CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER: 39, LIFE ON EARTH (HESTIA)

In the morning, Hestia woke up rubbing her eyes with a long sigh. She looked at her phone screen, seeing the lock-screen showing a particular time. She still has an hour before Penelope and Azaria come to her house.

She then noticed the message from Azaria saying she would leave early and wait at the library. Without any delay, she got out of bed and went to take a shower.

After a refreshing bath, she wore her school uniform in a neat and attractive style. She then took her bag with school supplies and went downstairs to the dining room.

Her whole family was awake by this time as it was common for everyone to wake early. From her younger brother who is still in middle school to her grandfather who is already retired, everyone was awake by now and prepared to start their day.

Seeing her appear, her grand-father had a warm smile as he addressed her, "Tia dear, you seem quite enthusiastic about today."

Hestia shrugged, "you’re imagining things. I just woke a bit earlier than usual."

Her grand-father’s eyes narrowed and his voice grew slightly cold, "Oh? Are you sure?... So that ’Cousin’ of yours has nothing to do with the underhanded methods that you used in school?" He specifically pitched the cousin part, trying to remind her about her true relationship with that boy.

Hestia’s eyes turned icy cold; her voice held clear resentments as she said, "Don’t call him that! And what if I did that? What can you do?

You know any interference from you guys and half the family will be burned to the ground."

Her grand-father clutched his forehead, sighing in disappointment. The wrongdoings from his younger days are starting to bite him after retirement. He knew that Hestia truly held enough power to do what she said, but that wasn’t the part that worried him.

It was her feelings for Dainsleif that made him deeply disappointed in his younger self. Dainsleif’s mother was none other than his daughter born from his first true relationship. But at that time, the competition for the family fortune among his siblings was intense, which made him break things off with that woman.

Right after a year, he heard of her death. He was so grief stricken that he never got the chance to know that she birthed a little girl before her death, His daughter. He never knew of her existence before he heard of his son, Hestia’s Dad’s car accident that took his and his wife’s life.

And there he got to know that the innocent single mother that died because of his son’s recklessness was none other than his Lost Daughter.

He brought the young boy, his grand-son he never knew about, home to make up for his daughter. But that action was another mistake. His grand-daughter, Hestia, became obsessed with her cousin, Dainsleif.

Currently, he just sighed and tried one last time to make her realize that it was not right, "Yes, I won’t interfere. But you still need to understand that Inbreeding isn’t right! What would others say about it? This is straight up disgusting!"

"Pfft Haha!" She chuckled at her grand-fathers nativity. "So what?" she asked, catching him off guard.

"So what if inbreeding is disgusting? It was your mistakes that made both of us orphans without parents. I am lucky enough to have you and grandma, But who did he have?

"Now at least, He has me. And I can take care of him fine enough. It’s just too bad Ren isn’t Dainsleif, or I would’ve already given birth to two or three children by now." She said, making her grand-father more uncomfortable.

"He’s your little brother! How can you talk about him like that?"

"Now what?" She rolled her eyes at this old man’s reactions. "I say it would’ve been better for you. At least you could see the faces of your great grand-children."

Hestia ignored the old man’s reaction and left the villa leaving one final sentence, "His sufferings began with your mistakes. Now sit there and watch me make up for it."

**

In front of the villa gate, Hestia stood there waiting for Penelope to arrive. Her mind drifted to that distant but unforgettable memory.

Her last words were nothing but excuses. Dainsleif has suffered, but not to the point she has to make up for it. His mother, Hestia’s aunt, was a single mother but had a good job and raising Dain seemed easy in her eyes.

Even when his mother died, he didn’t break down. Talking to him felt like he was someone detached from this world, as if no grievances, no resentment and no attachment can affect him. He was way more mature than he should be, just like Hestia herself.

The incident happened when they were only 8 years old, the same day they first met. That was also the day she fell in love with him. Maybe the early feelings had taken deep root in her heart that even after she discovered he was her cousin, she still loved him.

After all, only her grand-father and she knew about their blood ties. Except for them, even Dainsleif didn’t know about it. So, as long as her grand-father keeps his mouth shut, she can still be with him.

Soon enough, Penelope arrived and they both went to the school library.

His mature and handsome face took her breath away so that even the suffocating of her lungs started to feel good. She controlled herself to lunge at him in a hug as Dainsleif still didn’t know about their feelings. Sudden intimate actions might make him uncomfortable and get his guards up.

They all were treating their relationship with Dain like a new owner’s relationship with its cat. They planned to take it one step at a time.

For the next few months of their high school, their group of four enjoyed the time to the fullest. For Dain, it was unknown to them, but they enjoyed the time spent with Dainsleif.

On the day of their field trip, Hestia talked with Azaria and Penelope and decided to propose to Dainsleif on the site. But fate had other plans...

To be Continued...

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I-I can Explain..... maybe not.