Reborn Shadows: Destiny's Thread

| 18

"Here, Mr. Andrew." Eliza extended a neatly folded set of clothes toward him, her gaze sincere. Andrew took the clothes in her hand with a mixture of gratitude and caution before accepting them.
 
"These belong to my brother," Eliza continued, "and he isn't at home right now, so I guess you're free to wear them."
 
With that, Eliza turned toward the door, offering Andrew the privacy he needed to change into the fresh set of clothes she had provided. Andrew proceeded to change slowly and carefully due to the discomfort of his injuries.
 
After a while, Eliza knocks on the door, alerting him.
 
"Are you done yet?" She asked
 
"Sure!" He called, and Eliza entered the room with a small smile.
 
"Well, the clothes seem to fit you well," Eliza remarked, a small but genuine smile on her face. "Now, while you stay here, I'd like to go over some regulations," she continued, causing Andrew's expression to shift to one of curiosity.
 
"Firstly," Eliza began, maintaining her calm demeanor, "I have younger siblings, triplets. You mustn't interact with them in any way." Andrew nodded in agreement, taking in this crucial piece of information.
 
Eliza's expression remained serious as she continued with her instructions. "Secondly, you are not to leave this room without my permission. I'm sure you understand that your presence here is unusual, and I need to ensure the safety and well-being of my family."
 
Andrew nodded once more, acknowledging her concern and the reasonable precautions she was taking. "I understand," he replied in a calm and understanding tone.
 
"Lastly," Eliza added, "we will discuss your situation further in due time. Right now, my priority is to keep my siblings safe. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to ask, but remember, you must follow these rules."
 
Andrew had mixed feelings while he thought about Eliza's rules. The rules were unexpected but completely understandable.
 
"Thank you, Miss Eliza," he said. "I appreciate your assistance."
 
Eliza's expression softened slightly, and she gave a nod of acknowledgement. "You're welcome, Mr. Andrew. Just remember to stick to the rules until you get better and you are ready to leave."
 
With that, Eliza left the room, leaving Andrew to wonder about the type of person Eliza was. She was nice enough to let him stay but seemed like a cold and strict person with empathy. She didn't ask him unnecessary questions about his situation and how he ended up in that alley but instead gave him regulations to follow.
 
Not that he was dissatisfied; he was indeed very grateful, but her attitude surprised him. He settled back onto the bed, which carried a delicate scent of flowers and faint traces of perfume oils, which he surprisingly found comforting.
 
Andrew gazed at the ceiling; he couldn't help but wonder how he had ended up in this predicament. Memories of a dimly lit alley and a scuffle with unknown attackers lingered in his mind, but they were hazy and incomplete. He took his mind off the situation and focused on his surroundings.
 
The room was simple but comfortable, a great contrast to his life in general. He saw this as a chance to take a break and a chance to rest and recover.
 
With a sigh, he closed his eyes, deciding to focus on healing and recovering for now. In the peaceful silence of the room, he allowed himself to drift off to sleep.
 
That night, he had a dream. It was about the night he got assaulted. He passed the alleyway, then he heard the sounds of other shoes walking in the snow. He turned and faced the four men whose faces were not clear, demanding money.
 
These men were clearly robbers, and being an adrenaline seeker, he entered a fight with these four men. Even though he was outnumbered, he still felt he had the upper hand due to his combat expertise. He didn't know he was at a disadvantage until he felt a cold, sharp object pierce his side. The pain felt so real that he touched his side and felt warm blood gushing out.
 
He instantly woke up, drenched in a cold sweat. He sat up to reorganize his thoughts and saw three kids at the edge of his bed staring at him with their eyes sparkling with fascination. He paused a bit, cautious of the kids' reaction.
 
"I don't think you guys are supposed to be in here." He spoke. He realized that these were probably the kids Eliza spoke of.
 
"He can talk!" The girl exclaimed excitedly.
 
"Can you breathe?" Another one asked. Andrew was surprised at that question; he didn't want to be snarky since there were just kids. He nodded in response to their questions. The kids climbed on the bed and began to probe him with unnecessary questions.
 
