Ch 4 - Confusion Part 2

Theme Song : "Memories" by Within Temptation






"It seems I should not bother to wake you up. My Lady wishes to talk to you." said a man in a black tuxedo. 
" I hope my guard didn't make you afraid." A woman entered the room. 

"Why am I here? Why did you bring me here?"

The lady remained quiet. Instead, she told the man to leave them alone. Her face filled with vanity and she barely look toward Rosaline nor the man. 

"You haven't answered my question." Rosaline slightly shivered. The night had fallen outside the window, blowing wind through air ventilation. Her skin was damp with hair risen up. She was alone in this strange place with people she barely knew. 
"Do you want to have a coffee? So you will not fall into sleep again? Do you know how long you were  asleep?" The lady poured hot water into a cup. Rosaline could smell  the ought to be refreshing aroma from it, but somehow her chest felt tight as the intoxicating smell penetrated her lungs. 
"No. How long I've been here?" 
"Quite long. Davy brought you here yesterday."

 
"If you're planning to escape, there's no use of it. Davy is outside and the door is locked." 
Rosaline stopped her paces. Though her chest burst out  for an escape, she knew that the Lady is not a foolish woman. 
 
"How about if you and I sit here and drink these coffee? It's going to be a long night." The lady said  while drinking her coffee. She sat on a leather sofa in front of a fireplace, being so relaxed and calm like she had not done anything wrong by bringing her forcibly.

The woman's calmness confused her. She could not  recall the time she had done anything wrong to this woman. 
"Don't be  confused. I just wanted to talk to you, dear"
"What did you want talk about, Mrs. Ivy?" .
 "You know who I am?"
"Yes. You used to come to the hotel where I worked.  Hotel Fleur Eternelle. You were once a guest there."
 "A guest?" Mrs. Ivy laughed.  "But I  do understand now why I didn't remember you." She smiled and then put her coffee down on a table.

"Let's make this quick. What I'm going to say to you is actually less important. I just have to reassure of what will happen, which means you will not make things heavier from what already is for the sake of everyone. Though, I must admit there are people who would want you to be dead instead."

"What?"

 Rosaline  ran to the other door, trying to open it.  

 
Pressing her palms against the pane, she screamed for help. 

But her voice bounced back onto the wall. She was being held in a  mansion, far from the city and with  no other houses nearby.
"Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you. I will only tell you the truth and you should be grateful about it." 
"The truth?"
"Yes, dear, as I've said it's going to be a long night." 
 
Mrs. Ivy lit the fireplace,  poking the wood that had turned into black charcoal and, while doing so, she told Rosaline everything about her past. 

"Do you know that this fire reminds me of your mother? She died inside a fire. It was worth for everything she had done. Bad deed should be burned inside a fire."
 "My -- my mother? My mother died in the sea." 
 "So, they haven't told you yet?"
"Told me what?"
 "Told you the truth that your mother was another woman. You are her illegitimate child, born without a father. Your mother died because of a car accident. She was burned to death."

"And that's why you were raised by Helen and Alex White. Your mother is not Helen, but Eve Lisle. She was raised in an orphanage. They were best friends -- almost like sisters-- and that's why Helen raised you like her own child."

"I-- I don't believe you and why should I believe you?"  

Mrs. Ivy stopped poking the wood. As she turned around, Rosaline could see her wicked smile. 

"I'm not asking you to believe me. What I ask is for you to leave France soon."
"Leave France? Why?"
"Because your father wants you to."
"My-- My father? You know my father? Who is he?" Rosaline step onward, but the stare on Mrs. Ivy's face pushed her back again. Her heart hammered disjointedly.


"Unfortunately dear, you don't need to know about  him. He will never acknowledge you, even if you're truly his child. He wants you to leave France since his opponents would  try to dig his past to bring him down. Your father had done a mistake in his life, and you, my dear, are nothing but a disgrace. If you agree to leave France, I will prepare a passport for you to live in Denmark. Your living expenses will be covered for one year. You can study there and your father will pay for your education. You will also get a house and someone there will help you change your name. He will help you with all the necessary things, but only in one condition you must not tell this to anyone, not even to your friends, especially your brother."  

