*Click*
Ayana closed the door, after stepping out of her room. Her eyes darted both left and right of the hallway, taking in the sight that was very familiar to her.
Both now and then.
Her fingers lingered on the doorknob for a moment before taking another set of steps away from the room and down the hallway on the right.
Her footsteps were light on the polished marble floors, gleaming beneath the soft glow of the chandelier light.
'Everything looks the same.' Her lips pursed slightly as she passed by some picture frames and antiques.
As the daughter of an affluent family, her life was meant to be like that of a real fairytale princess. Money and most materialistic objects had never fazed her one bit. She could get any of her desires with just a word from herself.
Back in the room, Ayana had cleaned herself up nicely, particularly her puffy eyes. She wouldn't want to frighten her Nanny with her tear-stricken face, and also her little brother.
It didn't take long for Ayana to reach the dining room where her little brother and her Nanny were meant to be waiting.
''~Nan!''
''~Nan!''
''Young master, the young miss will be joining us soon. I wonder what's taking the child so long to reach the dining room?''
''~Nan!''
Her eyes glistened with tears threatening to fall as she listened to the loud voice of her little brother's. Her little brother's cute voice tugged at her heart, filling her with both tenderness and a hint of guilt for making him wait.
Perhaps due to her deep desire to have him in her sight, her steps unconsciously picked up the pace, and she reached the doorway of the dining room in no time.
''Young miss.'' Ayana watched as the aging face of her Nanny's brightened up at the sight of herself. Her eyes then moved passed the elderly woman, towards the baby highchair on the side.
There he was, her little brother seated comfortably, staring up at her with those wide, innocent eyes. Unlike a moment ago, he made no sound and just met her stare.
'….Jay.' Her eyes almost welled up in tears once again. However, she held herself, knowing that she would outright scare her Nanny, and her little brother.
"Are you hungry, Jay?" Ayana said, her childish voice filled with affection as she entered the dining room, going around her Nanny to the baby highchair.
''Sister apologizes for delaying your lunch.'' She brushed her fingers lightly through his soft hair with a warm smile.
Truly, her little brother was alive and healthy.
'When was the last time?' Ayana tried to remember when last she had seen her little brother. In reality, she always met her little brother during mealtime and other occasions.
But, if what she had experienced was a mere dream and a very bad one, then according to that dream, the last time she had seen Jason was before she put him in a boarding school.
That was also her final moment with her one and only blood-related family.
If that dream was actually a reality….
*giggle*
Her little brother, Jason Kingston, giggled happily and shook his head underneath her fingers. The sound snapped her from her deep thoughts and she stared at him, beaming happily with his cute toothed smile.
Such cuteness softened and pooled her heart in unlimited tenderness and love.
Seeing his bright smile, she continued ruffling his hair playfully and his laughter became more apparent in the dining room. Perhaps he felt ticklish, but her action clearly made him happy.
And his happiness was like a salvation to her. Anything that could make him laugh brought a sense of fulfillment over her…..and also lessened her guilt.
''Young miss should seat down for lunch now.'' Nanny Hilda smiled warmly at the scene of a sibling's close relationship. At the same time, she suddenly wondered when the young miss decided to pass the little hurdle in her heart.
After being a Nanny for Ayana and her mother since birth, and also babysitting some children during her holidays, Nanny Hilda had gained enough experience with the behaviors and thoughts of children.
Like her young miss, who had been spoiled to the heavens by her parents.
When the young master had arrived to the world, Nanny Hilda had seen that his presence wasn't readily welcomed by the young miss.
It was normal for children to be angry and jealous when the attention of their parents was no longer on them, but on their younger siblings. Though, it would get better with time as the elder and younger sibling interact and develop a loving relationship.
However, the young miss's own couldn't just pass off as a normal jealousy.
From the birth of the young master till now, the young miss had always regarded him as a thorn in the family. Though she had tried to spark a loving relationship between them, the young miss still regarded the young master as an unwanted presence.
She had also reported the behavior of young miss to Madam Kingston.
''She will eventually grow up someday, Nanny.'' was the reply from the mother.
