Chapter 28

He walked inside the mansion, not expecting to run into Bella, who was about to leave after not being able to meet him. The door opened suddenly, and she took a step back, startled, as Raizel appeared.

Raizel greeted Bella with a tone that suggested he had expected her. "Bella," he said, "what do you need from me?".

Bella hesitated, trying to smile despite not having a solid excuse for her sudden visit. "I... I just..." she said, her voice wavered.

Raizel found it hard to understand why she was seeking danger, or if she saw him as a danger that could make Edward come back. He shook his head slightly and led her into the hall. As they entered, he noticed Eve peeking at them from the staircase. Seeing Raizel notice her, she tried to move away, but he called out, "Eve, come here.".

Eve slowly revealed herself, giving Bella a lot of questions. Bella had only ever seen Selene, the other person in the mansion, who did not have the eyes of the Cullens or the peculiarities of typical vampires she know. Bella had considered Selene an odd human serving Raizel. But now there was Eve, another unexpected presence, who also appeared to be human.

Eve descended the stairs and stood in front of Raizel. He turned to Bella and said, "Bella, this is my sister, Eve."

Both Bella and Eve looked surprised. Eve's expression showed complete shock, as if she hadn't expected Raizel to introduce her in such a manner. Bella, on the other hand, scrutinized Raizel's words, sensing something off.

Eve tried to hide her surprise, but it was evident. "Sister?" she echoed, clearly unprepared for this designation.

Bella looked between Raizel and Eve, her mind racing. She knew Raizel was many hundreds of years old, and the naive girl in front of her could not be his sister. She stared at Raizel, her eyes questioning his honesty, but seeing that Raizel wasn't willing to tell the truth, she decided to play along for the moment.

"It's nice to meet you, Eve," Bella said, offering a tentative smile. "I didn't know Raizel had a sister."

Eve, regaining her composure, nodded. "Nice to meet you too, Bella."

Raizel watched the exchange with mild amusement, knowing Eve was good at eavesdropping just like her mother. Then he said to Eve, "Ask your mom to prepare tea for her."

Eve nodded before leaving for the kitchen. Raizel noticed that Selene, always nearby, had heard what he just said. She looked as surprised as Eve when he introduced Eve as his sister. However, she seemed rather happy, having always wondered why Raizel showed such affection towards Eve. Hearing Raizel's words was enough for her to let go of her confusion. She moved to the kitchen before Eve reached there.

Raizel sighed at Selene's spy-like watchfulness, which often disturbed him as it kept him from acting too much out of character. He turned his gaze back to Bella.

Bella, her curiosity piqued, asked, "Eve isn't really your sister, is she?"

Raizel answered honestly, "No, she's not. But she's like one to me." He then began to walk towards his room, not asking Bella to follow, but she did so instinctively.

As they walked, Bella's mind buzzed with questions, but she decided to take one step at a time. "Raizel," she began, her voice tentative, "do you have family, like your own blood?"

Raizel paused at the doorway of his room for a moment, causing Bella to get nervous, thinking she had overstepped her boundaries. But Raizel moved inside the room and poured himself a goblet of wine. She followed him into the room, gathering her courage despite her hesitation.

Raizel didn't turn to face her. Instead, he decided to share a part of actual Raizel's past. "I had once. Only one. And I killed him.".

Bella's mouth opened wide; she hadn't expected such an answer. She gathered the courage to ask, "Why?".

Raizel looked sad, lost in the thoughts about the past of Raizel's he know. "The one born with duty that shoulders his will. What will he do? That kind of fate did I have." He drank the wine and finally turned to face Bella. "Cadis Etrama Azriel, my brother. He wished to create a world devoid of all lives but nobles.".

Bella wanted to ask again, "Why?" but she was too surprised and speechless to form the words.

Raizel continued, "He believed humans would bring the destruction of the world..." He walked to the window, gazing out at the woods. "In the end, he failed to see the beauty of humanity and left me in a life where regret became extravagant.".

Bella moved closer, wanting to comfort Raizel but unsure of what to say.

Raizel continued, his voice soft, "I wished he could fight me back when I murdered the nobles who supported his beliefs. But he watched helplessly, not wanting to hurt his little brother until his last moment..." He paused, noticing that his eyes were wet. Raizel found it hard to believe he was crying. He felt his heart beating strongly, showing its feelings for what he had just said. He touched his tears, looking at them in disbelief. "He was strong, but chose not to...".

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Hey everyone, I'm back! Many of you have been asking about the main character's love interest. I haven't given any clues until now, so here's one: she is a noble who has a strong crush on him and desires him, but she has never crossed any boundaries. She is a loyal character, and many of you might have guessed it's our blondie. For more chapters, access my Patreon.

link: patreon.com/AmouxCreationX

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