"How did our sister find you?"
 
"Who are you?"
 
"How old are you?"
 
"Do you have an evil stepmother who hates commoner girls?" Andrew raised his brow at the last question. Kids really have active imaginations.
 
"I still think you all shouldn't be here." Andrew finally said, and the triplets looked at him, confused.
 
"Your sister would be mad if she saw you in here." And as if on cue, Eliza opened the door and saw the triplets on the bed with Andrew.
 
"Okay, you three leave the room." She ordered sternly. The triplets' faces dropped, resembling three sad kittens left out in the cold. The triplets walked out of the room in a single line.
 
Andrew watched as the triplets obediently left the room, their expressions showing clear disappointment. As they exited, he couldn't help but chuckle at their innocence.
 
Once the children were gone, Eliza stepped further into the room, her gaze focused on Andrew. "I apologize for their intrusion," she said. "They can be quite curious, as you've seen."
 
Andrew nodded, a grin on his lips. "There is no need to apologize. They seem like normal children."
 
Eliza rolled her eyes and gave a  small smile. "Of course they are. Well, they've been through a lot for normal kids, so I try to let them be as happy and curious as they can be."
 
Andrew felt sympathy for Eliza. It was evident that she bore a significant responsibility for caring for her younger siblings. "I admire your dedication to them," he commented sincerely.
 
Eliza's expression softened, and she nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Andrew. Now, I brought food." Eliza went outside the room and brought in a tray of food. " Although it's just soup, It's probably not much, but it is for easy digestion."
 
She dropped the tray on the bed. The delicious smile drifted into his nose, and he instantly became hungry, his stomach growling in response. Andrew's face became red in embarrassment. Eliza gave him a wooden spoon with a warm smile.
 
"I will leave you to it." She said
 
With that, she turned to leave, but Andrew stopped her with a question. "Eliza, if you don't mind me asking, how did you find me in that alley?"
 
Eliza was taken aback by his sudden question. "It's a long story, Mr. Andrew," she replied. "But I could tell you after you are done eating."
 
Andrew accepted her response and continued eating while Eliza left him alone. After a while, he noticed the door was slightly opened, and three pairs of eyes gazed at him intently.
 
"Eliza said it's alright to see you." They chorused, "Can we come in?"
 
Andrew nodded as the triplets entered the room and continued asking him questions, which he took his time to respond to.
______________________________________
 
Two days after Amelia ended her engagement with Christopher, the Hawthorne Duchy received a swarm of letters. Letters of admiration and affection had poured in for Amelia. The news had spread like wildfire, and it seemed that all of Amelia's admirers had a new sense of purpose and were now vying for her attention.
 
Amelia sat in her bedroom, an amused smile playing on her lips as she picked up the various letters that had arrived, not even bothering to open them. The sweet scent of roses, lavishly used to seal these declarations of love, hung in the air. Each envelope was decorated with delicate calligraphy and seals bearing the crests of various noble families.
 
Amelia casually arranged the letters in a stack. Emma, her maid—with the permission of Amelia—was enjoying the spectacle as well. She read the letters aloud, adding a dramatic flair while snickering, along with Amelia stacking and arranging the letters.
 
"Miss, listen to this one," Emma exclaimed, holding up a particularly ornate letter. "It says, 'Your beauty outshines the stars, and your grace eclipses the moon. I would traverse the ends of the earth just to glimpse your smile.'"
 
Amelia burst into laughter, so did Emma. "Oh! Emma, stop reading them out to me," she giggled.
 
Emma grinned mischievously. "Well, Miss, it appears that breaking your engagement has made some people have a new sense of purpose."
 
Amelia dropped the letters and gave Emma a look. Emma shrugged and held out her hands defensively. "Don't look at me; the letter said so."
 
Amelia laughed again, as did Emma. "Oh Miss! Look what this person wrote!" Emma started by clearing her throat, placing her hand on her chest dramatically, and speaking.
 
