LOVE'S QUAGMIRE [18+]

Chapter 45: Masquerade

"Mr. Reynolds we have found her," It was midnight when the guards called Adrian. His blood boiled as he clenched his phone tightly. "Text me the address. I'm on my way," he growled into the phone before abruptly ending the call.

...

Daphne's POV~

"What happened then?" I asked, fear gripping me.

"I-I don't know," Miss Thornfield replied, her voice trembling.

 I looked at her, feeling confused and anxious, "What do you mean??"

"I found out the next day from the maids talking in the kitchen about last night. They heard that Adrian was furious and left abruptly. Brian wasn't home; he had gone to the city right after Mr. Reynolds's death. There was no news of Evelyn. I tried to contact Dr. William, but he said she never showed up. After months of investigation, there was no evidence of her. It was as if Evelyn had vanished overnight. The case was closed with Adrian's approval, and everyone assumed that s-she was dead," Miss Thornfield said, tears streaming down her face as she broke down.

I struggled to process it all. 

What if Evelyn is still alive? But then, why would she leave her children in this hell with Adrian?

Miss Thornfield continued, wiping her tears. "A few days after the case was closed, we received news that Brian was in a coma. Someone had struck him on the head with something sharp and hard. After months of treatment, he was brought home as there was no improvement. Doctors said it was all up to time, that he could wake up in minutes, months, or even years. But there was something which I noticed— something strange—whenever Adrian saw Brian, he would roll his eyes as if he didn't care much about him. The entire sixth floor is dedicated to Brian's care."

I gasped, another truth hitting me.

"What about Adrian? How did he become paralyzed?" I asked, recalling Zephyr's claim on their father's paralysis when he came for the proposal.

Miss Victoria chuckled bitterly.

"Adrian was never paralyzed or even ill. It's Brian who's in a coma because of the attack that night in the city," I felt my heart clench at the realization that Zephyr had been deceiving us all along, and my family had believed him.

"After Evelyn, Brian, Mr. Reynolds, and Zephyr, everything in the estate felt empty. Adrian was always with his new wife in bed, while Xavier had grown into a quiet personality. Sebastian, on the other hand, was an enthusiastic child who followed Xavier everywhere, trying to get him to talk every day."

"Speaking of Alice, she was difficult, always making comparisons between the kids and trying to keep them apart."

"After five years, when Zephyr turned 21, he was finally released from the institution claiming he was fine, he returned home transformed into a young adult. He had grown taller, sported a new beard, his eyes colder than ever, and a pale complexion. Xavier by then was 19 and was excited to have his brother back after so long. But someone was burning with jealousy—Alice," she said with evident bitterness in her voice.

...

It was nighttime. 

Zephyr's return brought a change in Xavier's demeanor—he was now smiling and more excited than usual and was eager to catch up on the past five years as they lay on their bed in their shared room.

"Where's mom?" Zephyr's voice broke the silence, uttering the word "mom" for the first time in five years.

 Xavier's expression turned somber, and he hesitated before replying quietly, "Y-you don't know?"