Haunted Hearts

John Noah Wainwright. His name somehow awakened a part of Raeliana. A part of her she thought would be empty forever. But she changed her mind on that cold, rainy morning, when she struggled with her reply. As Raeliana was sitting in her desk, pen in her hand, she was convinced that it was her foolishness that made her answer Noah's letter. A letter that should have been ignored. She set off to answer the letter right after her best friend, Isabella brings her the coffee inside her bedroom, beside her in her desk. She sat there silent for a while as she starts examining her signature in the letter, making sure it wasn't revealing her identity. Lies. she thought. Guilt darkened her emerald green eyes. She read the letter again, aware that she was being reckless and unwise. Still not knowing the consequences and being aware that she was placing her life in a stranger's hand. Dear Lord Wainwright, As my father's son, I am sorry to inform you that your request to summon Dr. Heinz Ackerman, to Stonegate Castle is impossible. My father had died this past month from leukemia. If I can be of any help, I am willing to offer my services. I may have not been a formal education of my father, but I have been his assistant in all of his later works. I await your reply. Until then, I am, Your humble servant, Ray Ackerman Raeliana stared at the letter, guilt making her want to correct her name. She was lying to him indeed. But this was the only way she knew she will be accepted by this man. She knew that if she have put her name to Raeliana, he would deny her immediately. He would never consider in bringing a mere woman, let alone someone who possessed no physician's degree, to help his brother. It was more likely that once she arrives at his home, he would immediately show her back to the door, but she atleast had to try. She couldn't bare staying at her city. This John Noah Wainwright was her only road out. She numbly gazed at her bare room. The carpets were gone, revealing the raw, unfinished floorboards that had been covered from the first day she and her father had moved in their new house. The room once has smelled like scented candles, but now it merely smells like old lumber. She stared as the rain wept against the naked panes. It had been a fine home. Raeliana was ten years old when her mother died. Her father then decided for them to move to London. Raeliana felt the old pain creep into her heart, feeling like she was about to crumble. The college had respected her father. His studies had come out to the fact that he had married a deaf woman. A beautiful, neglected woman whose family had treated her cruelly because she could not hear and, thus, could not speak. His greatest wish as a husband and a physician had been to hear his name on his wife's lips, so he had taught her to speak and began a lifetime of study that had taught others to speak aswell. Other who, like her mother, had been thrown out of society because they could not express with words the outrage at their ill-treatment. Her gaze went to her room's bare window seat where she had spent many hours reading books, and looking out the window to see if he arrives to see her. Until now she could remember everytime her friend Isabella would whisper in her ear saying: "Sean is waiting for you outside." For years her heart had leapt in excitement just by hearing his name. Being her father's assistant, she had worked side by side with his students, and ended up falling with one of them. She could see now that the tragedy could have been passed neatly if he had not said he loved her too. But she never knew how politely cruel he was, and how cruel love can be, and how it crept up behind one with just kind words. "Rae?" Raeliana raised her gaze. Isabella's sweet beautiful face popping out the door checking on her friend. "Some of uncle's students are outside wanting to hand out some letters. Should I let them in?" Her friend asked with a soft tone. "By any chance, is he there aswell?" Raeliana asks as she is referring to her ex lover, Sean. "Nope." Isabella shakes head. "Haven't seen him in awhile." she added. "I guess he really won't be showing up." Raeliana whispers as she looks back at the letter on her desk. "What did you say?" Isabella asks. Raeliana smiled and gave her bestfriend a nod as she placed her pen down the desk and stood up. "Let them in Belle."