'I guess I worried too much.' Nanny Hilda sighed with a relieved smile. The estranged relationship between the siblings was the last thing she ever wanted, especially now that misery had unfortunately crept into the family.
At the thought of the news delivered to her on the phone, her smile slowly disappeared. Her eyes became slightly complicated as she watched the young master fed by an assisting maid and the young miss eating on her own.
How could her elderly heart bear to tell the young children the bad news? She had watched them grow from birth after all. Any sight of sadness on their faces would surely break her heart.
'I have to tell the young miss now.' Nanny Hilda strengthened her resolve. Right now, the young miss and the young master were in danger, particularly their inheritance.
If she were to delay things now, she was increasing the danger that was pointed towards the young miss and young master.
As someone who had worked with this family for more than ten years, she had always known ins and outs of wealthy families.
The Kingston family was also no different.
She had to help the little children in any way she could as their Nanny. Other than that, she could only pray that the heavens were on their sides.
''Young miss….'' Nanny Hilda started, choosing her words carefully. However, Ayana's voice beat her in releasing the sad news.
''Something must have happened to Father and Mother.'' She looked up from her meal and met the widened eyes of her Nanny.
''Y-Young….''
''They…are dead….aren't they?'' Her next words silenced the dining room for a moment with the exception of the Jason's babbles and giggles.
''I see….'' She lowered her gaze from the bewildered face of her Nanny. Her voice neither held surprise nor sadness. She just uttered like the words like it was an obvious statement. A statement that was surely supposed to happen.
A lone tear slid down her cheek as she thought of the dream…no the experience that was actually her past life.
'So it wasn't a dream….after all.'
17:00pm & 5:00am (WAT TIME) / 00:00am & 12:00pm (GMT TIME)
Having known her Nanny for two lifetimes now, Ayana could plainly see the inner struggles on her aging face. Rather than allowing the elderly woman to inwardly suffer because of the bad news, it was best to just reveal it out in the open.
''Young miss….''
''I am fine, Nanny.'' Ayana looked up to her Nanny with a forced smile. Noting her forlorn expression, she repeated once more. ''I am truly fine Nanny.''
Ayana was actually telling the truth. She was more than fine.
In her past life, she wasn't. But now, she was truly fine. Her parents' death was to be expected after all.
'If only I could have saved them…' Ayana lowered her gaze to her meal with that little regret. If she could have returned earlier….just a few minutes before her parents had stepped out to the Kingston Corporation, she could have saved them and their family from the misery.
'I'm sorry.' Ayana's guilt intensified just at the thought.
There were many things that could have been avoided if her parents had not died an early death. If what she had experienced was truly not a dream, Ayana knew that her parents wouldn't have allowed her to have committed those actions.
She wouldn't have broken her engagement with her fiancé.
She wouldn't have forced her little brother into boarding school.
Her uncle and his family wouldn't have woven their fingers into her life and her family's inheritance.
She also wouldn't have met that hateful man and that woman.
Her parents' being alive would have changed so many things in her unfortunate fate.
But now….they were dead. History was repeating itself once more.
''~Aya!'' Jason's voice attracted her attention and she lifted her gaze towards him. Perhaps meeting her gaze, the one-year old giggled happily with his wide innocent eyes, sparkling like jewels. Tiny smudges of mashed carrots clung to his lips from the feeding.
'Jay….' Her eyes softened at the sight of him. Her cute and precious little brother. Her innocent brother who had died unjustly in her past life.
Out of both of them, he was the most innocent and unfortunate to be involved with her as her only blood-related family.
''You're right about the Master and the Madam, young miss.'' Ayana shifted her gaze to her Nanny who had finally decided to break the news to her.
''They were involved in an unfortunate car accident.'' The elderly woman lowered her eyes in sadness, trying to withhold the tears threatening to fall. ''The Eldest Master decided to hold their funeral in two days, young miss.'' She hoped that her young miss couldn't detect the anger in her voice.
Those words were the orders she had received along with the sad news from that man.
The Eldest Master truly was a greedy man as she had always suspected. He didn't even wait to tell the young master and the young miss himself before taking the decision into his own hands.
