Love, Lies & Legacy- chapter 20
CHAPTER 20
The rest of the day, Darius and I did not talk to each other. Apparently both of us are equally mulish that we did not want to apologize to each other. At least we have one thing in common. Late that night, I went to the kitchen to find myself a snack when I unexpectedly met the head of butler there. He has been working for the family for more than 25 years. So I decided to have a little conversation with him.
"Hello Frabrice, you too cannot sleep?" I asked while opening the refrigerator.
"No, I was just doing my regular rounds to check if everything was in place when I decided to have a cup of cocoa before I go to bed," he said with a very thick but understanding accent. Apparently he is one of the few workers in the house that can speak and understand English.
"Oh, do you have any normal food in this house?" I asked while rummaging threw the refrigerator. The only food that can be eaten as a snack is some cheese, but I could not find any crackers. This house lives on gourmet food yet they do not have simple everyday food like milk and cookies. Then again I was in Romania.
"In the freezer, there is some mint chocolate chip ice-cream. Annaliese told me to buy them in case Darius comes. He loves it; it's his comfort food. But I forgot to mention it to him," he said as I sat down next to him.
"Under all that mysteriousness, lies a boy who loves to eat mint chocolate chip ice-cream. Well I certainly learned something new about him today," I said while feeling the ice-cream melt deliciously in my mouth.
"Darius is the type of person who does not tell much about himself. So are you two still not talking to each other?" he asked.
"Yes, is he always this headstrong?"
"Unfortunately yes. He has always been that way. But believe me, he will never hurt the people he loves. I think you two should spend more time with each other," he said with smile.
"Yeah, if I can stand him. By the way Frabrice, I know this is none of my business but what happen to Natalya?" I said cautiously.
“ None of the people here actually know. During the summer 2 years ago, Darius came here as usual but Natalya was not with him. Annaliese told us that she will not be with us and that there is a possibility she will never come back. It was a very hard time for Darius because they were really close to each other. After that, no one ever spoke about her,” he said while taking a sip of his cocoa.
“Thanks for sharing the information. I better go to bed. Good night, Frabrice,” I said while heading to the kitchen door.
"Good night to you too, Miss Masenfer," he said back. That night I went to bed thinking that Darius would have to talk to me sooner or later. We could not live in the same house without talking to each other.
I also thought of the unfamiliar Natalya Cuza. I found a picture of her in one of the cupboards. She was a beautiful ethereal girl with piercing blue eyes and Annaliese’s pale blond hair. I sort of felt scared because I was sleeping in her bed.
The next morning I ate breakfast alone. Darius had woken up beforehand and ate before me. I thought he just did not want to eat with me. That made me a little livid.
For the next couple of days, we have not been talking to each other. We did not eat together nor see each other. The house was so big that avoiding Darius was not a problem.
One afternoon, three days after our fight, I decided to explore the huge mansion. Maybe wondering around would help me forget Darius's childish behavior.
I have wandered around the house before but not the third floor. Surprisingly there was a second library on the third floor. It was even bigger than the one downstairs. I went inside the library to find a book I could sink my teeth into. The room was colossal with a cozy fireplace and ceiling lengths rack full of books. The books were arranged according to language, which was Romanian, French and English. I was browsing through the books when I heard a very loud horrific familiar sound.
I immediately placed my hand on my ears, hoping really hard that I would never hear that sound again. I tried to forget the traumatic sound that rang inside my head ever since the night of the ball. But that scene where I heard the gunshot at the balcony and the time when the shooter pointed his gun towards me remained firmly inside my head.
All the mixed emotions I felt that night came back. The feeling of fear and loneliness threaten to take over me. Then there was another gunshot. I screamed and fell to me knees, hand still on my ears. The tears burned my eyes and the fear burned my heart.
Moments later another shot was fired. I could not move I was too petrified. I kept screaming as the tears of fear poured down. Then the door slammed open abruptly and I immediately covered my face.
Then I felt two firm hands on either side of my shoulders, slowly lifting me up from the floor and pulling me into a hug. My blurred vision gazed upon the worried face of Darius. In relief, I threw my hands over his neck. His hands then lightly slide up and down my back.
Even though Darius did not say a word, his presence was enough to make me feel safe. I held him tighter as his lips lightly brush my forehead.
"Eu aici pentru tu. Fi tare, a mea frumos," he whispered lovingly. Even though I could not get his Romanian language, but I felt like I understood the underline meaning of it and those words were enough for me.
For the first time, I felt truly safe. I felt like nothing could bring me down, that nothing could stop me. If the whole world fell on me, I would have taken it in sanely and to think that I felt this wonderful emotion while in the hands of the most unexpected person. I realized that there is more to Darius then his handsome face, his sexy accent and his stubbornness. Underneath all that lies a caring heart that I am starting to love.
I woke up with a burning pain in my eyes, like I just cried for 100 years non-stop. I was lying on my bed, alone in my room. How did I get there? I had no idea. It must have been Darius because the last thing I remembered was the warm feeling of being in his arms.
It was already dark outside, which meant I was out for a while. I took a bath and slipped into one of the many lacy short nightgowns that were once owned by the late Natalya Cuza. As I was drying my hair with a towel, I noticed an Ipod on the side table.
It must have been Darius's Ipod. It was really sweet of him to lend it to me. But how did he know that music calms me down? I turned on the Ipod and browsed through the various artists until I found the perfect song. I then checked my cell phone for any messages or calls from Jesse but there was none. I dialed his number for the 100th time but it went straight to voicemail. Even the music could not save me from the disappointment.
I put on a short silk robe and tossed my phone on the bed. I lay there and started to think. How come Jesse does not contact me? Where is he right now? Anger started to build up on me. Didn't he care at all? Just then the door opened and Darius walked in.
