Chapter 449: Chapter 449

T- Vino Island .... 4 months later

"Samantha, go get me that maid from yesterday!" Aliya barked out the command.

Samantha stiffened ever so slightly, not daring to let that reaction show. Like a zombie-like person, she nodded and then walked out of the dining hall.

As Samantha walked through intertwining corridors, she could not help but think of the place they had learnt to call home. The estate remained spotless, every marble floor gleaming, every chandelier dusted to perfection, yet it felt hollow. It was like a grand stage set for a performance that would never come. The air was thick with something unseen, something cold and oppressive.

Samantha and her two siblings missed their mother so much that it hurt. It was a deep, aching void that no amount of reassurances could fill. The ever composed Suzie had told them to have faith, to believe that she was still alive. But how could they? Days turned into weeks, and into months... and with each passing moment, the house felt colder, emptier.

Shelby’s presence had been the warmth that held them together. She was the one who had bridged the gap between them and their father. It was their mother’s soft laughter combined with theirs that had filled the halls, the gentle hands that wiped away their tears and comforted them.

Now, all they had were the desperate attempt to cling to those fading memories and the hollow echo of words from the remaining adults, meant to comfort but failing to convince.

Still, the three, like all others, clung to hope. This was because without it, all that remained was despair.

As Samantha entered one chamber where the supposed maid was, she couldn’t help but hesitate from that brief memory flashing in her mind, and this was of Gabriel.

Gabriel’s small, fragile voice broke the silence each night, without fail, as he looked out at the night sky, "Goodnight, Mama... come back soon. I have been good! I promise that I will always be and listen to Suzie, Sam, Ingrid and everybody. Please come back soon! You did not go to the stars, right? You promised and so I’ll wait"

The three had moved to one room as if they drew comfort from each other. It was like when they only had themselves and before Shelby came into their lives. It was all not so bad as that time, but it did not feel the same without their new mother.

At this, the two girls would lay still, fists clenched beneath the covers, the weight of those words pressing down like a stone on their chest. It was unbearable, but in as much as it hurt, they all believed, but Gabriel took it a step further. They couldn’t do the same and tried to handle Shelby’s disappearance in their own way

For Gabriel’s whispered wish, every tear he did not bother to hide, only deepened the wound that had already festered too long. And yet, there was nothing to be done. No comfort to offer. No truth that wouldn’t shatter him completely. There was just no news about their mother!

So, they usually stayed silent, staring into the darkness, each child lost in their own thought, as Gabriel bid his nightly greetings. However, they were united in that nagging feeling of helplessness. In doing this, they let his words twist the intangible wounds deeper. The thing was that they did not want to think of the possibility of the other ide. And they weren’t ready for that. Maybe they never would be.

Samantha sighed and raised her head to look around for the person. She couldn’t help but feel that the laughter that was once a constant melody within these walls, had been snuffed out.

No lighthearted chatter filled the corridors, even among the workers she saw diligent at their tasks. There was no playful banter echoing in the kitchens. No delicious cookies from their Aunt Ava either. Instead, there was only silence, save for the hushed, wary footsteps of the workers as they moved about their duties with practiced caution.

The workers didn’t know why they were afraid. Not exactly. Their memories were blurred, altered ... stolen, but they obviously did not know this. Yet, the fear remained. An unshakable dread whispered at the edges of their consciousness, warning them to tread lightly, never linger too long, and never ask questions.

And above all, to never cross her.

"She wants to see you," Samantha delivered her words and turned to leave decisively, knowing very well that no one dared to disregard a call from that woman.

Soon, the duo returned to the dining room and Aliya beckoned to the maid.

Just after the two left, Suzie appeared there,

"Why is this task undone?" She asked, gesturing to the incomplete lunch box.

"Miss, that woman sent for her just now. I’ll finish this up..." came the reply.

At these words, Suzie’s heart skipped a beat. If none of them knew of what happened at these calls, Suzie very much knew. Aliya ensured that Suzie’s memories remained in place out of everyone.

After the first encounter, that fateful day, four months back, Aliya had let loose and did not hold back. There was always one person being drained off their lives. After the first month, Aliya held back and did not totally kill them, but she started feeding off of almost every single worker indiscriminately.

