Chapter 13: Chapter XII
The following day, Eva had to pretend she was sick and that she did not want to see anyone in order to keep the boy a secret. She asked her maid to leave everything at the door, including her meals and tea.
Several days went on this way, Eva tending to the boy while fending off everyone's questions. But on the fourth day her husband knocked on the door.
"Are you all right wife?" He asked her in a neutral tone.
"Yes, I think my sickness is going away, but I shall rest in my room today as well."
"Are you sure you do not want to call the physician?"
"No,no" she said hastily. " I am perfectly fine!"
He seemed to linger for a moment before leaving and she sighed in relief. She only had a day and the boy had yet to recover completely. So far he had a awoken several times but he had been delirious. She was really worried about him... It was clear that someone wanted to get rid of him, the poor thing. He did look rather beastly with that big scar on his cheek but he was a child nonetheless. She had to do something to keep him safe yet she did not know what she could do... The boy was so young; he definitely needed a family to care for him, a mother. But as soon as she thought about that she chided herself. Surely he had a family. Maybe it even missed him. As she pondered his situation, Gabriel opened his eyes and regarded his surroundings warily.
"Where...Am. ... I?" He asked his voice cracking as he formed the words.
"In my home" Eva smiled at him and brought him a cup with water.
"The angel" the boy said.
"I am not an angel honey" she told him as she watched him gulp down the water. Had it not been for that scar, he would have been a handsome boy, she noticed. He had fine features and a pair of green eyes that were looking at her with intelligence. Once again she was struck by how much his eyes looked like her own. It was definitely peculiar and maybe even a sign of fate, Eva concluded. She knew that her eyes were not that commonly encountered as it was a shade of green so light it was almost pale, but this boy had them. As she took in his features, she also realized that to an outsider they would look related.
"How are you feeling?"
"My stomach hurts a bit" he said, his voice a little more clear and she realized that he had a cultured accent. Whoever he was, he had definitely been brought up in a good family. Which is why she decided to inquire about them.
"Do you have any family?"
The boy suddenly looked away, uncertain. She could see his shoulders tense up.
"You can tell me you know. I won't harm you."
"I have no one" the child said in a small voice.
"My mother... She died three years ago and my father...." the boy shuddered and shook his head. "He's dead"
"Poor little you... you have absolutely no one?" She asked, taking one of his hands into her own.
"No..."
She realized that he must have been wandering from village to village, stealing food most probably. Which was how the locals had sighted him most probably. She decided not to inquire further for now as the child seemed quite traumatized. Was it the scar? Was that why people shunned him? Wanted him dead? She was afraid to ask about it so she just assured him that he could stay with her.
She did not have the heart to let a child alone in the world to fend for him. She just had to find a way to make sure he was welcomed...
She smiled again at him and as he looked her with those eyes of his, she realized just the way. She just hoped to God it would not ruin everything and it would grant this child a home.
Late that day, Christian was having a drink in his office, debating whether to go barging in his wife's room or not. He wanted to know what exactly was wrong with her. Was she pregnant? He would have been joyed at the thought had he not known that It would be impossible this early into their marriage. Was it some other man's? He slammed slammed the glass onto the table and cursed. No, he did not like that at all. Just as he was about to raise and go confront his wife he heard a knock at the door.
"Who is it?"
"It is I" he heard his wife speak.
"Come in"
She opened the door and glided gracefully into the room. She looked tired and thinner.
"I have something to talk to you." She said and she looked him directly into the eyes.
That was it, he thought. She was going to tell him she was pregnant with another man's child
"Yes, sit down and talk" he tried to keep his tone neutral and without any emotion.
She sat down, her back straight and her shoulders drawn back in a proud position. Well, here comes the bomb, he thought.
"What was it you wanted to talk about?"
Eva had never been so nervous in her life. She was going to deliberately lie to her husband and she did not like it, but it needed to be done. She had to ensure that the child had a place to stay and was taken care of. Which is why she suddenly gazed defiantly into his eyes and said the carefully repeated words.
"I have a child." she said, searching for any sign of anger on his face. He just sighed and sat down himself.
"How far along are you?" He asked, almost defeated.
"What?"
"The pregnancy, how far along are you?"
She looked at him and frowned
"I'm not pregnant."
"But you said you had a child"
"Because I have a child"
Christian was confused.
"You are not pregnant but you have a child? Could you please explain so that I understand what you are talking about?
Eva had to school her features to lie so blatantly to his face.
"Those rumors about me. They were true."
"Which ones?"
"That I..." she faltered for a bit but only thinking about Gabriel gave her strength.
"That I had an affair when I was younger. It resulted in a child"
Christian tried his hardest not to flinch when she said the word affair, or child. So, finally the cards were out in the open.
"Where is he?
"Here"
"Here? In my house you say?" He could not contain his disbelief.
"Explain yourself!" He commanded and she did. She told him the story she had fabricated and hoped to God he believed her.
"I was barely sixteen when I gave birth. My father took my child away and it seems that he had him sent somewhere remote in order to avoid the shame. But we both know he endured enough of it... well it seems that the location to which he sent my child was not far away from here. In fact, the poor thing has been neglected for years..."
She had tears in her eyes, genuine tears as she thought how little Gabriel had had to face the world by himself.
"You see... That creature. The one the villagers had been talking about... it's actually my..."
"Enough!" He interrupted.
"Am I supposed to believe this absurdity? A creature? Your child? Surely you didn't shag Satan himself."
Eva felt worse by the minute. His icy voice was making her skin crawl.
"He is not a creature, my lord he has suffered an accident and half his face has been badly burned. He has done nothing but try to live!" She knew she was yelling but she did not care.
"He had no one! Everyone shunned him because of his face, calling him exactly what you did seconds ago. Satan's spawn."
Christian felt bad for having used such harsh language but he was not convinced.
"Then why don't you show me this child of yours madam?"
Eva was determined to make him believe her.
"In my room. He is wounded."
"Wounded?"
"Someone...assaulted him"
"Then lead the way."
He was adamant to see with his own eyes. But what he encountered made him want to swallow his words. On Eva's bed lay a little boy, his face was indeed destroyed by a serious burnt. But that was not what took his breath away. He was looking into the same pair of eyes that not a couple of weeks ago he had vowed to love and to protect until death do them apart. Damnation. This was truly his wife's child.
He looked from the little form on the bed to his wife and he did not know what to say.
"Have you seen enough?" she asked him in a small voice.
"Mama, who is this man?" The boy asked her the way she had taught him to.
"He, my dear boy, is going to be your father." She said and she looked at him expectantly. "Christian, meet Gabriel. Your new son"
Eva prayed her plan would work until the end. She saw the hard lines on Christian's face and she worried he might rebuke her. Surely he saw how much in need of affection the boy was.
"It's a pleasure, Gabriel." He came closer and shook the boy's hand.
"Madame, a word please." He told her and then he smiled at the boy and reassured him she would be back.
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