The Missing Ace

Chapter 20

"Camellia solved all of my mysteries?" Camille quizzed, surprised of her friend's talent. Ivan nodded. "I've only discovered that you've left to join Calina on her adventures. But Camellia was able to link all of the things you've done to achieve where you are now." He explained, pulling out a black notebook from inside of his coat, handing it over to his daughter.

Camille took it and read through the pages. Camellia recognized it as her conspiracy book, but she didn't fight back for it. The Russian girl flipped page by page, reading and processing how much went through the brunette's mind in mirroring to her mind then.

Camille felt her eyes water as she covered her mouth. She knew her life was full of mysteries and unsolvable puzzles that were meant for her family to solve. But an outsider, Camellia, solved them faster than anyone else. Everything. From the day she planned the Act I, feigning her kidnapping, until the Act III: Return. All of them. Even the newspaper clippings. She turned to the brunette who folded her arms, per usual.

"How did you find them?" She quizzed. "The dolls I found in Ekat's room. It's a style I can recognize anywhere," she answered as she unfolded her arms and rested them on her hips. "The painting of the eyes were a little too obvious, if you ask me. And whether or not your placed that ballerina figurine there, it helped a bit too far." She added.

"Ballerina figurine?" Camille repeated. "Did you not place it there?" Camellia quizzed. The former shook her head. "Ah, that was a present from your uncle, while he still believed that you were around." Ivan added. "And you didn't tell me until it was her birthday itself." A voice grumbled. Everyone noticed a man standing beside Ivan. Out of most of the teens, Camellia was the first to recognize him; Nathaniel.

"Ah, Nat, you're here." Calina took note. "Why do you mean ' you're here '? And why are you wearing a military uniform? It's unfashionable!" Nathaniel shouted before he began ranting in Russian at her. "So tensed~" their sister teased, infuriating the brother even more.

While his two siblings argued, Ivan leaned over to Camille. "I'll be taking reparations to fix the damage off from Father's bounty." He alerted his daughter. She let out an exasperated sigh. "There goes my seven billion..." she mumbled. "But Camille, what made you leave?" Ethan quizzed. His twin feign a quizzing look.

"Hmm..." she pondered. "Most of it is because of our deal; I wanted to be better than you. And obviously I won that, actually, twelve years ago. Other than that..." Camille looked about before her eyes fell on Father. "I needed to take care of a vermin."

"About a year before I left, there was a rise in assassinations because of him. And I wanted to end him, but at the stage I was in at that point of time, it was hard. That was when I came across CtR, another underground worker who was retiring quite soon. So I thought that I could be an apprentice and finish the job. And I was right about that." Camille thumb pointed at Calina.

"Mom was thinking of rejoining the military, but the disappearance of CtR just like that was going to be suspicious so she needed an heir. That's where I come in." She explained. "Mr Ivan, it's ready back at the Manor." A man with graying hair alerted the head.

"What do you have ready?" The Russian twins asked in sync, making Ivan smile, reminding him of how they used to say everything together and then say whatever everyone would say. "Дурной глаз!" They quickly said, before glaring at each other. "Дурной глаз! Дурной глаз! Дурной глаз!" They continued, making everyone around them smile at their bonding that was a decade late.

―――✕―――

With one quick breath, the birthday candles were blown and the room darkened further than it already was. The lights were switched on as family members and friends clapped sincerely. Myosotis then threw his arms around their shoulders. "Welcome to sweet 16," he smiled. Ethan chucked and pushed the brunette away. He stared at his birthday cake. For the first time, the red velvet looked appetizing.

Then, the two of them shifted to the side as a butler leaned over to cut their cakes for them. "Hey, why can't I cut my own cake?" Camille pouted. "We all know what you can do with butter knives, much less the cake knife." Matthew answered. "Point taken." She grinned sheepishly. Everyone who was present early had returned to the Braginski Manor, just before eleven to complete the birthday celebration. Well, almost everyone.

Per usual, Camellia was off somewhere strolling with Flavio. Luciano tailed behind them, suspicious. "C'mon sweetcakes, at least let me see your cut," the latter pleaded, but the former continued to ignore him. Then, he went quiet for a whole minute. "Can I see it?" He asked again.

Again, Camellia ignored him. Flavio was about to ask once more when Luciano snapped. "Leave Bella alone!" He hissed, running up to them and walked in between them. What happened next was a total surprise. Camellia overreacted a little too much and stumbled into an ornamental vase that was just next to her. The vase fell first, shattering, and then she fell on its shattered pieces.