Annabelle and Nora sat in the cold garden, the green colors of the once so beautiful garden were now white as the snow had descended heavily the night before.
Both wearing their fur coats, they watched as Andrei Volkov, Annabelle's husband played with Antonio, Blu and Molly. They were all playing in the snow, throwing snowballs at each other. While Annabelle cradled her toddler who was fast asleep in her arms, Nora couldn't help but notice how passionately Lisa and Indigo painted behind her. She seemed to be painting the snow fight that was happening in front of her and she looked so focused on it.
"You know I can't help but notice how much Dure's last born looks like him". Annabelle called Nora's attention to the Molly who was hit with two snow balls at the same time.
"It's the way the kids easily forgive each other that amazes me. The heart of a child is just so beautiful". Nora exclaimed, her eyes gazing back to Lisa and Indigo painting behind her.
"Yeah. We were once that way". Annabelle exclaimed as she finished the milk tea in the teacup.
Tina walked out with a tray of cookies in her hand, in which the children gathered round her to take a piece from.
"In this life, Nora. There are three set of people that must never go wrong" Annabelle began, pouring the hot milk tea from the teapot to the teacup. "They are, Parents. Spouse and friends"
"I don't understand what you're trying to say". Nora said, a little confusion evident on her face.
"The first is wrong parents. Your future depends on the type of parents you have. They're like the stepping stones to your greatness. Once your parents are wrong, then your foundation wouldn't be strong as it should. That's why we have so many delinquents out there. I was even one of those delinquents" Annabelle laughed before sipping out of her milk tea again.
"But you do know that children can't choose the type of parents they have" Nora reminded her.
"I know we can not choose the kind of parents we want but we can choose the kind of spouse we want. That's where marrying right comes in. Having the wrong parents is bad, but having the wrong spouse is like continuation of suffering. Worse on so many levels. As a child, you can decide not to be like your parents or even decide to be better than them, but having a wrong spouse..." She trailed off.
"I understand that part more than you think. To have someone support your dreams and make up for the things you missed out on". Nora told her, finishing the tea in her cup before pouring out more for herself.
"The third set are your friends. Having the right set of friends can make you forget your sorrows in the twinkling of an eye, support your dreams and goals and not be jealous of the progress you're making in life". Annabelle said to Nora before given a pained laughter.
"In my life, the only decision I made right, was my spouse. The rest are just wrong on so many levels. I'll forever be grateful I married my husband. He made me realize how faulty my foundation was" Annabelle said.
"I was actually surprised that you married him, you know. I actually thought you were in love with Ezra". Nora told her, getting a disgusted look from Annabelle as a result.
"Ezra? You actually think I was in love with that peasant? I was just following orders from above. That guy was never my type" Annabelle said to Nora, that look of disgust still evident on her face.
"It's funny how he died in the hands of those he was actually looking up to for protection. In my opinion, Phillips is more vile than Dure will ever be. Just one cup of Lacosa poison did the trick for him" Annabelle said non challantly.
"Phillips killed Ezra?" Nora asked, rising to her feet immediately, she understood what Annabelle said.
"Who were you thinking did that? Dure who was busy with his wife and children back then? Or Wilson who was more concerned with his business than with one useless pawn? Dure only knew Ezra was carrying a confidential document which he wanted to show you but I could swear on my life that he wasn't the one who killed Ezra"
Nora sat down as suddenly as she arose, her breathe suddenly shortening and her face turning all red in annoyance.
"That dude named Phillips!" Nora's fist hit the table with force that the milk tea spilled and splattered all over the table.
"Care for cookies?" Tina offered Nora and Annabelle.
"Thanks. As for her, I don't think she needs any at the moment" Annabelle said, taking two big cookies from the plate while Nora suddenly barged out of there. She wanted to see Nanny. Her legs stomping on the poor snow, the crunching of the snow flakes suddenly filled the air, walking past Andre and the children who couldn't help but stop and wonder what had made her frown like that.
Nora walked all the way to the dinning hall to see if Nanny was there. But instead she met Mary, who was trying to arrange the snacks for the children.
"Where's Nanny?" Nora asked Mary, who turned around to see who was talking only to meet the shocking face of angry Nora.
"In the basement?" Mary meowed out.
No words of gratefulness was said to Mary, Nora just marched to the basement, not stopping along the way.
On getting to the basement, the door was closed which she wasn't expecting. On the door was written a door sign which said "Do not enter!".
