28 28. Let her leave!

Rory sat down for a while, trying to think and not think at the same time. She couldn't help but think about why all of a sudden, Esther was acting this way. And she tried not to think because her head was throbbing in pain. Esther didn't even act this way when she was first brought here, so she knew this wasn't just nothing. It was definitely something.

After a long while, she got up and made her way to her room. The whole walkway was quite. Not a sound was heard. And she wondered if Mr. Dange... oh sorry, Derek, was sleeping by now.

Her mind shifted to their time together today. He looked completely cold and empty all those times she had seen him. But today he acted differently. First, he smiled. It was slight but it was there. And was it true what Esther said that he had never smiled before? It couldn't be true, right?

She didn't even know the time yet. She suddenly missed her phone.

Getting inside, she strode lazily to her bed and slid under the covers. She felt sore all over even without doing anything. She didn't know thinking too much was that tiring. She tried shutting down every thought to be able to sleep, and finally after a long while of tossing and turning, she was able to grab some sleep.

---

Derek felt strangely calm after talking to Rory. When he said he was going for a walk, he didn't expect her to go with him, but he had been grateful she did.

He had the experience to watch the sunset. For the first time. He didn't even know it was such a breathtaking view and so satisfying to watch. And then he had learnt the meaning of his name.

Derek. A great ruler. Dawn. Morni...

Wait, no! Those were her own.

There was something with the way she spoke. He was yet to find the right words to describe it, but all he knew was it calmed him. For the very first time, he had been able to talk about his past to someone. Any other person who knew about it was either told or they randomly heard it through the news.

Because his father was a high ranked official, news of his death was widely announced. So most people knew what happened. But he personally had not told anyone what actually happened that night. He never felt like doing so. Even the thought of it haunted him, and he never dreamt of being able to talk about it. Ever. Until today.

It was spontaneous. He wasn't thinking while talking about it. It felt like something he was programmed to say because he actually didn't know how he managed to talk about it.

And then he had seen her cry because of that. Even he didn't feel like crying but she did. He couldn't remember the last time he cried. Dr Suarez told him his emotions were numbed. And that he had a condition. Something about a disorder with his personality. What was the name?

Axi... Angi... Something something... Tsk. Whatever. He didn't really care.

Dr Suarez had been his psychologist all these years. And he had told him how dangerous it is to one's health if emotions are bottled in.

"Most emotions are meant to be expressed outwardly," he had said, "so when you feel like crying, do so."

Most. Which means not all. Maybe his was part of the rest that were meant not to be shown.

Derek never felt like crying. Even the day of the incident, he didn't cry. Or maybe he couldn't cry. He then agreed with Dr Suarez telling him the experience had numbed his emotions. He didn't feel like doing anything at that moment. He just stared.

Recently when Aurora's father betrayed him, he felt angry. Extremely angry for the first time after the incident. He realised he started having emotions from then. And now with his daughter around, different emotions had started surging through him. And he was not supposed to fight them.

But he felt somehow relaxed whenever he saw Rory. Since day one. He couldn't explain why.

When they came back from the backyard, he went down to the underground room to see if it was cleaned up and made ready for him again. He proceeded to check on the weapons. Satisfied that they were all to his preference, he came back to his room, only to see Hayford waiting for him in front of his room. His arms were crossed in front of him, and he had a serious expression.

"Is something wrong?" Derek asked, pausing on his tracks to listen to him.

"Boss, I need to speak with you." He sounded serious. "If you don't mind, let's talk in your room."

Derek stared at him for some time before finally leading the way into his room. He went to sit on one of his Victorian chairs and crossed one leg over one knee, sinking deep into the chair and watched Hayford through hooded eyes.

"Speak." He ordered in a relaxed tone. He saw Hayford taking a deep breath and looking away. Was he angry?

"It's about the young girl." Hayford finally breathed, still looking somewhere.

Derek frowned. "What about her?"

Hayford snapped his head to his face with a small frown, meeting Derek's gaze and looking surprised as if what he asked didn't make sense.

What about her? Everything was about her!! He screamed inwardly.

"What are we going to do with her?" He calmed himself and asked.

Derek's eyes narrowed and darted to the side before coming back to his face.

"What do you mean?" Derek was confused for a second. What was this guy talking about?

"I mean, why is she here?" Hayford struggled keeping his anger at bay. Was he seriously going to pretend like he didn't know?

"We were supposed to kill them!" Hayford's voice slightly raised when Derek didn't say anything after a while. "You didn't. And she wasn't tortured. And I can see she's trying to get your attention. Does that not ring a bell?"

Derek looked at him, surprised at the sternness in his voice.

"Boss, you seem to have forgotten who she is, and I came here to remind you. She is the daughter of the man who did not bat an eye while selling us to our enemies. She is the daughter of someone who broke your trust." Hayford pointed a finger at him. "And remember you trusted him blindly because he made you believe he was no threat." This voice was still stern, the ends were clipped and his face was hard with anger. Smoke was almost puffing from his nostrils looking at how he was burning with fury. But he wasn't done yet.

"I know I shouldn't be talking to you this way, and I'm extremely sorry Boss, but I will not sit still and watch us deal with another betrayal." He didn't even breath till he finished this sentence and he paused to take a breath. Derek looked on. Confused and surprised.

Oh, he wasn't done?

"And if we have no use of her, I suggest we should just let her leave!"

He completed and he saw Derek's eyebrow slightly raised at him. Hayford stared back at him, his eyes still holding its coldness. Why wasn't he saying anything?

Derek kept staring at him, angering him even more. He knew he was someone who barely spoke, but Hayford wasn't buying this silence. If he stayed here for another minute he would burst out of anger. He knew for sure.

"I'll leave you to think about it sir. She's trying to fool all of us. And we have to be very careful." He said and left.

Derek stared at the now closed door. He still couldn't believe Hayford had spoken to him in that manner. And even with the way he spoke, he looked like he had tried really hard keeping his emotions under control so he wouldn't snap.

And what was Hayford saying? What was it about this girl that made him hate her this much? Was there something he was missing or not seeing about her?

Images of her beautiful face flashed in his mind. Her laughter rang through his ears as he remembered their conversation back then. Could she be fooling them like Hayford was saying?

----

Hayford headed back, suddenly feeling so angry, especially after Derek didn't say a single word after his long harangue. A dry laugh left his lips. He probably didn't even listen, Hayford thought as he made his way towards the stairs. He would just go out and smoke to calm his gittery nerves.

Just as he was about to take the first step, he saw her. Walking up slowly and...

He frowned.

Was she... Oh yeah. She was shedding crocodile tears!

Hayford snorted annoyingly and shook his head. He would give it to her for her exceptional acting skills. But sorry, she wouldn't get to him with that. Never! Not under his watch.

She seemed to have noticed him, and he saw how she subtly tried to act like she was hiding her tears. Wow! She really deserved an applause.

And she looked up at him and smiled... Hayford nearly slapped that pretentious smile off that deceptively beautiful face of hers! He just gave her a cold stare and hurried his way out.