Summary: Living in the slums of Paris with her infant daughter, begging to make it through the next day, Clarice Vivellia is struggling with her current situation. Then enters Erik Destler, a mysterious and obviously wealthy man. He takes it upon himself to care for Clarice and her child, taking them into his own home. Join Erik and Clarice as they find true love and break the walls surrounding their heart.
Chapter One
"Messieur, a franc? Please sir, could you spare a franc? Mamselle, can you help me please?" I asked frantically to the people walking by on the streets. A small cry came from the bundle I carried. I shushed the baby in my arms. Now wasn't the time to have her crying. How had I ended up a beggar? This wasn't the way things always were. Life used to be so much better than what it was now.
I had a normal life. A family that loved me, friends who cherished me, a roof over my head, and enough happiness to last me a lifetime. Nothing seemed to be wrong with anyone. Then he came along. He was a dapper young, handsome, gentleman. Sal Zivkovic waltzed his way into my heart. Quite literally, to be exact. We had danced at a charity ball and soon after, we began seeing each other in secret. Why it was a secret: we didn't like the constrictions courting had.
We met in the park every Saturday afternoon and chatted, had picnics, and some days, we would practice kissing one another. I had never thought we would go beyond that, but somehow it did and that is where my troubles began. Precautions had been carelessly set aside. I was young and stupid. Love does that to you, I guess.
One day, I had gone to meet him and he wasn't there. I waited for hours until it was dark. There was no sign of him showing up, so I decided to head home, shaking it off as him having something come up. The next Saturday, the same thing happened, and the week after that, and the next.
I became sick. Not of Sal abandoning me, but I was awfully ill. My mother would have gotten our doctor sooner, but he was in Rouen for a breakout of an illness. As soon as he got back, my mother paid him to look at me. He asked me many questions, but the last shocked me to my heart.
"Nothing seems wrong, but there is one last thing." Dr. Harold said. The smile that had been on my face had dropped to the ground and shattered into a million pieces at his question. "When was your last cycle?"
"It was supposed to be..." I counted in my head. "Three weeks ago." My heart plummeted to my stomach and so did my eyes. It couldn't be...
But it was. Sal had left me with child. My parents were furious. They promised as soon as the "devil" growing in my stomach was out, it would go to an orphanage, and I would be sent to a covenant. Being the daughter of the Comte and Comtess Vivellia, they wouldn't even try to conceal this scandal. I didn't want to lose the only thing left of Sal, so after nine months of extreme irritation and pain, as soon as my beautiful baby was born, I ran away.
Faith, my daughter, and I took refuge in the slums of Paris. I made a sling I could wear to hold Faith while I begged. Knowing the parts of the city where my family visited frequently, I stayed far away from those streets. There was no way I would risk having my little girl taken from me. Yes, it was a dangerous place for a woman like myself and my child, especially with all the creeps that occupy the city. Many a disgusting man had encountered me, even approached me, but they all left seeing as I was a fierce mother that would do anything to keep my daughter and I safe.
This is where I stand now, five months later. My little girl is safely tucked to my sickly thin body and I'm trying to get some money to feed myself. I had to be strong for Faith or else I would break my promise of keeping her safe. Shaking my thoughts from my head, I continued to beg.
"Sir, a coin for a poor woman and her child? Anything for a lowly beggar?" The man avoided me like the plague. "Please, messieur. A franc? Just a simple franc for a woman and her babe." I asked as a heavily cloaked man passed by. He stopped for a moment and glanced at me from underneath his fedora that concealed his face. I swore I heard a choked back sob, but he kept walking as if nothing happened. Letting out a sigh of disappointment, I walked back to the small alley to try and keep myself warm.
Faith cooed from the sling and I pulled back the cloth to look at her face. She had her father's green eyes and my chocolate brown hair. I smiled when she grabbed my finger I had ran along her face, lovingly. "Mama wishes for things to be better, baby girl. I love you very much. Don't forget that." Footsteps crunched on the snow towards my little alcove. Looking up to see who passed, I waited. To my surprise, it was the mysterious man from earlier.
He was looking around where I had been standing. Is he looking for me? Wait a minute?! He could have been hired by my family. The next time I looked at him, he was looking around again, then spotted me. I left the safety of the small alley and began walking away from that street, hoping he wouldn't follow. I looked over my shoulder, and there he was walking a ways behind me. My pace quickened and his did too. Holding Faith so she wouldn't be thrown around, I ran.
The people who I passed looked at me rudely, but I didn't care. All I cared about was getting away from that man. After running until my weak body tired, I walked into an alley and sat down against the wall of one of the buildings. My breathing was ragged and I had trouble getting it back. I checked on Faith and sighed as she appeared to be okay. "We are safe for now, little one."
"Mademoiselle..." My head snapped to see who was there. I gasped at who it was. How did he find me?!
Tears sprang to my eyes. "Please don't take me back. I'll do anything for you, messieur. Anything at all" I begged. "You don't understand why I ask this of you. If it makes you feel any better, tell them you found me dead in an alley." Was it just me, or was this man just standing there as if he had no clue what I was going on about? "Do you even know what I mean by all this?"
