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PHYSIENTS WILL ALWAYS OFFER BEST NOVELS || LATEST MOVIES || LIVE STREAMING ALL TIME
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 541 Change In Positions
In Dawson's residence, Eve stood in the kitchen, watching the milk boil and rise in the utensil. She quickly picked up the utensil with the help of a wet cloth and poured the milk into the teapot where she had earlier left the water from the boiled leaves in it.
Next to Eve stood Rosetta with great concentration as she made her favourite food--bread with salted butter. As if that wasn't enough excitement, Lady Aubrey had taught the young vampiress how to make jam, which she now smeared on the bread after a layer of butter on it.
Rosetta remarked, "I wonder why my family cook never made these in our mansion before."
"That is because it is a peasant's food. Maybe a little above peasant, but not one to be eaten by the high society who enjoy meat and fresh fruits along with other delicacies," Eugene responded, who was on his day off from the Council and was now dusting the couch to help in the house chores.
"I think the people of high society are missing out on a lot of good things then," Rosetta's positive outlook in life kept her from sinking into unhappiness, and also her anchor-like husband, Eugene.
"They do," Lady Aubrey nodded from where she sat at the dining table close to the kitchen. "If everyone mingled together without the line of lower and upper class, perhaps everyone would enjoy life better than what they think is the best. But most of them are stuck in their own ways."
As if remembering something, Rosetta said to Eugene, "Did you know that the Humphreys house is empty now? Apparently they packed everything and moved without telling anyone."
"It is good that they finally left. One less thing to worry about," Eugene breathed the words of relief.
Eve appeared at the dining table with a tray in her hand and placed it on the surface. She picked up the hot kettle and began pouring tea for everyone, while there were still some left in the kettle. She informed Lady Aubrey,
"Aunt Aubrey, once Vincent is here, we will be going to Brokengroves to take a look at the condition of the house and see what to do with it. From there we will be going back to Skellington."
Lady Aubrey nodded, "I hope the walls and the roof of it are still intact. I am still a little surprised that the Duke acquired the house and gave it to you now." She had always wondered about the relationship that had formed between Duke Noah and Eve, believing they were both inclined towards each other. But it seemed like they were inclined because of the past that tied them together. She asked, "What do you plan to do with it?"
Eve offered the teacups to everyone and replied, "I was thinking of having it brought to the way it was before my mother and I stopped living there. To keep the memories alive without changing anything."
She wanted to run her hand on the walls and the objects there, to be able to look into the fragments of memory of her mother and her.
"I think it is a wonderful idea, Eve," Lady Aubrey gave a nod of approval with a smile.
Hearing the sound of the carriage stop at the front of their house, Eugene peeked through the open door and announced,
"I think the Hooke's are here!"
Rosetta's eyes brightened with happiness, and she quickly ran through the door and so did Eve and Eugene, to be slowly followed by Lady Aubrey.
Eve caught sight of Mr. Briggs jumping down from the driver seat and walking around the carriage to open the carriage door. Vincent was the first to step outside, who seemed in a good mood, with a grin on his lips and his eyes twinkling in amusement, which she knew exactly why.
Vincent walked through the gate of the house, and without greeting anyone else first, he hugged Eve tightly. She said,
"You seem extra happy today." Kissing his lips when they pulled back, she asked, "Enjoying their downfall?"
"Every single bit of it," Vincent kissed her nose before looking back at the Hooke couple, who climbed down from the carriage.
As it was the time of the day, a few people on the street stared at the couple, who not only reeked but also appeared to be dressed shabbily. Mr. and Mrs. Hooke looked around them and noticed the townsfolk's eyes.
Mrs. Edwards, the nosey neighbour she was, stepped out of the house to see who was visiting the Dawsons.
Rosetta being herself, she stepped forward and hugged her parents by putting her arms around them. She expressed in joy,
"I am so happy to see you both here. Mother. Father. You will see how beautiful this place is! It will be like before, just with more people in the house."
Aurora Hooke couldn't comment on anything, even though her thoughts reached the tip of her tongue. She couldn't believe a marchioness as she had not only lost her title but was going to live in this town.
"They don't seem excited," Eugene murmured, as he didn't follow his wife right away.
"Of course, they aren't," Lady Aubrey, who stood next to him, replied, while looking at Rosetta and the Hookes catch up with each other. "They didn't want Rose interacting with Eve or stepping foot in this shabby town, but things changed. It is time to humble them." The elderly woman hadn't forgotten the pain the Aurora Hooke had brought her, when she had stamped her toe, crushing it.
Eugene stepped forward and greeted the Hookes, "Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Hooke. I hope your ride here was pleasant?"
Aurora was too uptight and hadn't forgotten the previous conversation she had had with this newly turned vampire, whose eyes were black and human-like now. What was going on? It was Mr. Hooke, who answered,
"Ah, yes, it was decent. We are happy to be here. Thank you for having us!"
