Sophia, sitting herself on the living area of Lisa's mansion, waited for Arthur, Lisa's father, to come down.
As she got sight him descending down the stairs, she stood up at an instance from her seat and greeted him.
But not standing with his temperament, Arthur gave a blunt reply without any enthusiasm, that did created a doubt in Sophia's mind, but brushing off all other thoughts, she smiled at him.
"What brought you here?"
Without beating behind the bushes, Arthur asked Sophia directly coming to the point.
Sophia got filled with astonishment for seconds seeing this side of his face, he never was like this, even he gave the equal importance and love to her as to Lisa, specially after her parents had left her alone.
Or was it all just his manifestation?
Clearing her throat, she spoke hesitating, feeling uneasy about his behaviour.
"Uncle, actually I came here to ask-"
"For money?"
Perceiving her words being snatched by him, Sophia looked at him agape.
How does he knows? As far as she could recall, she haven't notified anyone yet, not even Lisa as forewarned by Noah.
After contemplating at him for few seconds, she was about to speak again, but was again brought to halt by Arthur.
"Look Sophia, what so ever is going on in between you and Noah, please don't drag me and Lisa in the middle of you two. Noah is a influential, high-powered man and I suggest you to comply with his demands."
Sophia was dumbfounded as his words coming out of mouth hit her ears. Is he the same man who consoled her in front of her parent's grave to take care of her or be there whenever she needs a shoulder.
"Uncle?"
Any wener itlar tuiteread form ter mouth was that
Taking his glasses off, Arthur rubbed his eyes and putting them back on, he spoke. "Mr. Noah came to me few hours ago."
And another thunderbolt fell on Sophia. No wonder, he is acting so weird. Arthur continued himself, this time with moistened eyes.
"He knows."
Sophia frowned not understanding what he wants to conclude to.
"He knows Lisa is an adopted child."
"What?"
Sophia herself never knew that Lisa have been adopted, the James couple never let anyone be cognizant of. They felt affection for Lisa and treasured her so that no one was able to guess of her being adopted.
Astonished and dumbstruck, Sophia kept on looking at him without saying even a word. These information felt like a bolt out of blue to her.
Arthur spoke again.
"We were not blessed with any child for a long period of time. But, all of a sudden I came to know that Lisa's mother, Amelia is expecting our first child. Our happiness knew no curtailment, we were delighted beyond limitations."
Arthur paused in between to push the lump formed in his throat before continuing himself,
"But God never wanted us to have our own child, Amelia had miscarriage as her body was not able to provide perfect environment to our foetus."
"Amelia lost her mental stability in the process, and I had to adopt a child then and there. Amelia does know that Lisa is not her child, but she never let these things come in between and showered enormously Lisa with love. Even Lisa, have been a very good child to us."
"No one other than me, my secretary and the nun from whom we adopted Lisa knows about this. But Mr. Noah had got his hands on the information, with proof."
"If I try to lend you a help in anyways, he will tell this to Lisa and I don't know how she will give the reaction. I can't afford this Sophia."
Sophia was left dumbstruck, how can a man be so cruel so as to destroy a family's peace just to get his desires accomplished. How can someone be so selfish. Arthur spoke again.
"He asked me not to tell you, he wants to create an environment for you where it is proved that you can only depend on him. But my child, I know you are kind and mature. I can't hurt you, I have got to tell you about this all, I am sorry."
Sophia kept her line of sight concentrated at the table at the head of her, with flapping her lids, trying her best not to let the tears collected in the brim of her eyes, fall down her cheeks.
What does he wants? To make her so defenceless and without anyone beside her that she is compelled to go with his demands.
How can a man be this of devil, that using someone's weak point as reinforcement to get his things done.
Is he even human? With a beating heart? How low will he stoop other than forcing a girl.
Sniffing she got up from the seat she had been accommodating. Looking at her Arthur spoke.
"Stay with us for a day child."
Turning her back to him, she smiled with pain flowing out of her reddened eyes.
"I am sorry uncle. Because of me your grave secrets were dug up to the surface again
and have to go through the same pain one more time."
"It's not like that Sophia."
Arthur tried to explain things to her.
"It's alright uncle. I don't want to be the reason of your family's destruction."
She was about to walk out when she heard again from behind.
"I have one request Sophia."
Pausing in her way out, she replied.
"Yes uncle, please."
"Can you not approach Samuel, he will tell everything to Lisa and things wont_"
"I won't, don't worry."
Sophia walked out of the mansion and halted only when reached the bus stop. She initially made her mind up of not to approach Samuel, she had enough of brain. But being pointed out like this by Arthur, hurt her. But after all, he is a man trying to save his family and anyone in his place would have done the same.
Taking bus to her gallery, Sophia reached there, in direction of her last hope.
As soon as Noah left in the morning, first thing Sophia did after freshening up is to ride back to Norfolk and meet Arthur. Throughout the way, her mind kept going back to Noah's statement of not to approach Lisa rather her father.
Her fears came true. He did manipulated people around her. And now where she will be going, towards her last hope, must be already have been approached by Noah.
But she was also determined, to fight till she could and be a brave girl. Reaching gallery, she walked in the direction of director's office and gave a short knock over his door. On getting reply, entering the room she smiled and wished the director.