"But why?" Rosaline hoarsely said. "If he's truly my father, why wouldn't he want to acknowledge me?" 

"Simple, my dear.  Your father's relationship with your mother was nothing but a mistake. You should not have been born. That's why he left you and your mother. If you still don't believe me, you can find the news about your mother's death in the internet. Search there for Eve Lisle and you will read about a child who survived from the accident. If she's still alive, her age would be the same as yours and her name was Rosaline."

  



"And oh, I almost forgot,  I reckon your mother was nothing but a hussy. She was found in the car with an unknown man who was probably her other lover, or perhaps he's your true biological father?  We would never know about it." 

"Don't -- don't say such things! I don't know about the past and how could I believe you?  My mother is Helen, and my father is Alexander White. You - you must be mistaken me by someone else."


"Okay, if you don't believe me and do as I've told you, then your loved ones will suffer. For once, you should do it for the sake of everyone. Ever since you were born, you always bring bad luck to anyone's close to you. If you are still so stubborn,  you may only harm the lives of people surround you, especially your brother." 
Mrs. Ivy stopped as she heard noises downstairs. "Looks like there's someone looking for you. Do you know who the person might be?"


Rosaline threw her gaze toward the door. She was hoping  that Valentin was there, standing behind it. 
 
And that's when Valentin found her.





The memory clung onto her brain like a leech. She believed  the corpses lying inside those coffins were her real parents and not the mother who had died in a car accident or a father who refused to acknowledge her. Still, she wished to seek the truth, even though the truth was going to be painful for her. It would be better rather than not  knowing anything about it.
 
Truth was mocking at her stupidity. Valentin is not her real brother, Alex and Helen are not her real parents. She felt alone as the world she once knew was tumbling down. grasping for something that was called "her family.", she couldn't help but thinking:  why did her father  refuse to acknowledge her?  Did he hate her so much  She almost cried at that thought.


***


Their phone rang at nine in the morning. Valentin picked up the phone  
"Is this White Residence?"
"Yes."
"May I speak  to Valentin White, please?"  
"Yes, Valentin speaking."  
"Valentin White, I'm calling from LBC Bank. Is it true that your father is Alexander White and your mother is Helen White?"  
"Yes."  
"And is it also true that you have an aunt, Ms. Amélie Michel, who was also pointed as your guardian after your parents' death?"  
"Yes."  
"We are sorry to inform you that your aunt has died in Italy because of a heart attack. I'm calling  you in regard of Ms. Amélie's matter which involves a house certificate that you are staying now. She made a loan with the certificate as a guarantee. It has long overdue now and the bank will seize the house within two months."  
"What? It couldn't be. This is our house. How much did she owe?"
"Fifty Thousand Simoleons."
The phone  fell from his grip.


After his parents died, Ms. Amélie was appointed as a trustee for the inheritance and also to be their guardian.  However, she rarely fulfilled her responsibilities. One time, Ms. Amelie brought Valentin to the bank to sign some papers. Then, she gave him some money.


"What about the account? There must be a balance there."
"Yes, there was, but the amount now is only 2500 simoleons."
With a heavy thud, he hung up the call. A huge bomb had been dropped onto his head. He didn't even know what to think.


***


Hotel Fleur Eternelle 10 a.m.



"How long will you be here, Robert?"
"I don't know yet, maybe I will leave until I settle a matter here." 
"Is everything going well for the next election?"
"Yes, everything is going according to plan. By the way, where is your employee, the girl with  red hair and pimpled face?"
"Which one? There is so many in here. I don't remember." 
"The one that stomped on my foot in my room."
"Oh, that one. I had fired her. What's a matter?"
"Nothing."



Next: Chapter 5 - Her Question.