Filed to story: Sweetheart Do You Still Love Me
Elspeth knew her mother was just trying to protect her from the Jonesons. Michael was a… for a lack of a better word, twat. She knew that after meeting him so many times.”You silly girl.”
Helena smiled at her daughter and sighed.
“Why did you seek me out? If you had just lived your own life, you would have married the man you love.”Elspeth shook her head.
“I can’t rest easy until I find you.””Let’s not talk about the sad stuff on our first meeting. I’ll make some tea for you.”
Helena was a woman of grace. She loved making tea. Every time she had a guest, she would make tea for them.Delighted, Elspeth nodded. She turned around and saw Isabel trying to hide herself. Ah, she’s worried.
“Come in, Isabel.”Isabel was surprised she was invited. This was their reunion, and now that Elspeth had returned, there was no reason for her to stay. She was wondering where she should go next.”Don’t just stand there. I have to thank you for taking care of my mother.”Isabel hung her head low sheepishly.
“Miss Joneson took me in and cared for me. I did nothing, really.”She’s worried I might take everything she has away. Elspeth smiled.
“You’re my mother’s daughter too. That makes you my sister. Come. We’re family.”A sister? Nobody has ever told me that. Isabel teared up. She never thought she would have a family one day, but here she was.”Come, Isabel.”Isabel steeled herself. Slowly, she approached Elspeth and held her hand.
“I’ll get you some cookies, Elsie.”Helena smiled. She’s generous and kind.They entered the house, and Elspeth looked around. The air was filled with the smell of incense, and it freshened her up.”So, have you been well?”
Oh, that was a stupid question to ask, Helena.
“Ah, sorry. I shouldn’t have asked that. I can see that you’ve been well.”Surprised, Elspeth asked,
“You’ve been keeping an eye on me?”Helena took a sip of her tea.
“Yes. The woman who gave you the bouquet of flowers after your performance? The woman you met in the hospital? That was me.”Elspeth’s eyes went wide in shock.
“I suspected it was you. I knew it.””That’s not all. I’ve been sneaking out to see you all these years, and it’s good to see you well. I expected no less from his daughter.”Helena’s eyes had a distant look in them as if she was thinking about a time that had long gone. Back then, Grover was deathly ill, and he tried his best to send her away. She did leave in a fit of rage, but she couldn’t bear to leave those that she loved behind. She did try to seek them out, but Michael warned her that he would send assassins after Grover if she tried to take a step out of the house. He locked her in this yard until Grover was dead. Only then did he stop having his men guard the yard. She finally got her freedom, but Grover was gone.
“It’s alright. Dad will watch over us.”
Elspeth had no idea how to comfort her mother otherwise.”It’s alright. It’s all in the past now.”
Helena smiled.
“You have a fianc?, don’t you? So, how are you two getting along? Is he nice to you?”The mention of Callum made Elspeth sad.
“He’s forgotten all about our love and doesn’t care about me anymore.”Helena’s smile disappeared.
“What? How did that happen?””No idea, but it doesn’t matter. I’m marrying someone else now. It’s probably a relief for him.”Elspeth was reluctant to marry Edmund, but if the one she had to marry wasn’t Callum, then it didn’t matter who else she had to marry. She didn’t care.Helena held her hand and patted it.
“You know, love is weird sometimes. If you try your best to make him remember, maybe he’ll fall for you again.””I tried, but it was useless.”
Elspeth forced a smile.
“Moreover, I’m getting married soon. He’s going to think I’m an easy woman. I don’t think he’ll like me again.”A resigned smile tugged at Helena’s lips, and she sighed.
“You’ll have to go with the flow and see what happens, then.”Elspeth looked at the time. Six o’clock. Time to go back.
“If nothing else, I’ll come back tomorrow. I’ll check on your condition then.”
She must go back and discuss the escape plan with Harper. Only after the escape could she take Helena away and treat her.Helena was reluctant to say goodbye, but at least they could see each other the next day, and that comforted her.
“Isabel will send you off, then.”Isabel led Elspeth to the exit, then she went to brew the medicine Helena needed. Seeing her mother looking well delighted Elspeth, and she had a spring in her steps when she was on her way back. However, a familiar figure showed up. When he saw Elspeth, his eyes flared with desire.Elspeth took a closer look and, to her surprise, saw that it was Arthur.”How does it feel getting locked up, Elspeth? And you’re forced to marry Edmund. Wonder what will Callum think if he finds out? Maybe he’ll think that you’re disgusting.”Arthur looked different from how he used to. There was a hint of dejection in his eyes, and he had a beard around his chin. He looked listless, unlike the carefree and handsome lad he was.Elspeth’s face fell at once. She didn’t want to argue with him, so she asked,
“Why are you here?””Why am I here? Ask your grandfather.”
Arthur snickered, his eyes filled with enmity.
“I’m the only one who can cure your mother in this whole world. Surprised?”
“I know your skills, Arthur. It’s not bad, but you lag behind me a lot. You’re not the only one who can cure her.”
