Later that evening; Alexander pulled up his sleek black car to his mansion's driveway.
"Why is she curious about the pendant? What exactly is she playing at?" He thought as he parked the car.
His long, hectic day had been filled with thoughts of Emily's strange questions about Charlotte's pendant.
As he stepped out of his car, a familiar voice called out to him.
"Hey, big brother! There you are!"
He looked up to find Naomi, his younger sister, standing at his entrance with a bright smile plastered across her face. She was holding what looked like containers of food.
"Naomi? What are you doing here by this time?" Alexander said, sounding very surprised.
"Can't I visit my favorite brother? I missed you! We all do, especially Mom. So she asked me to deliver these homemade meals." Naomi said then hugged him sweetly, practically jumping on him.
"I have been busy, you know that." Alexander replied flatly.
"Now, let go of me, you are no longer a baby!" He said and then got out of her hug, coldly.
Afterwards, he walked past her to unlock the door.
"Too busy to visit family?" Naomi muttered under her breath, following him inside. Then she became sullen as she realized something.
"And he wasn't like this before Charlotte's death... He used to come around at least twice a week. Now, we barely see him once a month." She thought to herself, watching his rigid back as he walked ahead.
"Feels good to be back here after a long time!" Naomi stated loudly, trying to be cheerful despite herself as she stepped in the spacious living room which felt cold despite its luxurious furnishings.
"That is an exaggeration. You were here last week, Naomi." Alexander said flatly.
"It was last month, Alex but of course you wouldn't know because you are too busy wallowing in sorrow!" Naomi thought and heaved a heavy sigh.
However, she masked up the disappointment and huffed playfully at his response then headed straight to the kitchen while Alexander dropped his briefcase on the couch.
"What?" Naomi gasped as she opened the refrigerator.
"Everything is exactly as I have left it during my last visit!" She observed as she saw how some of the foods were now covered in mold.
"Alexander! What have you been eating?" She called out, horrified.
"Food, when I'm hungry." He replied dismissively, loosening his tie.
"What did you eat today?" She pressed further, her voice stern.
"Coffee." Alexander replied flatly.
"Coffee?" Naomi turned around, her eyes widening with disbelief.
"Are you trying to kill yourself?" She snapped.
"Don't be dramatic, Naomi. I am fine, do I look sick?" Alexander retorted, his voice devoid of emotion.
"You are not fine!" Naomi snapped back.
"Do you think you are the only one hurting? What about us? What about Mom and me? Do you know how worried we are?" She asked, her voice cracking slightly.
"I told you, I'm fine. Leave it alone." His voice held a warning tone.
"No, I won't leave it alone!" Naomi stepped closer to him.
"Even Charlotte wouldn't want this. She wouldn't want you following her to the grave! Why are you deserting your life? Why are you wallowing in-" She was saying in exasperation.
"What do you know?" Alexander cut her off, his voice low.
Without another word, he turned and walked towards his bedroom.
"Alexander..." Naomi called out softly, but he was already gone.
"Mom was right, we are losing him day by day." Naomi whispered to herself, fighting back tears.
After a moment, she composed herself then she walked to the kitchen counter and began unpacking the containers she had brought.
"I will leave these here, Alex. And Mom said you should come home for dinner on Sunday." She called out, knowing he probably wouldn't respond.
"Please eat something, Alex. Please." She pleaded even though she knew he couldn't hear her.
~~~~~~~~~
In his bathroom, Alexander stood under the shower, letting the hot water flow over his tense shoulders. The steam filled the space, but it couldn't stop the memories from flooding in.
*FLASHBACK*
"Stop following me into the shower." Charlotte had protested that fateful day when she was in his house for the weekends.
"But you love it when I do." He had teased back then.
"Alex! The water is too hot!" She had laughed, trying to adjust the temperature.
"Just the way you like it, hot!" He had whispered in her ear and she had giggled.
"Naughty boy!" She had protested but got on her tiptoe to kiss him and he had grabbed her lovingly, deepening the kiss.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
The memory brought pain and agony. Out of frustration, he punched the tiled wall with full force but he couldn't even register the pain because of his emotional turmoil.
~~~~~~~~~
The mansion was quiet, except for the occasional rustle of wind through the trees outside.
The clock on Alexander's bedside table showed 3:27 AM when the nightmares began.
"Charlotte?" Alexander called out in his dream, finding himself on that familiar street which he had been avoiding since her death.
"Alex... Alex..." Charlotte's voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere.
"Charlotte, where are you?" He spun around, his heart pounding heavily.
"I'm here, Alex. I'm always here." Her voice called out.
Then he turned to find her lying there, her beautiful blue dress now stained with blood. Her golden hair was also soaked in blood.
"No, no, no..." Alexander fell to his knees beside her.
"Charlotte, please..." He sobbed.
"You shouldn't have come." She whispered, trying to keep her eyes opened but couldn't.
"I had to, I needed to see you." He said reaching for her hand, but it felt cold.
"Did you?" Her eyes suddenly fluttered widely open, those familiar green eyes now filled with pain and accusation.
Tears started streaming down her face, mixing with the blood.
"Did you really need to see me?" Her voice was breaking.
"Of course! Charlotte, what are you saying?" He asked in confusion.
"Why did you do it?" She blurted out.