Little Game

Chapter 55

Isabella sat on the porch, watching the unmovable lake that mirrors the clouds that move languidly without a care from those who were from the land. Isabella thinks it’s peaceful. Birds would sing a soft tune as they flew from one branch to another, accompanied by the wind's sweep of the white fluff of clouds while the gentle breeze moved toward and through the spaces between the trees, creating a soothing sound.

How peaceful would it be if time paused for a moment. If the world were to put on a complete halt and the only thing moving would be the gentle breeze that caressed her skin as it moved toward and through the trees, the white endless clouds that always had a familiar shape or form that people would guess from time to time, the birds that would sing their usual tune as they spread their wings and fly.

If only she could stop the time or even reverse it, she would have done something different. Isabella would have changed how things were. Isabella would have changed herself for betterment of everything.

She closed her eyes.

Dmitri walked towards the porch and saw Isabella sitting on it, looking at the skies longingly, as though she was looking for an answer up above. She would have wanted that. An answer to the questions in her mind.

Her mind never took any rest. Not since they left. They knew how this situation birthed a problem. Isabella has probably thought of every question she could have asked if there were answers. She probably thought of every scenario that could have happened if she were not born… well, out of love.

Dmitri sighed. He wasn’t good with this type of Isabella. He wasn’t good at the emotional side of things. That was more like Rafael’s forte but Raf had to man up and ask Romeo the current issues, Elois’ sudden outburst and the things that happened while they were away and Dmitri would gladly face this sad little gem of theirs than face Romeo.

“Hey, Miss Gem—” He started.

“Don't comfort me. Just tell me.” Isabella’s cold and lifeless voice echoed in the silence of the surrounding. It grated Dmitri’s ears because he knew the bright tone Isabella had when she was once unaware of the pain and the torment that her family and friend had brought.

Dmitri didn’t walk towards her. He didn’t come to bring comfort. The least Isabella expected from him was comfort. She should also know that their relationship wasn’t personal or intimate. In the end, their relationship was just nothing but a master and servant kind of thing.

“Due to some families fleeing or revolting against the organization that your family built over many generations, it appears to be falling apart right now. In addition, it appears that the Torres' businesses are rapidly collapsing for a variety of reasons. One was that there appeared to be countless moles coming from various rebelling families. Your father is presently looking into it because we still don't know how long the said moles have been there. Second, the businesses lack both concrete business structures and transparency.” Dmitri said, listing off the things that Rafael told him.

''So, it means that nobody was checking if their business was doing alright?”

Dmitri sighed again. “I don’t know.” He spoke. “I don’t know the whole detail.”

“Hmm.” She hummed before she hugged herself. She didn’t speak for another minute or two. She just watched the lake as it mirrored the sky and the trees as it swayed, creating a rustling noise that made Dmitri uncomfortable for some odd reason.

Finally, she spoke again. “Is there a reason why they blamed me?”

Blamed for what? For their failures? For their demise? Dmitri’s expression darkened and his fist clenched. How could they blame it on a child who had no choice but to be like Rapunzel locked in her tower? She was caged in her own home with minimal power to order anyone.