nedelia closed her eyes. She finds it hard to look at the unbearable pain plastered on Tony and Aron's faces. She lowered herself on the couch beside Angela, busying herself by rubbing the girl's back to console her.
A few monts later.
Zero and Nini descended hurriedly down the stairs.
Nini's face broke into a happy smile after she saw her sister in the living room. She flew into Angela's arms. "I'm so happy to see you again, sis!"
Yet...
Angela's response was a loud sobbing.
Nini's brows furrowed. "Why are you crying, sis?" she asked. Then she looked at her father and brother Aron. They wore the sa miserable expression on their faces. "What's going on!?"
Angela looked at her sister sadly. "In order to save , Mother offered herself to the guy who abducted ," she told her sister.
"Whaaaaaat?" Nini's eyes widened in shock. "I... I don't understand... can sobody explain to everything?" she said as her confusion deepen. She saw the stranger among them. "Who is this woman? Why's she's here with us?" she asked.
"She's Granny nedelia without the curse," Angela replied quickly.
"You got to be kidding ?" Nini said, staring at the woman in disbelief.
nedelia sighed. "It's , Nini, your Granny nedelia. I was cursed by an old witch and turned into an old woman. As you can see, the curse was already lifted and what you see now is my original self," she explained.
Nini and Zero looked at each other in shock. They settled on the couch, still reeling from the revelations that bombarded them.
"Evelyn made letters for each of you so that you will have a better understanding of what's going on. Please read the letters first, then afterward, you can ask anything," nedelia spoke. She stood up and distributed the letters to the rest of the family mbers.
The living room was enveloped with silence while reading Evelyn's letters.
Half an hour later.
After everyone has done reading the letters, they all looked at nedelia.
"And what is your role in all this? My wife didn't ntion anything about you in her later," Tony asked calmly.
nedelia cleared her throat. "Did she ntion of a friend who showed her the abandoned manor where she t Rigor? If yes, then that girl is . I was cursed and turned into an old woman by Rigor's mother after I went there to find my missing grandmother. The witch told that she will undo the curse as long I will bring Evelyn back to her son. I couldn't bring myself to surrender my beloved friend to the witch. Through the years, I suffered silently with the curse and grieved for my grandmother who went missing after saving Evelyn. Until one day Zero, Nini and my path crossed unexpectedly, and that was the day the past co back to hunt us all that lead to the current tragedy."
She paused for a mont, to avoid choking on her words.
"Continue..." Tony said.
"I have no plans to reveal myself to Evelyn. But she begged to accompany her to her hotown because she wants to confront Rigor and save Angela. I didn't approved of her plan but she insisted that if I wont co with her, she will go there on her own. So, we set put on a journey. Fast forward, after arriving to her parents house, we finally went to the abandoned manor in the middle of the forest. The old witch was the one who revealed my identity to Evelyn. Rigor's father subdued while the old witch took Evelyn away and delivered her to the room where Angela was imprisoned, watched by Rigor. My story ends here," nedelia said. She looked at the girl beside her. "Angela can tell you the rest because I wasn't there when Evelyn confront Rigor..." she added.
Everyone looked at Angela.
"Daughter tell us what happen to your mother?" Tony asked.
Angela blinked twice. "Mother rushed to my side because both my hands and feet were tied by a rope to the chair and my body was weak. She hugged and told that she will save . Then she went down on her knees in front of Rigor and beg him to set free. To convince him, she told him that she's willing to serve him and she will stay by his side from that mont on. Rigor looks happy and he embraced mother tightly. Mother looked at and told that she love and she wants to tell you, guys, that she love you all. Then she and Rigor vanished from the room. That's the last ti I saw Mother..." she concluded her narration.
Tony stood up. "Then let's go and attack that place!" he said, nostrils flaring in anger.
"Father, the abandoned manor was already gone!" Angela said.
"What do you an?"
"Yes. Beleive it or not, after Granny nedelia arrived in the room, Rigor parents told us to leave the place at once because it will crumble to the ground, then they disappeared after saying those things to us. Granny imdiately teleported us back to her place in the forest. But when Granny and I returned there, the abandoned manor was nowhere to be found. On the sa place, we found a flattened surface, no structures at all. The only person we found there is Granny's missing grandmother. Even if we go there, there's nothing to see there anymore," Angela explained.
