Alexander's Pov ~
Darkness surrounded my vision as I opened them slowly and a frown appeared on my face.
Where am I?
I need to go and check up on Elle, she might be waking up soon at any time as Noah said.
But no matter how much time is passing by or I am walking, this darkness doesn't seem to finish and then suddenly a bright light flashed before my eyes as a weird place appeared before my eyes.
A lady with dark brown hair and light brown eyes shining like golden was sitting on a tiny bed.
This place looked like a medical isolation room to me as I have seen something like this in the southern terriorty once.
So this is a hospital.
She was wearing a thin white gown and looked exhausted with some thin pipe attached on her hands with a needle.
And I found everything strange.
This is the first time I am seeing her but yet I am feeling strangely familiar with her; especially the way my heart is beating with pain and regret.
Lia…
I subconsciously called her name but to my surprise, another similar voice ranged right after me.
"Ren…"
Her exhausted eyes flashed with happiness as soon as the man called her and she slowly sat up on her bed with a smile on her face.
The man had his back facing me but he had a similar height as mine and he had something wrapped in his hands which he slowly passed to the lady.
But who are they?
Why am I feeling so much pain?
I thought as I put my hands over my aching heart and then I froze as the man turned aside a little after handing the little bundle, or the newborn baby to her.
Why this man does look identical to me?
He had black hair, ocean blue eyes but our face was similar.
And this is why she also looked similar… like my Lia.
She have dark brown hair and light brown eyes, unlike Amelia who had Dark blue hair and shining golden eyes.
Than the baby on her hands… should be my Elle right?
Unlike her silver hair, she had dark brown hair like the lady here and ocean blue eyes.
She had the same nickname but her name here is Milenka, not Eleanora.
But what kind of dream is it?
Why everyone looks so different here with different names?
Just like that, the scene before me changed again and this time I was in a garden.
Before I could look around to see my surrounding, a childish giggle caught my attention.
"HIGHER, PAPA!! MOOOREEE HIGHHH!!"
A five year old little girl giggled as a man held her up with a smile on her face.
Their dressing was also a little different.
"Ethan… You will spoil her! Put her down!"
The lady with dark brown hair spoke with a sigh as she came out from the villa behind me.
She was wearing a white floral ground and the way her hair swayed in the air reminded me of Lia.
The way she would tuck her dark blue hair behind her ears as she would walk towards me, this scene was extremely familiar.
Lia…
I extended my hands towards her but she just passed by me as she hugged the man with black hair and ocean blue eyes with a smile on her face.
And my heart skipped a beat.
She is not my Lia… she is his Ren.
The man hugged his daughter in one side while she was on his other embrace.
Just like how I used to hug her and Elle at the same time.
My heart was in pain… it was paining so much that I couldn't breathe.
I don't want to see this.
Stop it!!
Take me back to my Elle!
And right then the scene changed again and this time that man was facing me, looking into my eyes straight with tears beaming down from them.
He looked older this time and before I could get anything, he grabbed me by my white shirt's collar as he yelled.
"GIVE ME BACK MY DAUGHTER!!"
Huh?
I become dumbfounded as he spoke.
Daughter?
"GIVE ME MY ELLEE! GIVE HER BACK TO US!!"
He slightly shook me but then I was pushed back by someone.
The lady with dark brown hair also looked older than before as she looked at me angrily.
"YOU ARE A FAILURE! MY DAUGHTER WON'T BE SAFE WITH YOU!"
"GIVE HER BACK TO ME!! GIVE MY ELLE BACK TO ME!!"
She shouted loudly as the man with black hair hugged her tightly in his arms and I took a few steps back.
What is happening?
What happened to their daughter?
What happened to my Elle?
But then I felt another presence behind me and to my surprise, I finally saw my Lia again.
My Lia…
I rushed towards her as I pulled her into my embrace.
Thank god I meet you here Lia…
I meet some weird people, asking me to give her back to them.
"Give her back to them, Lex…"
I instantly froze as I heard what my Lia said.
Give her back to them?
Our daughter, my Elle?
'How can you say this, Lia?'
I asked but I could feel my body trembling as I distanced myself a little from Lia to see her face properly.
She had no emotions on her face and then she started to speak again as her cold golden eyes looked into mine.
"You can't protect her, you are a failure Lex."
"You couldn't even save me."
"Give her back to them; she will be happy with them at least."
N-No…
'What are you saying, Lia?'
I cupped her face into my hands in disbelief, trying to understand her words again.
What is she saying?
"You sacrificed yourself to save her, Lia… how can you ask me to give her back to them?"
And then I heard her sneer at me with disgust for the first time.
"If I knew that you would be such a failure then I would have taken her with me rather than leaving her with you!"
That was it… I staggered behind as I heard her words and she continued.
"What was her fault, Lex?"
"WHY DID YOU DISTANCE YOURSELF FROM HER?!"
I didn't… I always watched over her… in silence.
"SHE WAS ONLY SIX AND WATCHED HER MOTHER DIE! SHE NEEDED HER FATHER!! WHERE WERE YOU AT THAT TIME?!"
"WHY DIDN'T YOU ACCOMPANIED HER AND TELL HER THAT IT WAS NOT HER FAULT?!"
"WHY DID YOU LEFT HER ALONE AND SUFFER?!"
"YOU DESTROYED MY DAUGHTER, ALEXANFER!!"
"YOU KILLED OUR ELEANORA!!"
She shouted and I put my hands over my ear to not hear anything.
'No… I didn't… they would have harmed her too… '
´I can't lose her just like I lost you…´
I kneeled on the ground and continued to sob as those words continued to repeat in my mind and I recalled how I looked like to our daughter.
Only I know that I am doing this to protect her.
But how is it to her?
She lost her mother and her father distanced herself from her with disgust.
So much hatred that he doesn't even share a decent conversation with her…
She secretly follows me because of Lia's last words toward her.
'Follow your papa… he will keep you safe.'
She is insecure, do I not know this?
Then why did I never even thought about sharing this to her?
To let her know that I love her, Lia's death was not her fault and hugs her in my arms?
If I just tell her about my plan, then she would have sure understood it.
My Elle is smart and wiser then kids of her age.
Why did I have carried everything on my own?
I could have shared it with her… we only have each other in this world after all…
I am such a failure… Lia is right.
But, I was guilty… seeing her face reminded me how I lost Lia…
I couldn't get over her death for months… how could I forget that I had a daughter who was also suffering like me?
They are right… I am a failure…
And then I sensed another presence and this time, it was a girl in her early twenties, looking down at my pathetic self but I didn't bothered to wipe my tears.
Is she my… Elle?
She had long silver hair and jewel blue eyes; wearing a white shabby dress which I can never even imagine her to wear.
Her face had no emotion and her eyes looked lifeless.
I tried to get up, wanting to ask what happened to her.
Why is my princess looking like this?
But even before I could get up, her cold voice made me froze as her words made me look up at her with horror.
"Why didn't you save your princess, papa?"