CHAPTER 44: HER OUTBURST

Later that night, the chaos had calmed down.

The people had arrived not too long after the crowd began trampling down on the church, and they had taken action and arrested everyone involved. Apparently, someone had recorded the video and shown it to the police and all the church attendants had been arrested for proper investigation.

Pastor Ramus had been beaten profusely, and an ambulance had to come and take him away. The Nuns had been arrested and Aaliyah had watched all these from afar. There had been this excited and relieved feeling when Sister Hilda had turned and their eyes had locked. Hilda was first surprised to see Aaliyah standing there, then a look of realization and fury hit her, while Aaliyah simply waved back with a big smile.

It felt so amazing!

Meanwhile, every one of the kids were being catered for by the townspeople. They had been given new clothes to wear, and of course, food. You could see them by the corner gobbling up everything like it was the first time their tongues were having the privilege.

Penelope was most crowded and being asked questions. Her face had appeared in the video since Ramus had been seen red-handed with her, and they were all trying to console her and know more. Aaliyah knew they would ask about her since someone had to have been the one conversing with Ramus in the live video.

And this was all thanks to Alastair. The two pieces of tiny equipment he had given her were a projector and a recorder. The tiny one she had fixed to the wall had been the projector itself, and the second one she had hidden inside her collar was the live recorder being projected to the walls of the church.

Everything from the kids she had seen cleaning to the stairs to her confrontation with Ramus had been displayed for everyone to watch...and no one would have easily found the tiny piece of projector because the color blended perfectly with the wall.

Alastair had also promised to make sure every child would get adopted by a good family, and would not have to suffer like that again. When he had told her all that this morning, she hadn’t replied.

It was just too much.

Looking up, Aaliyah’s gaze met Penny’s. Penny was wearing a new dress and had a little light in her eyes now. They hadn’t had any time to talk because Aaliyah had quickly left the church once it got very noisy. And if any of the people had seen her together with Penny, they would not let her go.

Aaliyah waved at the eighteen-year-old, and Penny smiled back.

The only thing Aaliyah was sorry for was taking too long to keep her promise.

To her right, sat the church that had been locked up by the police after evacuating everyone out. Aaliyah sighted the small window of her room on the third floor, remembering the uncountable lonely nights she had spent there sleeping on a mat. The unbearable number of times she had been defiled in that room, and why she began looking into the mirror and seeing only the ugly side of her.

But now, she was free. The Recording was more than enough evidence, and everything would come to light.

Everyone was free now.

A tear slipped down her eye, and she caught it on her palm just as it hardened and turned into a small piece of beautiful pearl. She stared at it for a moment, laughed at the joy and happiness she found feeling so lightweight before she leaned down and pressed the pearl into the sand, quickly covering it back up.

Then, Aaliyah walked back to the BMW that was parked at the end of the road. As she approached the car, she could feel his gaze through the tinted glasses staring at her and how her muscles clenched knowing she was about to be inside a car again.

The accident that happened to her may have also caused her trauma, and it was only with his help she had been able to climb into the car and drive here.

The Passenger’s door was thrown open before she could reach, and she saw him sitting in the driver’s seat with his pam outstretched for her to take it, the other holding the steering wheel.

She nodded with a tight smile, climbed into the seat, and took his hand. Their fingers intertwined was the assurance that she was in safe hands and the car was safe for her. The touch helped to keep her heart from beating fast and from overthinking.

"Thank you," She said without looking at him.

That was her first words to him since she woke up this morning.

Alastair squeezed her hand back and drove off.

Aaliyah refused to look at him, as usual, and kept her eyes on the road. Ever since she saw for herself last night that the man had no heart, like he was literally heartless, she hadn’t been able to focus her thoughts. She could not get that recoiling sight out of her head, and she had billions of questions.

At the same time, it explained a lot of things. It explained his eyes. The boring and emotionless look he always had sitting in his eyes, and the reason his eyes had no color.

Alastair had no feelings. Nothing around him made sense.

The only thing he uses to think is his brain. His emotions are not there.

And if his emotions are not there, then...he is just plain.

He only sees with his eyes.

How the hell has he been surviving without a heart?! Is he for real?

If he cannot feel anything, does that mean he easily forgets things? If he has no heart...then what did she mean to him?!

All those times they spent together, what do they mean to him? Was every single moment invalid to him...?

Her eyes drifted to where their fingers were intertwined.

’ He’s only holding my hand because his brain tells him to. Not because he feels anything ’ Her subconsciousness told her.

The man was just too strange.

It was late at night when they arrived at the mansion and parked where the car usually stayed. As they walked in, Aaliyah saw Theodore in the living room. This time his hands were empty and he was just staring into space. His demeanor felt harsher and heavier than usual.

The moment Alastair strode in behind her, Theo’s eyes flicked to him, "Both of you, I prepared dinner. Meet me at the dining table,"

What did he just say? He walked past them without a word, and Aaliyah turned around only to find Kekoa and Yuan there and had already taken their seats with dinner already served on the plates.

Aaliyah turned to Alastair, and the question remained in both their eyes.

"It’s going to get cold if you don’t hurry," Theo repeated as he took his seat. There was tension in the air, and Yuan especially looked stressed like she didn’t want to be there.

Aaliyah glanced at her husband again, her hope shattering to see those uncaring eyes again. He wasn’t even pissed this time. He just stood there staring at the dining table.

"I’m hungry," Aaliyah said and walked up to the table. There was an empty seat next to Yuan...and soon enough, Alastair sat down on the head table. To Alastair’s right was Theodore and then Kekoa...to his left was Aaliyah and Yuan.

The meal in front of them was stake and a bottle of wine that had been served to Yuan and Kekoa. The only thing Aaliyah could perceive from the red wine was blood, and was not even surprised at all. Not after she’s seen a living person without a heart.

"Shall we pray?" Theodore suggested.

Alastair was the only one that shot a glare at him.

Theodore shrugged, "What? I thought people always prayed before having dinner,"

"None of us here are religious," Kekoa replied, "Can we start eating now? I’m starving,"

Theodore glanced at Aaliyah first whom was staring into space. He’s known her to always be active, but she’s been too quiet since they returned. She had a slight frown on her face as she stared at the meat, then slowly looked up at him.

"What?" She grumbled, looking at him through her lashes, "You’re creepy. You’ve been staring for too long," she added, not the least afraid of him anymore. It’s like she didn’t care about anything, and rolled her eyes.

Then, she picked up the knife and cut the meat into small pieces that could fit Into her mouth with a work. The way she aggressively cut the meat had everyone glancing at her.

"Liya, Are you ok?" Yuan inquired next to her.

"Is everything alright?" Alastair piqued too, and reached in to touch her arm.

"Oh! A surprise dinner from none other than him. Two guests sitting at the dining table that has never been touched. My husband looks like he has no life in him, and I’m the one you guys are asking if I’m alright?!" She burst out in a bit of rage, jabbing her fork into a small piece of meat.