BXBX NOVEL Chapter 307 - By Your Side
While riding on the carriage, Zero\'s mind was preoccupied. The wedding ceremony is this coming Friday, three days from now.
He plans to visit Nini this afternoon, but he\'s boarding the carriage going to his bride-to-be\'s house in the early morning, wondering why such a rush?
Well, all his questions will have answers soon the moment he will arrive at his destination.
Half an hour later.
The carriage finally arrived at the manor.
Zero exited the carriage and was taken immediately to the living room of the house.
There he saw the haggard-looking couple, Tony and Evelyn. They looked like they haven\'t slept for several days. He lowered himself on the couch facing them. "Good morning, my lord, my lady!" he expressed his greetings.
"Good morning, son. I apologize that I sent my men to your home so early to bring you here. I\'m sorry about that," Tony apologized first.
"No problem, my lord," Zero said.
Tony released a deep sigh. "Something happened last night with Nini," he begins.
Zero\'s curiosity was awakened instantly. "What happened to her, my lord?" he asked with a note of worry in his voice.
"She screamed in the middle of the night. It turns out that she had a nightmare. She told us that she massacred her entire family, and blood was all over her hands. Not only that... she was tormented by a sinister voice creating havoc in her head ordering her to kill!" Tony explained.
Zero\'s eyes widened in shock and alarm. He looked at the lord. "So... Granny Menedelia\'s vision is slowly unfolding now?" he asked in anxiously.
"More like it," Tony muttered. "My wife and I accompanied Nini in her room last night, that\'s why we haven\'t had a good night\'s sleep. Can you accompany your bride to her room starting tonight? You have to live with us starting today, because three days from now, you will become husband and wife. Is that okay with you?" he asked.
"No problem, my lord. I will accompany Nini to her room starting today. I will never leave her side for everyone\'s peace of mind," Zero said.
"Thank you so much, son. My wife and I have to resume our sleep in our bedroom, while you accompany Nini to her room. I already instructed the servant to bring the food to my daughter\'s room so that you can eat breakfast together," Tony said.
"Thank you, my lord," Zero spoke.
The couple stood up and climbed the stairs going to their bedroom.
Zero sighed heavily and climbed the stairs in a big stride, going to Nini\'s room.
Outside Nini\'s room, two men are guarding it.
They opened the door without waiting for Zero\'s command.
Zero entered the room and saw Nini standing beside the window, staring at the horizon gravely.
Nini looked over her shoulder and smiled faintly at Zero. "So, they sent you here early morning? I\'m sorry about that..." she apologized.
Zero heaved a sigh and lowered himself on the couch. "They told me what happened last night..."
Nini left the window and settled on the couch facing her husband-to-be. "I don\'t want to be the reason for my family\'s death..." she began., wearing a terrified expression on her face.
"What do you mean?" Zero asked.
"The dream looks so real, and the voice inside my head is terrifying, ordering me to kill anyone in sight. I\'m trying hard to understand why I\'m acting like this. I have no ill feelings towards my family but I\'m also aware that I grow up in an enemy\'s territory and they can do anything they wish with me when I\'m still in their clutches. With that realization, I decided to leave this house and separate myself willingly from my family for a long period. I can\'t be a tool used by the enemy to bring destruction to my entire clan..."
Nini paused for a moment. "You only told me a little information, but I was able to connect the dot. When you previously told me about Granny Menedelia\'s vision, I was shocked and don\'t believe it even a tiny bit. But after having the nightmare last night and hearing the sinister voice inside my head ordering me to kill my family, I slowly accepted the truth that a hidden enemy is following me and will use me as an instrument to bring chaos to my clan. Before the tragedy can strike, let\'s leave this place after the wedding," she said, serious with her decision.
"Where do you want us to live?" Zero asked.
"Let\'s go back to that place that you have previously rented. I like that place, it\'s far from my family. I won\'t be able to harm them due to the long-distance," she replied. "I don\'t want to be imprisoned in a room again. I want to live in a place that I can room freely. If I continue to live here, I would be imprisoning myself in this room due to fear of hurting my family. I will become a prisoner again, and I don\'t like that!" she said.
Zero was silent for a moment, weighing Nini\'s decision in his mind.
Nini looked at him. "Y-you don\'t like my decision? You don\'t want to leave the capital with me? Do you no longer want to marry me? It\'s okay, I can live in that place on my own. You are free to break up with me anytime you want. I don\'t like imposing myself on you," she said in a resigned voice and stood up. She went back to the window and stared at the horizon above, expecting Zero to give up on her completely today. Fresh tears emerged in her eyes.
