Chapter 40 With the Ocean and silence

Chapter 40 With the Ocean and silence
Cassius,

I sat right across from her, watching her two assistants treating her like she was a fragile existence. Lily, the aide, kept disinfecting the table three times. She placed the medicine pouch on her side, just to make sure Faustina had her medication in time. Lily’s brows were tightly drawn, her movements jittery, as if one mistake would shatter Faustina into pieces.

At the same time, David, her another assistant, pointed the recommendations, her food choices, allergies and other things. He even asked the chefs to cook the meal at certain temperature. His voice trembled slightly every time he repeated the instructions, glancing at Faustina’s face for any sign of discomfort.

I was sitting there, watching them to busy themselves with everything while Faustina stayed quiet and occasionally glanced towards my direction. Each time her eyes flickered to me, her lashes fluttered subtly, as if she was trying to read my mood yet pretending she was not.

Everything around her was perfectly assigned in order. Even the meat. Come to think about it, she looked fine having my breakfast. And of course, it wasn't well-garnished I think. A faint curl formed at my lip without my permission, disappearing just as quickly.

" You don't seem to enjoy it, is it bad?" Faustina's words snapped me out of my thoughts and led me to my plate. I barely ate anything. Her voice was soft, but her fingers tightened around her spoon as she waited for my answer.

" No. It's fine!" I said coldly, my eyes drifting on the ocean. My shoulders slightly stiffened. I wanted to swim tonight. But too exhausted to move. Even the idea made my chest rise and fall heavier than usual.

Faustina didn't say anything. She nodded as if she had no interest in implying anything about me and it was thoughtful. I didn't want anyone to interrogate me. Her nod was small, controlled, almost too controlled, revealing a hint of restraint.

But she looked different today. Maybe a bit cheerful. She didn't laugh or smile most of the time, but her eyes were glistening with a kind of happiness I never saw before. The corners of her lips twitched, as if she was catching herself from smiling too openly.

Well, it's still a long way to know her better.

" Do you think Mermaid exists?" Faustina's words once again made my attention dart to her. She was now resting her head on the table, her eyes towards the ocean. She blinked slowly, looking almost dreamy.

I leaned into the chair, my eyes on her lips, as she exhaled sharply, " Maybe or maybe not. We don't know the world yet. Like we love to hide our pack from the rest of the world, it can be possible for others too!" My voice came out lower than intended, the dominance slipping in naturally.

She glanced at me and then nodded, " That's understandable!" She whispered, " By the way -!" She rose her head and looked straight into my eyes, " Someone came by. A rude woman named..." She paused for a second to remember and then blurted out, "Elena Gustav!"

My eyes darkened the moment she mentioned the name. My jaw tensed, and my fingers unconsciously tightened around the cup. One of the women I had been searching for but somehow couldn't find. Julian informed me that her information had been blocked by someone.

" She came?" My voice dropped dangerously, the weight of the threat clear even to myself.

She lifted her head and grabbed the glass of water, " Yes, She claimed that her brother used to own this place and it was burned down." Her hand trembled slightly as she brought the glass to her lips.

I flinched at her words. Not only did she dare to step into my place but also dared to utter nonsense? A slow heat crept up my spine, the predator in me rising instinctively.

Her eyes sharpened when she noticed my expression. She folded her arms around her chest and chuckled a bit, " After coming here, I have been constantly getting involved in your family drama, Mr Brightblade. Now I wonder whether I would be dragged into your family mess now!" Her brows arched playfully, but irritation flickered deep in her eyes.

Although she had a light tone while telling me those, I could hear the sharp edges. She wasn't pleased with the situation. A faint frown formed on her forehead.

" Well, It's not avoidable since you have already made your present noticeable with your charity!" I retorted. My tone was clipped, controlled, giving no room for argument.

" Charity?" She asked, her expression harden. Her lips pressed into a thin line.

" Yeah. Donating Million dollar in the art gallery. It was a wrong move if you wanted to stay low-key." I said, sipping the coffee I ordered earlier. The cup nearly cracked under the pressure of my grip.

" I see. But I never said I wanted to stay low-key." She whispered, " Whatever, I am just a bit curious about the history of the house. Why did she call her brother a pathetic useless traitor?" She said, showing no seriousness in her tone. She shrugged lightly, yet her gaze lingered on my face to catch any shift.

But I stayed quiet for a few seconds before replying, " It's something you don't need to know about!" My voice deepened, leaving no space for her to question further.

She nodded, " Fair enough!" Her shoulders lowered a little, as if accepting the boundary without protest.

The conversation was pretty much dead from then. We didn't say anything more and I didn't feel like staying there as well.

