Three - If the walls could talk

The cool breeze of Paris immediately welcomed Devonne when he stepped out of the train. A victorious smile formed on his lips. He is finally back to the place where he felt most alive. London has been choking him for his entire life and Paris was a good place to escape. He held a cab and headed to his mother's ancestral home. After he told the driver where he is headed, fear unfolded to the driver's face. It's like hearing a forbidden word after a long time.

"Monsieur, are you sure you are going there?" The driver spoke in his tongue tied English.

"Yes. I just saw it on the map. I just want to see it in person." He even showed his phone to convince the driver.

The driver reluctantly nodded but didn't bother asking further questions. The ride was a bit peculiar for Devonne. He has been receiving weird glances from the driver through the rear view mirror, but he chose to ignore it. He figured that the driver may be scared considering who owns that property.

"Sir, do you know who used to live in that chateau?" He tried seeing other people's point of view about his mother's house.

"I heard rumors, monsieur. Very disturbing rumors about that palace." The driver answered in a hushed tone.

"What rumors? If you don't mind me asking." Devonne politely asked for the information has hit his curiosity.

"That palace has stood for more than a century and was believed to have witnessed the brutalities done by the family that lived there. They were famous for killing people who decided to go against them and those who disagree with them." The chilling visualization of the driver hit him. He seems to have a vivid memory of the horrible past of the great house.

They both glanced at the majestic house, Siniestro Palació or known as Sinister Palace. It fell from grace, because it was built from malice. Even though it holds very disturbing secrets, it still is a wonderful sight.

"If those walls could speak for their hideous crimes." The driver uttered in fright, in which Devonne agreed.

"But all the rumors about them stopped circulating more than 10 years ago. I don't know what happened but we are glad they disappeared. Hopefully, they died a terrible death." There's an untamed rage in the driver's tone. The young passenger has already assumed that the driver himself witnessed his ancestors when they peaked in power.

Devonne could not help but felt sorry and sad for everything his mother's family has done especially how his mother died. He smiled sympathetically to the poor driver. They stopped in front of a huge metal gate. It was all rusty but still intimidating with a dragon siegel at the top standing ominously proud to whoever is entering. He gave a generous amount to the driver but was rejected. Only the reasonable amount for the trip. Before the driver turned around and left, he warned Devonne.

"They say that all of them didn't have a choice. I hope you will have this time."

He sighed and read the wordings beside the huge gate. It was written in Spanish, Sangré, sobré todas las cosas. With his basic knowledge to the language, he interpreted it as "Blood, above all things". He mumbled under his breath. The irony of those words with what exactly happened to their family.

He checked the gate and it wasn't lock. A cringe noise sounded loudly when he pushed it open. Well calculated steps and meticulous observations. There were grasses already growing like it's been a long time since a car has drove around. To his surprise, the front porch of the Gothic chateau was still well-maintained. A water is still flowing from a gargoyle statue in the middle of a well groomed plants.

An old man busy trimming the front lawn noticed the familiar figure walking towards the main entrance. He thought his eyes were deceiving him until he properly analyzed who is the visitor of the long forgotten Sinister Palace. A face so familiar, he once saw it in the past. His conclusion was right when the young man stood idly, mesmerized by the beauty of the house. It looks exactly like the portrait of one of the Patriarch of house Drax inside.

"My goodness! It cannot be!" He exclaimed as he slowly approached the young gentleman.

Devonne instantly showed a warm smile and offered his hand. The old man gratefully accepted it. There's visible joy in the expression of the accommodating old man upon seeing him. He knew who he is.

"You look exactly like your great grandfather when he was your age." The words that wiped the smile on Devonne. His great grandfather, the most evil of them all, of all people does look like him. It made him shiver.

"I'm sorry, have we met?" He politely asked.

He was answered with a laugh. The mysterious old man walked away and proceed to the front door. Devonne hesitantly followed beside him.

"No we haven't but I'm sure the moment I laid my eyes on you, you belong to the Drax bloodline. The way you stood staring at the chateau was what your great grandfather did when he first stepped foot here."