Mr. Briggs asked Vincent, "Master Vincent, what do I do with the luggage?"
"You can bring it down. Mr. and Mrs. Hooke will bring it inside the house as from now they will be living here," Vincent then waved his hand, while the Hookes turned to look at each other.
Rosetta turned to give Vincent a stare, knowing he was the devil's reincarnation. She hadn't forgotten how he had lied to her about the first Moriarty wife being sacrificed! But then she realised he was right about what he said just now, the Dawsons didn't have any servants. She said,
"We do not have servants and do all the work by ourselves, but you will see there's a silver lining to it," she smiled at her parents, who felt doomed.
Mr. and Mrs. Hookes turned to look at Eugene, after all the last time, they remembered he was a lowly servant. Aurora took the opportunity to play her mother-in-law card and remarked,
"Where we come from, the son-in-law helps us with everything. Even carrying luggage."
"You have accepted Eugene! I am so happy, mother!" Rosetta hugged her mother and then said, "Unfortunately, you will need to carry it yourself mother. I believe little practice to settle yourself with your new life." Though the young vampiress loved her parents, that didn't mean she was going to let her husband do all the work. To Rosetta, her husband came first, and she loved the man who had loved her for herself.
"Let us all get inside," Lady Aubrey said, stepping back inside the house and so did the others, following her words.
Mr. and Mrs. Hooke carried the little luggage they had with them, while making sure no one caught them doing any labour. Once they were inside, Lady Aubrey finally addressed them,
"Mr. and Mrs. Hooke, as you are Rosetta's parents and have nowhere else to go, you will be living with us. I am guessing that Vincent has already mentioned the rules of this house?"
Aurora pursed her lips, gritting her teeth inside as her position had not even levelled to Lady Aubrey, but it had fallen below it.
"You will be helping with the house chores, which includes cleaning the floors, cooking in the kitchen, or pulling out weeds in the garden. Also going to the river and washing clothes."
Aurora's mouth opened in disbelief and she said, "That's impossible! You are taking advantage of us!"
Mr. Hooke pinched his wife to stay quiet, as it was a better life than sleeping on the streets. He whispered, "This is no time to show your pride, Auro."
Eve watched the two women glare and stare at each other before Lady Aubrey stated, "Life is unfair, Aurora. People at a higher status like to trample on the ones who are of lower status, and you must know it better than anyone. You can either choose to live here on my rules, in my home. Or you can go back to the mansion as someone's servant."
Rosetta persuaded her mother, "Lady Aubrey is a generous woman, mother. Especially after what you did to her," she reminded her. "If I were her, I would have never let you enter my home."
Mr. Hooke complained, "We would be more than happy to share work with each other, Lady Aubrey," and he offered a bow.
Lady Aubrey returned it and replied, "I am glad that we could settle it smoothly. We all look forward to the time we become a big family."
Aurora was tired just by hearing what the rest of her life was going to be like, and she pulled her daughter to the side. She asked,
"Rose, my back and body has been hurting. I need to lie down, which room do I go to?"
"I think you can sleep once Vincent and Eve leave," Rosetta replied.
"Why wait for them?" Lady Aurora asked her daughter.
Rose smiled at the question, which faltered. But Eugene came to her aid, and he replied, "There are only two rooms in this house. One which is occupied by Lady Aubrey, and the other, which Rose and I share," he put his hand around Rosetta's shoulders, "I hope mother-in-law understands how important it is as we have things to do."
Rosetta's cheeks turned pink at Eugene's words, and she cleared her throat, "Oh, Eugi, you don't have to mention that to them."
Lady Aurora blinked at the couple, feeling she was losing her mind, and asked, "W--where is your father and I going to sleep then?" Her face turned paler with every passing second while she stood under Dawson's roof.
"On the floor," Rosetta replied in an obvious tone. "Eugene used to sleep on floor before, so it will be just fine."
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 542 Deeper Level Of The Ability Of Touch
Music Recommendation: Days Passing by- Noomi Meerbach
--
Vincent and Eve arrived at the almost abandoned town of Brokengroves, stepping out of their carriage.
"Looks almost haunted, doesn't it?" Vincent remarked as his eyes skimmed through the place.
With the snow that had stopped with Winter leaving them behind, the path was clear, and Eve said,
"The place without snow feels like I am back in time. The last time my mother and I spent our days in this town and home... it was during the time of Winter. It has been so long," her voice was quiet as she was lost in her thoughts.
Vincent replied, "You ever wonder how things would have been if you and your mother returned home safely? If me, my mother, or Marceline were not abducted, if we would have met."
"I didn't know I left such a lasting memory with a silver haired boy," Eve turned to look at Vincent, offering him a teasing smile.
"You did. No one has ever bitten me like you did. Now that I think about it, your bite did prick more than any human's bite would. I wonder if the cute little siren teeth had already made their mark," Vincent said in a thoughtful tone. "Do you want to fix the walls in here?" He asked her when they stepped inside the ruined house that Eve and her mother once lived in.
