Chapter 167

[ 1,033 words ]

Victor Toussaint:

“I checked for her heartbeat. Then her wrist. I kept checking because I thought I was doing it wrong.” I stared down at the table. “There was nothing left.” My eyes filled again.

At that moment, I hadn’t thought about myself once. I hadn’t thought about what it looked like or what would happen if someone found me alone with a dead royal Lycan. I only wanted her to breathe.

“I knew Vanessa was somewhere nearby that night, and she knew about Anika and me. She was the only person I could think of calling, so I called her and told her to come immediately.”

Arabella leaned closer to the table. “Vanessa? Did she come?”

I nodded. “When Vanessa arrived, she took one look at Anika and freaked out. She told me we needed to get out of there.”

I could still hear her voice.

Victor, are you mad? We need to leave. Now!

“But I refused. I kept telling her someone had hurt Anika and we needed to get her to a hospital. I knew she was gone, Ara. Somewhere inside, I knew.” I wiped angrily at the tear running down my cheek. “I just wasn’t ready to leave her lying there.”

Vanessa had called me an idiot more than once that night. Maybe I had been one.

“Eventually, she helped me lift Anika, and together we carried her out of the room. I thought once we got outside, I could get help.”

Arabella was completely still now.

“We never got the chance.” I finally looked at her. “The moment I stepped outside the club, holding Anika, I was arrested.”

” You were arrested?” Arabella cocked up her brow. “What about Vanessa?”

“Just before stepping out, I asked her to call Dad. Luckily, she went away. The moment she returned, I was already taken into a van by the royal guards.”

Arabella looked away for a moment, probably turning it over in her head.

I had told her everything I could remember. For the first time in three years, I could finally say it all without some invisible force choking the words out of me.

Now I needed something from her. I reached across the table and took both her hands, covering them with mine. “Arabella, I know we were never good to you.”

Her eyes darted back to me. God, even saying it sounded pathetic. As if that covered everything our family had done.

“But please, I need your help. I need you to prove I’m innocent.” Arabella looked down at our hands, then, very calmly, she pulled hers out from beneath mine.

“And who told you I’m here to help you, Victor?”

For a few seconds, I honestly thought I had heard her wrong. “What do you mean?”

She sat back in her chair, and I stared at my sister. Where the hell was the Arabella I remembered?

The girl I knew used to shrink into the nearest corner whenever Mom raised her voice. I knew Vanessa bullied her. Hell, we all knew. Arabella hardly ever fought back. She would lower her head, take whatever was thrown at her, and disappear somewhere until everyone forgot about her.

That girl wasn’t sitting across from me anymore. Three years in the human city had done something to her.

“I thought…” I stopped for a moment. “Ara, I thought that was why you called me here. You want to know who really killed Anika. If you find the real killer, that proves I’m innocent.”

She slowly shook her head. “No, Victor. You’ve got it wrong.” She narrowed her eyes. “I’m not doing this because I want to clear your name.” She rested her arms on the table. “I’m doing this because I need to find out who killed my mother.”

I stared at her in shock. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“What are you talking about? Your mother died when you were six.”

“Yeah. And I’ve been hearing that I killed her.”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

Arabella gave a small nod. “We both know that isn’t true. I was just a kid. I didn’t kill anyone.”

Of course she hadn’t. Hearing her say it like that made the whole thing sound as horrible as it actually was.

“I barely remember anything about it.” She reached for the glass in front of her and took a sip of water. “That’s what I want from you, Victor. Find out what happened to my mother.”

And then I understood where this was going. “But what does that have to do with Anika?”

“A lot.” She placed the glass down. “You want me to help you prove you didn’t kill Anika. Fine! I want something in return.” I stared at her in disbelief.

“You called me here to make a deal?”

She curved her lips down and shrugged. “Pretty much.”

Pretty much? Who was this woman?

The Arabella I remembered couldn’t even ask for a second serving at dinner without checking Mom’s face first. Now she was sitting in the royal garden negotiating with me like we were discussing a business contract.

“Ara, I’m your brother.”

“And?” That one hurt.

“I always helped you.” She stared at me for a moment, almost offended.

“I did, Ara.” I insisted. “Whenever Mom punished you and locked you away, who brought you food? I did. I used to sneak things to you when nobody else would.”

Arabella didn’t answer. Instead, she turned her head and looked toward another table a short distance away.

A plate had been left there after someone’s meal. Half of a bun was still sitting on it. Before I could ask what she was looking at, she pushed her chair back and got up.

I watched her walk over to the other table, pick up the plate, and bring it back. She dropped it in front of me. “Here. Eat, Victor.”

I looked down at the half-eaten bun, then back at her. “What the hell is this?” I hissed.

“You’re my guest.” She returned to her chair. “My bad. I should’ve offered you coffee or tea too.”

I stared at her, expecting her to laugh or say she was kidding. She did neither.

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