Chapter 40: chapter 40

Elora's POV----------------Back to the real world. Back to Rodas's mansion and back to the days when I would be spending most of my time alone.I find myself alone on the bed first thing in the morning. The space on the bed where Rodas had been sleeping has turned cold. He has already left. So silent.I wiggle out of the sheets, sighing my frustration and pull the curtains of the window wall. The sun is already high in the sky. Then my eyes directly land on the fish tank. Only Aurelia wasn't there anymore. I sigh again.We found her dead one morning. It was such a heart-wrenching sight. We buried her in the garden and Rodas planted a tree for her memory. After that, Rodas decided not to have any pets again. Even now, he hasn't removed her tank. I proceed to clean the room. Put fresh white sheets on the bed. I'm tired of his all-black theme. Though I've my room, I spent most of my time in Rodas's. I love it. His smell comforts me. By the time I finished cleaning, my stomach starts growling. I'm hungry.I take a quick shower and wear one of Rodas's black T-shirts which is too big for me that it reaches my knees.But yeah. As I said, his smell comforts me. The hallway is empty except for the few permanent guards. I walk to the window and look toward the garden, not many are present there too. I guess it's one of those days when the whole mansion is quiet and feels so empty.I sigh and walk to the kitchen. The cook, Mr Bennet is busy doing his work. He greets me with a smile and points at the refrigerator. A yellow sticky note is there. I smile, seeing Rodas's scribbled handwriting. "I'll be back by 8 pm, Don't forget to eat. Love you""What do you want to have?" Mr Bennet asks me."Simple breakfast would do," He nods and I sit on the chair waiting for my breakfast.Mr Bennet places a plate of bread toast and a glass of fruit juice in front of me."Here you go," he says in a sweet voice."Thank you!" He dramatically bows at me before going back to do his work. Fifteen minutes later, I head back to Rodas's room but just before I step in, the sight of the baby blue nursery room's door stops me. I gulp, grabbing the edge of my shirt. I take a step forward toward it but then I eventually turn around and take the stairs. I try to walk as slowly as I could, partly hoping that by the time these stairs disappear under my feet, the pain in my heart would go away. But the surrounding is still and so is my pain. I open the door of Rodas's gaming room but it's empty now. Not even a single piece of furniture is present. I stand dumbfounded.Did he move his stuff somewhere?Then I head into that special room. The room Rodas has arranged specially for me. I still remember him blindfolding me and taking me to this room. My heart was racing, half excited and half nervous but When he finally open the blindfold and I saw the grand Piano and those bookshelves, all I could do was cry in his arms because of the overwhelming feelings.I sit in front of the Piano and slowly my fingers touch the smooth ivory keys and shortly they dance across the keyboards, a familiar warmth spreads through my body and I feel the joy radiate from my fingertips, spreading like ripples in the pond. I've not played Piano for a while now and I love the thrill I'm feeling while playing it again. My smile widens with every passing note, it's contagious.But then all of a sudden I stop when my eyes land on the diary on the other table. I stroll toward it. It's funny how I was so confused the last time I came here with my memories still fogged. How stupidly I got shocked reading the letter I wrote for Rodas.This place was like an escape room for me. Whenever I'm upset or angry, I would come here and write letters. Most of the letters are for Rodas which hasn't been touched, even once by him. He has no idea I write to him in my diary and once my mood becomes good again, I get embarrassed by myself for writing such childish letters. So, not even a single letter got the opportunity to read by Rodas. I pick up a pen and sit in the chair before opening the diary.I'm feeling like writing again.Dear Rodas, I love you. It's still the same as the first time I've fallen in love with you. Many things have happened between us and I know you're hurting as much as I do or maybe more. I'm telling myself to leave the past behind and move on but it's not that easy.I still don't have the strength to enter that nursery room. I'm so scared to get defeated by the memories of that accident. Fear engulfs me and I find it hard to breathe. Will I ever be able to forget about it? I wonder. But I never blamed you for our baby. It was not your fault. Though I still find it hard to believe that you sent me away with Rei when you don't even like any other man near me. I know you said you were scared and that you were unstable but because of the things you did, I almost thought you murdered my parents. Many misunderstandings took birth in my head. I was starting to hate you. Isn't that scarier? To hate the person you love the most.It's strange Rodas.Sometimes your love is strange. Hard to grasp.But I love you and I will never regret loving you.I stare at the letter for a while before closing the diary. Another letter buried deep between the pages. Then I stand before the bookshelves, I've gone through every single one of them, each holding a secret story to tell. Clack. The door opens and I look over my shoulder to check. Liam stands at the door with a smile."You said you wanted to offer flowers to Mom and Dad," he says.