"That's what I thought I would do," Eve murmured, and she touched the walls as memory began to flood her mind.
Not all memories were happy ones, as there were memories of her mother where she could feel the suffocation and being trapped in her life.
"Did you change your mind?" Vincent took a seat at the edge of the broken window. He crossed his legs, watching the love of his life staring at the objects in the small house.
"We can have the place preserved if you want, have it shielded in such a way that no rain or snow or anything else will come to disrupt its peace."
Eve's fingers paused from moving further on the wall, and she said, "Do you think it is time for me to move on... from the memories of the past?"
"Is that what you want to do?" Vincent asked her, where silence surrounded them.
"I don't think so..." Eve's voice drawled before she replied, "This place... I can feel my mother's tears, her anguish of losing my father and the pain... which she didn't allow me to see, as she cried when I wasn't awake. There's happiness, but overwhelming sadness, everything is as vivid as the hour we spent at Meadow a while ago. I wonder if it would be healthy to cling to the past."
Vincent pushed himself from where he was sitting and walked to where Eve stood. Placing his hands on the top of her shoulders, he said,
"I know it is harsh, but your mother is not alive, Eve. She has been dead for a very long time, and what you feel now, is not what she feels. You can either choose to accept the truth or ignore it, and then move forward," he took a deep breath before continuing, "Nothing is ever healthy. Let me tell you something, when my mother passed away, the things she had used for several days were left as they were. It was cleaned up only after Annalise married into the family. You don't have to decide now, as there's no hurry."
"There is something I wanted to check... but to do it when you are by my side... so that I don't get lost," Eve stated, and it had Vincent look at her in curiosity.
"Anything you want, milady," Vincent replied to her.
Eve said to him, "You know how I touched the tomb of King Gauntlet and his family members, where we went into their memories. There is a deeper layer than that, but I don't know if it will go through or not."
"I have your back, my darling. Let us take a seat, shall we?" Vincent looked around, and they sat on the dusty ground facing each other. Holding their hands, Eve closed her eyes and concentrated.
As seconds started to tick away, Eve felt the warmth around her starting to leave and change as if she was experiencing several kinds of weather within every passing second before cold settled on her skin.
When Eve opened her eyes, Vincent wasn't sitting in front of her, nor was she sitting in a ruined house. Instead, the house was back the way she remembered it. The walls had no cracks, nor were the windows broken.
"Did it work?" Eve asked herself, pushing herself to get up, and she looked at the bed that was made, and the bathtub was clean with no dried twigs or leaves or stones in there.
Hearing the carriage wheels move outside the house, Eve quickly approached the door and opened it. She was greeted with snow falling from the sky and noticed people walking up and down the street.
Eve made her way down the street, and when she reached the centre place, she noticed people filled the centre of the town, and it wasn't as deserted as it was in the past. She was looking around when she felt a small whirlwind brush past her.
"Mama!" a small girl's voice chimed in happiness.
Eve's eyes fell on the golden blonde hair of the little girl, and she ran until she reached her mother. Her mother. Rebecca Barlow, who picked up her younger self in her arms.
"What are you doing outside the house in this cold weather, hm?" Eve heard her mother ask her younger self, who had put her hands around her mother's neck.
"I didn't know when you would come... and thought to come see you myself, mama!"
Rebecca picked up one of small Eve's hands and blew warm air at it. She said, "Your hands are frozen. It seems like you have been waiting for me for a long time now."
"I was," little Eve nodded in affirmation.
While Rebecca spoke to her daughter about something, the small girl's eyes fell on her older self, who stared at them. Little Eve said, "Mama, same hair!"
Eve quickly bent down as if to fix her shoe while having her back against them. Rebecca turned in the direction little Eve pointed, but not finding what her daughter was showing her, she returned her attention and said,
"What do you want to eat? We can go buy something from the nearby inn."
"Anything?" Little Eve's eyes lit up. A little shy, she asked, "Then... mama... I can ask for hot, sweet potatoes?"
"Hm, sweet potatoes?" Rebecca asked, and the little girl nodded before the woman let her daughter down so that they both could walk. "Alright then. Let us go to the vegetable shop and see if they have any of them left."
In the meantime, Eve followed the mother-daughter while maintaining a distance. She heard the warm interaction, and even though Eve didn't remember it until now, she would keep this close to her heart.
Rebecca said to little Eve, "Stay here and don't wander around. I will be back with the sweet potatoes," she kissed the little nose of her daughter before standing straight and walking to the shop. But when the woman reached the shop, the vendor shunned her.
"Haven't I told you that you aren't welcome here? Go find someone else, as I don't want any business from you."
Rebecca bowed her head deeply and pleaded, "Please, Mr. Oakley. The other shops aren't offering anything to me, and if I need to buy them, I will need to travel to another town. Please show mercy on me."
