109: 109 My Father's Secret

109 My Father's Secret

Delia’s POV 2

The cloaked figure led me to the lakeside as per his guidance. Though I followed his instructions, my vigilance remained intact.

Upon arriving at the lakeside, I surveyed the surroundings. A lake enclosed by dense woods. Many trees adorned the area around the lake. I addressed the cloaked figure, "I've done as you said. I'm by the lakeside now. Where are you?"

"Very well, Delia. You've done well," the cloaked figure responded.

After his words, I heard a soft rustling sound behind me. Turning around, I observed leaves descending from the trees. Amidst the falling leaves, the cloaked figure descended slowly from the trees and stood not far from me.

I watched the cloaked figure, still concealing much of his face. Memories of the time he had disguised himself as a woman and stolen my pearl necklace resurfaced.

If possible, I would have demanded my pearl necklace back from him right now and given him a good thrashing!

I discreetly placed my hands behind my back, touching the concealed dagger within my skirt. I contemplated the opportune moment to wield the dagger.

"Delia, you don't seem pleased to see me," perhaps my serious expression was too apparent. The cloaked figure gazed at me for a moment, then slowly approached, "However, you are still coming."

"If it weren't for the pearl necklace, I wouldn't have come!" I blurted out without hesitation, extending my hand toward him, "Where's my mother's pearl necklace?"

"No no no, Delia, you can't be so impatient," upon hearing my immediate demand for the necklace, the cloaked figure raised his hand and beckoned with a playful gesture, "Perhaps we should start from the step of getting to know each other."

I held no fondness for the cloaked figure's frivolous demeanor. I shook my head and stated, "I don't want to know you."

"Well, that's a pity. Your good friend Vivian knows me well." My refusal didn't seem to irk him. He suddenly mentioned someone familiar to me, "She and I have met quite a few times."

"Vivian?" Hearing Vivian's name, I became distracted, "She knows you?"

"Indeed, she knows I'm Albert." The cloaked figure followed the thread of my thoughts, "And now you know too."

"Albert."

I repeated the name "Albert" to myself, searching through my memories. What I could confirm was that he wasn't anyone I had known before. How did he know about my mother's situation?

"Now that we've become acquainted, we can get down to business."

Just as I was pondering, Albert continued, "Regarding the pearl necklace you wish to retrieve, as I mentioned when I took the necklace, it was something I lent to your mother. I had every right to take it back, and I have no obligation to return it to you, unless..."

"Unless what?" Albert's words swiftly redirected my thoughts. I looked at him and asked earnestly, "What else do you want me to do? I've already followed your instructions to come to the lakeside!"

"Delia, you're adorably naive," Albert chuckled lightly, walking towards my position. He eventually stopped just two steps away from me, extending his hand to pat my head, "You want to know your mother's story, but just coming to the lakeside isn't enough, is it?"

Albert's hand was extremely cold. His touch on my skin sent a bone-chilling sensation through me, which I strongly disliked. I raised my hand and swatted away his hand.

"Don't beat around the bush. Spit it out," I didn't want to waste time with Albert. I urged, "If you're going to keep dancing around the topic, I won't waste any more time here. I'm leaving."

"Delia, you really have little patience," Albert teased, and then turned serious, "Delia, I must admit, I envy you. Your mother was willing to sacrifice her life to protect you. Compared to those who were abandoned by their families from birth, you are fortunate."

While Albert masked his emotions well, I could hear a trace of desolation in his voice.

Abandoned from birth? Could he be talking about himself?

Before I could voice this question, Albert continued, "Delia, let me ask you, have you ever been inside your father's study?"

My father's study? Why was Albert asking about this?

In my memory, my father's study was a "restricted area." Nobody was allowed to trespass, including me.

"I accidentally wandered in once when I was playing at home as a child," I recalled the past events and truthfully said, "But I had just entered the study and hadn't seen anything when my father caught me. He dragged me out and scolded me severely. After that, I never entered his study again."

"Is that so?" I saw Albert smirk slightly, and he spoke in a seductive tone, "Just as I expected. Since you didn't see anything, you probably don't know that deep within your father's study, there's a box containing his most closely guarded secret."

Albert's words intrigued me greatly. Nobody could enter my father's study. Albert clearly wasn't from our pack, so he couldn't possibly have entered my father's study. How did he know about the box in my father's study, and the secret it held?

"How do you know about this?"

"Delia, you don't need to ponder what I know. All you need to know is that I'm about to reveal this secret to you."

"You..."

I was about to say something when, out of nowhere, Albert raised his hand and flicked his sleeve. A white mist emitted from his sleeve, directed towards my face. Caught off guard, I inhaled some of the mist.

Immediately, I felt my head spin, my body weaken. Just before I lost consciousness, I felt someone supporting my body.

When I woke up, I blinked my eyes several times before realizing I wasn't by the lakeside anymore.

I was now lying on a large, plush couch. I looked around the room, and the decor seemed very familiar. It was exactly like the style in my old home.

Had I returned to my old home? Was this real or an illusion?

"Delia, you're awake." As I slowly regained awareness, Albert's voice sounded from not too far away, "You slept longer than I anticipated."

Hearing Albert's voice suddenly brought back the events at the lakeside. I immediately sat up, but the abrupt movement made me dizzy.

It took a few seconds for me to recover my senses.

I looked at Albert and noticed he was sitting at a table not far from me. He was wearing a very lavish black outfit, a stark contrast from his previous cloaked style.

He held a wine glass in his hand, and the liquid inside was a shining red, resembling human blood.

"Albert, where are we?" Once I collected my thoughts, I immediately asked, "Why did you bring me here?"

"Delia, this is your father's study." Albert gently swirled the wine glass, his voice carrying a hint of explanation, "I brought you here to let you see your father's secret with your own eyes."

While I was curious about my father's secret, Albert's demeanor made me feel increasingly uneasy. Suddenly, I didn't want to know my father's secret anymore.

"No, I don't want to know!" I stood up and exclaimed with excitement, "I want to leave!"

It wasn't until I stood up that I realized my clothes had changed as well. When I left the tent, I was wearing a lightweight dress, but now, I had on a very elaborate black gown, matching Albert's style.

Who changed my clothes?

pqdm.com