Chapter 75: No excuses to give

•Arius

I sat on the Window couch in the library, staring out of the large window at the evening cold sky. My laptop open on the other edge.

I looked at my phone. The one contact I've been wanting to call on the screen

'Veronica Xander.'

My father's girlfriend. Well a secret lover to be exact.

I pressed the call button.

The phone rang and she picked up after a while.

"Hello? Arius?"

"Veronica..."

"Yes?"

"Are you free?"

"Now?"

"At anytime. I just need a few minutes."

"You can come over at anytime. I'll be home."

"Okay..."

After hanging up I slumped against the frame, looking out at the darkening sky. It seemed like it would snow soon.

I heard the library door open and then footsteps coming towards me.

I knew who it was so I didn't move from my place.

As the person came and stood near me I asked.

"You said she was getting better. So Why?" I asked him.

"I don't know." Eli answered, "You saw it yourself. Maria did get better. Isn't that why you let Ayaan meet her? I had no idea it would relapse so bad."

"Maybe I shouldn't have let her out."

"Maybe you should tell the kid what happened."

"I have no excuse to give him. I can't." I looked at him, "What do you expect me to tell him?"

"I know you're considering the fact that he's a child-"

"He's not a child. He's already thirteen."

"Thirteen?!" I was expecting his reaction, "He looks like he's 8 or at most 9..."

"He was malnourished when I bought him and he doesn't eat much now either." I sighed in frustration, "Now that Maria's dead I don't think it's gonna get any better."

"If he isn't a kid. You should let him know."

"What's done can not be undone. Go home. I'm tired." I placed my head against the cold glass of the window.

"Are you really just going to keep quiet about it?"

"I said go home Eli."

He sighed and was about to turn and leave when he stopped, "At least tell me why she took so many drugs? Drugs that aren't even there in the market."

I was hoping he would just go back without asking. I asked for his help without telling him anything because he's not a part of the underworld. But well,

"You want to know so bad, I'll tell you." I turned the laptop in his direction and played the video on it.

His eyes grew wide as he continued watching the woman in it beg for mercy from the men abusing and raping her.

He turned his head away in horror.

"If you couldn't recognize her. That's Maria, and that's why she was given the drugs. So she could do this whenever they wanted her to." I closed the laptop. "You want me to explain this to her younger brother?"

"B-but why is this on the internet?"

"It's dark web." I sat down on the window couch again with my arms folded. "It's full of things like this." I looked outside the window, the sky was covered with dark clouds. "Your job is done, don't come back here again. I don't want to see your face ever again."

This place wasn't for him to begin with. I just had no one else to ask for help.

"... You-" He paused, "Okay. Goodbye Arius, and I apologize I couldn't help you."

"..."

***

Veronica ran her fingers through my hair as I lay my head on her lap.

"You seem worn out. You always come to me when something goes wrong .Did something happen?" She asked.

"No. Just a bit tired."

"How's Lexus doing?" She always asks me about her son, but of course she is his mother after all. Not mine.

"I'm sure you noticed he's gotten a lot better than before."

"Yes." Even though my eyes were closed, I could feel the smile on her face.

I guess that's a mother for you. She will always want her children to be happy. Her own children. "You will continue to help him right?"

I opened my eyes, "I'll do what I can."

"Thank you Arius."

"..."

***

As I was making my way to the library I came across Ayaan. The boy glared at me, I could see the disdain in his eyes.

I looked back at him but said nothing. He turned around and ran away.

"I'm sorry young master." I heard Huang fei behind me, "I left him alone for a while and he ran away to see his sister."

"Don't lie to me Huang fei." I looked at him, "You don't make mistakes like these, I know you let him go."

"I apologize." He bowed, "I didn't think things would turn out so bad. He just wanted to see her."

I sighed and left.

I sat on one of the window couches. Some reports in my hands that I really didn't feel like analyzing.

I was staring at the snow-covered trees when a voice caught my attention.

Someone was singing. The sound was distant but audible.

Her voice was really soothing while the song was beautiful.

In the silence of the room and the cold that one could see outside, her voice was like a soft woe yet it was pleasant.

Her footsteps got closer as she kept singing.

The black haired blue eyed girl appeared out of one of the book shelf rows in the back, her eyes on a book she had been reading.

She hadn't realized there was someone else in the room so I decided to stay quiet and observe her.

Unknowingly a smile spread across my face as I continued to observe her.

It was quite amusing to see her so absorbed in the book as she sang, she probably herself didn't realize what kind of expressions she was making.

It wasn't until she reached the couch I was sitting on did she realized there was something off.

She stopped,lifted up her face to look around and jumped as soon as she saw me, almost crashing into the book shelf behind her.

"Hey." I waved and grinned at her.

"A-arius?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"H-how long have you been here?"

"Long enough to listen to you sing."

Her cheeks started turning a shade of pink. How amusing.

I stood and took a step closer.

She flinched as she looked at me.

Her pretty blue eyes had fear in them.

Well of course she would fear me. That's what I am.

But.

There's this sudden idea in my mind that I just can't help but want to apply.

"I," She gulped, "I should go."

"Oh no Honey." I stopped her, " I have decided something."

"Decided what?" She seemed to be in a hurry but I didn't like that.

"I'm making you my personal guard."

Her eyes grew wider, "You are what? WHY?!"

I just smirked in return and walked past her,

"Get ready to move to the fourth floor."