The vendor began to ignore Rebecca, and the sight broke Eve's heart.
When another woman appeared at the shop, the vendor assisted her. After two minutes, Rebecca turned away from the shop with a dejected look and made her way back to her daughter. Not knowing what else to do, Eve tied her golden blonde hair into a tight bun at the back while pinning her fringes so that she didn't resemble her younger self.
Eve then made her way to the shop and demanded from the vendor,
"I would like to have ten sweet potatoes and three other vegetables."
The vendor noticed Eve's expensive dress, and he quickly heeded her demands by bringing everything she asked for before asking her, "Is there anything you would like, milady?"
"A life full of kindness to offer to the unfortunate," Eve responded, and the vendor blinked.
"Milady?"
"I suppose you don't have it," Eve replied, and then said, "Here are two gold coins, but I will give it to you, if you promise to send the vegetables and fruits to Lady Rebecca Barlow."
"Milady, do you know who she is? She--" The vendor began only to be shut down by Eve, who said,
"She is an outstanding woman, who tries hard to keep her head high even though you men and women like to look down on her. Why? Because she's trying to support her and her daughter?" Eve asked the man, who blinked at her. "I will give you two more gold coins, if you will not turn her away and instead treat her like any other person in this town. With respect. If not, I will have my husband come and put some sense in you," she lightly threatened.
The vendor nodded because it would take him weeks or months to earn a gold coin.
Eve knew it wouldn't be genuine respect from the vendor, but at least her mother would be shunned by one less person.
She returned to the house, where she could hear her mother talking to her little self. She couldn't alter anything from the past, as it would affect the past. Raising her hand, she knocked on the door.
Rebecca reached the door, and when she opened it, she saw no one standing there and wondered who had knocked on the door. But before she closed the door, her eyes fell on a bag of vegetables.
"Who is, mama?" Little Eve asked, following her mother and stepping out of the house while her mother looked left and right. "Sweet potatoes!" She picked up the vegetables in her small hands.
Noticing a note in there, Rebecca picked it up and read it-- Forgive me for my behaviour, but please take this as my apology. I would like you to come by the shop if you need any vegetables or fruit.
Rebecca stared hard at it before she looked relieved, as if she could breathe a little. She turned to her little daughter and said, "I guess it is time to boil the sweet potatoes." She looked outside the house one more time before closing the door.
________
ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 543 Another Visit To The Past
Music Recommendation: At the end of the Day- Frederico Morales
--
When Eve opened her eyes, she found Vincent staring at her. She was back in the present, with the cracked walls and the dust around them. He asked her,
"Did something bad happen?"
Eve shook her head, a small smile forming on her lips. She said, "I saw my mother and saw myself. She worked really hard and endured a lot more than she should have. She was a strong woman, Vince."
Vincent came closer to her and put his arms around her. He knew that the remarks on her mother from others were the hardest to digest, and not everyone saw what they saw. He responded,
"She was indeed a strong woman. If it was a weaker woman, the society would have broken and crushed her spirits. I don't even have to go that far to know how she was, because looking at you is enough. She raised you with love."
"She did," Eve answered while burying herself in his arms.
Eve couldn't talk to her mother today, but maybe someday, she could ease the pain her mother felt in the past. To reduce the burden and the loneliness, she thought to herself.
Vincent didn't as Eve what part of life she had visited because he could already tell it was the few weeks before her mother was killed. Before he and she had met. Even though the temperature in the ruined house was getting warmer, Eve's body was cold, as if she had only stepped away from the snow.
He gently caressed the back of her head and said, "Do you want to take another turn? To revisit her again?"
Eve shook her head, "We can do that some other time. There's plenty of time." She didn't want to lose her present while being lost in the past. The time she had with Vincent, she wanted to cherish it even though they had promised each other that it would be forever. She said,
"I think I am ready to build another house here and keep this space in my memories," Eve said, ready to let go of the past so that they could move forward. And if she ever missed, she would learn to harness and sharpen her ability to touch which wouldn't need an object for her to travel.
Vincent and Eve stood up from where they had been sitting on the floor until now. They stepped out of the house while Eve wrapped her hand around his arm as they walked down the street.
"I believe Noah will be rebuilding this town, so that people can start living here again."
"That's good," Eve hummed, as her eyes looked around the place, where there were memories of her small self walking or running in her mother's presence or when her mother was absent.
"You were a cute child when we met," Vincent remarked as they made their way towards the carriage. Small, that needed to be protected.
"You were small yourself, how would you know I was cute?" Eve asked him teasingly.
Vincent turned to look at her with a grin, "You forget I have had a minion for a sister."
Eve nodded, silence filling around them for the briefest moment, and then she asked, "Do you think she has changed?"
