"I want to know what happened," Isabella reiterated, her words carrying a pleading undertone. Her request was not just for mere information; it was a call for transparency, empathy, and maybe even a chance at forging a more profound bond.
"It's a tale that stretches long and wide," William cautioned, sinking further into the plush cushions of the couch. His voice was laced with a weary resignation, a silent testament to the heavy toll his past had taken on him.
"But I have time," Isabella assured him. Her tone was resolute, unwavering. Her desire for answers had been fuelled by her longing to understand the fate of her beloved sister. She was prepared to listen, no matter how extensive or intricate the narrative proved to be.
William nodded, allowing a moment of silence to fill the room before he started. The distant, mournful look in his eyes told her that this journey into the past was not going to be an easy one, but it was a journey they both had to undertake.
He drew a deep breath, filling his lungs with the room's stale air before beginning, "The tale unfolds something like this..."
"In the world from which I hail, I was born into a family touched by wealth and privilege. My parents were blessed with two sons, of which I was the younger. My elder brother, always the more responsible one, was a good five years my senior. He was a prodigy of sorts, launching headfirst into our family enterprise right after his high school graduation at the tender age of 18. Within just two short years, he had learned the ropes and had shown such remarkable acumen that my father handed him the reins of our business, retiring to a life of relative leisure. At that point, I was still navigating the labyrinthine world of middle school," William said, pausing momentarily to ensure Isabella was keeping pace with his narrative.
"The societal structure of our planet diverges significantly from what you see here. About a hundred years ago, the last vestiges of monarchies and empires dissolved, giving way to nation-states. The march of industrialization brought with it radical transformations - education, healthcare, sustenance, and many such necessities were deemed basic rights of every human being. It was mandated that every child attend school starting from age five, receiving a basic education that provided them with a solid foundation for life. But as you can see, the conditions here are vastly different."
"Over there, the educational system is bifurcated into various stages. The journey begins with elementary school spans a period of six years, followed by middle school and high school, each of which lasts three years. Upon graduation, students are given the choice to delve deeper into a particular field of interest. If they wish to specialize further, they can opt for higher education in a university." William's words seemed to satisfy a part of Isabella's curiosity. She had always been intrigued by the homeland of the Heroes, but her deep-seated animosity had held her back from seeking answers about their world. This was her opportunity to satiate that curiosity. She nodded her understanding, encouraging William to continue.
"Roughly three years ago, my elder brother crossed paths with a woman who quite literally materialized in the path of his automobile." Isabella felt a jolt run through her at these words, her body shaking uncontrollably. This piece of information only made her more confident in her belief that Aimee was her elder sister's offspring.
'My sister disappeared without a trace three years ago. After her disappearance, we executed an exhaustive search spanning two whole years, combing through every nook and cranny of our Empire and even beyond our borders, yet we came up empty-handed. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.' The mantle of becoming the next Demon Empress had been thrust onto Isabella when her elder sister disappeared. She was forced to assume the role prematurely.
"This woman, she never disclosed anything about her origins, at least to my knowledge. There's a possibility that she might have confided in my elder brother about her homeland. Regardless... my brother was instantly enamored by her and brought her home with him. She charmed not just my brother but my parents and me as well. My parents had always yearned for a daughter and in her, they saw the daughter they never had," William recalled fondly, each word carrying the warmth of a cherished memory.
"To me, she was like the gentlest, kindest elder sister one could..." William's recollections were abruptly cut off by Isabella's interjection.
"Apologies for interrupting, but what was her name?" Isabella's voice wavered slightly as she posed her question, but William was too engrossed in his nostalgic trip to pick up on the hint of anxiety that tinged her tone.
"Her name was Aurora. Aurora Vortigern." As her sister's name left William's lips, Isabella had to summon all her willpower to suppress the tumultuous wave of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. It was a good thing that William's attention was elsewhere; he might have noticed her unusual behavior otherwise.
'So it's true. That woman was my elder sister. But how on earth did she end up in that world?' A surge of questions flooded Isabella's mind, each one a puzzle piece in the grand mystery of her sister's disappearance.
"Over the months that Aurora stayed with us, she seamlessly integrated herself into our family. My mother loved her as if she was her own daughter. I regarded her as my older sister. My father, on his part, showered her with the affection and care that he would extend to his biological daughter. During those times, we all witnessed how my elder brother and she gradually fell in love with each other. And then, on the 1st of January in the year 20XX, they proclaimed their love for each other and chose to cement their relationship through the sacred vows of marriage, which was held on the following day. The ceremony was a small, intimate affair, attended only by my brother's closest friends and their families. As for our grandparents, we had never known them. They had passed away shortly after my parents were born," William relayed.