"Who says that I won\'t go with you?" he asked behind her.
Nini turned around and looked at him. "Y-you will accompany me back to Moraderry Town?" she asked, feeling hopeful.
Zero smiled. "Of course, I\'ll go with you! I won\'t turn my back on you," he said and opened his arms wide.
Tears of happiness emerged in Nini\'s eyes, she catapulted into Zero\'s warm embrace.
"Thank you so much for not abandoning me during these difficult times!" she said as she started sobbing heavily in his arms, wetting his shirt in the process.
Zero rubbed her back, comforting her. "Shh... calm down One day, this crisis will end, and you will be free again," he said in a soothing voice.
But Nini can\'t stop her tears, she continues weeping in his arms.
Zero didn\'t stop Nini\'s crying. She cried for half an hour straight, allowing herself to flush out her sorrow into the open and make her feel better afterward.
Finally, Nini\'s tears subsided. She wiped her tears with the hem of her dress.
Suddenly, the door opened, servants entered the room bringing trays laden with food. After arranging the dishes and utensils on the table, they took their leave quietly.
Zero looked at Nini. "Let\'s eat our breakfast! I\'m already starving," he said.
Nini smiled and plopped herself on the chair facing the table.
The couple ate their breakfast with a great appetite.
One hour later, the servant returned to take away the dirty dishes.
Nini looked at Zero. "You can leave the room if you want. From now on, I will voluntarily imprison myself here in this room for safety purposes," she said.
"Are you sure you\'re going to be okay alone here? I will go out and talk to your parents about your decision. I will suggest to them to buy that property in Moraderry Town, which is currently open for rent in the market as of this moment," he said.
"Please do it for me. I would like to live in that place," she spoke.
"Okay, I\'ll take my leave now and talk to your parents," he said and rose to his feet. He went to the door and exited.
Nini went to the bed and lie down, staring at the ceiling, hoping that she will no longer hear that sinister voice whispering in her ears to commit murder.
She closed her eyes and relaxed her breathing.
Meanwhile...
Downstairs in the living room.
Zero was having a serious conversation with Nini\'s parents.
"Nini wants to go back to that place where I previously rented in Moraderry Town. That manor is up for sale and can be rented by anyone who can afford its price. She wants to live there to prevent the tragedy from happening. My suggestion is to buy that property so that Nini can live in that place with peace of mind," Zero suggested.
The couple looked at each other.
"No problem! I will send a representative to buy that land tomorrow. Can you give us the address of the owner in that town?" Tony asked.
"Yes, I will give you the address, my lord. Several of my men and servants are still there in that place because my rent will end this month, and that property will be open to buyers or renters again," Zero said.
"Good! I will buy that land for you and Nini to live as your home after the wedding. That will be my wedding gift to you guys," Tony said.
"Thank you so much for the gift, my lord!" Zero spoke.
"Don\'t mention it. You are making a big contribution to my family in marrying our daughter. Because of that, we are thankful for your willingness to go through this tough ordeal with her and never leaving her side when she needed someone to be there for her. Unfortunately, as her family, we can\'t do it for her, too dangerous for our safety," Tony said.
"Rest assured that we will keep sending you guys monthly monetary sustenance for your daily existence. We will never leave you on your own, miles of distance might separate us, it can never sever the bond between us as one family," Evelyn said thoughtfully.
"Thank you so much, my lady. Nini will feel happy that you are willing to buy the property for her because she like that place so much," Zero said.
They continue discussing Nini\'s condition in the next two hours.
After their discussion ended, Zero returned to the room. He found Nini beside the window, wearing a forlorn expression on her face.
"I have good news for you!" he said and went to her side.
"What is it?" Nini asked and looked at him, eager to hear the good news.
"Your father will buy the property as a gift for our wedding. We can finally live in that place freely," he said.
Nini smiled broadly. "Yessss!" she said, feeling happy and triumphant.
"Do you want to visit the garden?" he offered.
"Can I?" Nini asked worriedly.
"Sure! You have nothing to worry about as long I\'m here by your side," he assured her.
"Alright, let\'s go!" Nini said merrily.
The couple left the room and went to the back of the house.
They spent the whole afternoon in the garden, admiring the blooming flowers, enjoying each other\'s company.