"She hasn't from what I last heard," Vincent answered, "I have kept touch with the warden there. The time she has spent there is quite small for her to know how life could be if she mended her ways. Grandpa and grandma said they will be visiting her, so let us leave Marceline to them, and focus on just us. We have a lot of work to do."
Eve didn't remark, and they finally stepped into the carriage. They rode away from Brokengroves and returned to Skellington, where half of their family was. Once they reached the Moriarty mansion, they got inside to hear Strix's laughter echoing through the corridor along with Allie, who ran behind him.
Right now, the mansion was different from when Eve had first placed her foot. Gone was the seriousness, and it was filled with warmth. It felt more like home, Eve's home with Vincent.
"Vincent! Good that you are here, come with me and speak to your grandmother," Lady Annalise took Vincent along with her, and she seemed frustrated as the mother and daughter-in-law were having a hard time seeing things the same way.
"I will find you," Vincent said to Eve, who smiled.
"I will wait," she replied, watching him leave with Lady Annalise.
As Eve walked up the stairs, she heard little Allie call her excitedly, "Sister Eve! You are back!"
"I am," Eve replied with a smile that spread her lips, and she said, "Mr. Briggs has your cookies and cakes."
"Yay!" Allie ran in speed as if ready to eat it.
Who would have thought that the house she would come to work for would be the one that would end up turning into her sanctuary? Eve continued walking up the stairs, and before she could take a turn to go to her room, she took the opposite side. The back of her dress swept the marble floor, and she stopped when she came to reach one of the old rooms that were left untouched.
The room held Lady Katherina's belongings, which had come to take home in here after Eduard Moriarty's second marriage. It consisted of her clothes, shoes, comb, hairpins, and other such things.
Noticing a dressing table, Eve made her way there before she took a seat and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Bringing her hand forward, she brushed the surface of the wood, which was clean.
"It is worth a try, isn't it," Eve murmured to herself before picking up the hairbrush.
When Eve closed her eyes, she was transported in time, many years behind when she met her mother. The air felt different, and so did the lighting of the room. Without anyone's notice, she tried to tiptoe and leave the mansion as it was rude to be here when no one knew about her.
"Do you need something, Miss?" Someone asked Eve.
Eve felt her heart stop momentarily, and it eased on noticing a familiar but younger face. It belonged to Mr. Briggs, and she offered a polite bow to him. She asked,
"Is Lady Katherina home?"
"She's out in the town, taking a walk, Miss. Would you like to sit in the parlour room and wait for her?" Mr. Briggs asked her. "She shouldn't be long."
"No, that's fine. I think I would like to find her. Do you know where I can find her?" She asked him.
"Near the centre gardens of the town, milady."
"Thank you, Mr. Briggs," Eve smiled at him before quickly leaving the mansion's gates.
Mr. Briggs looked confused and asked, "Have we met before?" It was because he hadn't introduced himself to her.
Eve's footsteps were quick, and her eyes searched for the woman she had only seen in the paintings that hung in the Moriarty mansion. Then her eyes fell on Vincent's mother, who sat on a bench with her eyes closed, relishing the evening breeze without a care.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 544 The Wait At The Bench
Music Recommendation: Twilights- Mirta da Silva
--
Nervousness filled Eve's body, as she had never spoken to this person before and knew how important she was to Vincent. She approached the bench when Katherina opened her eyes.
"Good evening," Lady Katherina greeted Eve with the politest smile she had ever seen until now.
Eve offered the lady a bow and returned the greeting, "Good evening. May I sit next to you?"
"Please," Lady Katherina raised her hand to show the space next to her. "You aren't from here, are you?"
"I am actually from Brokengroves, and then moved to Meadow," Eve responded, and she sat next to the beautiful and peaceful-looking woman. There was a baby bump on the woman, which she hadn't noticed in the beginning, and noticing her stare, Lady Katherina said,
"He's going to come out in two months."
"Oh," Eve's eyes widened. Lady Katherina was carrying Vincent.
The lady said, "It's been seven months, but it feels so short and I wish I could keep him inside," she smiled.
Curious, Eve asked, "How do you know it is a he?"
"The physician says the shape of my bump says a lot, and personally, it is a feeling of mine. I know it is a boy," Lady Katherina rubbed her belly with one of her hands with a content smile. She said, "The truth is someone else told me about it too. My mother sometimes sees the future and can predict things."
Eve nodded and replied, "Congratulations on having him."
Lady Katherina smiled, turning happier with just the thought of her child being born into this world. She asked Eve, "Forgive me, it seems like I forgot to introduce myself again," she softly laughed. "I am Katherina Moriarty."
Eve was so aroused in emotions that she hadn't realised she hadn't introduced herself. She said, "I am Genevieve Barlow. But you can call me Eve."
"Eve," Lady Katherina tested the name with a thoughtful expression before she smiled again. "Where in Meadow do you stay, Eve?"
"In the Dawson's residence. I live with my aunt, Aubrey Dawson. She's a governess," Eve answered the woman. The more right answer would be that 'she used to', but then saying she lived in Moriarty's mansion would garner her strange looks.
