Arielle looked back. Ronan was sitting casually in the chair.
"What? Doesn’t he deserve it? I’m still kind enough to just hit him a few tis. If you were injured, I might have killed him the mont my hand touched his neck."
Arielle took a deep breath. She looked at Alexis again, who was different as night and day to the previous Alexis. The man never bowed or looked down, but ever since Alexis entered the room, he had not even raised his head.
"Brother... how are you?" asked Arielle in a gentle tone.
Arielle waited for Alexis to answer, but the answer never ca. She then stood up and turned her body to face William.
"William, please get the dicine box and also Ronan... could you leave and Brother Alexis for a mont?"
"Wife, that man is very dangerous. Have you forgotten how many tis that man has almost hurt you? And earlier, you fell into the sea because of him."
Arielle looked at her husband and smiled. "I understand. I know what I’m getting into now. I just want to have a word with my brother. Also..." She opened her palm to ignite a fla there. "I can protect myself now," Arielle said, then closed her palm again, putting the fla out.
Ronan took a deep breath. He couldn’t argue with his wife. He chose to get up, then hugged her briefly before saying that he would stand guard at the door.
"Thank you for your understanding," said Arielle. After that, Ronan left the room.
Arielle waited for William to bring the dicine box. William ca back a few minutes later, and she also asked the man to wait outside, leaving her and Alexis alone in the room.
As Arielle sat in front of Alexis, she took out so cottons to clean Alexis’ wound. Alexis still kept his mouth tightly shut. The man felt unworthy of Arielle’s kindness. He didn’t deserve this kind of treatnt.
This was wrong. Arielle should have slapped him, insulted him, hit him, or even beheaded him right here and there. This wasn’t what he expected.
"You’ve changed, Brother," Arielle said, making Alexis catch on his breath.
Arielle looked at Alexis’ hand. The man lost his hand, horribly amputated.
"Arielle, we shouldn’t et again," Alexis said in a trembling voice.
"Why?"
Alexis shook his head.
"Because I’m not Alexis anymore. I had long abandoned the na Alexis, Arielle."
"Brother..."
Alexis touched Arielle’s hand. The man burst into tears, afraid of what would happen to him.
"I’m ashad to say it, but I regret it, Arielle. I... really, really, really regret what I have done. To you and Mirabelle, your mother. I knew I was wrong, but I still did it, putting you in such a tornted situation. I don’t deserve to face you like this and even receive your kindness."
Alexis kept pouring out his regrets. Arielle montarily fell silent, not planning to interrupt the man’s words. From what Archie had said, Alexis was the older brother who deeply cared about her, but the way Alexis protected Arielle was wrong. Extrely wrong. However, if it was being compared, Archie always said that Alexis was far better than him.
Arielle also felt the sa way. There was a ti when Alexis helped her from being bullied by their other siblings. The man told their other siblings to stop calling Arielle an illegitimate child or a witch’s child. Alexis was also the one who made Andrea, Annalise, and Archie stop bullying Arielle.
Alexis was a brother figure who silently protected Arielle. However, it didn’t erase all of Alexis’ other awful behavior that he had done to Arielle, like forcing Arielle to marry a married old duke, thus she wouldn’t accept Ronan’s proposal.
"I’ve seen you, Arielle. You and Archie are living a better life now. Kalina doesn’t need to see anymore. I promise in the na of any gods that I won’t bother both of you again. If it’s easier to think I’m dead, then just pretend I’m dead, Arielle. Please..."
This was the first ti Arielle saw her brother who was full of pride in the past, bowing his head like this.
"Please, forgive .... I-I... I’m so sorry, Arielle. You can punish with whatever you want. You can kill too if it makes you feel better...."
Arielle didn’t feel pleased seeing people bowing to her. Alexis or not, she couldn’t let soone lower their self-esteem until touching her feet just to beg for sothing they shouldn’t be asking for.
Arielle wouldn’t hurt Alexis. She was indeed surprised to see that the man was still alive because Archie said that Alexis had died and his body had disappeared. Arielle was afraid of Alexis, but that wouldn’t blindly make her kill her brother.
If Arielle was afraid, she just needed to face it. That way, she could learn to be stronger to overco her fears. Like she did right now...
Arielle held both sides of Alexis’s face, wiping away the tears that were streaming down his face. She did her best to avoid touching the injured part of Alexis’s face.
"Brother, my relationship with Archie has improved. We are getting closer now," said Arielle.
"Do you know why?" she continued.
Alexis was silent. He looked at Arielle’s irises, which were different from the ones he rembered. In his last mory, Arielle’s irises were pitch black. Moreover, he could only see Arielle from afar back then. Being this close, Alexis could see how beautiful the girl’s eyes were.
Arielle’s blue irises were different from his. It was clear and sparkling, even much brighter than the clear sky of Nieverdell.
"Brother Archie apologized sincerely, and we both agreed to leave the past behind and then move on to start a new future. Brother Archie and I couldn’t turn back ti to change the past, so we chose to change the future."
"Arielle ..."
Arielle lowered her hand, holding Alexis’ hand gently.
"If you sincerely apologize, then I will forgive you. And we can start all over again."
"Arielle... this is too easy... I-I do apologize to you, but don’t forgive so easily like this. I would feel even more guilty."
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