"Hey, twin, our baby's girl's fascinating, eh?" Natsuki pinched Ashriel's cheeks and aimed to ruffle her hair when two strong hands held his hand.
"Don't you dare." Lady Chalier and Venice warned with their blazing eyes glaring at him.
"Ha-Ha. Y-Yes, mother." He trembled and took his hand from them.
"There, there, look at the camera now, my babies," Emmette said. The three frowned. "What?"
"1,2,3!"
Click!
After how many clicks and poses, Ashriel let her parents go down but took her siblings' hands. "Call the Cadre. Let's take a group picture. Including the four." Natsuki and Venice's eyes widened with her words. They hesitated and exchanged glances with each other dumbfoundedly, but Ashriel chuckled and patted their hands. "I'm serious."
Natsuki's face glowed and quickly called the Cadre and the four. Luis frowned and looked at Elias, who seemed to be energetic with the news. Amber bit the inside of her cheeks to hold back her tears, and Chaster laughed and patter her head.
"Such a crybaby." He giggled.
"Shut up," Amber said and wiped her tears.
"Gather now!" Natsuki shouted, full of enthusiasm. "Choco?!" Natsuki yelled playfully.
"Milk!" Everyone shouted in chorus as if their mouths have their own minds.
Click!
They stopped then looked at each other. Everyone then burst laughing, making Mix and Oriana blink and raise their eyebrows.
"Sorry, my queen. That's what we used to say every time we take group pictures before." Natsuki explained between his laughs. "Welcome to the family!" He said and patted Mix and Oriana's head like a little girl.
"You better get used to it." Elias patted Oriana's shoulder, but Luis frowned.
The photographers panicked when the boys carried Ashriel. "Y-Your Highness-"
"It's okay." Ashriel laughed, making the photographers swallow their tongues.
Click! Click! Click!
***
Amber felt warm tears roll down her cheeks as she brushed the frame where their group picture was. Her eyes then shifted to the frame beside it – their last group picture before the Revolt. Everything was peaceful back then. Everyone was happy. She sighed deeply and felt two arms cover her shoulders. She felt melted towards his embrace.
"No matter how hard I tried, I was only a replacement. I was a competitor who was always inferior to her." She whispered. "But she told me that I am free now. That I am no longer her shadow. She even let me call her 'Zillianie' again." Amber flashed a smile, but it seemed like she was about to cry instead.
"You were never a replacement, Amber. I want you to remember that." Chaster whispered and gently kissed her shoulder. "Let's believe in her words. Soon, we will be free from our fathers' grip. Just hold on. We can get out of this prison soon."
His lips went from Amber's shoulder up to her lips, but they stopped when Chaster's phone rang. He froze and looked at Amber, who was frozen on her spot as well.
"Father-"
"Get down," Donovan said coldly and hung the call. Chaster took a deep breath and sighed before moving.
"Stay here." He said to Amber and walked out of the door. Upon reaching the living room, he saw the brawny man in a black suit. He felt his heart beating faster the moment he saw his father's back. He took a few more deep breaths before talking. "Father." He called.
Donovan looked back and greeted Chaster with a dark look. He paced towards Chaster, and he felt a sting on his face. Chaster lost balance and fell on the glass table, causing it to break, and some shattered glass pierced his flash. He silently groaned and held his jaw.
"Last night was Zillian's Coronation Day. Is that why you stopped our operation? You useless, scumbag. How on hell did you become my son." Donovan fumes and kicks Chaster's stomach, causing him to whimper in pain. "How dare you betray Sir Edom." He pulled Chaster's hair and was about to punch him again but was stopped.
"Uncle!" Amber shouted, full of fear. She gasped upon seeing the bleeding Chaster in Donovan's hands. Donovan's lips quivered in annoyance. "What the – Chas!" She quickly walked down the long stairs.
"Stay there!" Chaster shouted as he pants. His body aches so much. "Please-"
He stopped when Donovan's phone rang. Donovan threw his son aside like some type of garbage and quickly fished for his phone. His eyes then transferred from his cellphone to Chaster, and his eyes darkened.
"Sir?" He said in a low voice. Chaster stood up, but he could feel his body weakened. Fortunately, Amber dashed towards him.
"I told you to stay there." He whispered.
"As if." Amber retorted and quickly checked Chaster. She felt her blood boils in anger, but Chaster squeezed her hand and shook his head.
"Yes, Sir. Lady Amber is here."
The two glanced at Donovan, who was looking at them sharply. He then handed the phone to Amber, who was taken aback.
"F-Father? Is that you?" She tried to make her voice break. "Father, I missed you." She said softly, but deep inside her, she wanted to puke.
"You pathetic whore." Edom said furiously, and Amber froze. "Do you really think I will not know? Huh, you halfwit. You still have some freaking lingering attachment to that bitch?!" Edom shouted angrily, and Amber flinched.
"F-Father-"
"It disgusts me hearing you call me that." He said firmly and sighed madly. Amber bit her lower lip, and tiny drops of blood escaped her palm when her nails dug into it.
"I-I'm… I'm sorry, father." Her hands trembled. "I missed you so much. S-So please, please tell me where you are-"
"So that you can tell it to that bitch? Cut this rubbish, Amber. You're such a disappointment." Amber's grip on the phone tightened upon hearing the dead tone as Edom hung the call. “If you can’t do it, then I will.” He seethed and broke his cellphone on the wall.
For a moment, no one spoke. Amber's face was expressionless as she dressed Chaster's cuts. There were now back to her room after Donovan left. She flinched when she felt Chaster's cold palm hold her cheeks.
"Hey, cheer up." He said and flashed a smile at her. Amber observed his light blue orbs then transferred her eyes back to his wounds.
"I'm sorry… This happened because of me." Her voice broke, but she managed to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall again. She tried to touch Chaster's arm that she just stitched but stopped when Chaster quickly took her hand, then opened her palm.
"You kept on worrying about me. Worry about yourself too, will you?" He said worriedly and took some antiseptics and started to clean her wounds caused by her nails.
"Chas, what if we go back to Zillianie? She can protect us and-"
"Amber," Chaster called. "We will, but not now. If we do that, we won't be able to help them gather information about your father. We won't be able to warn them just like…. Just like what happened five years ago."
~ Learn from the past. ~