"A governess, how exciting!" Lady Katherina seemed like a bright and happy woman, and her children were nothing like her. She complimented Eduard Moriarty well, someone who didn't hold her high status as an accessory.
"How about you? Are you a governess too? Or married?" She stared at Eve, tilting her head.
"Both, Lady Katherina," Eve replied, noticing the woman looking at her in awe.
"You know, I always come here to rest my feet even though my mansion has plenty of plants and flowers. But it is good to see people walking up and down the streets, giving some fresh air," Lady Katherina said with a soft sigh. She said, "It gives me time to think, to settle my thoughts before being picked up by my husband," she laughed. "The sky looks beautiful, doesn't it." She said, "I am happy you are here... Eve."
Eve turned to look at the woman with a questioning look.
"I have been waiting for you, because my mother told me that there would be a woman who would show up in the future. A woman with hair that resembled the sun and eyes that were like the sea. Who will spend time with me because I won't be able to live my life to the fullest..." Lady Katherina said those words with sorrow, but her face was as calm as before.
Eve was left speechless as she hadn't expected her cover to blow this way.
Lady Katherina turned to look at Eve and asked, "Is my mother, right?" As their eyes met.
Eve pursed her lips before nodding, "She is right, Lady Katherina."
A small smile formed on Lady Katherina's lips, and she asked, "Who are you, Genevieve Barlow?"
Eve's eyes fell on the woman's baby bump, and Lady Katherina nodded, "I see. So that is how it is."
When Eve came to visit Vincent's mother, she hadn't expected the woman to have an inclination of who she was. It made her wonder for how long she had been coming here, waiting for her at this bench.
"I am sorry, Lady Katherina," Eve apologised, even though the woman already knew her fate through her mother. She asked, "I thought your parents were humans... "
"Oh, they are," Lady Katherina replied and then explained softly, "You see, my ancestor once married a witch without anyone's knowledge and one the time, though we aren't witches, there are a few traces that sometimes show up. Either abilities, or sometimes the character of a witch. How long do I have?" She asked, protectively shielding the baby bump.
"More than a decade," Eve responded and Lady Katherina sighed one more time.
"A decade is more than what I could ask for," Lady Katherina didn't look upset. Rather she seemed to have accepted her fate. Instead of worrying, she was ready to give her love and everything else to the people who were dear to her. "How is he?" There was a slight excitement in her voice as she asked about her unborn child.
"Vincent is an amazing man. He loves and holds you in high regard," Eve answered, noticing the sweet smile on the pregnant woman's lips. "He loves his family, and he protects the people whom he cares about." She decided not to mention the crazy side of her husband, wanting to keep that for herself. "He's also very handsome. He has your hair."
"Does he now..." Lady Katherina's smile told everything she didn't say in words. She was just happy and looking forward to raising her son. "Do I have another child?" Wanting to know if Vincent was the only one.
"Marceline."
"A girl," Lady Katherina liked that she had a boy and a girl. But when the woman noticed Eve's expression, she asked, "It seems like you both don't get along? What is it? If you have time, I would like you to tell me how you and my son met too."
Eve smiled, "I have time, Lady Katherina."
Eve told Katherina mostly happy and good things without going to the sad part of what was there. This included what Marceline had done to her and how she was in the House of Purgatory.
"She was always good to me," Lady Katherina said when they came to Lady Annalise. "Even though we don't speak now, it is good to know that she continues to be my friend," she smiled before placing her hand on Eve's. "Thank you for coming to visit me, Eve. Even though one day I won't be part of the future that you came from, I feel like I won't miss things the way I thought I would. At least I know a little now."
The Moriarty carriage stopped on the side of the street, and Eve knew it was time for her to leave. They both stood up, and Eve hugged the woman,
"Thank you, Lady Katherina."
Lady Katherina hugged Eve back before the two women, who appeared to be of the same age, pulled away from each other. From afar, Eduard Moriarty was making his way to where his wife was, and Eve said to the woman,
"Vincent misses you."
"Tell him I am always with him, and that I love him. And how proud I am of him," Lady Katherina said to Eve, even though she was yet to meet her son after two months.
"I will," Eve replied, walking away from there before disappearing behind a tree and never stepping out of there again.
Eduard Moriarty appeared near his wife. He kissed her lips and said, "Briggs said you hadn't returned and I came to get you. You spent a lot of time here today."
Lady Katherina put her hand around her husband's arm and hugged him. She replied, "I did. I was having a glimpse of the future."
"Were you?" Eduard laughed, not knowing if his wife was daydreaming of their future and their family.
Lady Katherina only smiled without commenting on it or uttering what Eve told her and keeping it to herself. She wanted to spend her time with happiness and offering love to her family. They walked out of the garden, making their way towards the waiting carriage, before returning home.
