𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 | carlisle cullen (3)

(𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧) don't believe what you see

✧✧✧

CARLISLE STARED AT THE SCENE IN FRONT OF HIM for a short moment before he turned and walked from the hall. Immediately, Este pushed away from Caius and felt the slow trails of guilt spike through her before she positioned her dress properly back over her and hurried after him.

It was when she made it to the door, when Caius was safely back towards the middle of the hall, that Este felt the cloud from her mind shift. She paused, realisation crawling over her mind like snakes. She could feel Caius' lips pressed against hers, his hands on her skin. She turned slowly and stared at him.

Caius was not aware of what she knew, he stood faking the impression that he was sympathetic over the situation. Este turned away, her face melted into horror. She felt sick over what she had just done, her eyes seemed to mist and she wanted to drag endless layers of silk around herself until the places where his lips touched would never see the light of day.

"I didn't know he'd be back so soon" Caius called, another lie she supposed. Este was starting to realise this had been his plan all along, but why?

Este didn't say anything, she didn't want to give away the fact that she knew exactly what he was doing. She turned and pushed through the double doors, her heels hitting off the stone with echoing sounds as she strode past the desk where Gianna had once sat uselessly, desperate to be needed.

Carlisle was in the next room, sat on one of the velvet sofas with a pondering expression in his eyes. Este paused by the door, hair falling carelessly around her face and her star necklace still sat on her chest, her skin felt stained by Caius' touch as Carlisle twirled his wedding ring slowly around his finger.

"Why are you back so soon?" Este asked softly, "did something go wrong?"

"No" Carlisle shook his head, "I was only home briefly I just... didn't want to leave you alone"

"Carlisle what you just saw—"

"Wasn't what it looked like?" Carlisle raised his eyebrows, "I've been so stupid"

"No!" Este strode forwards, "No you haven't been stupid at all, Carlisle you were right. I know you were right now, it was Caius. It's all Caius and back there... I didn't get the chance to think for myself—"

"You say this now?" Carlisle questioned with a cynical expression in his eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't notice earlier" Este moved to sit beside him, "I should've listened to you, I tried to listen to you... I swear I wanted so badly to trust you but I understand now, my mind is getting stronger—"

"Este just stop it" Carlisle interrupted, "I was so sure... so sure that Caius was behind everything"

"You were right" Este whispered, "I trust you, I'm sorry I didn't earlier. Everything was just so confusing, I guess because he was forcing me to see things that way and therefore I had no choice. It happens when I'm near him, it's as though clouds have been dragged over sun and it's only when he is far that the light pokes through again—"

"Are you really going to go through this much effort to cover it all up?"

"To cover what up?"

"What do you think?" Carlisle frowned, "I thought... that you trusted Caius because he was messing with your mind, not because you were in love with him"

"What?" Este's eyes opened in surprised, "I'm not in love with him Carlisle that's what I'm telling you, he's doing this on purpose to try and drag us apart"

"And what would Caius gain from breaking us apart?" Carlisle mused, "nothing... it would bring him nothing. In fact, tearing your mind apart would bring him nothing... yet I was so set in believing that was his plan"