Previously on Avenging Angels
There is a mysterious guest in the Castle and Rose is curious to find out who but Christian won't let her go. Rose cross path with an unexpected guest.
FIFTEEN
My father died when I was eight years old, Lily was ten and Iris was twelve.
We started living on the streets when I was ten years old, those remaining two years? We spent it in custody of our father's childhood friend and business tycoon, Ray Castle.
When we first moved in, we were all devastated and broken that we put ourselves into a shell that no one could break. For the first two weeks or so, we didn't say a word to anyone, we let them do everything for us, from bathing to feeding, we were all stuck in a place where no one could save us from. But gradually, Lily began to talk with Aunt Karin, uncle Ray's wife then Iris followed in suit but I couldn't still talk, I isolated myself from everyone and the nightmares got worse day by day.
Then one day, uncle Ray gave me permission to take care of the flowers in his huge garden and he also had a liking for flowers just like my father and I, so he helped me during his free time. That was how he got me to talk and slowly I began to open up again and start to at least behave normal, according to him.
Each time I had a nightmare, he was always there to help calm me down and try to make me laugh with his silly jokes. He has always been a joker.
Gradually, he and I became best friends, we always spent time together and he even took me to his office a couple of times after I begged him to take me and my sisters. I wouldn't eat my vegetables unless he fed them to me. I wouldn't go to the therapist unless he held my hand and took me himself.
He became a person that was close to my heart just like my father. He would always tell us the childhood stories of our Father and how he always won our Father in their races.
He was the only thing keeping me sane at that time. Without him, I felt lost and all alone.
Then one day,
I slowly climbed the stairs as I tried to keep the shaking tray on my hands from falling.
It's filled with snacks and tea for Aunt Karin and Uncle Ray. I begged Mrs Jameson, the househelp to give me the tray because I wanted to see Uncle Ray badly.
I haven't seen him for two weeks since he left on a business trip to Cuba.
I managed to climb the excruciatingly long stairs and turned right to Uncle Ray's office. I was about to use my foot to stomp the door when I saw it ajar. As I was about to enter.
"You will not be telling them anything!" Uncle Ray screamed. Even though I couldn't see his face I could tell he is extremely angry. My uncle rarely got angry.
"How long do you plan on hiding the truth from the girls?" Aunt Karin asked.
What truth?
"As long as I can, Karin. You saw how they were when they first got here. They finally managed to get accustomed to the fact of Brudy's death. You saw how Rose was and look at her now. She is finally happy and normal again. They all are" Uncle Ray let out a deranged sigh.
"And when they find out the truth from someone else, they are going to hate us because we hid it from them"
Hid what?
"Just give me some time, as soon as Iris turns eighteen, I promise, I will tell them myself"
"Fine, I understand that but don't you think you are being unfair to the girls?" Aunt Karin said.
"What do you mean?" Uncle Ray asked.
"Save the pretence Ray, you know exactly what I am talking about, being partners with her? That was so uncalled for" Aunt Karin said, disappointment laced with her tone.
I have to find out what they are hiding from us. Uncle Ray told me he never hid anything from me.
"I have no other choice" I heard Uncle Ray's defeated voice.
"She is Avalor Bladderwort. The very one that killed Brudy, the girls father" Aunt Karin let out a sob.
My hand began to shake, my knees were giving in, my lips quivered in shock and panic as tears threatened to blur my vision.
But I kept my cool. I have to find out more.
"Would you keep your voice down? Anyone could hear you" Uncle Ray whispered.
"Aren't you even the slightest ashamed with what you are doing? And you have the guts to look the girls in the eye and tell them you love them? What about Rose? You are still going to be playing and laughing with her like what you are doing is completely right?" Aunt Karin muttered.
"What do you expect me to do? Huh? You know very well it was only thanks to Avalor we got custody in the first place. If I anger her in the slightest, the girls would be taken from us without a single thought which both you and I wouldn't like at all" uncle Ray shouted, finally losing his cool.
"And you know the business needs an influential person like Avalor, without her we would go bankrupt"
I let out a silent cry and the tray almost slip from my hands. I then composed myself and used my sleeve to wipe out my tear. I breathe in and out to calm my racing heart just the way Uncle Ray taught me each time I had a panic attack.
Then I used my foot to kick the door open.
They stood, eyes wide open at the sight of me. Aunt Karin quickly wiped her tears and plastered a fake smile on her face and Uncle grinned overboardingly at me.
"I heard you were back so I came to see you, uncle" I smiled and prayed my voice was as convincing as my smile.
"Um, yeah I just got home a while ago" he straightened up and smiled but all I could see behind that smile was the lies and fake assurances he fed our way.
I put down the tray on the table and moved to hug him. My arms barely reached his back as his big tummy got in the way. I have scolded him several times to quit drinking but he never listened.
"I missed you, uncle" my voice came out muffled as I buried my head in his tummy.
"I missed you so much more, Little Thorne" he rubbed my back.
I made sure to plant his scent in memory because I knew that would be the last time I would be able to hug him.
"Why don't you go get ready for bed? I will be there to read you a story" I gave Aunt a hug too.
I smiled and closed the door behind me as I left.
That won't be happening.
I ran to our bedroom and saw Iris on the sofa reading a book as usual while Lily was on the bed using the tablet to play a fashion game.
Uncle Ray suggested we get separate rooms but we objected as we couldn't bear the thought of being separated from one another.
I went to our closet and took out the duffel bag he got for me when we went shopping last month and began to shove my belongings inside.
"What are you doing?" Iris asked then stood up when I didn't respond.
"I said what are you doing?" She held my hand but I removed my wrist from her grip.
"Leaving" I grit out.
"What do you mean leaving?" Iris asked and Lily came over, confusion evident on their faces.