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ALLURE OF THE NIGHT
Chapter 545 Grandparents’ Visit
Music Recommendation: Heavens, what an afternoon- John Lunn
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Eve opened her eyes, finding herself back in the Moriarty mansion, sitting in the room with Lady Katherina's things. She had spent more than three hours with the woman in the past, but it felt short. It was her first time meeting Lady Katherina, and if it weren't for her ability, she would have never been able to meet her.
When she looked at the mirror's reflection, she noticed she wasn't alone in the room.
Vincent leaned against the side of the door, watching her with a peaceful expression. He asked her,
"Did you have a good dream?"
Letting go of the comb she had been holding until now, Eve turned away from the mirror and faced Vincent. She said,
"I met her."
Vincent felt slightly envious of Eve's ability to meet someone who didn't exist in the present. It was a blessing, but he was happy to hear those words from her. He asked, "How was she doing?"
"She was with you," Eve replied, standing up and meeting Vincent halfway as he had left the door's side. "You were two months away from being born. She said she was very proud of you and loves you. She knew…"
When they got closer, Eve kissed Vincent's lips. She said, "Your mother… she knew I was going to come."
"I thought so," Vincent curled his hand around her waist, pulling her close. He said, "Her letters always had a sense of something as if she knew what was about to come and happen. I wasn't sure before, but after knowing your ability, I felt you probably told her."
Eve hugged Vincent closely, placing the side of her head on his chest to rest, and she closed her eyes as she relished the feeling of his arms around her body and him near her. She said,
"Did you know that your mother's ancestors had a mixture of witches in them?"
"Mm," Vincent gave a short nod while he tightened his hold around Eve. He said, "I heard it from my father before, but confirmed it after Marceline's actions. It explains why she's the way she is."
"She is very kind, beautiful and sweet, Vince. She was very excited to meet you," Eve let him know. "Maybe one day, I will learn to take you along with me to the past. I am glad she is your mother."
"Me too. I cannot wait for that day," Vincent smiled, taking a deep breath before releasing it.
As days passed, Lady Ravette and Strix decided to take a ride in their carriage. A ride that led towards the House of Purgatory. When the carriage stopped, the coachman quickly ran to the door and opened it for the elderly couple.
Lady Ravette stepped down from the carriage and stared at the place. She remarked,
"Do you remember the time when we first met here, Strix?"
"How can I forget, Rave. It was love at first sight for me, maybe the tenth for you?"
"Eighth," Lady Ravette corrected him, and she wrapped her hand around her husband's arm. "I remember it very clearly, when you thought you were helping me, but I was fine by myself. Brings nostalgic memories, and some very good ones."
"They indeed do," Strix held a proud look on his face, and he then said, "I realised that we never mentioned it to our children or grandchildren. To know that we spent a week or two here."
The elderly couple started to walk inside the House of Purgatory and soon met the warden, who was in charge.
"Mr. and Mrs. Moriarty, welcome to the House of Purgatory," the warden greeted the couple with a deep bow. "It has been a long time since you last visited here."
"Well, there was no need to visit here. But as you know, we have a family member added to this place recently? My granddaughter Marceline Moriarty?" Lady Ravette questioned the warden, her eyebrows raised as she looked around. Her eyes fell on some of the 'prisoners' in here, who walked up and down the corridors.
"Ah yes. It was Vincent who brought her here," the warden replied and then said, "Would you like me to bring her here for you?"
"That won't be needed," Strix was the one to reply to the warden. He said, "Take us to where she is."
The warden looked surprised and carefully asked the couple, "You aren't here to take her from here?"
Strix waved his hand in front of him and replied, "Personally my wife and I believe that if there's any good place in the whole wide world, it is the House of Purgatory, regardless of what people talk about this place. After all, it is where I met Ravette. My beautiful wife."
The warden couldn't believe this, as he hadn't heard about this story before. To think that both Senior Mr. and Mrs. Moriarty had been once sent here to be disciplined. He dared not remark on it and just led them towards Marceline Moriarty's cell room.
The warden came to the front of Marceline's cell room and called her, "Marceline, someone is here to see you."
"I like the element of surprise," Strix murmured to his wife, who gave him a small nod. He told the warden, "You don't suppose that we plan to speak by standing here, go get us the chairs."
The warden, for a moment, was about to open the lock of the gate, but he immediately stopped and walked away from there to fetch two chairs for the elderly couple.
In the meantime, Marceline's life had turned upside down, and her true nature had surfaced, as she had shed her 'kind self' that she once proudly wore. On hearing familiar voices in front of her cell room, she got up from the bed and made her way towards the front, when her eyes widened, and a wide smile spread on her lips.
"Grandpa! Grandma!" Marceline was excited to see them. She didn't care how they knew she was here or how or when they came out of the coffin. She was happy to know that someone cared about her. She said, "I am so happy to see you both here!"
