Victorie plus N

Chapter 18: 70 Years

So the Carter-disappearing thing is still on my mind. And I'm still in a complicated love-web thing. (Yes, I'm calling it a love web now, it makes everything so much easier).

I don't really know what to do about that, so I guess I'll just have to deal with it. Something strange is obviously going on here, something to do with flowers and the Carters and the Victorian Era, but I also don't know what to do about that, and Lolita probably hates me. And I don't know what to do about that either.

So I'll just act like I've got nothing exciting going on in my life. Which isn't that hard to do because the only people I see nowadays are Teddy, Ann, and sometimes one of the maids when I ask for something. Easy-peezy.

I'm walking from the dining room to Ann's room, hoping to ask her if she wants to do something. I reach her suite doors and stop outside. There are people yelling inside, it's muffled because both doors are closed, but there is definitely yelling. It sounds like Teddy and Ann.

"We can't tell her! You know that of all people!" I hear Teddy (I think) yell.

"I'm not going to tell her!" I hear Ann yell in reply, "But I feel bad not telling her!"

"Don't tell her! It doesn't matter about her background, you'll get in too much trouble doing it!"

"She's already suspected something's going on!"

"What?! How?! Never mind, it doesn't matter," Teddy says, lowering his voice some.

What are they talking about? Getting in trouble for telling me something? What?!

"Yes, it does! Besides, I'm not going to be the one who tells her that, that...." Ann trails off.

"What?!" Teddy asks.

"That her grandfather hasn't lived in this manor for over 70 years! That's what!"

Her grandfather? Are they talking about...me? What?! How could grandfather had not lived in this house for over...70 years?! But where would he have lived otherwise?!

I think back to all his vacation homes. I guess he had a lot of options. But, that's not the point, all his lawyers lied to me! I didn't go to Grandfather's funeral, but they said he died here, at Beckenridge manor! They lied! I always thought everyone was keeping something from me like they were all in on this big secret but me. I was right.

I can't believe this! It's so unfair!

Suddenly, I start bawling. I sink to the floor in front of one of the suite doors. The rest of Ann's and Teddy's conversation I don't hear.

A little while later, I hear padding beside me. It's Teddy's cat. The weird one.

I really don't like that cat. But it sits beside me and starts cleaning itself.

"What do you want," I mumble at it, glaring.

The cat turns to me and stares. I thought cats didn't like staring eye-to-eye.

I wipe away my tears. "Go away."

Not surprisingly, it doesn't move. I sigh, as I feel the tears come again. I don't even know why I'm crying.

I hear Teddy yell again about my grandfather not living in this house for 70 years again, and how they can't tell me. Too late for that.

"Don't tell her anything, Ann!" Teddy yells as he slams the other door behind him, coming out.

I stand up quickly and furiously wipe my tears away as he stares at me in shock. He obviously didn't expect me to be here.

"Is it true!?" I ask angrily, crying again, "Why didn't you tell me he didn't live here for 70 years!"

I shake my head at him and run down the hall, away from him and Ann and...that cat.

I look back once.

Teddy looks like he's about to cry, Ann has come out into the hallway with a hurt expression, and the cat's staring at me. Then it flicks its tail and leaves, undisturbed.

Good, let them be hurt like they didn't do the same to me.

(A/N: Thank you to everyone who's read up to this point! I really appreciate it! I also want to thank everyone who's voted and commented, especially XX-VALLIE-XX, Beautiful_Rose_Thorn, and everyone else! I hope you all have a great day/night and keep safe and healthy! Toodles!)