"Oh, dear Lady Amelia, your grace is as enchanting as a unicorn riding a rainbow. Your eyes, like two perfectly ripe blueberries, glisten like the ocean, and your reddish-gold hair, reminiscent of a haystack in the sunrise, makes me dream of hayrides and rustic farm life. I can't help but imagine you in our kitchen, baking strawberry tarts with your tender love, each bite filled with your affection and the essence of strawberries plucked from the very fields of heaven itself. Emma started laughing again, and Amelia just shook her head and continued what she was doing.
 
However, Madeline watched with growing envy as the love letters continued to arrive. Her brown eyes darkened with hatred and malice.
 
"Those men are such idiots for choosing someone like her," Madeline muttered under her breath, her delicate fingers clenched into fists. Helena, her maid, was standing at the door, watching Madeline brood in a chair.
 
Before Helena came to Madeline's room, she overheard the maids talking about how Amelia allowed Emma to read her love letters as well as how they both shared laughs about how cringeworthy each letter was and how lucky Emma was to be her personal maid. Helena wanted that kind of interaction too, but Madeline frightened her.
 
A knock was heard on the door. Helena opened the door and met the butler holding a letter.
 
"For Lady Madeline." Helena took the letter from the butler and closed the door.
 
"My lady, it's for you." Helena spoke as she walked to Madeline to give her the letter. Madeline examined the letter and recognized the seal on the envelope. She sighed and tore the envelope to pieces.
 
"Can't this g*ddamn b*stard leave me alone?" She littered the floor with the torn envelope. Helena picked up the pieces of the envelope and noticed a large chunk of it still had its seal intact. She instantly recognized the seal of the Wallace Viscount heritage.
 
She knew Madeline and the Viscount's third son had an affair; after all, she was the one who delivered the letters. Although she would have thought maybe Madeline would have been excited now that Amelia had nothing to do with Christopher,
 
She took the pieces of the envelope in her hands to dispose of. She went out of Madeline's room and met Emma holding a small sack containing Amelia's numerous love letters, smiling and whistling a tune. She truly felt envious of Emma.
____________________________________________
 
Christopher couldn't shake off the feeling of longing that had settled in his chest ever since he had broken off his engagement with Amelia. He wasn't fazed by Amelia's sudden actions. All through his mind has been Madeline, the woman he truly desired. Finally, they could openly be together instead of meeting up in secret. But despite all the letters he sent, expressing his joy and excitement for a future with her, Madeline ignored all his letters.
 
Day after day, he sent numerous letters to Madeline, each more heartfelt than the last. He poured his emotions onto the pages, confessing his love, admiration, and longing for her. His handwriting was filled with desperation and passion, reflecting the turmoil inside him.
 
"My dearest Madeline," he would begin, "I cannot express how much you mean to me. Every moment away from you feels like an eternity, and I find myself counting the hours until we can be together again."
 
He would go on to recount their moments together, their shared laughter, and the warmth he felt when she looked into his eyes. The letters would often end with declarations of love and a plea for her to reconsider their relationship. Yet again, no reply.
 
He couldn't understand why Madeline hadn't responded. Had she not received them? Was she tired of him already? She couldn't. They were so alike, it was like Madeline was his missing piece, but he couldn't figure out what went wrong.
 
Madam Wallace entered Christopher's room unannounced with an ugly expression. Christopher hid his letter under a stack of books on his table. Madam Wallace scrutinized the dark room before walking over to the curtains and pulling them open.
 
"Finally!" She spoke, "I know you are grieving about your breakup, but at least let there be a little illumination in your room."
 
Christopher clenched his fist, annoyed that his mother was bringing up Amelia again in their discussion.
 
"Have you thought of a way to apologize to Amelia?" Madam Wallace asked, and Christopher shook his head defiantly.
 
"You better think of something, ever since she broke off the engagement. Eligible bachelors from different noble families have been trying their luck. She fell for you before, and I am pretty sure it can happen again."
 
"What if I don't want to marry Amelia?" Christopher raised his voice, startling his mother with his outburst. She placed her hand on her chest, staring at Christopher in shock. "I don't love Amelia. I love someone else!"
 
Madam Wallace let out the most piercing shriek.