He took a momentary pause before continuing, "About ten months later, Aimee came into our lives." He glanced at Isabella, noticing her deep shock. Her gaze was fixed on him, her face mirroring her tumultuous thoughts. The greatest taboo for a Demon royalty was to marry a human. Yet her sister had transgressed that boundary by marrying William's older brother.
Misinterpreting the reason for her shock, William revealed, "Aimee isn't my biological daughter," his voice carried a touch of sorrow, and a weak smile formed on his face. In spite of the biological disconnect, he loved Aimee as if she were his own flesh and blood.
Isabella's voice was a tremulous whisper as she asked, "What... what happened then?" Her hopeful aspirations about her sister's wellbeing had been gradually eroded, and now they hung by a single thread.
A bitter smile played on William's lips, as he began, his voice low and full of pain. "When my exams were underway, my family decided to go on a trip to the mountains. Given the importance of my examinations, I couldn't accompany them. They planned to leave before me, and I was to join them once my exams were over. But everything didn't go according to our plans."
He paused momentarily, trying to collect his words, his emotions threatening to overwhelm him. "There was an unanticipated storm. It was violent, unforgiving... They had an accident. My sister... Aurora... She protected Aimee. She used her own body to shield her from the onslaught. In doing so, she sacrificed her own life. My parents, they... they didn't survive the accident. I didn't even have the chance to bid them a final farewell."
A lump formed in his throat as the tears welled up in his eyes. He blinked them away, trying his best to maintain his composure in front of Isabella.
"My brother was gravely injured, but he clung to life. When I reached the hospital, he was in the emergency room. In those fleeting moments before his death, I made a solemn promise to him. I assured him that I would care for Aimee as my own daughter, that I would stand in as her father. And once she was old enough to understand, I would share the truth about her past with her. I would take her to visit the graves of her parents." The dam of his emotions finally burst at this point, and tears streamed down his cheeks. The poignant memory of that final conversation with his brother before he passed away was too much for him to bear.
"Apologies," William murmured, a touch of embarrassment in his voice as he hastily swiped at the tears cascading down his cheeks. "Something got into my eyes. Just need a minute." His voice was thick with unshed tears as he wiped his eyes vigorously and took a moment to regain his composure. He didn't want to continue crying in front of Isabella, even though the pain of his past was gnawing at his heart.
Clearing his throat, he resumed his story, his voice choking with the intensity of his emotions. "Only a few hours ago, we were enjoying breakfast together, a picture of a perfect family. Then, in an instance, I found myself standing in front of their lifeless bodies. The transformation was jarring. The only thing that anchored me in that tempest of despair was Aimee. But, the incident transformed her as well."
His voice dropped to a whisper, "She went from a giggling toddler to a child who wouldn't utter a single word, let alone smile. She shut down completely, her laughter replaced by silence, her words by vacant stares. She clung to me as her only pillar of familiarity. No one else could get close to her, no one else could feed her. Even for me, feeding her became a Herculean task."
William's tone took on a somber hue as he continued, "The first month after their deaths was hell on earth. Every single day was a torment, a relentless onslaught of sorrow and loss. The house that was once filled with joy and laughter was now echoing with our collective silence. I had to take over my family business at a time when my world was crumbling around me. It wasn't easy; it was far from easy. Yet, I did my best. Balancing my work and caring for Aimee was a challenge, but I persevered."
He paused again, his eyes staring off into the distance. "Months passed, and we were slowly adapting to our new reality. Just when we were starting to find some semblance of normality amidst the chaos, we were unceremoniously dragged into this world."
Isabella sat silently, mulling over the narrative she had just heard. 'So, I was right. William is not aware that my big sister was a demon. Nor does he realize that Aimee is half-demon,' she thought to herself, her heart heavy with the shared grief.
'This man is not the villain I painted him to be. Far from it. I owe him a debt of gratitude for giving my sister a home, for providing her with the love and companionship of a family, something she wouldn't have found in our world. I owe him for taking care of my niece, Aimee. His heart is pure, free from the malevolence I'd suspected,' she realized, a soft sigh escaping her lips.
In that moment, the last vestiges of hate that she held for William ebbed away. Try as she might, she couldn't pinpoint a single reason to detest him. 'This man is worthy of far better things than the world has dealt him,' she mused, a sudden surge of empathy welling up within her.
Absorbed in his own thoughts, William didn't notice as Isabella rose from her seat and walked towards him. He was startled out of his reverie by the sight of her shadow looming over him. Looking up, his eyes met hers just in time to see her lean in to hug him. Before he could react, he found himself enveloped in her embrace, his face pressed against her bosom. It was a gesture so unexpected and comforting that he didn't think to resist. Instead, he reached out to hug her back, his grip tight around her as they shared the weight of their shared sorrow.
-------------------
If you guys have enjoyed reading this chapter then leave your comment behind. Your power stones will be massively appreciated. My apologies if I made this chapter too dramatic but I think it was necessary both of their character growth.