"I can't say I do, but all I do know, is that you need help. Your child could catch a cold in this weather. You could as well, especially with the condition you are in." the man said politely. "Allow me to let you stay in a home I own down the block. I will also provide anything else you need."
I didn't get it. Not many people would offer a beggar, a person who they probably never knew, a home and other things. This confused me beyond belief. "Why?"
"What?" he asked.
"Why are you doing this for me, a complete stranger? Nobody in this city would do such a thing." I looked at the man in silence for what felt like forever before he answered.
"I have made many bad choices in my past. Things I'm not very proud of. When I saw you begging, something told me that I should help you. Now, here we are. Do you accept my offer or not?"
I thought about his question for a moment. "Yes. I suppose I accept." The man nodded in reply and motioned for me to follow him. I couldn't believe I was doing this. He was a stranger and I didn't even know what he looked like. As we walked, I fell a ways behind the man. He had a longer and quicker stride than me. It could be the fact I was fatigued and weak from not getting the nutrients my body needed. Faith decided it was a good moment to start crying. "Hush now, Faith. Please be quiet." I cooed, but my little girl kept bawling.
Out of nowhere, arms appeared and picked up Faith. I got startled by this and looked to see who it was. The man was cradling her in his arms, singing a lullaby. To my surprise, she fell asleep in his arms. When he handed Faith back to me, I said "Thank you, Messieur..."
"Destler. Erik Destler, and you are?"
"I am Clarice Zivkovic."
"Pleased to meet you. Now, if you will, my home is just this way. Erik took my hand and began leading me down the sidewalk. Snow began to fall from the grey clouds above us, making me shiver as the cold snowflakes hit my arms. Begging on the streets didn't help provide decent clothing for the weather. All I owned was the raggedy old dress I had ran away in. The other clothing I did own, I sold during the first few months for food. Any clothing I did get, usually went to my baby girl. Lost in my thoughts, I hadn't realized the warm wool cloak that was placed around my shoulders. When I did noticed, I looked at Erik to see him wearing a smaller cloak that must have been underneath this one.
"Thank you." I said quietly. Erik looked back at me and nodded. Before I knew it, we were entering the gates of a large home. By the looks of it, I knew this was Erik's home. The large house resembled the architecture of the opera house that had been burned down a two years ago because of the crazy man who was known as the Phantom and his obsession with the Vicomte de' Chagny's fiancé. Erik must have been a frequenter at the opera and built his house to commemorate the beautiful building. Erik pushed open the grand mahogany doors and allowed me to enter the beautiful home. When I stepped into the large home, I gaped in amazement. The walls were painted a beautiful maroon, with dark blue drapery, and gold accents; the floor was made of the finest cherry wood. Just the entry room made me think that Erik was very wealthy, very wealthy indeed. Not that it mattered to me, anyways.
"It is a beautiful home you have, Monsieur Destler." I said. "Do I really get to stay here?"
He nodded. "Yes you do, at least until you wish to go or I can buy a proper home suitable for you and your child." Tears welled up in my eyes at how kind he was being towards me.
"Merci," I said, almost weeping. "Merci." I couldn't think of any other way to thank him besides saying it, than to give him a hug. He didn't expect it, because when I put my arms around his neck and hugged him lightly, he tensed up, but soon awkwardly accepted it and hugged me back. When I pulled back, I realized that he hadn't removed his scarf or hat when we had entered the house. "You still haven't removed your hat, or scarf, monsieur. Aren't you going to do so?"
"Oh," he said, feinting surprise. "I will when I get to my room. I prefer having all my attire in my room." Just as I was about to say something, a short, plump, grey haired woman came pacing into the room.
"Monsieur Destler, who is this young thing you have with you?" the woman asked, giving me a quizzical look.
"Patrice, this is Clarice Zivkovic." Erik said. "She will be staying with us, as well as her daughter, until further notice. Please get her a room and make her comfortable. Send Jacques to get a crib for her baby immediately and get her some food." When she heard the word baby, her eyes grew as big as saucers. "She has not eaten well in quite some time, so nothing to heavy. Understood? Put her in the guest suite."
"Yes, sir. Right away." Patrice said, bowing her head a little as he walked off and up the stairs. Patrice seemed to hold a deep respect for her employer and would do anything he asked of her. On the other hand, there was something a little odd about her obedience. Faith squirmed a little in my arms and I looked down as she moved in her sleep. When I looked back up, Patrice was giving me a look that really questioned why a woman with a child was here. Definitely not a look I had not seen before. Finally, she snapped out of her thoughts and walked over to me. "Very well, then. Madame..."
"Mademoiselle, actually." She frowned, obviously disapproving of me having a child out of wedlock.
"Mademoiselle, I'll show you to your room." she said, beginning to walk off. I followed right behind her. As we climbed up the stairs, she began to brief me on the house. "You are only allowed your room, the dining room, and the sitting room. Any other rooms are off limits unless Monsieur Destler says otherwise. If you need anything, I am just a call away. Would you like me to draw you a bath?"
