Fading Echoes

Chapter 05

As soon as I descended the stairs, I heard the distressed voice of Ethan echoing through the hallway. Victor stood there, his bags ready, but a heavy gloom shadowing his expression.

"What happened?" My concern was evident in my voice as I noticed their despondent faces.

"Victor said he prepared an early birthday surprise for me and now he can't find it," Ethan's disappointment was palpable in his voice.

"Did you check everywhere in your room, Victor?" I asked, but he seemed to ignore me, adding to my frustration.

Just last night, I dared to hope for a chance to mend our strained relationship, but now Victor was back to giving me the cold shoulder.

I sighed, averting my gaze from him. "I was so happy when you said you got me a remote-control car," Ethan's sadness pierced the air.

A remote-control car? My heart raced uncontrollably at the mention of it. Could it be...?

I struggled to maintain composure as Ethan's words sank in. Last night, I, too, received a remote-control car from Victor.

The implications were unsettling.

My nerves betrayed me, and my complexion paled, catching Aiden's attention. With a sly grin, he remarked, "You look nervous, little sis," drawing everyone's focus to me.

Caught in the spotlight, I felt a wave of panic. "Aha! I think I know where Ethan's birthday present may be!" Austin exclaimed, his eyes widening, excitement evident in his voice as he dashed up the stairs.

Moments later, he returned with the car in his hand, triumphantly declaring, "I found it in Eva's room!"

Aiden's dramatic gasp only added to the tension. "You go around stealing in your own house?" he chided, casting a judgement glance my way.

Before I could protest, a forceful shove sent me crashing to the ground, barely avoiding hitting the nearby table. I looked up to see Ethan, his anger palpable, and my heart sank with dread.

A tense silence filled the room as everyone exchanged uneasy glances. Ethan stood there, his fists clenched, his expression a mix of anger and hurt. "Explain," he demanded.

"I... I can explain," I stammered, scrambling for words as I tried to make sense of the situation.

But before I could utter another word, Victor stepped forward, his expression dark and accusatory. "You've gone too far this time, Eva," he declared, his voice dripping with disdain. "How could you stoop so low as to steal from your own brother?"

My heart sank as Victor's words washed over me, his betrayal cutting deep. "But Victor, I didn't—" I began, my voice trembling with emotion.

He cut me off with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Save it, Eva. I don't want to hear your lies," he spat, his eyes blazing with anger.

Aiden and Austin exchanged knowing looks, their smirks widening into grins as they added fuel to the fire with their insensitive comments. "Looks like little miss perfect isn't so innocent after all," Aiden remarked, his tone mocking.

I felt a surge of anger and frustration welling up inside me, but I pushed it down, trying to stay composed in the face of their accusations.

But then, in a sudden moment of clarity, it all clicked into place. The remote-control car, Victor's strange behavior, the twins' taunts—it was all part of Victor's plan to humiliate me.

Realization washed over me like a cold wave, leaving me feeling numb and betrayed. I looked at Victor, my eyes burning with a mixture of hurt and anger. "You set me up," I accused, my voice trembling with emotion. "You planned this whole thing just to make me look bad."

Victor's expression faltered for a moment, but then he quickly regained his composure.

"Why are you accusing your brother, Eva? Just admit your mistake," Dad's disappointment was evident in his tone as he intervened.

"I'm not lying!" I retorted, my voice trembling with emotion as tears welled up in my eyes. "I swear he was the one who gave me the present when I visited him last night," each word felt like a struggle to force out, my throat constricting with the weight of my own words.

I roughly wiped my tears with the sleeve of my top, the fabric absorbing the salty trails that streamed down my cheeks, leaving behind faint damp patches.

"Dad, I think Victor is getting late," Alex finally spoke up, his voice gentle but tinged with unease, a silent plea for resolution hanging in the air.

Dad nodded slowly, his gaze still fixated on me, as if searching for the truth within the depths of my eyes. With a heavy sigh, he turned and walked out of the door, Victor and Alex following closely behind.

After a brief moment, the twins and Ethan walked out too, their final glares piercing through me like daggers, their unspoken accusations weighing heavily on my already burdened shoulders.

I sat on the ground, feeling numb and hollow, watching them go one by one. Why did Victor choose to do this to me? Why does he harbor such disdain for me that he didn't hesitate to break me before leaving?

Despite the countless heartbreaks I've endured at his hands, I still love him. It's a painful realization, but one I can't deny.

Oh, but once again, it has been proved to me that mom's words were not completely true.

Love doesn't always bring love in return.

......................

I was just eleven years old back then, but Victor didn't hesitate to give me a long lasting trauma.

"Eva!" Victor's voice shattered the silence, pulling me back from the depths of my thoughts. I hadn't realized I was now sitting beside him on the sofa, his presence looming over me like a dark cloud.

A sudden urge to escape washed over me, and I knew I needed to get away from him as soon as possible.

Without a word, I abruptly rose from the sofa, my heart pounding with a mixture of fear and anger. I couldn't bear to be near him a moment longer. As I reached for the door, preparing to flee from his suffocating presence, Victor's voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Is there anything wrong?" His question hung in the air.

Yes, everything's wrong since you're here now, I wanted to scream. But instead, I swallowed down my anger and shook my head.

I felt a surge of frustration. How could he behave as if there was nothing wrong between us? Did he forget the pain he had caused me in the past, the scars that still lingered beneath the surface?

As I closed the door behind me, I caught a glimpse of Alex. In his eyes, I saw a flicker of understanding, a silent acknowledgment of the turmoil raging within me.

As I reached my room, the bitter memories flooded back. A vivid flashback of what happened next played out in my mind's eye.

.................

It had been two days since Victor left. I wandered around our garden when I spotted something familiar among the bushes. Drawing closer, my heart sank at the sight.

There, lying abandoned, was the gift I had given Victor just the day before he left. Its once bright pink wrapper now damp and faded from the heavy rain that had fallen overnight.

He hadn't even bothered to open it.

Blinking back tears, I turned away, unable to bear the sight. With a heavy heart, I retreated to my room.

I didn't dare to glance back at the discarded gift.

It's a painful reminder of the love that had been left unacknowledged and unreciprocated.