INAMORATA: Before Our Heaven Turns To Hell

Chapter Ten - In The Other Room

Daniele arrived later that night to find me reading Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera on the sofa in the living room. I found the book a while ago inside the bookshelf with some other classic literatures ranging from Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I was astonished to have seen a lot of other phased-out editions that probably would have costed thousands of dollars. It was quite a collection and the books were taken care of with lots of affection and sensitivity.

He obviously loves to read and he has a passion for literature. It came out with the way he treated each precious bundle of papers made into a book. The notion that he was that type just never came to me. But then again, there's a lot of things I didn't know about him.

"Hey." He greeted as he gave me one of his sweet smiles.

"Hi." I said as I set the book down on my lap. He removed his coat and loosened his tie ever so gracefully, then he rested on the couch in front of me. His eyes landing on the book.

"Is that Leroux's?"

I looked down on the book then back at him. "Uhm... yes."

"Have you finished reading it?" He asked with interest.

"Not yet, I'm still on the part where Christine fainted and Raoul came to her side."

"Oh, the part where she pretended that she didn't know him." His lips quirked into a smile. "I seem to find that part very moving."

I scowled in confusion by what he said. "Moving?"

He chuckled. "Well, she pretended because Eric will get insanely jealous if he finds out about her and Raoul's past."

My eyes widened at the spoiler. So, that's why. This story is just getting more intriguing by the second and instead of losing interest, I just want to read more and more.

"And Christine also needed Eric as a mentor." He continued.

"So she just used him?" I asked in disbelief.

He crossed his legs as he laid back his head on the sofa. "Basically, yes." He shrugged.

"How could she?" I find myself hating Christine even though I haven't read the whole story.

Personally, I don't like people who uses other people for personal gains and purposes. It's so selfish and callous. They always take the things they don't deserve to have.

"It's not her fault." Daniele remarked.

I looked up questionably to meet his eyes. His elbow was resting on the sofa's arm and he was tracing his lip seductively. I blinked at what I saw then I reluctantly looked away.

"He let her use him, dolcezza, and Christine did it unconsciously."

"If he knew then why did he let her?" I observed him from beneath my lashes.

"Because he loved her." He said like there's a hidden meaning behind those words.

I fidgeted with the hem of my dress as he stared me down like he's waiting for me to make a statement or ask a question. Why does it feel like everything has shifted to something different? It felt as though we're not talking about the book anymore.

I decided with the first thing that came to my mind even though I'm not sure. "But she didn't?" I queried ingenuously.

A hint of sadness flashed in his eyes but he immediately masked it. He sighed. "Regrettably, no."

"I see." I let my gaze settle back on the book.

Unfortunately, it was a tragic end for Eric's love. I haven't read the whole book but I've already concluded that Christine chose Raoul instead of the Phantom. I guess maybe it was because he was too ugly behind the mask that Christine didn't love him back.