The rest of the day, Darius and I did not talk to each other. Apparently both of us are equally mulish that we did not want to apologize to each other. At least we have one thing in common. Late that night, I went to the kitchen to find myself a snack when I unexpectedly met the head of butler there. He has been working for the family for more than 25 years. So I decided to have a little conversation with him.
"Hello Frabrice, you too cannot sleep?" I asked while opening the refrigerator.
"No, I was just doing my regular rounds to check if everything was in place when I decided to have a cup of cocoa before I go to bed," he said with a very thick but understanding accent. Apparently he is one of the few workers in the house that can speak and understand English.
"Oh, do you have any normal food in this house?" I asked while rummaging threw the refrigerator. The only food that can be eaten as a snack is some cheese, but I could not find any crackers. This house lives on gourmet food yet they do not have simple everyday food like milk and cookies. Then again I was in Romania.
"In the freezer, there is some mint chocolate chip ice-cream. Annaliese told me to buy them in case Darius comes. He loves it; it's his comfort food. But I forgot to mention it to him," he said as I sat down next to him.
"Under all that mysteriousness, lies a boy who loves to eat mint chocolate chip ice-cream. Well I certainly learned something new about him today," I said while feeling the ice-cream melt deliciously in my mouth.
"Darius is the type of person who does not tell much about himself. So are you two still not talking to each other?" he asked.
"Yes, is he always this headstrong?"
"Unfortunately yes. He has always been that way. But believe me, he will never hurt the people he loves. I think you two should spend more time with each other," he said with smile.
"Yeah, if I can stand him. By the way Frabrice, I know this is none of my business but what happen to Natalya?" I said cautiously.
“ None of the people here actually know. During the summer 2 years ago, Darius came here as usual but Natalya was not with him. Annaliese told us that she will not be with us and that there is a possibility she will never come back. It was a very hard time for Darius because they were really close to each other. After that, no one ever spoke about her,” he said while taking a sip of his cocoa.
“Thanks for sharing the information. I better go to bed. Good night, Frabrice,” I said while heading to the kitchen door.
"Good night to you too, Miss Masenfer," he said back. That night I went to bed thinking that Darius would have to talk to me sooner or later. We could not live in the same house without talking to each other.
I also thought of the unfamiliar Natalya Cuza. I found a picture of her in one of the cupboards. She was a beautiful ethereal girl with piercing blue eyes and Annaliese’s pale blond hair. I sort of felt scared because I was sleeping in her bed.
The next morning I ate breakfast alone. Darius had woken up beforehand and ate before me. I thought he just did not want to eat with me. That made me a little livid.
For the next couple of days, we have not been talking to each other. We did not eat together nor see each other. The house was so big that avoiding Darius was not a problem.
One afternoon, three days after our fight, I decided to explore the huge mansion. Maybe wondering around would help me forget Darius's childish behavior.
I have wandered around the house before but not the third floor. Surprisingly there was a second library on the third floor. It was even bigger than the one downstairs. I went inside the library to find a book I could sink my teeth into. The room was colossal with a cozy fireplace and ceiling lengths rack full of books. The books were arranged according to language, which was Romanian, French and English. I was browsing through the books when I heard a very loud horrific familiar sound.
I immediately placed my hand on my ears, hoping really hard that I would never hear that sound again. I tried to forget the traumatic sound that rang inside my head ever since the night of the ball. But that scene where I heard the gunshot at the balcony and the time when the shooter pointed his gun towards me remained firmly inside my head.
All the mixed emotions I felt that night came back. The feeling of fear and loneliness threaten to take over me. Then there was another gunshot. I screamed and fell to me knees, hand still on my ears. The tears burned my eyes and the fear burned my heart.
Moments later another shot was fired. I could not move I was too petrified. I kept screaming as the tears of fear poured down. Then the door slammed open abruptly and I immediately covered my face.
Then I felt two firm hands on either side of my shoulders, slowly lifting me up from the floor and pulling me into a hug. My blurred vision gazed upon the worried face of Darius. In relief, I threw my hands over his neck. His hands then lightly slide up and down my back.
Even though Darius did not say a word, his presence was enough to make me feel safe. I held him tighter as his lips lightly brush my forehead.
"Eu aici pentru tu. Fi tare, a mea frumos," he whispered lovingly. Even though I could not get his Romanian language, but I felt like I understood the underline meaning of it and those words were enough for me.
For the first time, I felt truly safe. I felt like nothing could bring me down, that nothing could stop me. If the whole world fell on me, I would have taken it in sanely and to think that I felt this wonderful emotion while in the hands of the most unexpected person. I realized that there is more to Darius then his handsome face, his sexy accent and his stubbornness. Underneath all that lies a caring heart that I am starting to love.
I woke up with a burning pain in my eyes, like I just cried for 100 years non-stop. I was lying on my bed, alone in my room. How did I get there? I had no idea. It must have been Darius because the last thing I remembered was the warm feeling of being in his arms.
It was already dark outside, which meant I was out for a while. I took a bath and slipped into one of the many lacy short nightgowns that were once owned by the late Natalya Cuza. As I was drying my hair with a towel, I noticed an Ipod on the side table.
It must have been Darius's Ipod. It was really sweet of him to lend it to me. But how did he know that music calms me down? I turned on the Ipod and browsed through the various artists until I found the perfect song. I then checked my cell phone for any messages or calls from Jesse but there was none. I dialed his number for the 100th time but it went straight to voicemail. Even the music could not save me from the disappointment.
I put on a short silk robe and tossed my phone on the bed. I lay there and started to think. How come Jesse does not contact me? Where is he right now? Anger started to build up on me. Didn't he care at all? Just then the door opened and Darius walked in.
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