Top Note

Chapter 41

Darcel

The past one month had been like a roller coaster ride, however once Eriantha was discharged from the hospital, Mom and Aunt Elena would frequently visit us, sometimes Vivian would accompany them too, I was grateful to them because with them around Eriantha looked relaxed, and that's the only way she would heal from the trauma of that night. She had resumed working on the perfumes, although I had insisted her to rest longer, but she argued that it's what made her the happiest and I couldn't agree more. She had gotten closer to her mother, and she would go out on lunch and dinner dates with her once a week. I never stopped her, although the possessive beast in me wanted to keep her locked up in the house, so that, nothing could ever touch her, let alone harm her. But, I knew what it felt like, when one finally gets to free themselves from the vicious lies,a false narrative that was created by the mind just to console their own self. Eriantha loved her mom.

Andres had given up his rights over Reux perfume and willingly left for the rehabilitation, he had insisted on meeting Eriantha, but she has declined. I realised that she felt deceived and they both needed time to heal their wounds.

However, the hardest part of this chaotic journey for me was facing Viktor Cedine. I had avoided him like a plague since that day—it was easier to despise him because hatred was familiar, comfortable even. For as long as I could remember, he had been my enemy, the man I longed to see fall. But the events of that day had unraveled something deeper, something far more intricate than I had ever anticipated.

Asking Maximilian Karwitz for answers was out of the question. I no longer trusted him—not after everything. It must have already been a shock for him to see everyone defying him to stand by me. His eagerness to discard me made his stance clear.

That left me with only one choice: to confront Viktor Cedine. He had tried to reach out during Eriantha's hospitalization, even afterward. He wanted to meet, not just with me but with my mother. Her willingness to see him, caught me off guard, but it was enough to force my hand. My mom still loves that man, and strangely I felt that he did too.

However, before I could let her face him, I had to see him myself. I needed to know about his intentions, to dissect the truth hidden behind his actions. Above all, I needed to protect her. In her current state, I couldn't risk her getting hurt—not again. 

I finally accepted his offer and agreed to meet him for dinner one evening at his villa."Darcel, my son, you also love scotch,don't you? Let me pour you some, this is real good stuff..."
Was he trying to act like this is some fucking father and son catching up dinner,he can't be serious, can he? 

 I watched him, not giving away a thing; his voice was polished and calm—the perfect mask of civility. He looked nothing like the malicious beast I had encountered at the warehouse on the night of Eriantha's abduction.

"Don't call me that, Mr. Cedine," I retorted sharply, brushing past him to take a seat on the stool by the bar, where he was nursing a glass of scotch. "It makes me... uncomfortable." I poured myself some scotch and two large cubes of ice, not that I wanted to be his drinking buddy, but, I needed the buzz. 

Viktor's smile faltered for a moment before he nodded, swirling his drink. "I suppose it does take time to get used to such things. After all, you've grown up this far without a father. You must have hated me, Darcel."

I smirked, the venom in my chest bubbling to the surface.

 "Oh, I did, Mr. Cedine. With every ounce of hatred a man can possess. At first, I didn't even know it was you. You were just a faceless, nameless absence. But once I found out? Oh, it became so much easier—so much more convenient—to desire nothing but your downfall."