulled her by the hand.

“Hey, I called a friend of mine earlier. She’s an exciting character. I think you’ll like her,” Averill tried to get Audrey’s thoughts back to the present.

“I told her a lot about you and she thinks she likes you already. I’m guessing you’ll feel the same way once you get to know her.”

“Wow! You gave her a good picture of me with just one call?” Audrey felt surprised and uneasy because she never thought Averill talked about her to other people.

“Actually, I’ve been telling her about you for a time now,” Averill blushed. “Look, she has been a long-time friend and confidant,” he added defensively when he saw the dismay on Audrey’s face. He knows how much Audrey hates being the subject of conversations, whether they say good or bad things about her, even if it was between Averill and a trusted friend.

Averill apologetically looked at Audrey, trying to find her face in the dim light of the sun’s rays that was reflected through the clouds. She was emotionless- or so he thought.

She was actually angry, feeling betrayed. But with her raw emotional state, she did not like to feel or think anymore.

She shivered but it was not from the cold. For some reason, she suddenly felt afraid. And she wondered if Averill was not the person she always thought him to be.

Averill did not see the chilling and unusual paleness of Audrey’s face. He was waving at their friends as they approached their camp.

All the while, Audrey was wondering about how strange she felt so that she was surprised when her friend, Carla, grabbed her by the shoulders.

“What did Averill do to you?” Carla said teasingly. “You look so pale!” All eyes turned to Audrey when Carla expressed her observation. “Did Averill finally come to his senses and became reckless even for once?” Carla whispered to Audrey and giggled.

Audrey, even with her pallor, blushed at Carla’s mischievous comments. She gave her friend a warning stare as she sat by the fire.

When Averill looked at Audrey, it was his turn to grow nervous and worried. Somehow, he knew that Audrey’s sallow countenance was unusual. He has seen that look before. Not on Audrey’s face. His eyes grew wild and his mind spun as he tried to convince himself of the impossibility of what he was seeing.

“It can’t be”, he repeated the words in his head over and over, trying to believe that he was just being too anxious about Audrey.