Gracefield Orphanage
"Stop lying... Mama."
Ray mumbled as soon as he heard the news. He at his mother intently not letting his emotion be shown in his aloof face. He simply placed his clenched fist on his pocket while controlling his trembling hands.
"Do you I have a reason to lie about her death?" Isabella asked.
Ray retracted his gaze from his mother. His raven-colored hair moved swiftly causing his messy hair to fall and block his eyes. He didn't say anything, he remained silent making him harder to read.
But Isabella knows him too well.
She knows that the next few words from her could destroy him.
It will destroy him the same way of how she was destroyed.
"No one knows that place better than me, Ray," Isabella mumbled. Her voice was low as if it was reflecting what she feels. "I did my best to save her from her fate. You know how much I care for my children," she emphasized.
Ray clenched his fist tightly as he continued to listen to his mother.
"But she failed that important test." Her tone doesn't sound cruel, but her words themselves were ruthless. "I trusted her too much. I did my best to beyond my reach to help her. To make her survive, longer than anyone."
Isabella stared intently at her son.
"Lies..." He mumbled.
"Enough lying to me... " Ray raised his head. "You don't have to go this far to control me. I am obedient to you, If you want me to observe them, each moves, every action, I will do it, but don't take it too far."
Those words sounded as if he was begging. It sounded broken and desperately trying to deny what he was about to hear.
Isabella halted after hearing her Son's word. She stared at him quietly.
She knows what to do.
"I've learned my lessons! I won't betray you any more, just don't lie---"
"Conny is dead, my little bunny is dead," Isabella told him emphasizing every word ruthlessly. "She is a premium child, but she failed. I am telling this to you out of consideration."
"Enough lying!" Ray shouted.
Ray was desperately trying to restrain his emotions, but if Isabella continued this, he won't be able to hold it.
His messy fell in his eyes once again. He stared to the ground trying to rationalize his head.
Isabella rose from her seat as she walks towards Ray who had a different expression on his face. Her face went darker as she placed both of her hands on her Son's shoulder as she stares intently at him.
She almost retreated her hands when Isabella felt Ray's shoulder trembling. Isabella knew that she was caught off guard, but that did not stop her from acting ruthlessly in front of her Son. You can't even see the hesitation in her face.
Ray glanced at Isabella's deep violet eyes trying to read his mother's emotions, but superior to him in playing hide and seek, he didn't manage to read it.
"She failed, Ray," Isabella told him with a cold voice. Her hands clutched in Ray's shoulder. "She failed."
"Then why did you lie to me?!" Ray shouted. He gritted his teeth as he held the handkerchief in his hand tightly. "You told me that no one will hurt her in that place, she's not dumb, we both know that she's not a normal child. She should've survived!"
Isabella's cold face became soft as she cupped his face.
"I did not lie," Isabella told him. A twisted smile appeared on her face. "She dies without pain, no one hurt her."
Ray stared blankly at his mother, but Isabella could point out that it was a pained face.
A familiar Gloomy face.
"Enough... Mama..." Ray mumbled.
"Look at you, you've become sad," Isabella suddenly mumbled before pulling Ray into her embrace. "You and I are really the same, aren't we? This is a lesson Ray, we're both living in a twisted world."
Ray didn't react when his mother hugged him...
But he recalled something.
Ever since he was a child, he wished many times that his mother would hug him every time he was losing a sibling. He grew up crying while witnessing their death until he became used to it.
He wanted to cry out to Isabella, but that never happened.
It never happened until now,
and yet, he knew that his mother didn't hug him out of pure affection.
"You've attached yourself to Conny that losing her made you sad, and soon Emma and Norman will also end up like her," Isabella mumbled using her affectionate tone. "This is a lesson. Just do as you act when we lost your other siblings. You shouldn't attach yourself to anyone."
'Not even me.'
Ray pulled out himself in his mother's embrace. He silently went away from her to walk towards the door with a gloomed face.
"We didn't lose them," he suddenly mumbled. "We abandoned them."
"But we both lived longer," She answered with a smile.
Ray turned his head away from Isabella as he went out of her office. He didn't look back, he just walked away slowly without realizing that his actions looked depressed.
As Ray left Isabella alone, her smiling face with affection went blank while staring at her empty arms. "You could've stayed longer," she mumbled blankly.
It was empty, but it still remembers the warmth of her son.
•••••••••
"Ray!" Phil cheerfully shouted when he saw Ray.
However, Phil confusedly tilted his head when Ray ignored him.
No, it seems like he didn't hear him at all.
Something's not right. The little boy suspected.
Phil glanced in the direction which was Ray came from. It was the direction from Mama Isabella's office. He quietly returned his gaze at Ray who was walking away with a gloomy and blank face.
His little eyes went at the handkerchief in Ray's hand which he immediately recognized.
The little boy immediately ran towards Ray before lifting his right little hand to reach out to him. Ray stopped walking before glancing at Phil who has anticipation in his little face. He stared at him for a while.
"Ray are you okay?" Phil asked him.
Ray did not answer. He only patted Phil's head as he continued to walk.
Phil caressed his hair as he watch Ray walking away.
"It's Conny's," Phil suddenly stated while staring at the handkerchief. "She made it, right?"
Ray paused when he heard it. He unconsciously glanced at the handkerchief in his hands with a blank face. He could still remember what his Mother told to him. It's not like he would forget it.
"Yeah," He answered blankly.
However, the next word from Phil made him snap out his blank expression.
"It only means that she's alright."