Nora hissed in annoyance, pulled the door sign down and stepped on it angrily before barging into the basement. She was just about to shout heavily on Nanny why she'd put up such a door sign but the words of offense rolled down her throat when she met Justin and Nanny standing in front of a opened wardrobe. She was curious as to what they were looking at inside the wardrobe, so she tiptoed till she got to their back.
"Since we don't need this again, Nanny, should we seal it up?" Justin asked Nanny, while Nora peeped over their shoulders to see what it was.
Behold, inside the wardrobe was a stairway leading into the darkness. She was surprised that such a thing actually existed in the very mansion she grew up in.
"Maybe that's the best choice. Later in the future, we can unseal it for your children". Nanny said, nodding simultaneously with Justin as they decided to close it.
"Where is this secret passageway leading too?" Was the only question Nora asked that sent everything into frenzy.
Because they weren't expecting her there, out of shock, Justin took a few step back wards till he could feel the first step of the stairway with his leg. Thankfully, he was holding the bannisters to the secret stairway or he would have definitely stumbled down the stairs. And as for Nanny, thankfully her blood pressure was under control or she would have almost died. Died of shock.
"What are you doing here?!" Nanny almost yelled in anger.
"Haven't you learned not to sneak up on people?" Justin clearly was slowly recovering from his panic attack which Nora just forced them to go through.
"You wouldn't be scared if you had nothing to hide. Acting up so secretly, did you really think I wouldn't find out one day?" Nora asked both of them, her hands clapped together behind her back like she was interrogating them.
"We indeed have nothing to hide, Nora. But you definitely shouldn't sneak up on people" Justin told her before walking forward towards her.
"What does that stairway lead to?" Nora asked them both.
Justin looked at Nanny, who was still struggling to stand on her feet, trying not to fall down. She nodded in approval for Justin to tell Nora what it was.
"Fine. Let's go sit down and have a talk". Justin offered but Nora snatched her hand from his.
"I want to hear whatever you want to say, right now and here!" Nora demanded.
Sighing in defeat, Justin looked at Nanny who confessed to Nora "Before your father died, your father was given a land of diamonds by your grandfather. Just so suspicions wouldn't arise, your father built this mansion on the diamond lad, creating a passageway to the land so that his workers could work on the land, bring out the real diamond and sell it to the country that needs it. When he died, It was given to me to take good care of. Now that the workers are not here any longer, we're here to seal it up. When Blu and Indigo grow up, they'll take good care of it".
"Real diamonds?" Nora asked Nanny which Nanny and Justin nodded in affirmative.
"Since you want to seal it up for my children, there's definitely no problem with that. As long as my children aren't stranded in the nearest future". Nora said, shrugging her shoulders while Justin closed the doors to the wardrobe and looked it with the padlock he had brought with him.
"What brought you here, my child?" Nanny asked her, both of them walking out of the basement, hand in hand. That was when Nora remembered that she actually came there to complain.
"Umm... Umm... What did I want to say again?" Nora asked herself, her brain suddenly going all blank as she gaped into the atmosphere like a confused human being.
"Take your time, my dear. I'll always be here to listen to you when you remember" Nanny said with a huge smile on her face, patting her granddaughter's hand in comfort.
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Justin walked up to Nora, sitting on her swing, watching the beautiful snowflakes fly down from the sky. She was wearing a fur coat and gloves, which kept her from feeling the cold.
It was in the very early hours of the morning, three days to Christmas. Even though she could sleep well these days, she couldn't sleep for more than five hours. So instead of laying on the bed, thinking, she swings at her balcony till daybreak, watching the sun rise over the white gardens.
As soon as she noticed Justin, she smiled, saying to him "Could you sleep well?" He smiled and nodded at her.
"You?" He asked.
"I'm good too" Nora replied him, and he nodded, then the awkward silence arose and all that could be heard was the whispers of the wind.
Can't you see that Justin has feelings for you? Nora remembered James say angrily when she asked him why Justin had been ignoring her.
Two days earlier, Justin saw Nora having a heartfelt talk with Andre. They flowed so well, you couldn't even tell that that was just their very first conversation together. They were surprised as to how similar both of them were, having the same favorite color, sports and hobbies and hating the same thing. But from afar, Justin couldn't help but feel jealous and saw he ignored Nora as a result. After so many failed attempts to talk to him, she finally asked James, if he could tell her why his best friend was ignoring her. And that was when James let the cat out of the bag.
