A Season of Masks and Masquerades

Chapter 24: The Truth Reveal

"How hurtful is the truth?" Esther asked looking into his eyes. An unknown fear easily detectable in her voice.

Reuben thought visibly for a moment. "It is quite hurtful." He replied.

"More hurtful than the lie?"

He scoffed. "The lie is comforting Esther, lies don't hurt. Lies are made to avoid hurting people in the first place."

"Lies are always more hurtful, Reuben. For one can never hide behind a mask forever, it falls, and when that happens, it is killing. The damage is perhaps, beyond repairs." Esther stopped to take a deep breath. "So tell me, is the truth more hurtful than the lie."

"If you put it that way, of course not." Lord Valentine confessed. "The lie is more hurtful. It's almost shattering."

Esther smiled painfully at his confession, ready to take the blow. "Then please, tell me the truth."

"Ahh well," Reuben twitched his lips in hesitation and looked up to the other side of the garden where Edward and Rebecca were still not done with their chat. "I am about to betray someone very dear to me for you Esther, I hope you remember this. If I tell you the truth now, you owe me one."

"Certainly." Esther took a deep breath of courage. "So, tell me, who is it that's putting on a mask in front of me?"

"I am."

"Beg your pardon?" Esther blurted out.

"I am the one hiding behind the mask, Esther. However, I am not the one who put it on my face." He explained but Esther was hardly understanding much.

"Who put it on your face and what are you hiding behind it? I would rather you explain it to me in words that I can decipher easily."

"Of course," he replied and once again glanced over to the other side of the garden making Esther even more anxious than she already was. "It is my sister." He said.

"Your sister?" 

"Yes, she has requested me to fool you into believing a lie."

Esther's eyebrows curled in the centre of her forehead to meet the mob of frowns that had almost permanently marked her face. "What lie, Reuben?"

"That I am in love with you."

"Excuse me?" Esther's face was the very picture of confusion. she had already taken a step back in defense. 

"Well, she wants me to pretend that I am enchanted by you and eventually make you fall in love with me as well." Lord Valentine confessed and waited for her reaction but it never came. She was only staring at him with a wild expression on her face. 

"Erm- Esther? Are you there?" He asked awkwardly. 

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" She asked plainly.

"Which one exactly? The one I just said or the entire fact about Rebecca-"

"Please tell me it is a joke because it doesn't make any sense otherwise." 

"I can help you make it make sense if you will let me." Lord Valentine offered with raised eyebrows.

"Go ahead." 

"My sister wants me to keep you occupied with my facade of love so you are no longer standing between her and the man she loves." He said with his eyes on Lady Valentine walking leisurely at the other side of the garden with Edward.

"And who is the man she loves?"

"That idiot over there." Lord Valentine said pointing his eyebrows behind Esther's back and she turned around to a view not so alien to her.