"What did she ever do to you, Dwayne? Why do you hate her this much?"
"I don't hate her, Ciara." Dwayne stated, his voice softer. "I just can't have her in my life -I don't want her anywhere around me, and you inclusive."
"There is more to it than you aren't saying, Dwayne." She pointed out. "You can't just keep repeating the same thing without having your reason for it, it just doesn't make any sense."
"Stop questioning me -it's really looks like you are forcing words into my mouth." Dwayne told her. "Yes, I have my reasons for doing all of these; this is my little way of keeping you and Herzl safe from harm. I can't let the same old mistake of mine repeat itself!"
"But that doesn't mean you shouldn't attend the funeral service earlier today, that was your last chance, Dwayne." She enunciated. "The last chance you've got to pay him your last respect."
Dwayne scoffs with irritation, twitching his nose in disgust. "Respect, you say?" He blurted out. "Kent should have thought about all of this before murdering our parents and still trying to do the same with you -no murder deserves to be respected!"
A wave of guilt washed over Ciara, the memory of the tragic day piercing through her mind. Her eyes started to fill with tears as the horrifying memory ran through her brain again. "It's... all my fault..."She mumbled, tears starting to roll down her face.
"What?" Dwayne asked, his voice full of concern. "Don't ever think of that, Ciara." He said, placing his arm around her shoulder to provide some comfort. "None of it was your fault -don't ever think that way!"
"But hehe only did all of those because I rejected him.I ...caused all of this." Ciara
continued, her voice wavering as her tears rolled down her cheeks. "I could have saved them all, I could have prevented everything that happened if I didn't reject him." "No..."Dwayne interjected firmly. "Don't ever blame yourself, Ciara. He was the one who caused all of this, not you." He said. "You have every right to reject anyone you don't love or want to be with."
"But..."She tried saying something but trailed off.
"All of this only happened because we trusted him as our uncle." Dwayne muttered, clenching of fist as the thought of it. "If only our parents did not trust him blindly -they would have seen the type of disgusting human he is."
Ciara's knees gave way, getting weak all of a sudden. She was about to collapse, but Dwayne was quick to catch her and placed her on the couch next to them, sitting by her side.
"I tried my possible best to amend my ways with him -I thought I gained his trust." She helplessly uttered, her voice crackling. "I thought I should try to trust him too, since that was what mom and dad did -I never imagined he was the cause of their disaster."
"My point exactly, Ciara." Dwayne was quick to respond. "The same mistake we all made with Kent and his cohorts, you are doing the same with his wife."
Ciara's eyes widened in understanding, realization dawning on her. "You mean...she isn't what she seems to be?" She asked, voicing her thoughts.
"Precisely, Ciara." Dwayne replied with a nod. "She is not to be trusted as well, not until we are fully sure of what her motives are. For all we know, she could just be pretending to be so nice and warm to you -it could all be a plot; that was uncle Kent's key weapon, too."
"If...if she is just pretending, then..."She shook her head in denial. "I don't believe she's like uncle Kent and the rest -aunt Elsie is different, I can see the sincerity in her eyes, I've never seen anyone being sincere as she is."
"If she's really not the kinds of Kent and his cohorts, why did she have to stay away from us for all these years?" He reasoned out. "Why did she have to show herself to us again after her husband's death?"
Ciara stayed silent, trying to come up with a rational explanation. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it again, not wanting to voice something shallow.
"I ...I have to admit that it's a bit suspicious of her." She began after several seconds had passed. "But, you have to understand that...she may have her reasons for doing so."
"No reason is enough to justify not being there for us when our parents were killed -that was the point we needed help the most." Dwayne countered. "I believe she's here to finish what her husband started -all her tears and the sincerity you claim to see in her eyes are false!"
"What...？" She blurted out with her eyes widened.
"Remember uncles' goal from the beginning?" He asked but received no response from her. "It was to take over every fortune in Feller's name -but unfortunately for them, they failed!"
I know, right?" "It's her husband's goal and wish -and you still think she's back for nothing? Who does that?" He countered, his anger slowly surfacing. "You are making a huge mistake by bringing her into our lives; she is going to ruin everything we've toiled hard for, Ciara!"
Ciara looked around in deep thought, processing her brother's words. Her mind kept replaying the few days she spent with Elsie, trying to find anything suspicious about her.
"But...I can't just kick her out of my life now." She spoke up slowly, her words tinged regretfully. "I just...I can't just do that, Dwayne. I know she didn't cause the death of our parents. Besides...I feel happy having her around me."
"She is manipulating you into feeling that way." Dwayne retorted with a shake of his head.
"I don't want you to regret this decision of yours someday, that's why I'm doing this to avoid that kind of dreadful feeling."
"I think my head is filled up at this moment, Dwayne." She said, rubbing her temples. "It's late already, you should get going already."
Dwayne sighed without saying anything in reply, he proceeded in leaving. He understood his sister's feeling -she's trying to wade the heavy guilt in her heart by pleasing his wife at all cost.
Dwayne understood more than anyone on how it's much too hard on her -no one will be able to stand such pressure and still come out sane. She's at the point of making a huge decision, he can't force her to do things she felt is wrong.
Dwayne knew that he couldn't keep persuading her with his words where If she believes aunt Elsie is a good person, it's only up to Dwayne to prove how two - faced she can be and expose her plot before it gets too late...