Chapter 155: Receiving the news of anguish
Music Recommendation: Background Noise - Trent Reznor
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Anastasia felt the cool breeze brush against her wet cheeks, aiding in drying her tears. Faced with her father’s inevitable question, she stared at him for a moment before shaking her head in silence.
"No... She can’t be dead, Anna." Mr. Flores refused to accept the truth about his eldest child’s fate. Prior to Anastasia’s arrival, he had allowed himself to entertain the delusion that both his daughters were alive and were doing well somewhere, even if they were not with him and his wife. He raised his hand to cover his face, as if to conceal his pain. "D—Do you know what happened to her?"
Anastasia clenched her hands, and she said, "She was murdered."
A collective gasp swept through the villagers, their voices intertwining as they murmured amongst themselves about the unfortunate turn of events. Some people in the village of Hawkshead were eager to inquire about the fates of their own family members, wanting to know whether they were alive, whether they were doing well, and why Anastasia had not brought them back with her.
"Murder..." The news struck Mrs. Flores so profoundly that she lost her balance, and Tomas reached out to hold her hand.
Mr. Flores’s expression turned bitter, and he didn’t know what to do. He felt defeated, as if he were lost, even though he had managed to get one of his daughters back.
Dante stood at the back, silently watching the Flores family further crumble in pain and anguish. While Mrs. Flores was overcome with heartbreak, her tears flowing freely, Mr. Flores’s expression radiated anger at the cruel fate his daughter had been subjected to.
A wise elder, assuming the role of village head, said, "Let us give the family some privacy for now. You can talk to Anna tomorrow, now that she has finally returned and is here to stay." He gestured with his hand, indicating that everyone should heed his suggestion. When he caught sight of the tall, handsome man, he said, "Your journey seems to have been a long one. Why don’t you come with me? I will provide you with some clothing. My son’s clothes will fit you just right."
"Anna, let us go inside." Anastasia heard her father call her when she turned to look in Dante’s direction.