Fading Echoes

Chapter 07

Continuously splashing cold water on my face to soothe the redness caused by crying, I dried my face with a towel and summoned the resolve to step out of the room.

This time, I was determined to talk to Alex.

As I approached his room, I gently knocked on the door. "Come in," his voice called from inside. Pushing the door open, I entered, feeling a mixture of nervousness and determination.

"Hey," I muttered, my voice barely audible. He looked up from his phone, his brows furrowing slightly in concern. "Yes, doll?" he replied, his tone gentle.

"I need to talk about something. Are you free right now?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.

"Yeah, I'm free. Come, sit here," he said, patting the spot on the bed beside him.

Moving towards him, I took a seat. I didn't want to beat around the bush so I asked him directly, "Why didn't you ask me to pack my bags?", looking directly into his eyes, hoping to convey the depth of my emotions.

He seemed taken aback by the directness of my question. "And why would I do that?" he responded, his expression softening with concern.

"Dad is coming," I stated. "And?" he seemed puzzled, prompting me to elaborate.

"He won't want me to be here. Why aren't you sending me to grandma's house this time?" I pressed, the fear and uncertainty evident in my voice.

He blinked, processing my words. "So you think I send you to grandma's house because Dad doesn't want you here?" he inquired.

I don't think. I know.

"It's not like that, Eva," Alex said, running his hand through his hair. "Then can you explain why you used to send me there even when I had exams, knowing it meant a long commute to school?" I demanded, frustation creeping into my voice as it appeared loud.

He remained silent, his expression conflicted as he struggled to find the right words.

"I may be young, but I'm not naive, Alex," I continued, standing up. Before leaving his room, I paused, meeting his gaze, I delivered my final words, "Just like Dad doesn't want to see my face, I don't want to face him either." With that, I exited his room, leaving behind a heavy silence.

Closing the door behind me as I entered my room, I clenched my fists. He's oblivious to the fact that I know everything.

Dad had always avoided me, even when Mom was alive. He never showed me love, always maintaining a cold distance. At first, I believed he simply didn't know how to express affection, hoping he'd learn one day. But all my hopes vanished on that fateful day.

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Returning from school, I dashed upstairs with excitement. Nathaniel had informed me that Dad had returned today. It had been so long since I last saw him. The only times I talked with him were during video calls with Ethan and Alex, but he was always too busy to talk to me. This time, I vowed to spend as much time with him as I could.

Approaching Dad's room, I paused as I heard frustrated voices from inside.

"Why didn't you send her away?" a voice, clearly angry, demanded. "Her classes are ongoing; she can't afford to miss them!" protested another voice. It didn't take me long to recognize Dad and Alex's voices.

"So can't she just go to school from her grandmother's home? It's not a big deal since Nathaniel is with her," Dad said, frustration evident in his tone.

Dad doesn't want me here?

"Why do you keep avoiding her?" Alex's voice rose, almost yelling. "It's not her fault, Dad," he sighed. "You're making her suffer for something she's not responsible for, and not just you, but Victor, Austin, Aiden, and Ethan too," Alex's frustration growing with each passing second.

"I don't want to see her face." My heart sank at Dad's words. "She reminds me of her mother, the woman I'm trying to forget, the woman who's responsible for half of my miseries!" he yelled.

I flinched at his words.

He hates me.

Dad hates me.

"Dad, can't you understand that she's hurting? You're breaking her," Alex's frustration evident in his voice. "She needs love, which she clearly isn't getting," Alex added in a softer tone.

Dad scoffed, "She needs love? Why? She already has everything—food, expensive clothes, education, and most importantly, shelter. That's more than she deserves," his tone bitter.

Unnoticed tears streamed down my cheeks as I heard those words. I couldn't take it anymore. Suppressing my emotions, I hurried back to my room. I couldn't bear to be seen like this by anyone.

Closing the bathroom door behind me, I collapsed onto the tiled floor, tears streaming down my cheeks.

Why? Why does my own family despise me?

I pressed my hands against my mouth, desperate to stifle the sound of my sobs.

I lost track of time as I sat there, tears cascading down my cheeks. My mind was a jumble of emotions, overwhelmed by the realization that Dad didn't want to see me. Despite my efforts, my tears refused to cease. Suddenly, the creak of my bedroom door opening pierced the silence.

Acting on instinct, I quickly turned on the shower. "Eva, are you in the bathroom?" Alex's voice called out. With great effort, I steadied my voice before replying, "Yes, I'm just taking a shower."

There was a moment of tense silence before Alex spoke again. "Come down for dinner once you're finished," he said softly. "Okay," I managed to reply.

As the door closed behind him, I let out a shaky breath. Hastily, I wet my hair and changed into fresh clothes, desperate to conceal the lie I told Alex.

Once I reached the dining room, I took the farthest seat from Dad at the dining table, I couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze. With every glance in his direction, I feared seeing disappointment etched on his face because of my presence. But his expression remained unreadable.

Finishing my dinner quickly, I excused myself and retreated to my room. Sleep eluded me as Dad's words echoed in my mind, tears staining my pillow throughout the night.

The next morning, I learned that Dad had left early for urgent business.

But deep down, I knew the true reason for his sudden departure.