Beliefs Deceive

Chapter 4

I wasn't even sorry when the urge to kill Serena for good and bury her body six feet under crossed my mind. I wasn't guilty one bit. And as I sat on the long dinner table clutching a butter knife, looking at my white spotless plate, I knew the expression on my face wasn't pleasant at all. I didn't even try to cover it, to tell the truth.

I am sure that's why Lucia sat next to me so that if I tried to pull something off, she would be their knight in shining armour.

"Lucia, how is work?" Mrs Hwang perked up.
"It's going great actually. They said there have been a lot less injuries since I joined. Back when I wasn't there, they said a lot of people got caught in traps or sometimes ended up hurting themselves while destroying the evidence at the same time." She told them. When she finished, I turned to look at her with a frown and eyes that clearly said 'you-never-told-me-that'.

"They must be thankful to you." She said delightedly, clasping her hands together. Lucia nooded in modesty.

I was sitting on the seat that was farthest from the "main head's" seat, Mr Antonio Sebastian's seat. Lucia was sitting on my right side while Serena chose to sit on the opposite side of the tableーright in front meーbetween the two brothers, Elio Shay Sebastian and Angelo Sebastian. Grandpa and Mrs Hwang sat closest to Mr Antonio on either side of the table.

I looked up at Serena and saw her exchanging some hushed words with Sebastian. Angelo was busy separating corn and carrot from his soup. He looked pretty, when he was so concentrated as some small strands of his shoulder length hair rested on his forehead. Grandpa too was busy talking in hushed voices with Mr Antonio. So that left Mrs Hwang, Lucia and me.

"You haven't eaten anything." Lucia scolded-whispered, while putting a bowl and putting soup in it. I was too distracted and full of disordered thoughts to notice what kind of soup it was. I proceeded to take a sip and lifted the spoon of soup into my mouth.

"Carefー" Lucia's voice echoed.

Too late. I already burned my tongue and lips. It was out of courtesy and formality that I hadn't spat it out of my mouth. Hopefully, nobody other than Lucia had noticed. Almost immediately, my grandpa and Mr Antonio got up from their seats, Mrs Hwang followed suit. "You kids enjoy yourselves. We'll be in my study." Mr Antonio announced and left us. Mrs Hwang chose to ruffle my hair before leaving with them.

As soon as they were out of sight, Lucia grabbed a jug of cold water, poured it into a glass and raised it to my lips as her other hand caressed my back. She must have noticed the water in my eyes. I took a sip, trying to suppress the tremble of my lips.

"You're so careless." She was not whispering anymore.

If others hadn't noticed before, then they surely had now. Good work, Lucia.

"What happened?" Angelo's angelic voice asked.

Well done, Lucia.

"What do you mean?" Sebastian's oblivious voice asked his brother. Thank heavens that he did not know. I saw Angelo pointing at me from my peripheral vision.

Well fucking done, Lucia.

I saw Serena looking at me. It always felt like looking into a mirror whenever she was looking at me, the only difference being that she was better than me at everything. Better with emotions, with relationships, be it with Lucia, with grandpa, or with Sebastian. She never crossed boundaries, never said the wrong thing, knew when to say the right thing and when to shut up. All that I lacked.

She was quiet at the moment. A frowned graced her diamond shaped face. If I didn't know better, I would have mistaken it for worry. But I did know better.