She was surprised to hear that. Her legs went numb almost immediately, resting on the wall for support.
"How long as he had feelings for me?" She had asked James.
"Even before I met him. Keeps staring at your picture, smiling like a foolish being, till he got back to confess only to witness your wedding" James confessed. Mary who was passing by, overheard their conversation and tried pinching James into silence but Nora saw that. She couldn't believe it that Mary also knew about his feelings.
But what she didn't understand was, why he never talked about his feelings? Why didn't he ever give her signals? She thought they were just being best friends?
"Justin?" She called out to him, he answered, looking back at her to hear what she wanted to say.
"After the Christmas celebration, I'll be walking up to the RBI's headquarters myself to confess to my crimes. I can see them in my dreams already. Before they drive me crazy, I'll go confess myself". She informed him of her plans.
He didn't look comfortable with that idea. He definitely wasn't ready to see her walk into jail, for a second time.
"You'll be going to jail for a second time? Do you realize that?"
"Yes. I know that very well and I'm prepared for it. At least, this time, I caused it myself. Besides, I won't be alone. Dure is there to accompany me, there's nothing more comforting than that. He's paying for his crimes already and I want to see him pay for it to the very end" Nora smiled at him.
"But-"
"You'll be here to take care of the kids. Annabelle and Mary too are here to take care of them. They also have Nanny and James"
"But the punishment for murder, Nora, is death. Especially if it's a royal member"
"I know. But there's also a chance that I'll be sentenced to life imprisonment. That's why I want us to have an heartfelt talk before Christmas comes. I don't want the new year to meet me with you guys" Nora tried to convince him.
"But Nora?"
"I've made up my mind. There's no going back. Besides, I promised James I'll pay for my crimes"
"But the RBI should understand that you weren't mentally okay, Nora. You were battling with your mental health"
"Doesn't change the fact that I killed people, Justin. I want to live the rest of my life in peace and not guilt. Whatever punishment is coming for me, I'm willing to accept it" Nora boldly commented.
Seeing that she had made up her mind, he sighed in defeat. His head bowed and his hand behind his neck like he was seriously thinking of something.
Nora walked up to him and patted his back.
"I know you're not happy with my decision. But that's the only thing to make me happy at the moment. I want to be truly happy, Justin. Living with you guys, with that heavy knowledge that I killed people isn't going to make me happy, Justin" She tried to comfort him and let him see why she must do what she wants to do.
"That's the only thing that can make you happy?" Justin repeated after her as he rose his head to meet hers.
"Yes, Jus"
"You. You. You. That's all you ever think about. You're selfish and self centered, that's the problem I have with you, Nora! What about our kids? Have you ever thought that if you do this, they'll grow without a motherly figure? They need their parents to mentor and guide them! Will you mentor them from the prison yard!" Justin almost yelled at her in anger, looking her dead in the eye.
"About the kids, they wouldn't be the first to grow without a mother. I also grew up without one. But about a motherly figure, they'll always have one. Nanny is there. You're there. Mary is there. Mary took care of those kids for the past eight years while I was away-"
"What happens when she has her own family? Have you forgotten that she's a woman too? And she once betrayed you! How are you so sure she wouldn't do that again?"
"Justin, I understand how you feel. But do you want the RBI to find me themselves and call my children the children of a murderer? Is that what you want? Do you realize that I can't hide forever?!"
"That's my problem with you. You never listen. More stubborn that a bull! This same stubbornness that killed the people around you, even Green. You still refused to learn from it!" Justin had said it before he realized, making Nora gasp in shock.
He had said it in the heat of the moment, what he was never supposed to say. When he realized what he had just said, he closed his mouth and looked away from her, while she continued to stare at him.
"That came out wrong" Justin said in a voice as low as a whisper but thankfully, Nora didn't take that to heart.
"I know, Justin. Your feelings towards me". Nora started, Justin looking at her once again.
"This is not about my feelings, Nora. This is about our children and their future" He defended almost immediately.
"I know you better than anyone, Justin. I know this is for our children and I know you don't want to let me go"
"You definitely don't know me, Nora". He defended, still breathing heavily like an angry boar.
"If there's a next life, I hope things will turn out a lot more differently. I hope we will be more than just friends in the next life.
But right now, we have to do what is right, Justin, no matter how uncomfortable it is for us. I've had enough of making wrong decisions. Just let me make this decision for us. For the future of the children" Nora said to him, pulling him to face her completely before taking his face into her hands.
