Chapter 64: Energetic
The black iron gates of the main residence opened slowly as the car carrying Xavier and Agatha approached. A line of guards in dark uniforms stood straight along the driveway decorated with dim garden lights. The car stopped right in front of the grand lobby doors. Frans stepped out first to open the car door.
"We have arrived, darling," Xavier said as he released his embrace on the woman's shoulder.
Agatha stepped out of the car while hugging the brown teddy bear Xavier won at the festival earlier. She breathed in the night air which felt cleaner but much quieter compared to the night market atmosphere they had just left.
"Bring that bear to Agatha's room, Frans," Xavier ordered as they stepped into the main hall.
"Xav, Dion is here. You can order him. My hands are tired from driving for hours," Frans complained.
Xavier did not stop walking. He continued walking toward the stairs while checking his watch multiple times. The phone in his suit pocket vibrated endlessly.
"Are you not going to rest right away?" Agatha asked while chasing after Xavier's wide strides.
Xavier stopped on the first step. He turned around and looked at Agatha with an expression that looked very tired but full of firmness. "I have to go to the company right now. There is a problem with the shipment and a pile of documents I have to sign tonight."
"It is almost midnight, Xavier. Can it not wait until tomorrow morning?"
"No. A one hour delay means a massive loss for the company. I have no other choice."
"But you just stayed awake all night yesterday."
"I will drink coffee at the office. Do not worry about me." Xavier stepped closer and touched Agatha's chin gently. "Go to your room. Clean yourself up and go straight to sleep. Do not leave this house without my permission."
"When will you come home?"
"Maybe right before dawn. Or very early in the morning. I will have Frans drive me."
Xavier kissed Agatha's forehead briefly before turning around quickly. His footsteps echoed on the marble floor as he walked back toward the exit. Agatha stood still in the middle of the spacious hall. She watched Xavier's back disappear behind the large doors which then closed tightly. The atmosphere in the house instantly became very quiet.
Agatha let out a long breath. She walked slowly up the stairs to her room. Several servants bowed respectfully as she passed, but no one dared to greet her. Arriving in her room, Agatha sat on the edge of the soft bed. She stared at the bandage on her cheek through the vanity mirror. It felt strange. Her body should be tired after a long trip and walking around the festival, but her mind actually felt very fresh. The adrenaline from the crowd earlier seemed to still flow in her blood.
She stood up and paced back and forth in the room. "I cannot sleep like this," she muttered to herself.
Agatha felt bored. This luxurious room felt like a gold plated prison to her. She wanted to do something to burn off her overflowing energy. Suddenly she remembered Melynda. Her mother in law must have arrived earlier because she did not stop by the festival.
"Maybe I can take mother for a walk. There is a twenty four hour mall near here," Agatha thought.
She immediately left her room and walked toward the back pavilion area, where the personal assistants and senior servants stayed. Agatha walked through long hallways illuminated only by dim yellow wall lights. The sound of her own footsteps sounded like thumps in her ears due to the gripping silence.
Agatha arrived in front of a dark brown wooden door. It was Melynda's room. She knocked on the door softly.
"Mother? Are you still awake?" Agatha asked in a low voice.
There was no answer from inside. Agatha waited for a moment, then knocked again a little harder. "Mother, it is me, Agatha. Can we talk for a moment?"
It remained silent. Agatha tried turning the doorknob. It turned out the door was not locked. She opened it slowly and peeked her head inside. The light from the hallway entered the dark room, illuminating part of the bed.
There, Melynda was seen sleeping soundly. The woman was still wearing the same clothes she wore in the car earlier, only she had taken off her shoes. Melynda slept on her side, hugging a bolster very tightly. Her breathing sounded regular and heavy, a sign that she was in a very deep sleep phase.
Agatha stepped inside and approached Melynda's bed. She looked at Melynda's face which looked extremely exhausted. The dark circles under her eyes were quite visible. Melynda indeed did not get out at the festival earlier because she complained of a headache and wanted to get to the main residence immediately to rest. The long journey from the villa truly drained her energy.
"Mother," Agatha whispered while touching the woman's shoulder with the tips of her fingers.
Melynda only mumbled unclearly in her sleep. She actually pulled the blanket up to cover her chin and curled up again. Agatha pulled her hand back. She realized that inviting Melynda for a walk right now was a bad idea. Melynda needed rest more than anyone after all the chaos that happened recently.
Agatha sat on a small wooden chair in the corner of Melynda's room. She looked at her mother in law with mixed feelings. On one hand, she felt lonely. Xavier went to work, and the only person she could talk to was already deep in a dream.
"Why am I the only one who cannot sleep?" Agatha asked the darkness of the room.
She remembered the incident last night. The knife that scratched her cheek, Kalea's cold stare, and Xavier's explosive anger. Perhaps that high sense of alertness was what kept her nerves tense until now. She felt as if she had to stay awake to make sure no danger came close.
Agatha stood up from her chair. She fixed the position of Melynda's blanket which was slightly crooked so the woman would not get cold. After that, she stepped out of the room very carefully to avoid making even the slightest sound. She closed the door slowly.
She walked back down the hallways of the main house. Her steps brought her to the large kitchen on the lower floor. There, she saw an old servant tidying up some crystal glasses.
"Miss Agatha? Is there anything I can help you with?" the servant asked politely.
"I just want some cold water," Agatha answered.
The servant quickly grabbed a glass and filled it with water from the dispenser. "Have you not rested yet, Miss? Mr. Xavier left a message for you to go to sleep immediately."
"I know. I am just not sleepy yet." Agatha took the glass and drank the contents completely in one gulp. "Thank you."
"Do you want me to make you some warm milk, Miss? It usually helps you fall asleep faster."
"No need. I will just go back to my room."
Agatha went back to her room upstairs. She lay down on the bed and stared at the bedroom ceiling decorated with intricate carvings. Her mind drifted to Xavier who must be struggling with piles of paper in his office right now. The man always worked hard, as if the entire weight of the world was on his shoulders.
She grabbed the teddy bear from the festival earlier and hugged it tightly. Xavier's perfume scent still lingered a little on the bear's fur. A feeling of loneliness started creeping into her heart. In a house this big, with dozens of guards outside, she actually felt very alone.
Agatha closed her eyes, trying to force her brain to stop thinking. She imagined the music from the festival earlier. She imagined the children laughing and the smell of burnt grilled corn. Slowly, her heartbeat began to slow down. The sleepiness she had been fighting off finally started to approach.
"Tomorrow morning," Agatha muttered before completely falling asleep. "Tomorrow morning I will take mother out."
Outside, the night wind blew hard, swaying the tree branches in the Valois residence garden. The city lights stayed burning bright, accompanying Xavier who was still awake in his cold office, while Agatha finally found peace in her silent sleep.
That night, the main Valois residence stood firm under the dark sky, keeping a million untold stories behind its solid walls. A new conflict might be lurking behind the shadows, but for the next few hours, everything seemed calm in the embrace of the long night. Agatha took a deep breath, hugged the bear Xavier gave her tighter, and let herself sink deeper into the subconscious filled with shadows of a future she hoped would be much better than her dark past.