Dancing With The Devil (part two)

Chapter 12: Corruption

Astrid scoffed.

"I am nothing like you." She
spat back, "your a monster, a cold blooded killer."

"Your still a criminal; like me." He stated, now with a tint of aggression to his voice, like he was trying to convince her of something, "you worked for one of the most dangerous men in the world, you were infatuated with him."

"What makes you think I'm not still." Astrid stated wearily.

"I do watch the news you know?"

Astrid sighed, resting a hand on her hip, causing the devil to stop and raise an eyebrow, "we're not talking about that, I came here to confront you, not to whine about someone who died over a year ago."

The man began to slowly nod before clicking his tongue again and continued speaking.

"So, since your boyfriend is dead and you have no means of protection, I think I'll give you a second chance. You can come home and forget everything."

"This isn't my home." She shook her head, "my home was taken from me. I had to spend half of my life as a different kid, in fact, I couldn't be a kid."

"And who's fault is that?"

"If you had an ounce of humanity in you, you would see that what my mother did was the right decision. I would much rather have that than you corrupting me into thinking that the only way forward is committing mass murder."

"I wouldn't call it corruption."

"I would."

"I would never make you do anything you didn't want to."

"That's a lie if I ever heard one." Astrid snarled, "you never loved me, all I am to you is a part of a plan to make the world fall around your feet. My mother saw that, she was a good person."

There was a short pause.

"Did you actually love her?"

He looked at her and frowned causing Astrid to cross her arms and sigh. She looked up at him, as if she knew what was coming. She raised her eyebrows encouragingly.

"Yes."

Astrid raised her eyebrows even more.

"Really?"

"Of course."

"What about Miss Chaudoir?"

"She's French." he smirked

"Yes, she is..." Astrid chuckled and shook her head slowly, "Do you love her too?"

"Not as much as I loved your mother." he stated, and that was the truth. It was clearly the truth. Astrid slowly nodded.

"Is that why you killed her?"

"In some ways, yes."

Astrid scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"why would you kill the woman you love?"

"She betrayed me." he stated, "now do you have any more questions to pester with me."

Astrid paused and looked down to the ground thoughtfully, as if she was routing around her brain for a question. her head quickly snapped up as an idea popped int her mind.

"Do you have it?"

"Have what?" He frowned.

"Your 'creation' as you put it earlier." she scoffed.

"Of course I do." he smiled, "buy you already knew that, didn't you?"

"Yes, you paid me a visit back when I was staying in baker street."

"Remind me why you were there again?"

Astrid though for a while before smiling to herself.

"You know what, I don't think I will."

The man smiled and chuckled.

"now I'd like to ask you a question."

"O-Okay."

"Why did you come here?"

"Because ...I needed to."

"why?"

"It's been two years since I found out who you were to me-"

"And that is?"

"What?"

"You need to except who you really are! Who am I to you?"

Astrid shook her head.

"You are nothing to me."

Hansel just laughed and sighed.

"Your still holding on." He said, "don't live in the past, live now."

"Fine," Astrid sighed and hesitantly whispered, "you're my father."

"Come again?" he raised an eyebrow and Astrid reluctantly spoke up.

"You are my father."

The mans mouth twitched into a large smile. He looked almost proud. Astrid scoffed and turned  away. She strutted out of the same door she had entered and back out into the entrance hall. She made her way to the door when she heard the sound of heels coming down the steps. She stopped to see the beautiful figure of Amelie Chaudoir descending the staircase, however, she was crying. She reached the bottom step and looked at Astrid smiling weakly. She tucked a loose curl behind her ear revealing a large bruise under her eye causing Astrid to silently gasp.

Her head naturally whipped around as her father emerged from the room they were in. The devils gaze met Astrid's, before turning to his beautiful wife.  Astrid continued to stare at her father across the room in disgust fully aware of what was going on. She shook her head slowly before turning back to the battered vision on the bottom step. Astrid opened her mouth hoping that something encouraging or remotely helpful would come out of her lips, but nothing reached the surface. Before she knew it, she was running out of the house, trying not to cry.

She jumped into her car and drove away from the hellish place as quickly as possible. She drove for no more than five minutes before she had to stop. She pulled over to the side of the road and sighed. She couldn't hold it in, and soon enough she found herself screaming with anger, violently bashing the steering wheel, only to be stopped by her phone buzzing. She picked it up and red the text to herself.

I know where you live, if you do not tell me who he is, then I will send someone to loosen your lips.

MH

Astrid sighed and opened her phone. She slowly typed an answer.

He's my father

AW

She sighed and wiped her tears from her eyes. Not ten seconds later, the iceman replied.

So that would make you Astrid Hansel.

MH

Astrid scoffed and sat up and sent a reply.

That is not my name! My name is Astrid Wingham, not Astrid Hansel, not Alexa Holton. If you have a problem with that then you can say it to my face!

Astrid switched off her phone before taking a deep breath. She turned the engine back on and drove home. She knew that today would be a mistake the minute she set foot out of her safe abode.

She had been proven correct.