Tasting 191

191–Silas‘ Patient

Nora:

I had been feeling much better but couldn’t bring myself to leave my bedroom to join Lord Atwood

and the others for meals. Nash would bring me breakfast, Silas handled lunch, and Mia brought me

dinner, but beyond that, I kept to myself. I sensed that Lord Atwood was starting to regret his

decision to exclude me.

I couldn’t help but wonder if he was angry with me. Normally, he would come to eat with me, but it

had been three days without a visit. He hadn’t even inquired about why I wasn’t attending school.

Summoning all my courage, I decided to go and see Lord Atwood. As I ventured out of my room, I

noticed Cain’s studio door was open, and I instinctively drew closer. I didn’t intend to peek inside,

but it was evident who was there.

Natalya was wandering around the studio, engaging in awkward conversation with him.

“And then the teachers said I did an amazing job on the test,” she cheerfully recounted her grades.

She was a bright student, so it wasn’t surprising.

Lately, though, she had been garnering attention from boys, likely due to her association with April

and her choice of attire, which left little to the imagination.

“That’s good,” he replied. I detected a hint of dryness in his voice, though I may have been

overanalyzing.

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He seemed engrossed in his work, but she wouldn’t stop talking. Couldn’t she take a hint that he

needed space?

“And then–,” she continued, reaching for a painting to touch it, and I heard Cain groan.

“Don’t touch it, it’s still wet,” he sounded exhausted, understandably so. She was intruding on his

privacy so much.

But why did I care? I shouldn’t.

I stomped my foot and hurriedly made my way downstairs to find Lord. Atwood. Luckily, I found him

in his study in the basement.

“May I come in?” I asked, watching as he slowly lifted his head and smiled at me.

“You don’t have to ask,” his tone was peculiar, not angry or upset.

I entered and took a seat across the table.

“Tell me, how are you?” he inquired politely.

“I’ve been fine. But you never came to check on me,” I complained, feigning a pout.

“I wanted to, but then I thought you wouldn’t want to see my face after I failed to protect you,” the

sadness in his voice and his choice of words finally made me realize that his absence wasn’t due to

anger towards me but guilt over not preventing stress and harm from reaching me.

“Why do you always feel like you’ve failed to protect me when you’re the only one I can rely on?” I

reached for his hand and held it. “You’ve been the father to me that my own father couldn’t be. It

breaks my heart every time something happens, and you feel so guilty. Do you think I

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”

would have survived all these storms without you standing beside me like a sturdy wall?” I wanted

him to understand that whatever I had become, it was because of him. The confidence to stand up

for myself, even after being knocked down so many times, came from his support.

“That helps me feel so much better,” he finally smiled, patting the back of my hand that rested on

his.

“Now come on, we’re going to eat dinner together. No more hiding when we’ve done nothing

wrong,” I stood up and took his hand, coaxing him to join me. He chuckled and followed along.

Every time I restored a friendship or a relationship, I felt freed.

I led him to the living room where we would sit and chat while dinner was served.

“Wow, you’ve brought Dad out of his cocoon,” Nash laughed from his seat in the living room.

“He’s always done that for me,” I smiled warmly.

“But there’s something I need to ask,” Nash leaned forward to speak to Dad quietly.

“What is it?” Lord Atwood inquired.

“Nora has been accused of causing you harm. They were upsetting her with the idea that she’s the

reason you’ve been so low. And you hiding in your shall only confirms that, do you think it is right

that you behave. that way?” Nash explained earnestly. I might have tried to diffuse the situation, but

sometimes the truth needs to be confronted. I won’t defend those who are now my enemies.

“That’s ridiculous. Tell me who was saying all those things to her,” Lord Atwood inquired firmly from

Nash. I signaled to Nash not to

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101–Silas Patient

mention Ryker’s name. He had already been through so much, and hearing that his own son was

discussing why he was sad and misjudging his grief would be too much for him.

“I’ll let you know if anyone says it again,” Nash reassured me with at nod.

As silence settled in, we turned our attention to the TV. News was playing, and then the headlines

flashed across the screen.

My interest suddenly piqued, and I wondered why. There was a recent incident at the border where

a woman attempted to cross into enemy territory. My heart sank as I focused on the woman’s

pictures displayed on the TV. I recognized her all too well.

“We caught her,” Nash informed his dad, referencing the news.

“She

must have been a spy. Why else would she be crossing the border?” Lord Atwood sounded

disappointed, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the TV.

“What’s going on?” Silas appeared, holding his phone and idly playing with it until his eyes landed

on the TV. Suddenly, he nonchalantly shifted his mood as if he wasn’t interested in the news. But

he should

have been concerned.

Why?

Because the woman on the screen was the same woman I had seen in

the mansion the other day, the same woman Silas had introduced to me as his patient.

She was here just before deciding to cross the border? And why was Silas acting so nonchalant as

if he didn’t even recognize her?