Lady Ravette watched her granddaughter, who stood on the other side of the grilled gated door. She said, "And it is good to see too, Marceline. I heard that you have been a very naughty child. Hard to let go of bad habits, hm?"
Marceline shook her head and answered, "I have been good and obedient, grandmother. I barely did anything, but help people."
"Don't be hard on her, Rave. She is our grandchild," Strix was kinder than his wife, even though he was of pureblooded blood and his wife was a turned vampire. He asked his granddaughter, "How are you doing, Marcie?"
Marceline suddenly looked sad, and tears began to form in her eyes. She said, "It is very lonely here, grandpa. I miss home and everyone else. I wish to go home."
"All in good time, child," Strix consoled Marceline, who felt hope glimmer before her.
Marceline said, "I have been only trying to do good things. Grandmother, I made sure Vince didn't marry a human, but he did anyway and brought disgrace to our family. You should look into it right away!"
Both grandma and grandpa Moriarty shared looks with each other.
Lady Ravette replied, "You mean Genevieve?"
"Yes, her!" Marceline's eyes widened as she continued, "You don't know her. She's a witch, who has been causing disgrace—"
"Marceline dear, I should stop you there," Lady Ravette interrupted and said, "You shouldn't speak ill about your sister-in-law and should learn a thing or two from your younger sister. Vincent and Eve are made for each other, and I can't think of anyone better suited for him."
"What?" Marceline whispered in disbelief. "You have met her?"
"We have, and frankly she's quite lovely. Beautiful, educated, talented, and very loved," Strix nodded, giving his approval.
"You don't know what she di—"
"It seems like you haven't learned anything here, Marceline," Lady Ravette gave a pointed look at her granddaughter and said, "Did you forget that she's a Moriarty now? A woman your brother cherishes with his life and instead of accepting her, you are throwing childish tantrums. The next time you see her, you make sure to apologise to her and mend your ways, hm?"
"W—what about the pain she caused me? I have no leg because of her!" Marceline pulled the front of her dress to show the missing leg, replaced with two wooden sticks.
Strix clicked his tongue, "Naughty granddaughter, we heard all about it and the way your grandmother and I see it, you brought it on yourself."
"First, you try to attack your sister-in-law. Second, you fail to understand that witches are not to be trusted, and third, you fall for such silly things, going and getting yourself cursed," Lady Ravette rubbed the truth salts into Marceline's wounds. "A Moriarty is always smarter than that, Marceline. What were you even thinking?"
Marceline, who had been happy to see her grandparents, started losing hope again. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and then said,
"I was thinking of protecting our family, our name and our status that you stood for, grandmother. How can you blame this on me? You tried to kill anyone who was human."
"To turn them into vampires," Lady Ravette deadpanned while giving a pointed look at Marceline. "You could have turned Eve into a vampire, not that it matters anymore as she has proved that she's much stronger without being a vampire."
Marceline's lips trembled, and she pleaded, "Please take me out of this place, I don't want to be here. I have spent enough time here. I will not hurt Eve ever again. I promise!"
"We know you won't," Strix nodded, and for a brief moment, Marceline turned happy until he said, "But. I don't know why you want to leave this place. The House of Purgatory is a good place to learn. Your grandmother and I found this place to be quite precious, isn't that right, Rave?"
"Very true," Lady Ravette gave a solemn nod as she agreed with her husband.
"No… you can't be serious," Marceline whispered, and she wanted to pull her hair out of frustration alone.
Lady Ravette said to Marceline, "Don't care about what the society thinks of this place. The House of Purgatory is where your grandmother and I met, it is how you were born after many years. I am sure you will find someone here."
Marceline grit her teeth and remarked, "I don't like anyone in here!"
Strix turned to his wife and whispered not so gently, "She seems to be lacking in social skills."
Lady Ravette replied, "Seems so. She was a quiet little thing when she was young."
"I am standing right here…!" Marceline's voice turned high-pitched at the end. She said, "I will be good. I mean it!"
"You aren't listening to what we are saying, Marceline," Lady Ravette's voice turned stern and her eye held a glare. She said, "Use this time here to grow. As Vincent was the one to bring you here, it is his decision to bring you out. I will put in a word for you."
Strix said to his wife, "Which was the cell you used to be in before? It must be on the other side," he said, looking at the end of the corridor, and then turned back to Marceline and said, "We will come to visit you soon, Marceline. In the meantime, I hope you make memories here."
Lady Ravette, as if remembering something, let her granddaughter know, "It is sad that you didn't marry before your brother, or you would have the mansion in Holy Oak."
Marceline's mouth fell wide open, as she had always wanted to have the mansion. It was the initial plan when she didn't know she was being taken here to be imprisoned. She stuttered,
"You g—gave it to Vincent?"
"No. I gave it to his wife as a simple wedding gift." Before Lady Ravette left the front of the room, she said to Marceline, "Your mother might have been weak, but she was a good woman which you should have been proud of."
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