Take away

POV: Serena Laratje

"Repeat that."

I had only whispered my words. I would be lucky if my counterpart had understood me.

"Sister?"

The soft, almost frightened voice to my right made me pause.

I was on the verge of throwing a temper tantrum.

The only thing that stopped me a second before was a pile of misery right in front of me.

Emilia even ducked her head in fright when I looked directly at her.

My gaze inevitably slid in the next second to Eric, who made an abrupt movement.

He was already starting to say something, however, with a harsh hand gesture, I unmistakably gave him a clear sign that he should be quiet.

Fortunately for him, he also closed his mouth immediately, although he seemed to be more than scowling.

"By what right?"

Since Reuben still owed me an answer, I asked again.

I placed my trembling hands on the table directly in front of me as I urged myself to stay calm.

"Serena?"

Eric had probably summed up his courage to address me now after all.

Instead of looking at him or otherwise acknowledging him, however, I looked blankly at my hands, which were still crumpling the fabric on the table, holding it tightly.

"This is something between the family, Eric."

Although I spoke in a soft, calm manner, the younger boy inevitably flinched. My words were harsh, piercing.

I didn't focus on him for a breath longer, though.

Was staring at our father instead, whose face had immediately hardened because of my words.

The head of the Laratje family had already opened his mouth to object or warn me, but once again I beat him by a nose.

"Who took Isabelle into this mansion back then?"

I waited, but nothing.

"Dressed her, let her recover, and placed her by my side?"

The widened eyes of my counterpart were answer enough.

However, he owed me a verbal one.

"Answer me for once!"

My hands struck the wood of the tabletop harshly.

The sounds of clanging dishes and metal could be heard.

"She was going to...take you away from us."

Came softly, almost broken, the answer from Reuben.

In disbelief, I responded to his pained expression.

Waited.

For one breath. Two. Three.

Only then did I understand that he was completely serious.

My resulting hearty laughter seemed completely out of place. Both in this situation and the room, which was dominated by heavy silence.

"Take away?"

I echoed.Ignored his petrified face. Had slowly calmed down again.

"How can she take away something that no longer exists for years?"

With a thin smile and questioning look, I glanced at the head of the Laratje family.

Again, he remained silent.

"I was the one who suggested to remove me from the family tree. I wanted to leave and no longer enter this mansion. I wanted to leave. Me alone, not Isabelle."

My voice cut through the silence until no one said anything for a long time.

I wasn't satisfied with that, though.

"Isabelle is just the only one I want by my side even in the future."

With those final words, I shifted my attention from Reuben to Freya, who was staring at me from widened eyes.

"Where is Isabelle?"

Apathetically the woman addressed opened her mouth, however no sound left her lips. She cleared her throat and tried again. To pointlessness.

"I saw her leave a few hours ago."

It was Eric who had answered me quietly. He sounded hoarse. His voice was muffled.

Without another response, I turned around. Hastily ran back the way I had just walked to my room.

I had to get ready. After all, Isabelle could only be in one place waiting for me.

"Prepare a carriage."

I looked at no one in particular in the wide entrance hall as I walked past them. I didn't have time to stop and waste my time with them unnecessarily.