"I don't care! Bring us there right now!" Tony insisted.
Angela sighed. "Okay..."
They all gathered in the center and grasped each other's hands.
A few minutes later, everyone vanished from the place, nedelia was the only one left.
She released a deep sigh. She has no choice but to go back there!
She initiated the teleportation process in her mind and vanished from the living room.
They arrived in the place where the abandoned manor was used to be.
Angela pointed to the flat surface in front of them. "This area in front of us is where Rigor and his n imprisoned inside one of the rooms of the manor. But as you can see, only flat surface remained and nothing worth seeing here. Rigor must have hide Mother sowhere and I have no idea where..." she said sadly.
They all looked at the vacant space in front of them, trying to analyze Rigor and Evelyn's whereabout.
Tony addressed his family. "Let's find Evelyn around this area!" he said.
The family mbers nodded their heads.
Zero and Nini levitated in the air and rose higher, looking everywhere.
The rest of the family scattered around the area and began their tedious search.
nedelia stayed where she is. She just stared at the vacant area, wondering how can Evelyn ditch their plan so quickly without even trying?
If only Evelyn stick to their original plan, she doesn't have to go with Rigor!
Tears of frustration shimred in her eyes.
A few hours later.
Tony's family gathered in the sa place where they landed earlier.
Based on the sad expression on their faces, nedelia knew that their search ended in vain.
Silence engulfed them for a few minutes.
They failed with their first attempt to find Evelyn.
Tony watched everyone's faces. He addressed Nini. "Daughter, can you rember that place where you were imprisoned for many years?" he asked.
Nini shook her head and sighed. "They never bring outside. The only thing I can rember clearly is the room, other than that everything is a blur..." she replied gloomily.
Tony looked at his son-in-law. "Zero, what did you rember of that place where they imprisoned you? They brought Nini inside the cage, right?"
Zero nodded his head. "Yeah. The whole place looks like it's based underground," he said and looked at nedelia for confirmation. "More like a cave, right, Granny?" he said.
nedelia nodded her head. "Yeah. But it could be in another place, not necessarily a cave," she suggested.
"What could it be if not a cave?" Tony asked.
nedelia shook her head. "I have no idea..." she replied.
Tony released a defeated sigh. "Alright, let's go ho and plan our next move!" he said.
nedelia looked at Tony. "I'll go ho to my place. I'll just visit the manor so other day. Rest assured that if I can think of sothing that can speed up the process of finding Evelyn, I'll tell you guys. I still have to take care of my grandmother who lost her mind after years of captivity," she said.
Tony nodded her head. "If you need help, you know where to find ."
"Thank you, my lord!" nedelia replied.
Tony addressed his family. "Let's go ho!"
A few monts later, they vanished from the place.
nedelia landed on the ground outside the hut.
Rebecca was sweeping dry leaves on the ground. Sitas, on the other hand, was sitting on the wooden bench, admiring the blooming flowers in front of her.
nedelia went to Rebecca's side. "How is Grandma?" she asked.
"She's doing fine," Rebecca replied. "How's it going there? How's Evelyn's family after they know everything?" she inquired.
nedelia heaved a sigh. "They're feeling miserable after reading Evelyn's letters," she replied sadly.
"And how about you?" Rebecca asked.
"I'm obviously not feeling good right now. I'm physically, emotionally tired, and exhausted. I want to have a good sleep and a long rest," nedelia responded with a heavy sigh.
"Go now to your room, Granny, and take a rest. I'll take care of Grandma Sitas for you," Rebecca said.
"Thanks a lot, child. I'm going to my room now and close my eyes for a few hours. Wake up right away if sothing cos up," nedelia said and glanced at her grandmother before she entered the house.
Inside her room.
nedelia lay her body down on the bed. She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes.
One of these days she will bring her grandmother to Ebony's place.
Her sister will be overjoyed once she sees their missing grandmother again after a long ti of separation.
She smiled a bit.
Despite Evelyn's disappearance.
Finding her grandmother and her looks restored are the highlights of her day.
It's all because of Evelyn's sacrifice.
She sighed deeply and shut her eyes to sleep.
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