"Yes please." Patrice opened the door to one of the rooms and led me in. Just like the rest of the house, this room was breathtaking. The walls were painted a lilac hue and the curtains that hung from the window were a white gauzy fabric. There was a vanity, armoire, and bed, all painted white with purple vines against the brightly shaded wood. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, I admired the beautiful room. The window gave me a beautiful view of the nearby houses and the falling snow. Patrice had disappeared into a connected room, which must have been a bathroom. When she returned, she handed me a towel.
"Your bath is drawn. Everything you need is in there. I'll take the child..." I held Faith closer to me defensively.
"She's staying with me." I said snappily. "And her name is Faith."
"Mademoiselle, I promise you no harm will come to her. I had three children myself and am positive that she will be taken care of." Patrice said, the tone of her voice softening. "You need to take care of yourself. I'll wash Faith up and bring her back in an hour. That is plenty of time for bathing. Dinner will be shortly afterwards." Giving Faith one more look and a kiss to her little forehead, I placed her in Patrice's outstretched arms. My heart broke a little bit, but I knew that she would be just fine. "Get along then." I scurried off into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me.
The bathroom reminded me of my old one, when I had a room at my parent's dwelling. It was spotless, with a porcelain claw-footed tub and a washbasin underneath a mirror. The floor was tiled and felt cold against my shoe-less feet. Removing my thin clothing, I looked at myself in the mirror and grimaced. My ribs showed through my skin and I was covered with built-up grime from the streets. Even my long brown hair had suffered, collecting as much mud and filth as the rest of my body. It had been many months since I last saw myself and I was thankful for that. If I would have seen the poor, dirty, malnourished girl who looked a lot like me, I would have cried my eyes out. It doesn't surprise me now why nobody showed me any kindness... I look like something out of the sewers. Not wanting the warm water in the tub to go cold, I slipped into the warmth, letting out a sigh of pure bliss. Along with the dirt and grime, I let my worries drift away into the sweetly scented warm water.
...
Erik's POV
As soon as I reached my room, I removed my hat and cloak, throwing them onto the foot of my bed. Walking over to the dark drapes over the window, I pulled them aside just a fraction to view the outside world. Snow still flurried down from the wispy grey clouds above Paris. She's just like the rest of the world... She wants to see wants to see the monster behind this mask. Letting the curtains go, I turned around and stared aimlessly around my room. This girl had stirred something within me. It wasn't entirely taking pity on her most unfortunate situation, but she reminded me so much of... her. My sweet angel of music. Christine... Oh how my heart ached at the simple thought of her. I saw her everywhere my eyes drifted, laughing, singing, crying... That is the very reason I helped the Zivkovic girl. When I saw her begging, I saw Christine's sweet face in her place. I stopped and looked up at the woman and nearly started to sob at the sight. The woman was dirty and wore an old blue dress that was stained mostly brown. Not wanting to start to cry at my... that woman's misfortune, I continued to walk. As soon as I left, I looked over my shoulder to find her missing. Where did she go? That is when I turned back and went to find her.
She was gone from the spot she had been standing in moments ago. Then I heard a voice so soft and gentle come from a small alleyway behind me. "Mama wishes for things to be better, baby girl. I love you very much. Don't forget that." That is when I thought of the bundle in the beggar's arms and of her first words to me. "Please, messieur. A franc? Just a simple franc for a woman and her babe." My heart twisted painfully in my chest, imagining my angel freezing to death, her beautiful child crying of suffering. When the girl spotted me, her eyes grew wide in fear and ran, but I knew she could only last so long in this freezing weather. So I chased after her and as soon as she hid herself a second time, I approached her. Pure fear filled her eyes as I stood above her worn out body. She then resorted to begging me not to take her back somewhere. This confused me, but I shook it off and instead confronted her about her current situation.
Thinking about it now, I wondered where she didn't want to return to and why. Did she do something unforgivable or against the law? Did it have to do something with her child? When she thanked me for allowing her homage, I did not expect for her to do anything but thank me. No, she embraced me in a hug as well. An experience I had never had the pleasure of experiencing. Being as close as she was, it was easier to feel just how underfed she was. Her arms were thin and I feared if I moved a muscle, I would snap them in half. How long had she been on the streets? A knock came from my door and I shook my head of these thoughts. "Yes?" I called out, facing the large wooden door.
"Master Destler, it is me. Jacques." my personal butler answered from the other side. "I have the crib you asked for, monsieur. Where would you like me to put it?"
I walked over to the door and opened it up just enough to peek out of my room. The butler was older than me by fifteen years and married to Patrice for thirty-seven years. He had hair the color of pepper and a worn face from his many years of work. Before he came to work for me, he used to work down at the docks, unloading and loading ships. When he began to struggle due to aging, they fired him. Patrice had mentioned this to me one day and I asked for him to be my personal butler. They accepted my generosity and since then respected my every wish. "Put it in the guest suite."
"Is there anything else you need, sir?" Jacques asked.
"No. That is all." I said, shutting the door and returning to the window. Where did this woman not want to return to and why?
A/n: Hey! Wow... One of the longest chapters I've ever written. Well, I have been working on this story for quite some time. I hope you all liked it. Review!