Chapter 307: Memory Lane-II

Recommended song for the second half [Roxas/ the other half — project destati]

Elise had never expected the story to run deeper than she imagined. She had heard about the position of second wife or mistress. Although it was considered wrong and a taboo for a man to take two woman or more as a wife or to be in relationship with, boldly saying, the system of having a mistress isn't something strange to hear especially for a wealthy man. 

Living in the village, Elise had heard about it before but she never guess it would happen to Ian's mother. Usually at this situation, the first wife would hold a stronger position than the second wife, but Ian's father wasn't a man who would protect the first woman he loved, instead believing in the rumors blindly. 

Hearing stories like these, would make one to rethink the choice of their husband, most ladies would accept their husband's choice but more at most of the time they wouldn't. The choice of divorce was heavier for woman, as it would affect them after, unlike the man even though it was never their fault to have their husband choosing another woman after the holy sacrament.

This only had Elise to recalled the words Lady Ellen told her to scare her. It didn't work to her, however. Elise trust deeply in Ian, she believes that he would never take other woman than her. It was his promise, and she had faith in him.

"Was it after that incident your mother was ostracized?" she asked, keeping close to watch Ian's expression all the time during he had spoken.

"Yes. My mother begged him not to kick her out of the house. But at that point, he was too occupied with his younger wife. Even when my mother had pleaded him for my sake he didn't care as he had another heir in his hand. Then begin my life and my mother in the village, it seemed no matter what happen, that slut wanted my mother to die, therefore she didn't stop sending rumors to each village we settled on. But our life grew more peaceful during the third year after we left the mansion."

So far it didn't see, like there would be anymore bad news, "Do your father questioned you or your mother's condition?" However after some thought Elise shook her head, the man had kicked them out of the mansion heartlessly. Why would he care after she was gone? "It was a stupid question, I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Ian chuckled when meeting her, but it left when he went back to telling his past, "One day my younger brother fell for a high tower, and almost immediately that woman blamed my mother, saying it was her misfortune that played effect on her son. Who knows what happen after that, but more misfortunes came on the family which soon become worse as the blame on my mother extend."

Elise furrowed her brows at the injustice. "She wasn't in the mansion anymore, why would she receive the blame?"

"Being stupid have no cure," Ian said with a shrug of his shoulder. "That woman and my father grew restless, afraid that they would die from the misfortune. Instead of apologizing to my mother to lessen their curse, do you know what they did?" Elise shook her head, "They sent people to kill my mother. I was still a human at that time, incapable of doing anything," regret passed by Ian's eyes when he spoke this and the darkness of anger switched There were little things that I could barely do to protect my mother. In the end, we were not able to win from the people who had hunted for my mother. I alone who could survive."

A long paused wrapped the room, Elise didn't speak because she didn't know what to say. For the first time, she watched a deep sorrow veiled Ian's face. One could say he wasn't too saddened by retelling the dead of his mother due to the faint small he still had on his lips, but Elise knew it better than anyone the lone reason for him not to tell the details was because of the heartache that still linger to this day.

"I'm sorry for your loss," she whispered to see him lift his red eyes and smile, "She must be a very strong and lovely woman."

"She was, if she had the chance to meet you, I know you would be best friends," smiled Ian, the sadness seemed to have gone in a poof.

"But you told me there was a moment when you live with your grandmother," Elise said, remembering his words regarding how his grandmother had died.

"It seemed after that my father needed me because my brother who fell from the high place was told by the physician to spend the rest of his life on bed. He deserved it though," chimed Ian and Elise noted how with a disgusted look he added, "He was always lusting after my mother, if perhaps I was a demon since then, I would have pluck his eyes and gave it to people who needed it more than him."

Reaching this part, Elise felt they were growing close to his origin, to the start of him turning into Demon and acquiring the power which now he wielded in ease. "Was it after your grandmother's death did you become a Demon?" she asked.

Ian nodded, "Hearing that I would be the one to take the position, the greedy second wife couldn't accept it. Using my father's name, she sent a pie to my grandmother. I wonder how would they be so stupid to think I would eat anything that come from the people who killed my mother, but the thought it would work because I live in property. My grandmother died, but I was occupied with one single thing that I can't ever be bothered by her death." He looked at her eyes, saying the words slowly by each syllable, "Revenge. That was when I met a way that could grant me enormous power, but not as a human."

"As a Demon," said Elise, filling the room with another space of silence. "How did you do it," she questioned, and another question comes after, "Was it painful?"

Ian smiled at the concern she showed to him before her curiosity. "I felt what Maroon felt, bone twisted in every way, but I was instead satisfied by the pain, because it became an apparent prove that I have acquired the power I wanted."