His cheeks were already wet with tears. He couldn't hide it in anymore. He fell into her arms and hugged her tightly, crying into the nape of her neck.
"Fine. I agree that you're right. I've had feelings for you since I could remember" He admitted.
"What took you so long to recognize my feelings, Nora? What took you so long to acknowledge it?" He couldn't help but ask her. He needed answers. Answers that he knew she didn't have. She just kept silent as they continued to comfort themselves in heartwarming hug.
___________________________________✍️
"Santa clause is coming to town. You better watch out. You better be good. You better look out let me tell you why, Santa Claus is coming to Town" The children sang as they went round the big Christmas tree that they had set up two days earlier.
Annabelle and her husband decorated the bannisters of the stairs, Justin and Nora built snowmen outside while James helped Nanny and Mary with the dishes. Tina and Kalia brought out the knitted cardigans they had made for the children, some years back.
The joyous atmosphere enveloped the mansion. All that could be heard were the voices of the children and all that could be smelt were the aromas floating out of the kitchen.
"Indigo, the chicken is on the kitchen table. Do help me bring it". Nanny ordered Indigo who ran to the kitchen in total obedience.
While Justin was putting on the muffler and the buttons on the snowmen, Nora threw a snowball at Justin. It hit him on his head, calling his attention to her. She was done putting the neon lights on the windows. He took up a fair share of snow, molded it into a ball and threw it at her too, but she dodged it and it hit James who wanted to call them in for dinner. James bent down and took a fair amount of snow, molded it into a ball and was just about to throw it on Justin but it hit Annabelle, who had actually come to give Justin two more mufflers. That was how a snow fight started.
The kids ran outside to join the snow fight, soon Nanny was dragged into it and so was Mary. Tina and Kalia also joined the fight.
Soon, laughter filled the air, the snow kept on crunching as the children ran around the fountain, throwing smowballs at themselves.
But the celebration was stopped when two RBI officers walked into the compound. Like a remote control was used on them, they all paused when they saw the RBI officers.
Justin and Nora couldn't help but exchange glances.
"Good morning, officers, can we help you?" Annabelle said as she walked towards the RBI officers.
"So it's indeed true. We received a report that the abandoned mansion of Prince Andrews had lights on every midnight. It was weird for a mansion that was abandoned for eight years to suddenly have lights on. The neighbors were concerned and reported to us to come check it out" One of the officers said.
"About that officer, this is the mansion of my cousin. I and my family are here to spend Christmas". Annabelle responded, while the second officer looked around.
" She's showing vital signs that she'll soon return, Your majesty".
" Soon return? Soon return from where? The land of the dead?!"
Nora shaked her head to stop the voices she was hearing. She definitely didn't understand what it was all about. Maybe a memory. Who knows?
Looking up at the officers, she saw the second officer looking at her before whispering something into the ears of his partner, who paid attention to her too.
Before they could say anything, Nora and Justin walked up to them.
"Can you come with us for some questioning, madam?" The second officer asked Nora with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, I will. But before that, do join us for dinner. It's Christmas. Seeing you working so hard on Christmas day, is so heartwarming". Nora offered.
"I'm afraid we must decline your offer-"
"We insist" Annabelle and Nora chorused, leading the two officers inside. Antonio threw a snow ball at one of the officers who looked at him with a smile.
"Join us". Said Antonio, calling him over to the fight.
The two officers did and the snowfight began again. Annabelle, Justin and Nora stood, watching the snowfight play out.
Justin's eyes didn't leave Nora.
"Why are you staring at me?" Nora asked him and he smiled.
"Your beauty doesn't want me to look away". Justin replied her, making her blush.
He couldn't resist the temptation anymore, pulling her into his arms, he connected his lips with hers. Blu was the first to notice it, calling the attention of his twin.
"Can't you guys get a room or something?" Annabelle said in disgust.
Nora smiled, wrapping her arms around Justin, kissing him back with all her heart, butterflies erupting in their belly.
The romantic moment was interrupted by the sound of gun, making Nora to bite Justin's lips painfully before she retracted in pain.
Everyone's eyes went wild when they realized what happened. Justin watched in horror as Nora slowly fell out of his hands, the blood gushing out of her chest as she slowly hit the cold flow. The once white ground, turning red immediately.
While they were celebrating, Phillips stood behind the RBI's car, and shot Nora, making sure the bullet went straight to her chest. He made sure, she died on the spot. It was the only way he could be assured and safe.