LILLIAN

Chapter-2

Lillian winced as she cleaned her wound and jerked out from the loop of thoughts she was trapped in. Physically she was here in her room but it seemed that a part of her consciousness remained there in the eerieness of today's event. It traumatized her making her dread the only place she could connect with her mother. She felt her fury closing in on the Universe's ruthlessness towards her lately and felt angry for everything that was happening to her.

She looked like a figurine as was seated on her queen-sized bed with a first aid kit beside her. She barely made any moments. The interior of the room was sophisticated and plush. Radiating every sort of richness her family owns. Her exposed skin cast a contrast against the colour palette of her room which appeared elegant but dark.

Dark defines the Nightingale family. Just like Duchess in the 18th century, they think that the colour black represents class, elegance, equity, and their decades-long ancestry. But Lillian never relished the domain she lived in. To others, it seemed striking but to her, her home was a place as nasty as a dungeon.

She never admired the paleness of her skin which the wall of the room always amplifies. With every glance at the mirror, she felt that her essence was getting drained off by the walls of the damned house. If given a chance she would flee the mansion and wouldn't even bother returning. All these years it was easy for her to live in the Nightingale mansion because she had her mom with her. Allison Nightingale was like a ray of sunshine through the dark clouds. But now that she is no more Lillian can't help but feel suffocated and disgusted with every breath she's bound to take here and keep on living. It made her feel miserable every time she walked by the room her mom died. The memories of her limp body amidst the pool of her blood haunted her. Her mom died here and no one can deny that fact.

No one knows how she died. Her death remains a mystery to the Nightingales. Both Lillian and Her father were out on the night she died. Lillian happened to be the one who found her first. Initially, She thought of it as a nightmare but after feeling the cold red blood of her mother on her hands thrust her away from any misconceptions and deeper into the truth of reality. The harshness of reality severed her only true happiness. Ever since that day, Lillian smiled less often.

She was trapped in the castle of her father.

A knock on the door brought her back to reality once again. She closed the lead of the first aid, hastily hid it under her pillow, and called.

"Come in"

The door creaked open and a puckered hand of butler came into view giving Lillian a sense of relief. Soon his whole body came into view. His ageing creased skin endowed a sheer contrast against the expensive creaseless suit he wore. A warm smile was drawn on him. Seeing it she smiled too.

"Good evening Lilly." He said in his husky deep voice as he walked towards her. "This came for you" he pulled an envelope from inside his suit and held it in front of Lillian. She eyed it warily. Its golden crust gleamed elegantly in a way that anyone will be enthralled but Lillian knew better. She looked at Mr Williams who assured her to take it.

Her forehead crinkled as her hesitant fingers grabbed the envelope. To her, its gleaming surface felt cold against her skin.

"By any chance did you injure yourself, Miss Nightingale?" He asked with a scrunched nose. Lillian blinked at him wide-eyed meanwhile, he looked at her with worry.

"Your expression has the answer, Lilly. Now if you don't mind let me tend to it."

"How..how did you know?" Lillian asked stunned.

"Now now how did I know? My little silly Lily it's because my year-long experienced nose already smelled the antiseptics." The same smile with the same warmth returned on Mr William's face.