It took me three months in isolation –no actually nurses and doctors were there- to regain my health back. As told, Vicenzio was particularly cautious to not even bump into me. This turned out to be extremely easy actually in this vast manor. The only time we would meet as a whole family was during dinner time.
A really quiet time recently.
Since I was still recovering, I didn’t rush back to the uni which wasn’t far. Instead, I was revising at home.
The new library was actually a formerly vacant room that had been re-engaged into a library as a gift for Vicenzio when he newly came into the manor. Over the years, the number of books it housed grew in diversity and in numbers, with most of them being advanced books of Economy, management, and finances. I was never denied access, and since a large variety of books could be found there, I while away the time in that place. I made it a habit to be there most of the day. So, that I overheard father and his friend was purely coincidental.
It wasn’t the first time father or Vicenzio entered without knowing I was inside. I would sit in the corner, hidden away by the multiple shelves of books. I saw no reason to inform them and it wasn’t like there was an earth-shattering secret that could be discovered. Most of the time they were quiet, just took a book and went away, or either came to place it back. But it wasn’t the case today.
Instead, father entered with someone else. I couldn’t see his face, but his voice was a familiar one, even though my memory couldn’t supply the information at the time. Immersed in what I was reading, I didn’t really pay attention to their conversation, until I heard them talk about “twenty-first years old”.
It wasn’t like I was counting, really, but it just so happened that some weeks ago the doctor let me remembered I would be twenty-one this year and today should be the date.
Listening to them, I actually discovered for the first time that there was a hidden place in this library. Sure enough, I heard the grinding sound of one shelve moving on the wooden floor, just like a door. They went in and took a case, rummaging through it and I could vaguely hear one of them talk about “legacy”. They left as oblivious to my presence as when they entered.
In the silence that followed, I couldn't concentrate on my readings anymore. Curiosity got the best of me. I wasn’t meddlesome, I told myself. These past weeks, I resigned myself into accepting the state of how our lives were. It not changing wasn't really a problem anymore. Those two people’s presence, it was fine if he favored them, now I was just trying my harder in silence to be acknowledged too.
Father had never once raised the idea of my wedding and it wasn’t like I wanted to be married anyway so somewhere, he was thinking that even I could be useful in one of his companies, I used to think to convince myself further.
Getting up, I went where I thought was the shelve in question. It was the one with the old books of the manor. It used to be in father's study room before being moved here. No matter where I touched though, I couldn't start the mechanism.
Still, touching here and there, I couldn't help but asked myself 'what can father be gifting me this year, when he wouldn’t bother the previous ones?' Who knew when Vicenzio came back in the manor or if he even went to school today, but the sound of his voice asking me what I was searching for startled me.
Turning back to look at his face and his expression, it suddenly dawned on me that he knew. He knew about that hiding place's existence. And I wondered, how much more can father make so big of a difference between the two of us. Why?
My peaceful resolution flew right back out of my head as we started a dispute there. He wasn't especially polite and I retorted right back to his cold words. It was just when we heard father's voice calling for him that he remembered he too, was searching for father. However, instead of going when called, he actually touched somewhere on that mysterious shelve and brought us inside, closing it right after. Father's footsteps came right then, he called a few more time and instructed one servant maybe, to go look somewhere else for his son.
Although it was completely dark in there, I was glaring daggers at the person holding my hands to prevent me from touching anywhere. Why would he played hide and seek was beyond me.
The place we were in wasn't big. It just had the dimension of a placard actually, wide enough to fit the two of us, maybe it could take even a third person. The rest of the place was occupied with boxes piled on one another.
Outside father was now talking to that same man from earlier, while I was ordering this foolish person to let go.
"This is father's attorney outside okay?" He paused and I imagined him frowning, as his tone grew more disrespectful. "with you here, it's really not the time for us to meet."
I was boiling with anger at this point and while I'm sure my mouth was once again spouting hurtful words to this person, my ears vaguely heard the conversation going on outside.
“…That's the whole of it I think? ..." Papers were being flipped with speed and after a moment the other party acknowledged.
"Life should be easy with this for her..." A pause. "I still think it an error though... After all this time, it certainly didn't matter anymore... Why not let the sleeping dogs lie? What kid wants to hear for her birthday that she isn’t really her father’s child?”
“...I made a deal with her mother”
The sound of flipping papers. Something being forcefully locked.
"Well, a dying wish is quite a powerful thing... but not necessarily a good one though."
"..."
"... Fine, do things your way."
Footsteps that went away. And then, silence.
I didn't even register when I stopped whispered-yelling at Vicenzio. I just froze at one point in their conversation.
“Hey” Vicenzio called and I wasn’t really seeing him as he made a move waving his hand in front of me.
When had he opened the entry, that too I didn't know.
I don’t know why but this insult I once threw at this young man in front of me came into my ears once again, as I was hearing my own voice saying with venom.
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