Calista took a deep breath, her fingers nervously playing with the hem of her dress. She let out a long sigh, her shoulders sagging as if a heavy weight had been placed upon them. Gathering her courage, she began to speak, her voice barely above a whisper. She told him about her death, about the blinding light and the sensation of falling that had preceded her arrival in this world. She spoke of her confusion and fear, of waking up in a world that was both familiar and foreign at the same time.
She told him about how she had become a character her brother had made, a character in a story that she herself had once read. She spoke of the strange sense of déjà vu, of knowing what was going to happen before it did, of knowing people she had never met. She spoke of the loneliness and isolation, of being a stranger in a world that she was supposed to call home.
Ace listened in silence, his expression unreadable. "How can I believe you?" he scoffed, turning away from her. But Calista wasn't done. She had one more truth to reveal, a truth that she knew would shake him to his core.
"I know you're the son of the previous duchess and the current one is not even your real mother," she said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. Ace froze, his back stiffening. He slowly turned around to face her, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. "How do you know that?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"I told you, I came to this novel," Calista replied, her voice filled with a strange mix of resignation and determination. The revelation hit Ace like a punch to the gut. He staggered back, his legs giving way beneath him. He collapsed onto the ground, his hand clutching his forehead as if trying to ward off a painful headache.
The garden fell into a tense silence, the only sound being the swaying of the leaves and the ragged breaths Ace was taking. Calista watched him, her heart pounding in her chest. She had told him the truth, revealed her biggest secret. Now, all she could do was wait and see how he would react.
Ace's fingers kneaded his temples, as if trying to physically dispel the headache that was beginning to form. His voice, usually so steady and composed, was laced with a mix of disbelief and resignation. “So we are all just characters? Everyone and my life?” he asked, the words hanging heavily in the air.
'Should I believe her?'
Calista turned to look at him, her eyes filled with a deep understanding that belied her youthful appearance. “I mean, you used to be,” she said, her voice gentle yet firm. Her words were a balm to Ace's confusion, offering a semblance of clarity amidst the chaos. “If you were only characters, then I wouldn’t be here. But really, I don’t think it’s a novel now."
She paused, her gaze drifting to the world outside the window. "It’s more like… even I’m living in it.” Her words echoed in the garden a testament to the strange reality.
Ace's words with heavy heart broke the silence."I shall be going back, my lady. Have a good rest and return to your room," he said, his voice devoid of its usual warmth. He turned to leave, his footsteps brushing pass through the grass.
Just as he was about to disappear through the garden, Calista remembered something. "You were thinking of killing Calista because Lady Brownwood talks to you about it whenever Calista goes out and she sees you," she blurted out, her voice filled with a strange mix of fear and determination.
Ace paused, his back still turned to her. He didn't respond, but his silence was answer enough. Calista frowned, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn't want to say what she was about to say, but she knew she had no other choice if she wanted him to believe her.
"You were disowned from your family after your new mother, the second duchess, came in and your mother was killed by her," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her words hung in the air, a painful reminder of a past that Ace had tried so hard to forget.
Her words seemed to hit him like a physical blow. He halted in his tracks, his body stiffening. Slowly, he turned around to face her, his eyes wide with shock. He walked back to her, his steps heavy and slow. "How do you know that at all?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
Calista met his gaze, her eyes filled with a determination that belied her fear. "I told you. I'm from another world and my brother wrote this world that you and now myself live in," she said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands.
Her confession hung in the air, a testament to the strange reality they found themselves in. As Ace stared at her, his expression unreadable, Calista could only wait and see how he would react. Little did she know, her confession was about change things between them.
Ace left the garden after a while, his face a mask of unreadable emotions. He gave Calista a nod, a silent acknowledgment of her confession, before disappearing into the castle. His departure left a void in the garden, filled only by the echo of his footsteps and the heavy silence that followed.
'I can only wait now for what he thinks of this'
Calista let out a sigh, a mix of relief and apprehension. She was alone now, left with the aftermath of her revelation. The room suddenly felt too confining, the walls closing in on her. She needed to breathe, to clear her mind. And so, she decided to seek solace in her garden.
Her garden was her sanctuary, a place where she could lose herself among the vibrant colors and intoxicating scents of various plants. It was a symphony of life, each plant playing its part in the grand orchestra of nature. There were roses, their red petals a stark contrast against the green foliage. Daisies dotted the landscape, their white petals gleaming under the sun. Tulips stood tall and proud, their vibrant colors a feast for the eyes. And then there were the lilies, their delicate petals a testament to nature's artistry.
As she wandered through her garden, she marveled at the beauty around her. Each plant, each flower, was a reminder of the world's inherent beauty, a beauty that often went unnoticed in the chaos of life. It was a beauty that brought her peace, a peace that she desperately needed now.
In the midst of this natural wonder, she stumbled upon something unusual. Tucked away in a secluded corner of the garden was a door.
'Should I go there?'
