Lucian followed her gaze. "Oh. That’s our father." Of course Lucian who had a clear resemblance to Nikolas also looked like the man. They were twins after all.
Viviana’s gaze shifted. The next portrait had a woman. Dark hair, blue eyes like Lucian and beautiful in a way it was almost haunting. She’d seen her before. She was their mother.
The next portrait was of Lucian, then Nikolas, followed by Francesca and after that ca Little Lucia.
It was a wall for—-
Footsteps resounded. Viviana shifted her gaze to the wide staircase that was split into two at the center. The railings, polished and spotless.
The woman was coming down, shoes slightly loud against the marble floors, shining enough to catch one’s reflection.
Loredana stopped for a bit, but she approached regardless of her hesitancy. She stood before Viviana, and under her intent gaze, Viviana found it hard to stand still. She wasn’t one to ever be intimidated by anyone’s gaze. But the thing was, this woman wasn’t trying to intimidate her in any way. Instead she was staring at her with this... worried expression in her eyes.
"I’m Loredana. Nikolas’s mother," she said, extending a hand for a handshake.
Viviana blinked at her. "Ah... I uh, I’m Vi-viana. His wife."
She gave her a small smile. "I rember you." She looked over at Lucian, giving him just a nod.
Lucian glanced at Viviana. "You ready?"
Viviana nodded. "Mhm. I am." Her chest was pounding. She was feeling nauseous because from the way they were acting, it seed things were bad.
They approached the staircase and instead of going up on maybe one of them, Lucian stopped at the very staircase central wall which had a brown well carved door.
"Where... are we going?" She asked. It looked like so sort of passageway.
"Just co with ."
He pulled her closer to his side, and the door proceeded to read their full print, however, while it turned green to Lucian’s presence, it began to beep red at Viviana’s in alert.
"Oh, wait a second." On the screen right next to the wall, he proceeded to make so changes, before they repeated the action again.
—FRA PRINT, ADDED —
The door clicked open and following behind him, they went inside, stepping into an elevator that ca into sight.
They went to the very last underground floor beneath the building. And as they stepped out, Viviana was glancing around. It was just as grand as upstairs.
Lucian approached a door with her. He glanced at her, seeming to be having a second thought, but the eager look on Viviana’s face made him proceed.
He allowed the door to read his palm print and as it clicked open, he turned the knob, pushing it open. "Co in."
Viviana swallowed thickly. She was hesitant, chest pounding in her ears. But she mustered up the and took a step inside.
Lucian closed the door behind them. And just as expected, Vivian had frozen up where she stood.
Her gaze was stuck on Nikolas who laid motionless, face as pale as paper white. The duvet was pulled over him, his eyes shut, and his hands lifelessly placed by his sides.
She couldn’t breathe, forcefully twisting her head to et Lucian’s gaze. "Wh... what’s wrong with him?"
Lucian swallowed. "Viviana."
"Why isn’t he moving? W-why is he like that?"
"Viviana, there is sothing you have to know."
She didn’t listen to him. She stord over to the bed, and grabbed Nikolas’s hand. "Nikolas. Nikolas! Won’t you answer ?"
Lucian stood, watching her desperation, unable to do anything.
"Why are you like this? Why won’t you say anything to ?" Viviana got above him, cupping his cheeks. "Nikolas! Open your eyes. Don’t do this to !"
She shook him desperately. "You promised! You said you wouldn’t leave . Y-you said you loved , and that you’d always be with . Why are you doing this to now, huh? You lied again, didn’t you. You lied..."
Her body slumped and she pressed her forehead to his, sobbing. "You said you loved ..." His body was still warm. She didn’t know what was going on. "Y-you barged into my life and took up everything. You wouldn’t let leave. You made love you. You made these promises and now you’re the one leaving . Why? I-it’s not fair. It’s not fair, Nikolas. You’re being an!"
Lucian brushed his hand down his face. "Viviana—"
"Lucian, do sothing." She shot up, looking at him with pleading teary eyes. "M-maybe he isn’t hearing . Say sothing to him, please. T-tell him that I’m here and that he needs to wake up. He loves . He told he did and I’m sure that you know that."
She crawled off the bed towards Lucian. "Won’t you say sothing to him? You’re his twin brother. H-he’ll listen to you." She grabbed his hand. "Just tell him that I’m here. Viviana, h-his wife. Please, Lucian. It’s not okay. He’s lying there and he doesn’t want to talk to . Maybe I did sothing wrong? Did he tell you? Is he mad at ? Wait, wait, I get it. It’s because I got shot right? He’s mad at because of that, no?"
A soft chuckle fled her mouth. She was frantic. "He’d told before that he doesn’t like getting hurt. He hates when I do. Actually, the one ti I got hurt, he was very mad about it. Though that was my fault. B-but I understand, so why don’t you tell him to open his eyes, huh? I can explain. I can make things better. I can fix this! Lucian, say sothing! Say so—"
Lucian grabbed her and yanked her into a hug.
She went as still as a statue.
"I can’t wake him up..." he said.
"What...?"
"Nikolas cannot answer any of us."
"You liar!" She shoved him and staggered back. "NO! You’re lying. Nikolas would never leave . You have no clue how much he loves . He would never leave and I know it."
Lucian stared helplessly at her. "I’m sorry..."
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