Entwined With the Villainous Guardian
Chapter 198: So Similar

Chapter 198: So Similar

Viviana froze. He keeps on bring up the past that she wants to be forgotten. And if he asks this candidly, what should she say?

Leander saw her getting pale. He pulled her to his embrace. His intention was not to scare her. He wanted to know more about her and that mystery friend of hers.

"You remind me of the girl I see in my dreams too," he said.

He figured that she might open up if he opens up.

Viviana kissed his hand that was around her. "The girl you mentioned before?" she asked.

"Yes," Leander kissed her earlobe. "Was it you, Minnie? Were you around five or six when we met?" he asked.

"Seven," she said. "I was a very sickly kid and had stunted growth. Did I look like a five-year-old?" she smiled with a scoff.

She didn’t know why she was being open with him. Her back was to him and maybe that gave her the courage. Other than her name, she thought that can speak of some things. He doesn’t remember much anyway.

"Leona was with us too..." she added.

"Hmm... the two of you?" he asked. It was surprising that he doesn’t remember the other girl. Only the little girl with the dark hair and dark eyes is dancing in his dreams.

"We played..." she laughed. "You were snobbish, with all jewelry and... You demanded to play "Archangel Michael"... I was against it. I didn’t like you, but Leona... she accepted you..."

"That story you told Nellie?" Leander asked.

"Yeah..." Viviana sighed and gulped the wine.

Leander slowly sipped the wine. Suddenly, he thought he found the missing piece of the investigation he conducted about the Abenney fire.

The assault she mentioned... If it was Evander and... who was the other person? If that abuse happened, tehn that gave all the more reasons for his grandfather to obliterate the orphanage.

It made sense. Finally, it made sense.

And if that was the case, then...

"Are you Melanie?" he asked.

He knew that girl was supposed to be dead. There were records of her dying declaration. If she was the witness to something horrible that could bring down their family, she would have been dead by some means.

But...

She is very suspicious. The anger she holds on his family, especially his grandfather... She didn’t even flinch when he changed her name. She pretty much coped well with that name change and her "death". She took on this other persona fairly well.

He had a feeling that this might not be her first rodeo with a name change.

Viviana’s heart skipped a beat. "Melanie is dead!" she said and turned to face him. "Her name in on the plaque. Why? Why do you ask me if I am Melanie? What do you know?" she asked.

Her hands were shaking and she was very affected by that question.

"Melanie was a close friend of mine...She is dead. She was kill-" she cleared her throat and bowed her head. "Don’t bring up her name, please..." Viviana added as she realized that she was reacting wrongly.

"Okay, I won’t," Leander pulled her to his chest.

He leaned towards believing her. Maybe there were two witnesses to what Evander did. And one was hidden fearing that she would face the same end Melanie faced. That’s why this one knows Melanie’s story.

He could feel her heart racing. He rubbed her back for her to calm down. The records stated that Melanie died in the hospital. But anything might have happened.

"How do you know Brie?" he asked thinking that would calm her down.

She did calm down.

"She saved me from cats," Viviana said and sat facing him. She smiled a little as she remembered the story.

"Cats?" Leander raised his brows.

"Yeah. I was bullied a lot when I was younger and these kids locked me with feral cats once... It was Gabby who helped me. I was hospitalized later. You see..." she brushed her hair on her neck and showed him. "Can you see the claw mark... There is one around here..."

Leander squinted his eyes. And he did find an old scar just on her hairline. He didn’t notice that before probably because of the baby hairs.

"There are some scattered on my back too... but most of them would have disappeared I guess?" she added.

Leander took it in his heart to give a thorough check on her back. But first...

He kissed the scar on her neck.

Viviana scrunched as she didn’t expect the kiss. She felt ticklish and she giggled.

He kissed her again.

"Is that why you are scared of cats?" he asked.

He thought she was being silly and mocked her in his heart. But it was because of a trauma. It was as if someone laughed at him for his fear of fire.

"Yeah," Viviana turned to face him. He sounded sad.

"Give me the names of those who bullied you," he said squinting his eyes. His hands were fisted to balls and she could see that his nerves were protruding.

She laughed. Is he going to avenge her? After all these years? How cute?

"Don’t laugh! How could they bully a cute kid like you?" he gritted his teeth. "You’re stupid to let them bully you. I should teach them a lesson for bullying you. How dare they... Stop laughing!"

He held her shoulders.

Viviana couldn’t stop laughing. "See, you do remind me of Leona..."

Leander blinked his eyes.

"Leona said the same, and she threw rocks at those who bullied me. They never bullied me after I became friends with Leona," she said.

"Oh?" Leander said. But he looked unimpressed as if he was not convinced.

"It is true," Viviana held his cheeks. "Leona was very belligerent and didn’t care about the repercussions when it came to me. She used to be a very careful student. But she would turn into a beast when someone hurts me... She never hurt me and gave me my best memories..."

Viviana smiled as she remembered the past fondly. No matter how many times she shares this same story, she will never get bored.

"You must have loved her so much," Leander said. His voice was flat as if he was suppressing his emotions.

"I did. I still do. My love for Leona would never wane..." Viviana said.