The heiress's body was taken in for Autopsy. George was taken into custody. The investigation was still ongoing as it was not concluded that he was the actual killer. Grief burdened the atmosphere in the mansion. Nate was spiraling into depression. Lord mourned his wife even more for the fact that they did not part ways peacefully. Isla took a short trip to 'clear her mind'. Olivia did not have to cook often anymore, nobody remembered to eat. The staff were hardly in plain site.Luca became more distant.
Luca was not much of a talker and when he needed to talk, he talked more to his sister- it's been them against the world. Even now that they are adults. When their mother died, they found closure in each other, and that was why when Nate came along with his mother, he could not fully accept him. It was not that he hated him, it was that Nate could not conform, could not fit into his and Isla's world, could not penetrate the wall they built around them to shield them from more pain. Even their father did not conform to their world. And so they navigated life and family like roommates.
Luca was particularly distressed about The Heiress's death. The last time he had seen her was 2 nights before her death. She had come into his room, in her bright red dress, her skin shining like crystals underneath the dazzling light of his Chandelier. She had smelt like flowers, as always, but it had been mixed with the scent of vanilla. He had held her close and kissed her passionately. He had run his hand down her neck to her chest and slightly pinched her hard nipple, she moaned in his mouth, it aroused him. And then it struck him that he loved her and did not want to love any other woman like he loved her. He did not mind that she was his father's wife.It was because of her he had come back after studying in Switzerland. He never felt guilty for loving her that way- not the love of a son for his mom, but the love of a man for his father's second wife. They had managed to keep their affair a secret, so sacred even from Isla,it was easy because he and Isla never warmed up to her as their mother. It was obvious they didn't accept her and so when they started stealing glances, kissing in his room and having quickies, no one noticed. At least he felt so, he was not sure anymore.
What if his dad had found out and killed her out of anger? What if he was next??. Lord was a patient but also a very erratic man. He never had to shout or make threats, he bleeds actions. But he loved her too, maybe not more than his mom- Mona, regardless he loved her. So whoever killed her did not love her, or was trying to hide something that she knew. He couldn't wrap his head around it.His love was too sweet to harbor enemies.
He came out of his room to go get water, he ran into Nate in the hallway, walking sluggishly about to enter his room which was adjacent to his own. "Bro.." he called out. Nate turned and looked at him with a dead stare such that it cemented the words in Luca's mouth. "I'm sorry" he finally uttered faintly. Nate entered his room and banged the door in his face.
They had never gotten along, the energy was not there. They wouldn't have bonded if they had been classmates. But they were step siblings and it made it worse.
It bothered Luca so much that she had been murdered viciously, even more because it meant no one was safe anymore. The murderer could be anyone, but his mind, his guilt kept pointing at his father. And so for the days that followed he avoided Lord like a leper. Even in the nights Lord called him to his chambers, he would be unsteady, uncomfortable and fidgety.
" I know it must be really hard losing a mother twice but if you don't man up you'd break down" Lord told him one night.
" I'm fine Dad," he replied coldly.
"The Archie Dynasty is still safe, The enemies must have gotten in but…"
" Did you kill her dad?" Luca asked, standing up to face his dad who sat behind his study table.
Lord was stunned " You really think I'll kill my own wife ?"
"It was Your dagger!!!" He raised his voice.
The silence that followed between them lasted for days. There was barely any family dinner now. It was the heiress that bonded them together with 'family dinner'.
Isla came back from her short trip to Venice. She seemed to be the only one to have loosen up a little from the chaos and grief. Isla was Mona's doppelgänger . White as snow, beautiful with freckles on her round face. She was slender, tall and had delicate eyes. She was Lord's princess. She reminded him of Mona.
Luca was the first person Isla went to see when she came back. She had first asked Jovana to take in her luggage and make her favorite peppermint tea. It was her soul suiting tea. She walked slowly up the stairs, passing the big vase of roses. She stopped and took a glance at it, Nadia would have changed the roses by now. She felt nostalgic, or was she simply missing her? She couldn't understand what she felt- there did not share a bond that would prompt such a feeling. She felt sad though, not as sad as she had been when her mother died. She called out to Jovana " who was already coming downstairs after dropping her luggage.
" Why haven't the flowers been changed?" she asked, not staring at her.
" I was going to replace them in the evening when Theodore returns. Since George isn't back yet, Theodore is supposed to go pick them…I'm scared of going into the garden" she said bowing her head.
Isla did not even look at her. She was not one to engage the staff in conversations, especially Jovana-the tittle-tattle type.
" Do not replace them with roses, any other flower but roses" she said rushing up the stairs.
Jovana stared as she ascended the stairs and into the hallway." Ma always preferred roses for the vase on the stairs" she whispered, tilting her shoulders. She turned to ensure no one had heard what she had said. Later she would ask ma'am Olivia what flowers would best suit the vase. She wished George was here, this would have been a great opportunity to engage him, she'll have asked him for suggestions, taken her time to ask him the significance of each flower, each petal, anything to spend time with him. But he often answered hastily intending to discharge her as soon as he could.