A Game Of Chess With A Vampire
Chapter 341: But Did He Have A Choice?

Chapter 341: But Did He Have A Choice?

Draven wasn’t too sad when he watched Avelina leave, so why now? Was it that he hadn’t realized just how lonely he’d be after she left?

The sound of her laughter was no more. Her voice, still clear in his mind, was no longer reality. Her scent was finally faint, the only one he could still smell was simply the one lingering on him.

Everywhere felt so silent—so quiet like never before. It was never this empty, even when his wife and son died, so why? What is it about Avelina that is so different from how it’s been with every other person?

He didn’t even spend half of the time he’d spent with his late wife with Avelina, yet he felt her absence the most—so much so that it was almost too hurtful for him.

He didn’t want to let go, he really didn’t. But did he have a choice?

Draven looked at his hand and wiggled it, still able to feel her hair against the skin of his palm. He glanced at the table, and his gaze halted on the stack of books arranged in a proper manner. One of the books was opened and was yet to be completed.

"She didn’t take the books with her." Draven stood up from the bed and walked to the table. He grabbed the book, flipped through the pages, and frowned at the realization that she had just started reading the book.

Why didn’t she take them? He shut the book and dropped it on the others.

He strolled to the bed, plopped into it, and covered himself with the duvet, suddenly wanting to sleep. He knew if he stayed awake, he would feel nothing but more sadness build up within him. He needed to get used to her absence.

She had changed him too much, he could not even recognize himself anymore. The feeling of sadness was something he’d only felt the day his mother died and the day his wife and son died.

To think he would experience such deep emotions again just from the woman he loved being with, leaving.

"If I could hold you for a minute, just a minute again." He sighed and shut his eyes to get some sleep. "Perhaps I would fight to reset time."

——

The taxi came to a stop.

Avelina stepped down and shut the door. She paid the driver and turned around to gaze at the house—the house that she hadn’t set eyes on for a whole year. Her family...house.

This was where she lived with her family in Rennes, with her sisters, mother, and father.

Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of her father, but not in happiness. It was rather out of sudden fear.

Avelina tightened her grip on the luggage and approached the orange-colored wooden door. She glanced at the doorbell by the side and extended her finger to press it. But her finger was quivering nonstop, unable to touch the button as though something was holding her back.

It’s your family, Avelina! Nothing will happen! She assured herself and rang the bell with bravery flickering in her eyes.

A few seconds passed, and the door creaked open. Once it fully opened wide, Avelina raised her head, and her eyes met those gray ones, which belonged to none other than her older sister, Lucy Hamilton.

She was quite taller than her in terms of height, thus towering above her a bit.

"L-Lucy..."

"Olga?" Lucy’s eyes widened, and she backed away immediately, with vigilance apparent in her gaze. She was peering at Avelina as though she were a ghost.

"M-mama!! Father!!" she shouted, calling for them.

Avelina’s face crumpled at the sound of that horrible name before she was suddenly overwhelmed by yet another sense of fear. She quickly waved her hands at Lucy. "W-wait! I can explain—"

"What is the problem, Lucy?" Her mother’s voice sounded.

Lucy responded, her eyes still fixated on Avelina, "S-she’s back!"

"Who is back?" Annette questioned.

"O-Olga! She is back, mama! She is standing right here!" Lucy replied.

"What?" The sound of Annette’s hurried footsteps began to reverberate in her ears, and Avelina, who was no longer ready to meet them, turned around, wanting to hurry off and leave.

But Lucy grabbed her by the arm, stopping her. "Where do you think you are going? You are not a ghost!" She yanked her back.

"Olga...?" Annette’s soft voice rang in her ears.

Avelina slowly turned around and looked at her. "Ma-mama..."

"It’s you..." Annette’s chest began to rise and fall in frantic breathing. "It’s really you!"

Her hazel eyes sparkled with deep exhilaration, and without a care in the world, she dropped the books in her hands and rushed closer to Avelina. She pulled her into her arms, embracing her ever so dearly. Avelina had to begin reaching for the little breath of air she could catch onto.

Lucy stared at them, and her face gradually crumpled in a very nasty manner. She turned around and stormed back into the house.

"Mama, please let go a bit, I can’t breathe." Avelina’s face was already a light shade of red.

Annette chuckled softly and let go of her. She took a step back and grabbed her hands. She stared at her and smiled.

"Where have you been all this time? Where did you go, and why did you leave us? Why didn’t you come back to me or at least call and..."

She instantly went silent.

Behind her, she could feel it—she could feel that intimidating, frightening figure weighing down on her. Even if she was his wife, he’d often let her know she was nothing more than the mother of her children. There was no other relationship between the two of them.

Of course, Avelina was also going through the same thing. She was aware of the awful knot tightening in her stomach as well as the nasty twisting feeling it was giving her. She felt so nauseous, she could vomit, and her instincts were screaming at her to run.