She closed her eyes. She could hear, little by little, her heart finally cracking...
She had promised to herself that she would not shed another tear. That she wouldn't show weakness before him again.
But, how not to do so? What little remained of her within herself had been blown away. Everything was lost...everything.
Slowly, she opened them. Shock was obvious in her gaze, which was still glued to his.
She sighed, breathed in, relaxed her shoulders so that it wouldn't look like her walls were crushing down. Not this time.
'Right…'.
The word was barely audible, almost drowned by a sob.
But she manager to stand tall, strong and determined against the tempest...
Or at least pretending she was.
Not even a single word escaped her lips again, not a sound. She reached the doorframe of Christine's bedroom and clinged to it, lowering her head.
Even breathing had become harder…
She was not prepared for what she found there when she gathered enough strength to sustain her body
The other woman was looking intensely at the red rose she was holding in her hands. She wore such a cheerful expression on her face that she wouldn't have been able to conceal it, even if she had tried. When she lifted her eyes and saw Angie's contorted face, her own expression changed. Her radiant eyes turned softer and kinder, questioning if she was okay.
So much sweetness, so much gentleness, so much perfection...
Blood was really starting to boil in her veins.
Why did he still love her? What was the sense of it after all the pain she had brought to him?
She couldn't care less for the answer now…
She regained her composure and came into the room. 'It's nothing, I'm fine… Mademoiselle Daaé'. Christine was taken back by the sudden use of her maiden name. 'Dizziness is very normal for me, I get that a lot. When you are ready…'.
She retired, feigning that she was all right and that absolutely nothing had happened before. It was better that way, so to have the lovely soprano convinced of their good relationship. She'd have to believe she was on her part… at least until her moment would come, of course.
Erik had not moved an inch. He was still standing up, his hand grasping the chair and his eyes fixed on the spot her presence had filled moments before.
He knew how much she had been affected by his words. The way she had shut her eyes, the glare in them when she forced them open and the eerie calmness in her attitude when she abandoned the living-room...
He had only been honest for once!
His fist was closed tight and his breathing uneven as he tried to restrain the tension that had grown inside him in a moment. He heard steps nearby. Angie was again in front of him.
There was something new in her blue eyes. Serenity, disappointment?
It wasn't any of that but hatred.
She seemed the one not showing any emotion on her face now. 'So…I suppose, Erik, that the only thing that remains unspoken between us is my sincere wish that you enjoy her presence in this house for as long as you can', she began walking towards the entrance door. 'Future is treacherous, my friend'.
He frowned. Her apparent cold calm seemed too strange in her… 'What do you mean?'.
She gave him a wicked smile, closing the door behind her, leaving his question on the air.
Without giving him a proper explanation.
He turned on his heels, and he threw a chair to the floor in an outburst of rage. His action caused a great noise in the middle of such a deep silence
What was she trying to do now? She had become unpredictable... and the worst of all was that her eyes did not reflect nothing but loathe. In fact, what he feared now was...what that irrational loathe would push her to do.
He looked to his side...
Christine was there, astonishment obvious on her innocent features.
He closed his eyes briefly and tried to slow down his breathing. 'I can't explain… Please, not now'.
He walked pass her, squeezing her arm reassuringly and giving her a quick look before he came into his study.
There she stood still, assimilating everything that had just transpired in that room.
What had gone through his mind? She had rarely seen Erik like that. And she did not understand. He had told her that he did not want to explain things to her at the moment. However, she felt that she could not bear that secrecy, the hidden facts, anymore. She needed to know what was going on with the two of them that was tormenting him so badly and that he kept trying to put off telling her.
She needed to know what caused the fear in his green eyes...
Fear of what or who...
She sighed, putting the chair back in its place and sitting down on it. Perhaps if she had her voice back, she could shed her doubts.
His hands were holding the cup of warm coffee as his uneasy glance darted from the cup to the clock between sips. Two days, he had told her. And for the moment she had not given signs of life. She had not come to his apartment but he had not met her in the streets either.
He was aware that he was taking too many risks with that plan. He has even had to face the two gentlemen that were, in theory, his collaborators.
But the problem was that they were not after the same things.
More than once he had been assaulted by disturbing thoughts that implied that, deep down, he did not want to kill her.
What made him think that? He knew the answer…
He had feelings for her. There was something quite unnerving that made him want to protect her, to keep her from any harm.
Perhaps it was the same something that came over Raoul?
She was mad. Maybe it was jealousy, for the way Erik had treated her as of late.
Or maybe it was because all was clear to her now. He had admitted that he loved another, and she had nothing to loose anymore. What did it matter if she betrayed his trust now? No... The love she had felt for him was dead.
She was not the innocent lovesick girl that dreamed of meeting him every second of every day.
Unfortunately, she was not that girl anymore. And a part of her felt sorry for having to take such measures.
She lowered her head and lifted again when her slender finger rang the bell.
She had made her decision.