I walked out, after paying the bill myself. I couldn't let them do it. My stride was long, decisive, each step releasing tension through the sand.

Walking on the cold sand, holding the shoes, I couldn't help but think about the house. Ten years ago, it was my second home, where I would go now and then, whenever I wanted.

Now I didn't have anywhere I belonged to. The only mate I had, I considered it stupid, pushing her away, thinking I couldn't love her more than just best friend. But once she disappeared from my side vanished into the ashes, even her bones weren't traceable, I realized she was my best friend not because I considered her, because I loved her more than I knew that.

More than I could express. Once I found her constant presence around me annoying, now, I could trade anything, even my life to have her around me, even for a few minutes. My throat tightened, and my hands curled into fists, nails digging into my palm.

" Isn't it beautiful?"

My attention snapped to Miss Thorne who stood next to me. Her hair was dancing wildly with the wind. There was a calm expression on her face. A faint softness touched her eyes as she watched the same ocean.

I turned, facing the ocean, unexpectedly calmer than usual, " Hmm!" My chest lifted slowly, tension easing just a fraction.

We stayed quiet once again that felt like forever. Maybe I had always kept myself away from the crowd and the people who always saw me as someone superior and.... Monster.

So, except for fighting, drawing bloods from the enemy and ruling the Region, I had nothing else to do.

My coldness, unapproachable Aura had always made people uncomfortable and feared. I could feel my jaw flex again at the thought.

" Did something happen today?" Ms Thorne broke the silence, her eyes narrowing slightly.

" What?" I turned towards her. My brows twitched subtly upward.

" You have been quite silence. Are you alright? Or my presence is bothering you?" She asked in a calm tone, studying me. Her head tilted just a little as she examined my face.

I couldn't help but clenched my jaws. Why wasn't she scared of me? Why didn't she find me unapproachable and fearsome? My nostrils flared lightly with the irritation.

" See. You are lost again. Something happened, right?"

" Nothing honestly." I said quietly, " Just enjoying the moment!" My voice came out low, almost velvet, though a hint of command lingered beneath it.

She nodded her head, " You are really different from the moment I first met you, Mr Brightblade!" Her lips parted slightly with surprise.

Her words made me narrow my eyes, " What do you mean?" A slight tilt of my head made the question sharper.

" At first, I thought I might have to have my guard on around you. Otherwise, I might offend you in the bad way. But it seems like you are just a reserved person who doesn't deal with nonsense!"

My eyebrows knitted instantly. She found me intimidating? The corner of my mouth twitched, not quite a smile, not quite irritation.

" I see!"

" Yes. But you are quieter than usual and it feels weird to me. As if I can't catch your actual personality!"

" Likewise. I don't understand yours as well. But we are working fine, aren't we?"

She stared at me, " Something had definitely happened. What's wrong? You can share with me if you don't find me nuisance, you know!" She grinned while staring at me intently. Her eyes sparkled with a mix of mischief and genuine concern.

I took a deep breath and stared at the ocean, " Today was the day when I first learnt that I was engaged to my childhood sweetheart fifteen years ago." I began. My throat tightened slightly before the words came out.

" She was only ten years old and I was eleven. Although we barely had any knowledge about the engagement or turning fiancé overnight, our lives was pretty much the same." I looked at the sky. My hand brushed through my hair, pushing back the errant strands the wind had thrown forward.

" All I knew that she was turning a bit clingy, I wanted to explore more relationship with my friends but she had always been there since we were best friends. My distance was something hurtful to her and her clinginess felt like obstacles to my relationship with my friends." I couldn't help but chuckle bitterly. The sound came out rough, strained.

" But now I know that if I had another one with her, or I could trade another day with her in exchange for my life, I might have -!"

I froze when I heard someone dropping on knees. The sudden sound sliced through the air. I turned, finding Faustina on the sand, her hands covering her nose and the droplets of blood dripping down her chin. Her shoulders trembled violently.

" What's going on? Miss Thorne?" My eyes widened in shock. My hands twitched forward instinctively. But before I could say anything, she fell on the ground and from her lap, a baseball ball rolling down. Her fingers slackened completely.

" A baseball ball?" I couldn't understand what did happen. My heart slammed against my ribs. All I knew was that I scooped her into my arms and ran towards the hospital despite the distance. She didn't make a noise, not even a single sound. Her eyes closed with tears streaming down her face.

She kept covering her nose. Where did it come from? I thought we were alone? Did one of those bastards found me and decided to get back at me?

Damn!!!

By the time, we arrived at the hospital, the hospital was crowded. But as soon as I stepped in, barefoot, disheveled hair and flushed red face with a woman in my arms, everyone moved, but with their phones on their hands.

We would be on the headline tomorrow.