Clandestine | On Hold

Chapter 16

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Not edited.

Chapter 16

Ryan's POV

"... So did you understand?"

"Ryan.... Ryan!"

I snap out of my daze and look back at Aunt Cora, who is giving me a concerned look. Closing the file in her hands, she keeps it aside and walks up to me. She places a comforting hand on my shoulder as her dark blue eyes meet mine.

"What happened, son? What's wrong?" She asks with worry laced in her voice.

Everything is what I want to say. But instead, I end up muttering a nothing. She narrows her eyes at me as if she doesn't buy it. I sigh.

"Seriously, it's nothing." Not.

I think back to today's events, and it doesn't fail to remind me what a big prick I had been to Iris. That honest and kind soul didn't deserve to be subjected to my pent up frustration and anger. How could I do this to her?

My eyes momentarily trail to look out of the study's window and are met with the dark sky. I then realise that night has fallen. And still, I wasn't able to reach out to Iris.

Roaming my eyes once more at the darkening sky, I turn to look back at Aunt Cora. She is still looking at me as if she doesn't believe me. Sighing, I take her hand off my shoulder and hold it in both of mine, giving it a firm squeeze.

"Everything's fine, Aunt Cora." Not. "It's just that with everything that's been happening lately, my mind ends up wandering here and there and I cannot really concentrate on anything." Now that's isn't a complete lie, is it? And it looks like she buys it, as her face scrunches up in concern.

"You're right, son. I-" She pauses as if thinking about something and then shakes her head.

"I'm so stupid. With all that has happened lately, you should be taking rest and giving your mind some time to come to terms with everything. But here I am, dragging you into work and bothering you." She shakes her head again and looks at me with guilty eyes. I give her hand another reassuring squeeze.

"Aunt Cora, don't say anything like that. It's really nothing. I'm doing fine and I can't really slack off from my duties now, can I? I'm a Prince and if I start ignoring my duty calls for something so trivial then what can we expect from others?" She opens her mouth to interject but stops abruptly.

Her body stiffens and the air around us grows deathly silent. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion and look down at her stiff form with concern. My eyes fall on her face and I find her gaze cast on something behind me. I follow her line of sight and look out the window at the dark and stormy sky. Suddenly a sharp yelp of pain from behind me fills the silent air, and her hand is sharply yanked out of mine. I turn back in alarm and look at her placing it over her heart, squeezing it. Her face contours in immense pain as she lets out another cry.

"Aunt Cora!"

Her knees give in, but I catch her before she hits the ground.

"What's wrong?" I ask as she writhes in pain in my arms.

She lets out another whimper in pain followed by a painful cry. It echoes through the walls and the entirety of the house, and within seconds Bennett and dad are standing beside us.