☘️Ethereal✔️

Die

"Daddy?"

"Not now babylove." Despite the sweet words uttered their implications made Roxanne heartbroken. Darius had been like that since many days. Getting up early in the morning before she had risen and coming late at night when she was asleep. He still held her tightly encased in his arms while sleeping, still kissed her eyelids and cheeks, that red nose and nectarous lips but the moment Roxanne woke up, the space beside her on the bed was always cold.

Roxanne had endured it for days and nights, his distracted look when she told him something about her school, those arms simply patting her when she hugged him and a few praises when she tried cooking his favorite food. Earlier the man who made love to her every single day now seemed to be too forlorn in his own world to take notice of her crying several times when she noticed his sudden change in attitude.

Although Roxanne had to prepare for her examinations thus taking her entire energy yet she could not help but feel hurt when the legislative judge refused to talk to her.

Was she not good in bed?

Was there something that she did wrong? Those were the questions she had asked him but instead of answering he had simply embraced her small body in his hold uttering a chant of apologies thousands of times and expressing his deep grief and she had forgiven him because at the end, Roxanne loved Darius and he too was not intentionally pushing her away yet it seemed to be more of shame that he felt while meeting her pure eyes.

While at one end she was immersed in anguish, at the other Roxanne knew that Darius was not being indifferent and ignorant to her, no it was not mere distraction, something was eating Darius's conscience, thawing at its edges, making his face look haggard ,certain burden on his shoulder that cannot seem to be lifted.

"I want an answer right at this moment daddy. I am tired of you reacting this way and hiding your calls from me, whatever transpires in your life is something also related to me so I have the right to know." Darius massaged his forehead in distress.

"We will talk about this tomorrow baby-"

"No, we are talking about this right now Darius." When the little girl with glittering green eyes called Darius by his name, it made him look at her in astonishment before his eyes dimmed.

"Roxanne you are crossing your limits." All lies, he had known at that moment that she was not, he had known that she had the right to know and ask questions yet he did not had answers to any of those. How will she feel if he told her the truth.....she would break.

"Daddy......you promised me that you will love me, why are you hurting me then? I know that there is some burden on your chest, if you want to share with me I will listen-"

"Roxanne, you have said enough.....go inside your room and study."

Don't look into her eyes

No, they will break your resolve

The agony in them will make you bleed

Just endure

She will be better

Roxanne who was patiently waiting for his loving gestures till now when was treated as such felt tears tumbling her cheeks making the man unable to be indifferent anymore.

Darius pulled the girl closer clutching her tightly into his embrace.

"Sweet baby, don't cry please. Daddy is bad person and will die thousand deaths to hurt you-" A soft fist smacked his chest in anger as wobbling lips said some undecipherable words that seemed to be mumbled in a sad voice lined with frustration as the red head was buried in Darius' chest.

A moment passed......an eternity lived.

Were all this blessed?

"Melissa had committed suicide"

____________________________________________________________________

Roxanne had her both eyes swollen, tears that were not known to have a beginning or an end flew down without any abandon.

Hatred

Resentment

Pain

All a gift that Melissa had given Roxanne when she was alive but did that meant that the green eyed nymph wished death upon her?

A little blood of an innocent animal that had died in an accident was enough to clench her heart and make her feel helpless, then this was a human that she had known since years. There may have been feelings that did not resonated with love and affection yet there was empathy, compassion and a little guilt.

She had enquired Darius, complained and even blamed him for not allowing her to attend the funeral but the man remained silent as if he dared not tell her the truth yet her constant bitter and hopeless words made him do what he did not wished to.....to break her.

Melissa was under Darius' jurisdiction when she died and what followed was her mothers helpless wails and terrible curses at Elijah. It was him that directed Melissa to spy upon Roxanne, it was him who wanted to have her in his clutches and at last it was his fear and manipulation that made the girl die.

"I don't wish for either that monster or his daughter to attend my Melissa's funeral. Haven't both of them had enough yet? What else does she wants...maybe to take my life after killing my daughter...tell her Mr Vicari that if she dared enter this place she as well bring a dagger to crush my heart."

Darius had called Alexandria on the day of funeral since he had long realized that Roxanne would want to see Melissa for one last time, maybe apologies for the crimes she has never committed and deeds she had not done, maybe for all those years when they lived together Roxanne would want on last memory....all was ruined.