''And the corporation, young miss….'' Raising her gaze, Nanny Hilda paused, choosing her words carefully. ''It seemed the Eldest Master wants to take custody of the young miss and the young master till both of you are of age.''
It's best if you are very vigilant around him.
Nanny Hilda almost wanted to say, but she couldn't as her young miss might perceive her words in a different way. She was only related to this family as a Nanny.
Nothing more and Nothing less.
Besides that, the young miss was very close to the Eldest Master's family. They were family after all. Words might reach to the ears of the Eldest Master and she might not be able to watch over the children anymore.
If Ayana could hear the thoughts of her Nanny, she might have shed some grieving tears. Her Nanny was exactly the same as the one in her past life. Always thinking of her well-being and her little brother's.
She would love to tell her Nanny that her worries were for naught. The young miss now was not the immature young miss of the past.
She was the young miss with an unfortunate past life experience. One who had crawled out the gates of death for a sole purpose.
Revenge!
Revenge for her late parents.
Revenge for little brother.
Revenge for her own self!
'Ha!' Ayana sneered inwardly at the words of the elderly woman. It seemed she had truly come back to the life. If not, she wouldn't be hearing the exact same words from her Nanny.
'You truly hid yourself deeply, Uncle.' Ayana lowered her gaze, and continued eating her meal. She hoped that her Nanny wouldn't have seen the deep resentment and grudge she held for her relatives.
They were the people responsible for everything that had happened to her in that life.
In her past life, when she had received the unfortunate news of her parents' deaths. Of course, she had shed tears. They were her parents who had spoiled and cared for her. Even if she had resented them for their utmost attention on her her little brother, she still loved them no matter what.
However…..the sadness she had felt was not more than the happiness and relief she had felt when she heard of her uncle's request to take custody of herself and Jason.
Her immature self had never known that her uncle and his family had always been wearing masks for her to perceive them as a family who would always give her attention, and love.
'You were really fool, Ayana.' Ayana felt very embarrassed for her past and immature self.
First of, it was normal for her parents to pay more attention to her little brother. He was still a baby in need of tender care.
In addition, could her uncle and his wife had loved her more than their own daughter? Sure, she was related to them, but her cousin was their own kin.
Truly, if she had been a bit cautious and dug deeper into her uncle and his family, she would have found somethings amiss.
Like her parents' accident.
If her uncle and his family truly loved her, they would have been the first to break the news and not her Nanny. They would have asked for her own opinion when to hold the funeral and not take the matters into their own hands.
Truly, she had been played like a very big and silly fool.
Her uncle and his family must have laughed at her foolish self for playing in the palm of their hands in her past life.
''Young miss….'' Ayana stared up at the concerned eyes of her Nanny.
''I'm fine, Nanny.'' She smiled for the elderly woman to see. Hopefully, her eyes were like that of an innocent twelve-year-old girl, and not the one of a grown woman with deep resentment.
''~Aya!'' Jason did not forget to announce his presence once more. The one-year-old had finished his mashed carrots, and was just playing with his spoon and tiny plate. The assisting maid had already gone to do her left-over chores.
Ayana chuckled at her little brother's undeniable cuteness. 'I will protect you this time, Jay.' At the same time, she made a deep vow. 'I will protect you, teach you and guide you to be a better a president of the kingston corporation than our parents.'
'….Something that he and mother would have done.' Ayana thought of the faces of her late parents, and immediately stopped the brimming tears by looking down at her half-finished meal.
Last time and this time, her parents' death just couldn't be changed. Perhaps it was the will of the heavens that gave her this chance of going back to the past.
Somethings could never be changed.
She would just have to accept it as the time goes on.
'I will also protect you, Nanny. I will protect every one that was good to me. As for Uncle…' Ayana deliberately halted thoughts. She didn't even want to think of the names and faces of those people responsible for her downfall.
'Either way, I must be different in this life.' She pushed aside that thought and made this deep vow.
A deep vow that she hoped if broken, the heavens would strike her entire being with heavy lightning.
17:00pm & 5:00am (WAT TIME) / 00:00am & 12:00pm (GMT TIME)
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