Director on the other hand was sitting with sore mood because of the last day's event and looking at the source of his ruination, his blood boiled and without replying he got up from the seat and shouted at Sophia.
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"Now what have brought you here?"
Looking at the sudden outburst oh his', Sophia flinched not understanding why is he behaving like this.
Well, it's not for the first time that he is behaving like this, but recently he did
controlled his anger issues not saying a word to Sophia.
Gathering every ounce of courage, Sophia spoke.
"Sir, can you lend me some money?"
Director looked at her for some times. From where did she collected this much of
courage to ask for money after putting his position in danger.
After sometimes he spoke.
"Sophia, we don't run any kind of charity function here."
Sophia was taken aback. How much more will she have to get insulted to mend up for
the mistake she did for getting a devil enthralled.
Trying her luck for the last time she spoke again.
"Sir, I am in the dire need of money. Please lend me some, as long as you will say I will work without charging anything."
"Sophia look. I am already facing many problems because of you. I don't want to get involved in between you and Mr. Noah. So out."
Sophia found herself correct at the end. He did approached even him causing him not to lend a hand over to her.
It's not just him, no one, exactly no one is there whom she can ask for help. Without uttering anything more, Sophia walked out, to the bus stop and rather than taking bus to Edenton, she rode to Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Entering in, she walked directly to her parent's grave and let her tears flow free which she had been holding for so long.
"Maa Paa, look you are gone and what everyone has done to me."
She spoke in between her cries.
"Everyone is acting as if I am some unwanted weed. I went to everyone I could to ask
for money with intention of saving our mansion, but it's all in vain."
"I don't even have more of friends, from whom I can ask for money."
"No one wants me, Maa Paa."
Sophia paused in between and spoke again after thinking something for sometime.
"Except of the man who only want me to get his desires fulfilled."
"I don't want to marry him."
After that, she started to cry her heart out, finally letting it all out in front of someone.
Or the only one she had.
She laid down in between her parents grave, crying and being afraid of what future holds for her.
As now, does she have any other option rather than marrying him?
After spending time to her heart content with her deceased parent's, she walked out of
the cemetery, to the nearest bus stop as it was getting dark.
Taking bus to Edenton, she rode back to her town. When she reached the mansion, it
was already evening and mother earth was shrouding herself slowly with the shawl of darkness.
Hoppers around her mansion, in the lawn started with there melodious song and chirping.
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Suddenly the cold freezing wind started to blow from north, upheaving the lively past dawn winter evening to a silencing midnight.
In the hushed surrounding, the howl of the wind that brought the long drear storm in it's heavy wings could be heard. As if heaven was showing it's anger, not wanting to turn Sophia's life to a living hell, a dark nightmare.
Entering the mansion, Sophia got herself busy with the preparation if simple ricotta pasta to have for dinner, rather than sitting in the corner and cry over her ruined future. She didn't even had any energy left in herself to sit and complain. Suddenly she heard the pitter patter of heavy rain drops hitting the earth surface, delicious petrichor arising from the soil and hitting her nose.
Taking her dinner in a bowl she sat by the window to have it, looking at the thousands of raindrops hitting her window.
But she didn't felt like to have it. Keeping it aside, she went back to the kitchen and
taking out wine glass she came back to the living area and opened a cabinet present in the room.
Her father was a wine collector and had added some of the most antique and old wines in his collection.
Taking the oldest one out, she came back to the window and sat there opening the bottle. Pouring herself some, swirled the glass and sipped some amount in her mouth.
Savouring the bitter burning taste for some moment in her mouth she pushed it down the throat.
Suddenly she had such upturn of her brain, she pushed the whole glass in one go down her throat, pouring a second glass.
When she had a good amount of wine, her brain was not able to register things right.
As not a good holder of alcohol, Sophia easily got drunk after just two to three glasses.
Her brain started to replay the recent events that had caused a great cyclone in her life. Soon her eyes watered, reminiscing about it all and how she would loose the only evidence she has of her parents.
She started to cry and howl out loudly, her voice echoing in the whole mansion, causing her throat to turn sore, but not ceasing her cries.
Wiping her tears, she got up from her seat and staggering and stumbling through her way, Sophia reached her bag and rummaged in the bag. After having scattering the whole content of bag in the floor, she found what she was searching for. Taking out the old calling card from bag, she replaced in the cage of the phone and turning it on, with a lot of difficulty and trying it out for several times.
As soon it turned on, she made a phone call to the cause of her torments, Noah.
Without waiting for a long period of time, Noah received her call only, after first ring as if waiting for her call.
"You called quite early than expected."
Sophia heard the same mischievous voice from the other end in a low whisper.
Sophia kept quiet for some time until she heard again.
"Sophia?"
Noah asked not getting any reply from the other end. As if coming out of trance, she
finally spoke slurring the words out.
"I want to meet you."
Silence maintained between both of them for seconds before Noah spoke again.
"Are you drunk?"
Ignoring his question Sophia spoke again.
"Now."
Hey my lovely readers,
I hope you all to be very fine and healthy.
I hope you all liked the update.
Thank you,,
You author,
~Galen_Yana..