Fidel sat in his office toying with his phone. Though the turn of events had been quick, he felt bad for his decision. Lian was not even a week older in the Amber castle, but she had already been locked up as a punishment. Though she was repellent, she wasn't bad at all. She only stood by her decision which she thought was right to her, of which Fidel thought was right. She didn't know him, she has never been in contact with him and she was right to turn her down.
Looking at the pictures displayed on his phone, which he had downloaded online after logging into her account, Fidel felt guilty.
In one of the pictures, Lian sat by the fountain with her hair hanging freely behind her back and drenched in water. She looked beautiful and eye catching. Her smile was captivating and he focused of her pink lips which were curved. Her shiny black eyes shone even in the photos.
Quickly, he flipped through the other photos. She took some while in office, at home and other places. In all the pictures, she looked like a goddess. Just as he was about to look at a picture of Lian and another girl, his phone rung. He pushed the pictures aside and picked up his phone.
In the dark room.
Lian held out the pen and paper and looked at her drawings. She was good at drawing and she still kept some of her high school work neatly in her case back at home. On the first page, she drew herself smiling and captioned, "when I lived by myself, I was still the happy Lian who thought family, friends and the world would at least show me some love."
The second page was her sad self, and she carefully traced lines of tear on the photo... "All the happiness gone, replaced by a lifetime suffering and pain. Dad, hope you are happy now."
In another page she wrote… "I die to meet you mommy."
"Probably I should rewrite my nasty history into something nice."
She continued going through the pictures. Her whole body was freezing. Since the room was dark, she didn't know what time of the day it was. Her stomach rumbled and she pulled the small blanket tightly around herself. Without knowing what page she had opened, she placed the book as her pillow.
It was not long before she felt warm blood from her pretty nose. She was nose bleeding. The blood sipped on the open book.
"Seems I'll die here." Grinding her teeth, Lian said. "Too cold."
Her whole face flushed pink and her teeth rattled. "Can just please faint? That way I can wake up in heaven." She told herself.
As if nature heard her and sympathized with her, her vision started to blur. She use her last energy to stop the bleeding with her hand, but it still didn't stop. She finally lost consciousness and lay still. Except for her heart beating, one would mistake her for dead. Her whole body was too cold.
"Dad... Seven days is a long time for such a small offence." Fidel said guiltily over the phone. "What if she can't survive it?"
"Why don't you choose between the remaining two daughters? She doesn't seem to be someone who can cooperate. Besides, your mother made a positive comment about Kate." Mr. Sean Nolan said.
"Dad... I did all this because of you, and I ended up liking her, what makes you think I will change my mind. I will make sure I win her, by all means. I want her and no one else." Fidel said.
"You sure you don't want to change your mind?" Mr. Sean asked.
"Are you doubting your son's decision?"
After cutting off the receiver, Fidel entered the elevator and went downstairs. Eden drove him home. It's been three days Lian had been locked and he was dying to see her beautiful face and her firm self.
Immediately after entering the house, Fidel went straight to the dark chamber.
"But sir... It's not seven days yet." One guard said.
"How is that your business?" Fidel turned around and gave them a warning look. No one dared to look at their boss in the face. Fidel opened the door and waited to hear any movement but no sound came. He almost thought the room was empty. He walked to the bed and there lay Lian, curled in the small blanket. Her breathing was too shallow and silent. Her body froze. All the while, she didn't move. She didn't move even after Fidel's warm hands rested on her cheek.
"Lian will you wake up now?" Fidel said softly but there was no reply.
Switching on the flashlight in his arm, Fidel closely observed the girl. Though not too thin, she had lost some weight. Her skin looked pale and flushed. One of her arms tightly held the blanket as the other arm was hid in between her legs. There were traces of blood trailing from her nose, her neck and soaked the neck of her dress. Her face was a mixture of blood and tears.
"Could she...?" Fidel felt her body temperature and shuddered. He quickly picked her up and saw the open book. On the open page was a drawing stained with blood. He picked up the book and walked out, carrying her bridal style.
"Call the doctor." He ordered before entering the room Lian liked to stay in. He tucked her in the warm duvet, making sure she was comfortable. The plane roared over the building and moments later Dr. Jaxon entered the room.
"Runs a high fever. Her immune system is lower." He said after a moment of medical examination.