Fading Echoes

Chapter 04

As my eyes widened in disbelief, there sat my second eldest brother, Victor, perched on a nearby sofa in Alex's study room.

Seriously, what was he doing here? Last I heard, he was knee-deep in law textbooks across the pond in the UK, not lounging around our family mansion.

There's just no other logical explanation for his sudden appearance here.

Victor's gaze locked with mine, and I swear I saw genuine shock flash across his face before it softened into a small, bewildering smile directed at me. Hold up—did he just smile at me? Pinch me, because I must be dreaming. The same Victor who usually shoots death glares my way is suddenly smiling at me?

All my earlier bravado vanished into thin air the moment I laid eyes on Victor.

"What's on your mind, Eva?" Alex's voice jolted me back to reality. I blinked, trying to remember why I'd barged into the lion's den in the first place.

Right, I wanted to ask him about dad.

I shot a quick glance in Victor's direction, only to find him regarding me with a curious expression. Great, just what I needed - an audience.

"Um, I had something to ask, but..." I trailed off, my gaze flickering between Alex and Victor. "I'll come back later. I didn't realize Victor was already here. I thought he was supposed to be in the UK," I muttered, the last part barely audible.

"I got back about half an hour ago," Victor chimed in, taking a casual sip from his soda can .

I nodded slightly. Turning to leave, I was stopped in my tracks by Alex's voice.

"Is it about Dad's arrival?"

So he knew. And he hadn't bothered to clue me in.

I turned around to look at him. "When's he getting here?" I asked. Alex checked his watch before responding, "Around 9 pm."

Why isn't he asking me to pack my bags? I thought, glancing at Alex, who was engrossed in arranging some papers.

"Eva, come," Victor called out, surprising me. "Sit beside me," he added, tapping the seat next to him.

My mind raced with questions. Why was Victor suddenly being so nice to me? I half-expected him to mock me as soon as I saw him.

Reluctant to move closer, I hesitated. What if this was just another one of his cruel jokes? Victor had a knack for playing mean tricks, especially since Mom passed away. Before, Mom would always scold him for his behavior, but after her death, he seemed to revel in tormenting me.

The memory of the awful prank he pulled just before leaving for his studies abroad still sent shivers down my spine.

      .................

With tiny steps, I approached Victor's room, a little box wrapped in pink gift foil clutched in my hand. Raising my hand to knock, I noticed the door was already slightly ajar. Peeking inside, I saw him sitting on the bed, a soft smile playing on his lips as he gazed at something in his hand—a photo frame.

I hesitated. Should I enter? Victor and I had never gotten along. It's not that I hadn't tried, but each attempt only seemed to deepen the rift between us.

But he was leaving tomorrow. And Alex had warned he might be gone for a long time.

I wondered when I'd see him again.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door, hands trembling. Victor seemed surprised, quickly setting down the photo frame.

His surprise melted into a cold stare as his eyes met mine. It had been almost two years since I last entered his room of my own volition.

"What do you want?" His irritation was palpable.

I glanced around, unable to hold his gaze. "I, umm..." Words failed me.

He sighed, his annoyance evident, leaning back on the bed with hands supporting his weight.

I extended the gift, stuttering, "Since you're leaving tomorrow, I thought... I thought of giving you a goodbye gift." My voice trailed off, barely audible.

He took a deep breath, visibly irritated, but reached for the box nonetheless. "Thank you," he said, surprising both of us.

Did I hear him correctly? Thank you? I blinked, caught off guard. His rare smile only added to my confusion.

"Ah, thank you," I stammered, realizing my mistake too late. Shouldn't I have said 'you're welcome'? His puzzled expression didn't help.

Flustered, I managed, "Best of luck." He hummed in response, turning to place the gift on his bedside table.

Moments later, he retrieved another box, wrapped in purple paper, and handed it to me without a word.

Was it for me? I voiced my confusion. He nodded.

I couldn't believe it. Victor was giving me a gift?

I stood there, dumbfounded, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. His chuckle snapped me out of my reverie.

Taking my hand, he pressed the box into it. Tears welled in my eyes—this was the first gift he'd ever given me.

Overwhelmed, I hugged him without hesitation. His body tensed, but he steadied himself.

"Thank you, and I'll miss you," I choked out, tears threatening to spill over. Victor stiffened at my words.

Releasing him, I left his room, a bright smile masking my emotions. In my own room, I collapsed onto my bed, cradling the gift.

Carefully, I began to unwrap the gift, each movement deliberate, as if I were handling fragile glass. I wanted to preserve the wrapper, to keep it intact, because even the slightest gesture from Victor felt special.

As the paper fell away, revealing the contents within, my brows furrowed in confusion at the sight of it.

Victor gave me a remote control car?

But it didn't matter. The gesture was what counted. I'd treasure it always, a reminder of Victor's unexpected kindness.

Placing the car inside the glass showcase of my room, I drifted off to sleep, a smile tugging at my lips.

               __________xxx_________

I decided to leave the flashback unfinished in this chapter to avoid making it too lengthy. I'll continue it in the next chapter.

What do you think about Victor?

Can you guess what might happen next?

Until next time, take care everyone! See you in the next chapter! <3