CHAPTER 464: SORE AND UNFAIR

"You look so much like her," there was a gap between his words and the next ones in line, "Your hair, eyes, face shape and even height...," he trailed off, his eyes darting from one feature on her to the next.

What to say to that?

Arabella merely stood there, waiting for whatever came after it. Perhaps the memories she had of him tricked her into believing he was different.

The Rubius she once knew strung his words together perfectly and never tumbled on them, spoke cryptically or leaped from one topic to another like that.

The man in front of her was all over the place...

"Grandfather...," her eyebrows furrowed, she plucked up the courage to ask yet another question, hoping he wouldn’t deflect again, "How did aunt Nolina die?"

His mouth opened then closed again as his gaze remained strictly on her face. It clearly was sore for him and perhaps even unfair, but she dared ask, nonetheless.

"I thought I was doing the best for my family," he started nodding, "I truly believed I was...,"

That was the most he was willing to share, apparently, prompting Arabella to try again on a different front.

"Grandfather, why did you come here?" that time around, she waited for no answer, "Sweet words won’t sway me, especially coming from you. I barely know you; to be quite frank, I only remember the man that acknowledged my existence once in a blue moon whenever he came around. The man that upset my mother more than she already was. The man that did nothing to...," she cut herself off, unwilling to dish onto him the full extent of her thoughts on the matter.

Rubius stood and listened to every word until the end before sliding his hand under his own vest to pull out a second sheet of paper.

Once more, he extended it her way, "I have already signed the golden and silver mines away to your father, but not the diamond and emerald ones," when she didn’t take it immediately, Rubius took her hand and stuffed it in her palm, "The ownership for those now goes to you. The papers are already signed,"

The scoff that escaped her came with tears, "You people truly are unbelievable!" she hissed, "This is my home now," her voice did tremble and break at a few parts, but it came with passion. Every word was loud enough and clear, "No amount of money or riches will deceive me into stepping foot back on Lustrisian land. In fact," her hands went over her head, straight towards the diadem atop it, "You can have this back as well. I am not for sale!"

"No!" his hands grasped hers right as she had been about to remove the diadem off her head, "Believe me, dear. I am in no way trying to deceive you. Please, keep it,"

They remained in that position for a moment until Arabella yanked her hands out of his before stepping back, "I don’t think I can put this any simpler for you, Rubius," she pressed on every letter in his name, "I trust neither you, nor your son. There is so much I wish to throw in your face but for some reason, I still can’t get it all out," she cried, "Considering to whom and where I was born, my life should have never been this miserable! I know I had responsibilities towards the family, but you were asking for so much more. It didn’t have to be that way. It didn’t...,"

Rubius rushed to cup her cheeks and wipe at her tears with his thumbs, "You can tell me. You can let it out. I am sorry. I truly am, Arabella,"

But instead of leaning into it and taking his offer, Arabella pulled away, took a deep breath to stop the sobs and tried to hand him the contracts back, "Like I said, you cannot bribe me with wealth. I never learned to manage or handle it, remember? You should give it to Reubon. He’ll know what to do with it,"

"No, he won’t," Rubius shook his head.

"It matters very little to me in any case. I have no intention of going back there and besides," she took another deep breath, "The royal family would never allow an Umbrarian to own land back in Lustris. An entire war was fought for that purpose,"

"Fair enough, for now," he smiled, "But I’d like you to hold onto them for the time being," he cupped the hand holding the deeds, "You never know what might happen in the future. I’d like you to have a home back in Lustris in case you ever decide to come back... Maybe a year from now, maybe a decade or maybe...," he trailed off, never finishing that thought.

Things seemed to simmer between them. Arabella’s heart continued to hammer its cage but somehow it had gotten tamer. Its beating drummed in her ears slower as the temperature of her blood regained its natural level.

"I don’t even know why I allowed you to approach me. I don’t know why I allowed you to put this on my head," she gestured towards the diadem, "For all I know, Silas was right; It can be rigged,"

In response, Rubius let out a small chuckle, "Well, rest easy. It isn’t,"

"Will you ever tell me what happened to aunt Nolina?" her voice came meeker.

Rubius cast his eyes upon the floor momentarily before turning towards the railing and then beyond at the darkened horizons in the distance, "The same as your mother," he practically grumbled the words as though unwilling to set them free.

Arabella did not gasp or cry. She made not a peep, in fact. Her lips curled together as her eyes forsook blinking until the air stung them too harshly.

"Well... Like I said," she nodded, "I am sorry for your loss. I am sure she deserved a lot better than what she got,"

With that, she did crumple the deeds in her hand and immediately spun around to leave that place.

"I am glad!" he blurted, stopping her in her tracks, "I really am glad you are everything your mother wanted,"