"They have all been lying to us. So we are leaving" I said.
"Rosaline, would you explain what is going on here?" She demanded. She never calls me by my full name unless she is dead serious.
"They all knew dad's murderer and kept it hidden from us despite the fact we asked them so many times, they kept it hidden. He lied to our faces and worst, he is even business partners with her" I blurted out and tears began to fall.
"W-who killed dad?" Iris asked shakily and Lily gripped her for support.
"Avalor Bladderwort" I spat with disdain.
Iris also grabbed her bag and started to pack.
"What are you waiting for, Lily? Get your things" she ordered and Lily sprung into action.
Once we were done packing, we stood in the room, looking at each other.
"If we leave here. We won't have anything or anywhere to go. We would be lost and left to fend for ourselves. This may just be start of a whole lot of hardships and rollercoasters" I look at their eyes and saw nothing but determination.
"Dad always used to say as long as we are together, not even the world's strongest tornado could shake us" Iris smiled and held our hands and we looked at Lily.
"As long as I am with you guys, I wouldn't wish for anything more" she smiled.
And on that day, we left a comforting and problem free life to a hard, cold and ruthless world.
But we always held hands no matter the situation and put a smile on our faces.
"U-uncle Ray?" I managed to stutter out despite my shaking body.
He squinted his eyes and came under the light to make out who was in the dark.
He has gotten thinner and much, much older. His once chubby and youthful face has become almost half its size as his cheeks has shrunk and his face was filled with wrinkles. His once huge tummy has reduced also. But he still had that fatherly warm look on his face, even though he was richer than you could ever imagine, he still preferred to wear clothes that made him seem like he was a kind uncle next door who would invite to have cookies and tea whenever you were feeling down.
He was still my Uncle Ray.
"Rose? You are Rose, aren't you?" He asked and I moved back, looking for a way to escape this unexpected encounter.
"Oh my God, it's my Rose. My little Thorne" he moved forward and engulfed me in a tight hug. Despite him looking like he needs a stick to walk properly, his grip was still as strong as I remembered it.
Ten years was really as long time. I am almost the same height as he, I no longer have to strain my neck to look up at him.
"Rose, my dear, where have you been? You have no idea how much I looked for you and your sisters" he started to rub my arms, making sure it was truly me and not an imagination.
"Uncle-"
"Are you okay? How have you been? Where are Iris and Lily?"
"Uncle, we are all fine-"
"What-what are you doing here? And why? Why are you dressed in a maid outfit? Don't tell me-" he looked at me just the way he would when he would catch me playing in the rain years ago.
"What do you mean? I am working here, saving up money to go college" I said, sounding very convincing. But the way he narrowed his eyes and started tapping his foot in the pavement, I knew he didn't believe me.
"Rosaline Anne Thorne" he said with a stern tone and I knew my cover was blown when he brought out the middle name. I haven't heard that name in years.
Some things never change.
"Yes, whatever you are thinking in that old head of yours is correct. And don't you think of stopping me" I looked up when he let out a slight chuckle.
"And who said I am going to stop you?" He smiled and I raised my eyebrows.
"If I have learned anything from the short time we spent together," he grimaced, and I felt guilt punch me in the gut for I saw how much our leaving the house has affected him.
He once told me when I had a nightmare.
"You are like the one true friend I never had, I have lived my life this long but I still feel that people always come to my side just for money or fame. You are a gem, you are my little Thorne"
"It's that you never listen to anybody once you have set your mind on something and I don't have any right to stop you but I can only give you advice and a warning. I know you must have been prepared when you came in the lion's den willingly but still, never let your guard. Because if you think for a second that you know everything about this family, you are in for a battle, Rose. A battle in which you can't take a step back because you have already come this far. My warning for you is that you should never once feel secure here, She killed your father without hesitation. She won't even blink an eye to get rid of you. After all, to the world, Brudy Thorne's family are all dead" he finished gravely.
"Thanks for that, uncle. I really appreciate it" I held his wrinkled hand in mine.
"How's your Spanish boyfriend?" He asked with a knowing smile.
"How-how do you know that?" I gaped at him.
"Oh please, I thought you were supposed to be the smart one, dear. You really thought that a business tycoon like me wouldn't be able to find three little wandering girls?" He chuckled, obviously mocking me for my stupidity.
"I knew that no matter how I convinced you, you wouldn't listen because of the stubbornness in that little head of yours" he smacked my head and dragged my ear.
"Ow" I rubbed the spot.
"So, I just watched you every single day. I made my men follow you so to keep you guys safe. And I was aware of the-one-who-should-not-be-named-near-any-Bladderwort's-territory accommodating you guys for the past three years but five years ago I lost you guys again, that's why I was surprised to find you here" he shrugged.
"Hmm, Impressive. Still smoking, old man?" I pointed at the lit cigarette on the floor.
"Maybe if you had stayed with me and didn't run away stupidly. I would have quit for my little Thorne" he emphasised on the stupidly.
"And maybe if you wouldn't have lied and been honest from the start, I wouldn't have run away, stupidly" I rolled my eyes.
"Don't get sarcastic with me, young lady" he pointed at me.
"It was a fact, not sarcasm intended, old fella" I retorted.
Soon we both started laughing because this was the exact way we were ten years ago.
"You haven't changed a bit" he said as he shook his head.
"Trust me, Uncle Ray, I have changed much more than you can imagine" I sighed.
"I should get going, after all, a business tycoon like me shouldn't be seen having a tete-a-tete with a low class maid like you, don't you think?" He asked and I rolled my eyes in response.
"Here, take this" he brought out a card from his wallet and gave it to me.
"If you ever need my help or maybe you just miss your old man, give me a call. I will always be there for you" he opened my palm and put it in.
"Take care of yourself, My Lady" he kissed my forehead and left.