Chapter 14: Chapter Thirteen

Eros

As far back as I can remember, the Belmonte name was one that commanded both reverence and fear. My grandfather often shared stories of our lineage, telling me how his great-great-great-grandfather had been one of the founding members of parliament who gave our country its name: Eldoria. That same ancestor went on to become the first president of the nation. 

In honor of his legacy, one of the oldest landmarks in Eldoria was a statue of him in the park, while the country’s oldest library bore his name, and a dedicated space in the national museum showcased portraits of him along with photos capturing his acts of service.

I once believed myself fortunate to be born a Belmonte, but that perspective changed when I discovered that not everything that glittered was gold. I had always aspired to follow in my father's footsteps, but that too shifted once I came to understand the true nature of the man he was—a deceitful, manipulative husband who showed no care for my mother until her tragic death.

As a child, I looked up to him as my role model, and I took pride in being his son, even trying to mimic his behavior. But I was only five years old then, and I didn’t know a single five-year-old boy who didn’t idolize his father. 

As I grew older, however, I began to see things differently. I saw my mother’s sad face, the forced smiles she wore, and the dullness in her eyes. It was clear to me that something was terribly wrong and no amount of pretending could hide it.

I did everything I could to make her happy, and a few weeks before her death, I saw her smile more. But deep down, I knew the person who could have truly made her happy wasn’t me—it was my father. He simply never bothered to be that person for her.

Because of him, the idea of love and marriage became something I dreaded. I retreated into myself after my mother’s death, and my solitude became a shield I couldn’t remove. That was my life, until I met the clumsiest girl I had ever seen. Without a second thought, I stood up for her in front of the entire student body, defending her against the ridicule of my classmates and teacher. For the first time in years, something shifted within me.

For the first time in a while, I felt something other than indifference, but it had been far from worth it. That emotion seemed to invite people like Charlie Lafferty to believe they had the right to invade my privacy. All I wanted was for Athena Sanderson to get a break. 

I couldn’t fully understand what she was going through, not being in her shoes, but from the articles I’d read about her family, it seemed her childhood had been nothing short of hell.

The car came to a stop, and I closed the book I had been reading. Grabbing my backpack, I stepped out of the car as the door opened. As always, I looked up at the sprawling mansion in front of me, wondering when, if ever, I’d stop feeling sadness every time I returned home from school.

I nodded a greeting to Marcus, the butler who had been with my family long before I was born, and made my way inside. I ascended the double spiral staircases, taking the second one that led to my side of the house, the west wing. After a quick shower, I changed into something comfortable and settled down to work on my calculus homework.

When I finished, I called for a maid to bring me dinner.

"Um... Didn’t you get a text from Mrs. Summers?" Agathe, the maid, asked as she entered.

"About what?" I frowned, checking my phone. I had received the message, but it had slipped my mind with everything else going on. I hadn’t had time to look at it.

"Your father wants you to have dinner with him tonight," she replied.

I glanced at her, not particularly surprised. This wasn’t the first time my father had asked me to join him for dinner, but I always turned him down. Every single time.

"No," I said flatly.

"He said to tell you that what he has to say is very important," Agathe added.

"Unless he’s got two months to live, I have nothing to say to him." I retorted sharply, then paused and sighed before dismissing her with a wave. "You can go."

"Yes, sir." Agathe nodded, curtsied, and left the room.

Thirty minutes later, I was sitting on the living room sofa, watching TV when I heard a knock at the door, followed by my father’s voice calling my name. I pretended not to hear and turned up the volume. I knew I was being childish, but I hoped by now he’d have gotten the hint.

I wasn’t thrilled when I heard the door unlock, and then my father walked in, an exasperated look on his face.

"Seriously, Eros?" he asked, clearly irritated. "Aren’t you being childish?"

I stared at him for a moment before redirecting my attention to the TV. The documentary on cheetahs suddenly seemed far more interesting. But my father hated being ignored, so he grabbed the remote and switched off the TV.

"Who's the child now?" I shot back. "What do you want?"

"Join me for dinner," he said, his tone more insistent. "There's something important I need to tell you."

"Are you dying?" I raised an eyebrow.

He looked stunned, struggling to find the right words. "What?" he rasped, staring at me in disbelief.

"No? Good. Then we have nothing to talk about," I replied with a note of finality.

"Surely, you must be hungry. I told Mrs. Summers to prepare your favorite dish," he pressed.

"I'm not interested," I said flatly.

"After tonight, I won’t ask you again," he assured me. "I promise."

I sat in silence, staring at him for a long moment. When he thought my silence was my final answer, he shrugged and began to turn away. I should have let him leave, but for some reason, I couldn’t help but speak up. It definitely wasn’t because I felt sorry for him.

I wasn’t even curious about what could be so important that it compelled him to humble himself like this. Honestly, I’d probably be thrilled if he told me he was relocating to another country and never coming back.

"Do you promise tonight will be the last time you'll impose yourself on me?" I asked.

He stopped and turned, surprise etched across his face. "Yeah, I promise."

I stood up. "Do you have my number on your phone?" I asked.

"Uh, yeah. Why?" He looked confused.

"Delete it," I said, then turned and walked out of the living room.