Suzie tapped her feet impatiently. The ten minutes she waited for the lunch box felt like forever!

In the dining room, Aliya held the neck of the maid, bringing the frightened girl close to her face, but she made no move.... At least not yet. Her eyes lingered on one of the doorways, and she waited patiently.

Samantha wondered what was going on, but she did not show her curiousity. This was not her first rodeo on this. She had one task, and that never to let Aliya know that she could not be compelled. Easy, right?

Suddenly, Aliya tilted her head, amusement dancing in her cold, calculating eyes. She started sucking in the essence of the worker rapidly. Samantha unfocused her eyes, so that it looked like she was in the room, but she had escaped in her mind.

Suzie had entered the dinig room in haste and that was exactly what Aliya had been waiting for. Aliya had expected tears, begging or maybe even a complete collapse. After everything the silly girl had seen ... after everything she had done right in front of her.... how was she still standing?

Aliya had made it a point to make Suzie see all these things that she had been doing, and sometimes, even left the bodies for her, but Suzie did not break down like Aliya wanted.

"Impressive," Aliya murmured, tapping a perfectly manicured nail against the rim of her wine glass, after shoving the unfortunate maid into a seat beside her. Not before she had compelled her to forget her experience. This time, Aliya had sucked till the maid fell unconscious too!

"I truly thought you’d shatter by now."

Suzie stood stiffly, her fists clenched at her sides as Aliya played with a choker on her neck.

There was no sign of trembling, no outward crack in Suzie’s facade, but Aliya wasn’t fooled. She could sense the weight pressing down on Suzie, the quiet storm raging beneath that stubborn exterior. Aliya admired how Suzie was able to hold up her self-will.

Still, Suzie hadn’t broken and that was a problem to Aliya.

A slow, wicked smile curved on Aliya’s lips.

"Well then," she purred, lifting her glass in mock salute. "Let’s see how much longer you last."

Then she turned to Samantha, who stood beside her stiffly.

"Poor girl!" Aliya sighed, wishing that she could just do away with Samantha, but

Because of the deal with the Timeless Witch. Aliya was bound and could not harm the kids in any way. She of all people knew that the Timeless Witch should not be crossed.

"You were never here, and you saw nothing!" Aliya tossed those words lazily to Samantha and sent her on her merry way. Samantha played along as she always did, but when she turned, she winked at Suzie.

Susie’s heart thumped loudly, yet again as she wondered, ’what the hell is wrong with Samantha! Does she want to be caught?’

"Is – I-s anyone there?" Suzie barked out, and two maids appeared instantly.

"Get her to her chambers to rest!" Suzie gestured at the pale girl as Aliya laughed like she was crazy.

The two scrambled and carried their colleague out, with no questions asked. Their pursed lips and trembling body did give away their fear.

"So, Miss, Chief maid.... When are you going to get the male workers in? These little things do not give me the satisfaction that I need at all. In fact, let me let you in on a secret...."

Aliya said, lowering her voice,

"They are disgusting! I love the male essence... wait.... Don’t think you understand all that. Anyway... you know what you have to-"

Suzie turned, walking away from Aliya briskly.

"What a rude girl. Why are you leaving when I am still talking to you?"

Aliya got immense satisfaction toying with Suzie, so she did not take her actions to heart,

"So, where are you going?"

"To visit master Rocky and Miss Av-"

Suzie stopped short, realizing that she had answered Aliya’s question when she had not wanted to.

"Oh, those two? The people relating to the one who coveted my Ian?"

Suzie clamped her mouth shut,

"I should be a good wife, don’t you think? Let me go with you to see this supposed famous brother and best friend!"

Suzie blanched. This was the last thing she or any of the members of the family wanted. Aliya was cruel to the tiniest membrane of herself, and they had seen it manifested in more ways than they wanted.

They had also noticed that Aliya upped her game with people around Shelby, so this suggestion was not one that Suzie wanted to spearhead, but what option did she have? They had even been lucky that Aliya had not ventured to these two in the last four months!

’Currey, I hope you are around....’ Suzie thought to herself, while her mind raced.

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