The Resilient Lady Collins

Chapter 63: The gift (2)

"Where is it?"

Victor moved around the destroyed furniture looking for the one thing he failed to find many years ago. It might help to spark a conversation between him and Ian if he were to find it.

Victor thought back to when he was younger and all the times he thought Ian used to lie to him. It sometimes felt like Ian wasn’t saying what he felt and said hurtful things to send him away, but there was something he knew that Ian loved.

"The fire couldn’t have destroyed it," Victor whispered, hopeful.

All he had was a single candle to help him see in the dark cottage. There was no light here after a small fire had started many years ago.

"What are you doing here, Victor?"

Victor gripped the candle holder, not wanting to turn around to face his mother.

Layla didn’t believe the servants when they said that Victor was seen heading this way with a candle but she had to check and saw a light in the distance. "Why are you and your father so interested in the past? Why would you bring yourself to this place?"

"I am looking for something for Ian, mother. That is all," Victor answered.

"Are you going to give him the ashes of what is burnt here? There is nothing for him here. It is long overdue for this place to be changed into a nice garden house. Come out of here, Victor. Don’t make me angry," Layla warned.

She was already tired of Hank and after the short arguing, Layla needed Victor by her side to bring her peace.

Seeing Victor standing where the bastard was raised gave her a headache. "Victor," she called again after he wouldn’t move. "I said to come out of here. I don’t like the smell that is in here and it is not good for you."

Victor had some of his father’s friends to meet with soon and he could not show any signs of being sick. Those days were gone now that Hank’s attention was going to Ian. Victor could not show any weakness.

Victor stepped forward, moving away from the door. "I am fine. I won’t be long."

Layla couldn’t believe that he wasn’t listening to her. She was doing this all for him and yet, he was going to ignore her? fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

"I’ve played here a lot in the past-"

"Ian and those women didn’t like you. Your memories from back then are all mixed up. Come here to walk me back inside. There is nothing left here for you to give him," Layla said, holding out her hand for Victor to come to her.

"Was it you? The fire," said Victor.

"Victor, do not insult me. I am not a simple woman to have so much time on my hands that I would set fire to this cottage. It was a strange incident and it was quickly put out. Do not make me have to come get you. First your father and now you. Look at the rift he has caused," Layla said, wishing Victor would wake up.

"Victor, if you are lonely we can call for one of your friends to visit you. They are willing to do anything to please you. I will never understand why you have been so obsessed with filth," Layla said, reluctantly stepping into the cottage. "You only needed to say that you were lonely."

Victor turned around to face his mother. "Please stop speaking to me as if I am a child. I am only sick. This might be revenge for how Ian was treated."

Layla walked faster to reach Victor and snatched the candle from his hand. She ignored the burn caused by wax. There was a thought to slap Victor again but she resisted. "Ian was treated well for being a bastard. What happened to you was indeed his mother’s doing or perhaps his. You must stop trying to be near him before you lose everything."

"I will not have you, my son, lose to a bastard. To that whore’s child," Layla said, her face revealing her disgust. "You must wake up and that will only happen if we erase traces of the past. You’ll thank me one day."

Layla threw the candle onto the floor where there was a pile of books the servants had started to clean out.

Victor’s eyes widened, surprised that his mother would do this before him. He moved quickly to pick up the candle but his mother held his arm. His attention remained on the candle which seemed to no longer have a small fire.

Victor sighed in relief knowing that the cottage would be fine.

Layla couldn’t believe she had failed in setting the cottage on fire. Still, her plan to get rid of this cottage remained. With the cottage gone, Victor would stop thinking of the past and Ian wouldn’t have somewhere to return to.

It wouldn’t be long before Ian would disappear just like this cottage.

"Why would you do that?"

"For you!" Layla yelled the obvious. "It is all for you. You are so stuck on having a brother that you don’t see what’s in front of you. You can lose all of what your father will leave to you if you keep being so distracted. I need for it to be final that everything will go to you before something happens."

"Before what happens? What do you think will happen to father for you to need to be prepared? We can share. I don’t need everything. What is the use when I feel like I am dying every day? I just want to see my brother sitting with us at dinner. Is that too much to ask for?" Victor asked, frustrated.

Victor knew it must hurt his mother each time she saw Ian as she would then be reminded of the affair but that wasn’t Ian’s doing. Ian was the innocent created by someone’s terrible deed.

"I am taking what is untouched to Ian. It belongs to him. You hate the sight of everything in here so why would you want to keep it? If you want me to do as you say, leave this cottage. If you don’t, I will tell father that I am too sick to be of any use to him," Victor warned.

Layla released a dry laugh. It was ridiculous that Victor was doing this all for a bastard but she saw it as her mistake. She should have gotten rid of Ian before Victor realised he had a brother. "Very well. I will leave it," Layla agreed. "Now, we must go inside before we miss the start of dinner."

"I have been a little harsh on you since Ian’s return. I am just a little worried that you won’t get what you are deserving of. Forgive me. I don’t act the best," Layla joked, pulling Victor close so he was beside her.

"The candle-"

"No longer has a flame. You can retrieve it the next time you come to gather Ian’s things. I will have some servants join you in the morning so you won’t have to breathe in this smell," Layla promised. "You can pack everything up nicely and send the gift to him. Your father knows where he works."