12 Greed and Selfishness

Betrayal.

To betray is to break one's trust. To betray is to cause pain to the one who gave that trust. To betray is to make the betrayed resent you either temporarily...or for life.

Before you have realized it, the trust that was once there, now broken into pieces, will never be put back together.

Not all broken things can be fixed no matter how hard we try to mend them.

Some will remain wrecked and the pain you caused them will return to you tenfold. They will cut you with their sharp edges, and make you bleed until you regret breaking them.

For the whole that became shards can cause your death,

and the only thing that will remain is regret.

Even though people know that betraying is a bad act that has consequences, even though they know that they can hurt someone from doing so...they still do it nonetheless.

Betraying people for the sake of their desire. To be able to get what they want, there is always something in exchange. Something to sacrifice.

And that sacrifice was often the trust that people gave them, betraying people to achieve what they want. They know how wrong it was, but they are blinded by greed.

You cannot force a blind person to see, you cannot force a deaf to listen to you, and you cannot change a person who does not want to change.

That is how the world is, no words would work on a person set on their goals. They are like a mountain that cannot be moved, no matter how many storms pass them by, they will remain still.

Not realizing that they are slowly collapsing…

One of the reasons for betrayal is the person's greed. People become greedy and they become selfish, perhaps because of desire. The desire for power, the desire for revenge, the desire to have everything to themselves.

Some become greedy, for the desire of entertainment. One of those people is Bastien Cross.

"Why did you betray her?"

Vasillis tried to hold himself back and clenched his fist as he looked the butler in the eye.

Bastien Cross looked at him without his usual smile on his face, it was obvious that he was upset as the expression he had while staring at Vasillis like he was nothing but an annoying child who cannot move on from having his toy broken.

"Betray? What an awful choice of word to accuse me of."

"But you did, did you not?"

"I never betrayed her." Bastien responded with emphasis.

Vasillis grabbed his collar and pulled him close, "Then why are you here? Working for the Marquess and Alexandria's twin!"

"It was never mentioned that I cannot work for anyone after she is gone."

"But why them? Why does it have to be the man that ruined her life and the twin that caused that ruin!" Vasillis burst out, of all people to serve he chose the ones that his former master, Alexandria, hated. "You know she hated them but you-"

The butler chuckled, every word that came out of the man's mouth was amusing. 'Truly blinded by their friendship, or perhaps blinded by the love he has for her.' Bastien Cross thought and his eyes squinted with a smile on his face.

"Did you really think that My Lady hated them?" he asked and stared at him like he was looking at a fool.

Vasillis's brows furrowed, "Of course."

"Why do you think so?"

"Because they ruined her life."

Bastien Cross almost let out a laugh but he managed to hold himself back, funny, truly funny his words were. This just proves that no matter how long their friendship was, Vasillis do not know Alexandria well enough.

"Long years of friendship seems a waste if you do not understand My Lady.'

Vasillis scoffed, "If you knew her so well, then why did you betray her?"

"Betray, you say, how can I betray someone who is already gone? Do you even think the dead would feel betrayed?"

"Alexandria is not dead! I refuse to believe so!"

"Whether you chose to believe it or not is on you, not me, Lord Vasillis." Bastien Cross said in a low voice and with emphasis.

"You had an oath to be loyal to her."

"Until the end, that is."

"It is not yet the end once I proved to all of you that she is alive." Vasillis said with a serious tone and he let go of the butler who was looking at him with mockery.

Bastien Cross fixed his clothes and dusted it off with a smirk, "Then prove it." he said.

"You know her well, so I do not understand why you would believe that she would die just like that."

"When I was serving her, I believed that she would rise to the top and rule over the ones who treated her like dirt," Bastien Cross said, "But I was wrong, she never went to the top but instead, she's lying in dirt. To the bottom, underneath your feet." he whispered near his ears.

Vasillis gritted his teeth and the butler smiled, "So whatever it is you need to prove, be on your way and do so." he said. "I wish you luck, Lord Vasillis."

Vasillis did not say anything and just turned around. He was about to leave when the butler spoke again, "Just because you know a person well, does not mean you are always right about how their mind works."

A stranger who you thought had bad intentions could be the one to help you in times of need, A jolly person could be dying out of depression, and the closest friend could kill you from behind.

Betrayals are unexpected,

and it is always the unexpected that hurts us the most.

~~~~~~~~~~

Before the chaos,

"Of course, I would never serve anyone other than you as long as we are both alive." Bastien Cross said with a smile.

"Remember your own words, Cross." Alexandria stated with warning.

She sat back down, and the man that she was supposed to meet earlier came to her mind. "Alistair Lockhart..." she muttered.

"What would you like to do, My Lady?" the butler said.

"Find what day and time he is available to meet, arrange me a meeting with him." Alexandria ordered.

"At once, My Lady." the butler said and bowed.

"And I will give you time to step down from your position. It must be within this week."

Bastien Cross let out a chuckle, "Does My Lady think I would not do it?"

"I do. I just want it done early."

Bastiend Cross bowed again and smiled, "Position does not matter as long as you amuse me with your greatness, My Lady."

A blank face remained on Alexandria's face while she stared at the butler. Suddenly, they heard footsteps coming their way.

They turned and saw a servant walking towards them, "What did you come here for?" The butler asked.

"Lord Lloyd Vasillis has come to visit the lady."