Love Is Never Ugly

Chapter 57

Lucifer and Baxter had just pulled up in front of the house in their carriage when Helsa came running out to them. She appeared to be hysterical, her eyes were watering and red and puffy. When her father and husband stepped out of the carriage, the first thing she did was throw her arms around Lucifer.

"Oh Father!" She blubbered. "It's simply awful! Just terrible!"

"Whatever is the matter Helsa dear?"

"I just overheard Charlotte thinking out loud in her room and...She...She...She...Oh Father!"

She bawled into his chest.

"Now, now, Helsa. Calm down." He said giving her a comforting embrace. "Tell me slowly. What's wrong with Charlotte? Is she alright?"

"Physically yes but I'm not sure if her mentality is well."

"What do you mean?"

"I heard Charlotte say that she plans to go back. Go back to the beast."

"What?!" He looked at her completely horrified. "No! There must be some mistake! Helsa you must have misheard!"

"No Father. I know what I heard. She's going to leave us and return to that monster."

"But this makes no sense. Why in the world would she want to go back to him?!"

"Perhaps she's gone mad?" Helsa suggested. "She spent such a long time with such a wicked creature, it might have warped her mind. Maybe we should consider sending her to the asylum."

"Unbelievable!" Lucifer scolded furiously. "I won't allow you to even think such a thing! Send one of my children to a madhouse?! Never! Helsa, you know an asylum is basically gel on earth! How dare you consider putting your own sister there!"

"Forgive me Father." Helsa said quickly correcting her mistake. "I meant no real harm. It's just that, what else am I supposed to think if she wants to leave us for some beast."

"Your sister is not mad! But I do admit that she must not be thinking sensibly."

"Well sir you did say that your daughter expressed pity for the beast." Baxter said. "And from what I've learned, she's a very kind woman. Maybe her compassion is compelling her to come back to him. Since he's said to be such a miserable soul."

"Charlotte has always been too kind for her own good." Lucifer said. "Only she could express goodness toward the likes of this Alastor and while her tender-heart does me proud, I can't allow her to be in the arms of a beast. Not again."

"With all due respect sir, what can any of us do?" Baxter asked. "I haven't known her for long but she seems like the kind of person who can't be swayed once she's made up her mind."

"You've observed correctly Baxter. She's a stubborn girl, just like her mother was. I could never win an argument with Lilith either."

"Then we don't use words." Helsa said.

"Helsa you're not suggesting force, are you? I can't just lock Charlotte up and hold here her against her will. What kind of father would I be if I did something so cruel?"

"Oh no Father! Nothing like that. We just need to use some of Charlotte's virtues to our advantage."

"You mean manipulate her?" He said raising an eyebrow in disapproval. "You know how I feel about that. That's almost ended up dying from poison by your mother."

"It would be for her own good Father. The longer she stays with us, the sooner she'll come to her senses. Yes it's dishonest but it might be the only thing that could prevent Charlotte from being at the mercy of a beast. What other method could we use?"