Lili successfully completed her life's most suffocating and breathless dinner. All the while she ate, everyone's eyes were on her. Nik and Robert glanced at her most of the time to ensure she was fine and took care of all her needs.
To balance that affection, there were two other sets of eyes- Elizabeth's and Justin's, whose eyes were constantly throwing sharp piercing looks. Their eyes were more fixated on her face than the silver plates before them.
Even though Lili lied, she fainted with weakness; she noticed how no one believed in her. They appeared to know who the culprit was, as their glaring eyes didn't leave Justin. 'Did they have such a terrible impression on him?' She wondered.
"Dear, sleep tight and get plenty of rest!" the old man greeted, and Nik helped her climb the stairs and walk to their room. Lili could feel her heart race through her feet, as she didn't want to walk into the same room with the annoying person beside her.
'Ah!! How much more should I walk?' She cursed the rich people's houses for being uselessly gigantic. She had hated her house multiple times when she had to walk hundreds of steps for a glass of water. Now, walking in the house, which more or less looked like a palace, was tiring her.
Every time she was near a door, she prayed that to be the room. But it wasn't! She felt all the food that she ate was getting used up for just reaching a room.
After crossing six doors, one after the other, with hope, Lili lost her cool. "Why can't we stay in one of these rooms? How much more are we going to walk?" Lili hissed under her breath.
"My room is in the corner. Do you want me to carry you?"
Lili straightened her back and blinked her eyes in confusion after hearing that monotonous tone. Did he ask, intending to help, or was he mocking? Expressionless voice and face! However, after receiving that shock, her legs seemed to have gained abnormal strength.
"I can walk by myself." She said and awkwardly pulled her hand from his grip. Both walked to the faraway room in silence.
Nik paused as they reached the room. "I will ask Emily to give you one of her dresses to change into. I will have a walk in the garden."
'Good for you! Get Lost!' were the words Lili wished she could say to his face. But how can a mere lamb curse a lion in its den? "Okay!" she whispered and went inside.
"Finally, I am alone!" Lili danced and closed the door. But the room's appearance brought down her raised lips and brightened eyes. She felt as if someone suddenly brought her into a black and white movie. The room was a thousand times gloomier than the hall or dining room.
'Black Bedsheet?' Lili twisted her mouth and took a step inside the room with black furniture, black carpet, and black sofa. With the same disgust, she sat on the bed to see white curtains, white ceilings, and white flooring. "Why leaving those? Why doesn't he blacken them too?"
The room was big, and any human would love to live in such a bedroom, but somehow the room was making her sad. Was it because of the colours? Why would someone make their room this depressing?
Knock! Knock!
"Who's that?" Lili groaned. She wasn't alone for even five minutes and even in those few minutes, darkness surrounded her in the form of colour.
"I am Emily. I brought you clothes."
Lili shut her eyes, exhaled, and walked to the door. She took the peach coloured satin pajama set and at once changed into them. She didn't want to be in the white heavy dress and heels for not even another second.
Getting rid of the dress truly made her feel lighter and happier. But that achievement and relaxation seemed to disappear when she glanced at the two coloured bedrooms. "I can't see this anymore, "she cried and gazed around the room to find any sleeping mask.
Instead, she found a much better solution- 'The balcony.' Swinging her hands and jumping, she glided the white curtain covering the glass sliding door. "Wonderful!" her lips read to see the starry sky.
Lili has heard many times that the sky is filled with many stars. But always being in a city with bright lights, she never got to see such an incredible and soothing scenery. Without wasting a moment, she opened the door.
Cool Breeze hit her face, which brought a wide smile to her face. All her tensed-up muscles relaxed, and the chilly wind cooled down her warm scalp. She ran her thin, long fingers through her hair and stepped out from the demotivating room.
Stretching her hands against the wind, she stood, closing her eyes, and enjoying every bit of breeze hitting her. All the worries, tensions, and nervousness that she felt the entire day because of an idiot were gradually getting washed away.
"Please!" out of nowhere, Lili's ears cringed to hear an urging, faint and weak voice. She didn't open her eyes and tried concentrating on the direction of the sound. Wrinkles formed around her eyes as she tightened her eyes and focused.
"There!" she wheezed and narrowed her eyes at her left side. It was the garden. It appeared like a neatly maintained calm garden, but as she looked much more carefully, she could see a group of men.
Are they workers?
They don't appear that way; she thought as the faint moonlight made her see their suits.
As she was staring at the unclear four men in the dark. Three of their backs were facing her and the man, whose face she could see, wasn't visible because of the darkness. While she was scanning them, two guys pushed down the man in between them. In the next moment, Lili was shocked to see him kneeled in front of another man, who seemed rich because of the shining diamond buttons.
The men on both sides had their hands on the kneeled man's shoulders. It appeared like they were not allowing him to rise. Her heart raced and droplets of sweat covered her forehead inspite of the biting weather.
'Please! Don't! Please!' she prayed, knowing what the next incident might be.
Just like she thought, she saw the rich guy pull out a gun and shoot. "Ahh!!!" she whined, but immediately covered her mouth.