Elspeth didn’t believe Arthur one bit. If he was the only one who could heal her, then what would that make all the other doctors in the world? Useless?”Hey, I can’t do anything if you don’t believe me, but I’m indeed the only one who knows how to treat her at the moment.”
Arthur smiled.
“There’s a reason your grandfather asked me to help out.”Elspeth’s heart sank. She had to say he had a point.”However, the pacing of the treatment is under my control. I decide when she gets better, if ever.”
Arthur approached Elspeth, looking down at her. He then said with a smug smile,
“Get on my bad side, and I might just slip during the treatment.”Elspeth crossed her arms. Proudly, she said,
“You fail my mother, and you’ll have the whole Joneson Family after you, not just me. Don’t even try to threaten me.”Arthur wasn’t intimidated by that threat. Instead, he laughed maniacally.
“You think I care? You think I care after all you and Callum did to me?””What about Emma, then? Don’t you like her anymore?”The mention of Emma broke something in Arthur.
“You don’t deserve to say her name.”Elspeth snickered.
“Simp. You do her every bidding even though she doesn’t like you, and for what? Nothing. Nothing at all.”Infuriated and livid, Arthur took a step forward and grabbed Elspeth by her neck.
“I said, you don’t deserve to say her name. Slander her once more and I will wipe you off the face of the earth.”Suffocating, Elspeth coughed and sputtered, her face red. Arthur let her go right away. He was still at the Joneson Residence and hurting Elspeth might mean trouble. Elspeth fell to the ground.”You go against Emma again, and I will come after you.”He looked at Elspeth, whose clothes were disheveled, from head to toe, and then he froze.
“W-Why do you have that pear blossom mark on your chest?””Are you mad?”
Elspeth glared at Arthur angrily. She quickly straightened her clothes and was about to stand up, but then Arthur hunkered down and tore her collar open to have a closer look at the birthmark. When Elspeth realized what he was doing, she slapped him.
“Are you crazy, Arthur?”Yet, the slap didn’t make Arthur snap out of it. He looked at the angry Elspeth, and with a trembling voice, he said,
“W-Were you in Damoria eight years ago?”Elspeth thought he was insulting her, but then she realized he was serious, and her fury subsided.
“What does that have to do with you?”
“Just tell me!”
Arthur seemed to be in a hurry, and he was agitated.”Yes.”
Elspeth nodded.
“I was going to go abroad, and Damoria was one of my stops…””Did you save a chubby boy under an old pagoda tree in rural Damoria, then?”That was a specific question. Elspeth had to wrack her brain to dig up that memory. She was about fifteen then, and she was on a long trip from Langford to Damoria. Back then, she could be considered a decent fighter, though she looked frail. She was an introvert at school and a top student, which made her the target of bullying. The headmaster’s daughter pulled a few strings and got her expelled. Left with no choice, she took some money out of her father’s inheritance to study abroad.She had to change trains at the Damoria-Langford border, and it was there she noticed a young man getting ganged up on. He was chubby, but he was cute. Since Elspeth was a victim of bullying herself, the sight made her furious. Fortunately, there weren’t a lot of boys among the group of bullies. Most of them were just high-school girls trying to be edgy. Elspeth easily kicked one of the boys down, then she stood in front of the chubby to protect him.
“Anyone who wants to bully him must get past me.”The boy who got kicked groaned in pain, and the other bullies quickly ran off. Some of the timid girls even burst into tears.”You come after him again, and I’ll whoop your sorry butts.”That scared the bullies. They didn’t think a girl younger than they were could be so strong, and she had a small frame too. They fled at once lest the girl tried to hit them. Once the bullies were gone, young Elspeth turned to the chubby boy.
“They should stay away from you for a while now.”The boy sat up and started crying, and he thanked Elspeth at the same time.Elspeth noticed the wounds on his face, and she felt sorry for him.
“They’re just trying to be edgy. If they come after you again, tell your parents and scare them off. That should help with your case.”
After that, Elspeth’s ride was about to arrive, so she hopped onto the train, leaving the boy behind.Elspeth looked at Arthur and noticed the scar on his forehead.
“So, what are you trying to say? You were that boy who got bullied?”
Arthur stood there without a word while Elspeth chuckled.
“Really?”It was unbelievable, but Arthur’s reaction, or a lack thereof, told her what she needed to know. She couldn’t imagine the chubby, crying kid had grown into a handsome man like Arthur, though his personality was rotten. Wonder if that’s because of the bullying. She felt sorry for him for some reason. Such a pity.A long, long time later, Arthur finally snapped out of it.
“Impossible. There’s no way it was you!”
That was Emma. Emma saved me! Not Elspeth. No… No way!
She must be lying!
“Enough lies.”
Arthur sneered.
“I won’t fall for your tricks.”Elspeth thought Arthur was acting weird. She saved him and he knew it was her, and yet he refused to admit it.
“Fine, have it your way.”
Elspeth stretched her arms and snickered.
“You’re not the same chubby kid you were. You’re nothing but a dark, evil snake now.”Incensed, Arthur barked,
