Crescent Angel (A Phantom of the Opera Phanfiction)

Chapter 13: Mother?

This is my drawing above. I know, it kinda sucks xD but I was in the moment, okay?
I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter :) This chapter will get exciting in a few areas, just saying ;)

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(Erik)

The lair was wrecked.

The rest of my glass china, ruined. Tables turned and/or broken. Papers strewn everywhere, some torn to pieces. How could she leave me like that? What made her have to move away for marriage?

I scoffed while seething with frustration. Raoul. That insufferable fop. I will kill him. He will die by my hands a painful death.

It was nearly one in the morning, and I was causing a ruckus. I hadn't even thought about Charlotte's sleeping condition until she appeared at the sight of the scene around me. When I glanced at her from the corner of my eye, there was a picture of shock painted on her face.

"Erik..." she whispered, groggy and surprised. "What happened? Is everything all right?"

No.

I wanted to return to my anger venting. To destroying everything in sight. I wanted to kill someone all over again, to make them feel the pain I felt. But that look in her eyes... That uneasiness, the caution.

I just couldn't.

"You should go back to bed," I mumbled, averting my eyes to my feet. She shouldn't be here to see this. To see the monster I am. A demon that destroys all good things in life.

But she was persistent. "Not if something is bothering you," she stated, staring a hole through me. "And clearly, there is."

I sighed, unmoving. "I don't want you to see this."

"We all get angry sometimes, Erik," she started, moving closer. Her voice was firmer now that she was more awake. "But you need to tell me what's wrong so I can help you."

"Help with what? Calming a beast like me?" I sneered at her, my eyes finally meeting hers.

Charlotte started slightly at my sharpness. "You're not a beast. Enough with that!" Now, she marched up to me with a face full of red flush. "You just act this way because nobody was there for you in your childhood. Well, I'm here now. When will you see that? Why can't you see that I care about you?"

"Because I don't want to face another inevitable rejection!" I remarked, my jaw clenching. She was so close. So close to me right now. Her face was almost too near to mine. She was red in the face with irritation. As was mine.

She furrowed her eyebrows, backing up slightly. "An inevitable rejection? Are you saying that I will reject you?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Did I stutter?" I seethed, turning away slightly. "Of course you'll reject me. Luciana did. Christine did. Who's to say you won't?"

My eyes could see clearly every inch of her face become pink again. Her expression dropped to that of appall. "What?" She breathed, jaw agape. "How could you think that? I've made the mistake before of leaving, but that wasn't my fault! I told you how sorry I was, and I'll say it again; I'm sorry, Erik, but you can't keep thinking I'll leave every time now. I've apologized, and I'm true to my word, you know that."