170: Mask that molds

Mask that molds

Music Recommendation: A scrap of ribbon- Thomas Newman2

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Before Eve entered the study room, where Vincent was, the butler had already informed him of what he saw in the garden and had left the room to continue with his work in the mansion. 

Eve knocked on the door and heard Vincent's voice, "Come in."

She pushed the door and was about to enter when she was greeted by the wide smile on Vincent's lips. She wondered what had happened and closed the door behind her. The study room was bright, with curtains pulled to the sides and rays of light passing through the windows. 

"You wanted to see me?" Unable to keep her curiosity, she asked, "Why are you smiling?" The smile held nothing but mischief in it. 

"I thought only I had the ability to make my sister cry. I didn't know you specialised in it too. But then, considering the imaginative positions, I would call it crocodile tears," chimed Vincent, raising his hand and pointing at one of the chairs in front of the table, where he sat behind the desk. "Sit."

"Crocodile tears? I mean, I know what crocodile tears are," said Eve, pulling the chair back before taking a seat. "Why would she need to do that?" 

"Fake tears are often used to gain sympathy. She seems to have taken quite an interest in you," pointed Vincent, while letting his back lean against the plush chair he sat on. Eve noticed how he liked to look people in their eyes without letting his eyes wander, keeping her attention. 

"How strange that you both have the same thoughts," Eve muttered. On receiving a look from her employer, she said, "I don't think you should drop me home next time."

"I didn't know you were looking forward to seeing me drop you home. Such a cute thing, already getting attached to me," Vincent lightly teased her, and he saw Eve's eyes flare, which amused him. 

"People have started to gossip if something is going on between us. They want to know more about you, and your sister thought that we… we," she paused for a moment before continuing, "Did something that we were not supposed to do."

"Kill someone?" Vincent tilted his head. 

"No," replied Eve. 

"Killed someone's pet?" Vincent continued with his guess. 

"N-not that—"

Vincent interrupted her and asked, "Killed someone's—"

"Why does it have to be killing people?" Eve looked at Vincent with a frown. 

"It is a fun thing to do. Don't judge people's hobbies just because they don't coincide with yours," Vincent gave her a pointed look before he grinned. "My sister doesn't cry in front of anybody, sometimes not even fake one's. Which is why if I were you, I would watch my back."

Eve pursed her lips. Vincent had warned her before about Marceline. But when the vampiress was in front of her, it was hard to believe that there was something she had to be worried about. She said, 

"She was upset that Noah is now accompanying Lady Anaya."

"Ah, my favourite subject of conversation with you!" Vincent exclaimed in an enthusiastic tone. 

Eve said to him, "I feel like Lady Marceline misunderstood something."

Vincent asked her, "Like?" 

"She made it seem like the Duke was courting her and Lady Anaya at a time. That he writes to her but didn't write today," on hearing Eve's words, Vincent started to chuckle. "Was she lying?" 

Vincent leaned forward, placing his hands on the surface of the desk, and he said, "The next time you should ask her to show the letters the Duke has written to her. My dear sister is a social butterfly, but people find it hard to stay by her side, just like me. We Moriarty siblings like to chase people away."

Eve couldn't believe that a woman of Lady Marceline's status would lie about something like that. 

"Marceline likes to send flowers to herself in the name of the amiable men she meets in the soiree. Sometimes even gifts or letters," stated Vincent, while resting his chin on the back of his hand. "Of course, it isn't like she is short on receiving flowers from her admirers, but they aren't the admirers she wants. You seem to be surprised." 

"I am…" replied Eve. She shook her head and said, "Lady Marceline is pretty. She comes from a good family, from the high society of elites." 

"Reputation," said Vincent.

"Reputation?" Eve asked, slightly confused. The Moriartys were not just vampires but from the bloodline of pureblooded vampires. 

Vincent stood up from his seat, walking away from the desk where Eve was seated. He came to stand near the window, staring outside the window, he stated, 

"After we returned back to our usual lives from the abduction, Marceline took it the hardest because of what she did to her friend. She was an errant spoiled child, but she got the boy killed. The other children there told their parents and word started to spread on what happened. I never cared much for it, but Marceline's snarky snobbish behaviour disappeared."

"… isn't that a good thing?" 

Vincent turned to look at Eve with a serious expression, 

"It would be if a person truly has reformed themselves. But it is a whole different thing, when the person only hides it with kindness, demure and polite behaviour in people's presence. When a person wears a mask for years, it is hard to remove it as the mask molds into the person's face."

Before that tragic incident, Marceline still had innocence in her. But the innocence was long gone, and over the years, his sister had perfected the art of deception. 

On the other hand, after gaining more insight on what happened and what might have happened, she couldn't help but feel sorry for Marceline. The vampiress had done those things to have people not outcast her, to fit back into the society. 

But with the way Vincent warned her, Eve couldn't help but feel uneasy now. 

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