Alyssa's Cup Of Tea

🐇 Chapter 3

Anneliese Adrianne Liddel-Laceheart was once known as the beauty and radiance of the prominent household, tied the knot to Ramon when they were in early 20s that brought more fortune and fame for Ramon's family. Anneliese's background did not have any shimmers, it was humble and ordinary—they owned a small antique bookshop at the suburbs of Marchen that didn't always get many customers every day. But it was Anneliese's innocent doll-like features that made Ramon decide to whisk her away despite the difference in their status.

"Alluring as ever you are, dear Alyssa. It's a good thing you inherited the good parts of your mother." The callous remark from an auntie resurfaced that made Alyssa clenched her hands into fists. The good parts because the rest of Anneliese to them was--

"I apologize for my question, I didn't mean to sound so careless. My curiosity got the better of me" Nona's meek follow-up statement put a halt to the boiling of Alyssa's anger.

Indeed her face swiftly shifted and appeared like she got provoked, Alyssa breathed deeply and didn't hide the grimace. "Yes, I do not take it well whenever my late mother is brought on the table, her cause of death is not a topic I wish to delve into, no offense, Nona" From her dress pocket she took out a silver pocket watch with designs complimentary to Alessio's. "I do need to go now, see you around"

Alyssa arrived home feeling more exhausted, the sight of huge crowds, music and expensive displays everywhere further worsened her mood. They just had an occasion day before yesterday, didn't these people get tired of talking and flaunting how materialistic they were? Majority of these guests were acting like mad drooling hounds kissing Midori's trails and ogling her, ugh.

"Little Miss Bliss, your eyes are doing 360 degrees again," From the left, a tall copper-haired guy came—he was also garbed in a formal suit but it had a subtle bizarre flare with it that made him stand out. His coppery hair style framed his face perfectly. "I thought you won't arrive"

The nickname made multiple nerves on Alyssa's temple to pop, she gave him a deadpan look. "Gino, do I look like blissful to you?" And she was not little either, her height was tall compare to most girls and it was what got her to the modeling industry.

Gino didn't hold back a smile that led to a laugh. "Exactly! I love ironies, Bliss" He took a sip from his glass wine.

That ridiculous nickname always found its way to rattle Alyssa but Gino was the only one who purposely refer to her as Little Miss Bliss or Bliss because he found it funny that it never mirrored her.

"Have you seen my siblings? Did they join this nonsense?" If their father heard her badmouthing the occasion, she would be in for a major scolding.

Gino continued standing next to the white-haired girl while observing the others. "Yes but they headed back inside the main house, Alessio seemed upset, I can never tell what's happening in your twin's head but if my guess is right, he's pissed off. He left with Little Baby" He nudged her on the side, not too hard, just enough for Alyssa to feel it. "Go on and check on your siblings, I'll let you know if there's anything worth knowing, alright?"

"Okay thanks" Alyssa managed to evade anyone who was making their way to her, she didn't have energy to put up with these people. Before going to the hallway leading to the main part of the mansion, she glanced back at Gino—he was already surrounded by a few female guests, she wanted to laugh at how obvious it was that he was holding back a cringe for conversing with them.

--

"Why did you not say a word about this, hm?" Alessio asked, words laced in strictness. He brought his youngest sibling back to her study room connected to her bedchamber. The food they took from the buffet were secured in a paper box and on the table.

The strawberry blonde girl could feel the loud throbbing of her heart against its ribcage. Alyssa was intimidating when angry, more explosive than Alessio but the latter wasn't anything less. He reminded her of a frigid ice or Himalayas. Alessa lowered her gaze to her forearm, it was already wrapped in gauze with cute, funky prints. "I do not want to burden you or big sister."

That reply had Alessio's eyebrows furrowing. "What kind of reason is that?"

The door swung open, stepping in was his identical sibling clad in her silver gray knee-length dress. It never failed to bring astonishment to Alessa whenever the twins were around at the same time, she was so enamored with their physical resemblance despite the subtle contrast in their manners and personality. Alessa wondered if Alyssa and Alessio were originally one person.

Alessio was nonchalant at his twin half's arrival, "You are late, Alyssa, the photoshoot took longer than the proposed schedule?"

"Naldo tried getting his way with me that's what" Alyssa plopped down a huge pink beanie on the floor and stretched her legs, taking off her heeled Mary Janes. "What did I miss?" She gestured for Alessa to come to her.

Alessa did not hesitate to go to the elder girl, she always felt this warmth at being physically close. She enjoyed the shower of affections from her beautiful sister. "Good evening, big sister? We got some take outs from the buffet, it's enough for the three of us"

That was when Alyssa finally took notice—as Alessa wrapped her arms for an embrace, Alyssa's dual-colored eyes immediately went to the gauze on her sister's forearm. "Were you hurt?"

--

Phew, a breathe of relief from Gino Kingsley after he found a way to get to the garden at the back of the Laceheart Mansion, there was this fantastic hidden garden somewhere here that Alyssa mentioned to him, no one ever went to the hidden garden because it was their late mother's favorite spot.

But Gino cared not about the big rumor mill surrounding his friend's deceased parent, he was never one to be swayed by such baseless hearsays. They referred to Anneliese openly as a lunatic but there was not a single data to back this up. Not even a scientific perspective.

"People are so easily fooled" Gino muttered, scowling a little as he felt an extended annoyance in behalf of Alyssa. He carefully skirted around the spacious garden, going further in hopes to find the hidden garden. "They believed Mrs. Laceheart was mad bonkers just because her husband said so." he grumbled again to himself. They were all blinded by Ramon's influence and money, weren't they?

Tch he was not having any success in finding the dang hidden garden, he should have asked Alyssa in advance about its specific spot but then again that would make his friend suspicious as to why he wanted to know. Alyssa kept it to herself and siblings as they consider it as their safe space.

Gino stopped halfway, he only gotten lost in this...freaking maze with rose blooms stuck on it. Crap, now how was he going to find his way back to the main mansion?

"Lost on purpose whose purpose was never lost..."

"The purpose was never lost but you need to get lost to realize the purpose..."

Confusion colored Gino's face, "Hello? Is someone there?" He heard someone from the darker parts of the maze and the voice sounded distorted, it didn't help that the statement was senseless.

"Lost on purpose whose purpose was never lost..."

"The purpose was never lost but you need to get lost to realize the purpose..."

In the darkness of the maze, a pair of glowing yellow swirly eyes appeared.