"Really?" He for a fact never wanted to end up like his deceased ancestors more particularly like his great grandfather.

"You're the son of whom?"

"Catherine..." He answered silently.

"Samira." And he shook his head in disappointment

Extravagance is an understatement. The interior screams wealth. A lot of portraits hanged in every corner and a fabulous grand staircase facing them, with a huge chandelier hanging above. At the end of the staircase was a portrait of his great grandfather the same age as him. The old man was not lying at all, the only thing that kept them apart was his curly hair.

"I really hope that it's just the looks that you took from him." The old man stated cryptically and pointed a particular portrait.

His mother's perfect visage. Next to it was Hector's portrait that made him clenched his fist. The old man noticed his furious stare towards the portrait.

"Now, child. Revenge is often not a very comfortable path to take." A firm warning for his dire situation.

The caretaker cleared his throat when he noticed Devonne did not follow him. It brought the young Samira back to his senses. He muttered an apology to the old man.

They went inside the drawing room. It was twice more sophisticated and glamorous compared to their living room in London. There were more portraits of the family inside. The old man went to the bar counter and popped a bottle of wine.

"You'll have a glass of water. I know you're still a minor," And handed the glass to the young man. Devonne rolled his eyes.

"Tell me, what brought you here?" The man inquired as he drank his wine. Devonne played with his glass and glanced to the man.

"I just found out that I own this place." He coldly said.

"So the legal counsel started telling you who you should be." The old man deadpanned.

Devonne looked at the odd gentleman. He was right, all his life he tried proving to his father who he wants to be and now he is uncertain. After all the revelation. A revelation that changed all of his perspectives in life. Who he wants to be this time?

"I witnessed every downfall of this family, from your grandfather to your, mother."

"Was my mother really, evil?" He hesitantly asked.

The caretaker snickered to his innocence. From the looks of Devonne, the old man knew that he has no idea how powerful and evil his ancestors were. A pure soul.

"She was. Very controlling wicked bitch." The man told him in amusement that made Devonne laughed. He even remembered that they haven't introduced themselves yet.

"I'm sorry for being so rude, sir. I haven't introduce myself properly. I'm Devonne Samira." He, again, offered his available hand.

The man was completely impressed. Contrary to the attitude of his ancestors, the young man has an impressive upbringing. Only to be tainted by his other side of the family. A sad reality which he does not intend to share.

"I'm Felipe De Leon Acosta. The butler, now caretaker of this God forsaken house," he accepted the hand. They both drank their liquids and continue talking. "Where were we?"

"About how wicked my mother was." Devonne playfully reminded.

"Yes. Your mother was a spoiled grandchild and it made her very controlling. He tried to order one of the guards to kill me, can you believe that? I just reprimanded her insubordination and I was sentenced to death. Gladly, your great grandfather did not take that seriously. But she was not that evil all her life. When you were born, she had a changed of heart, which, your uncle, Hector, did not like. I'm sure you heard their murderous affairs."

"My father told me that there's a huge possibility that the clan where my mother's family belongs might consider me as the new head of the organization since I'm the only living heir." He quietly said.

Felipe put his glass on the counter. How he sympathizes to the young man sitting across him. A pure soul only to be tainted by the madness of their family's greed. It happened to Catherine.

"Do you want to make your mother's sacrifice be in vain?" Feliped asked.

"I just want a normal life." Devonne answered in frustration and lay down on the couch.

The doorbell cut them out of their own thoughts when it echoed in the corridors of the empty house. Felipe composed himself and motioned Devonne to keep quiet. The stubborn young man followed Felipe to the main door. They both checked the peeping hole. There are more or less five people standing outside. Felipe asked their intentions through the intercom.

"Hiatus, sir." A solid but calm statement from their visitors.

Devonne nervously glanced to Acosta. The old man pushed him to a secret passage. It is not the right time for the young master's return.

"They are checking from time to time. They should not find you here. Leave through the secret tunnel, it will lead you to the river. Follow that and you will reach the street of Paris. Now, boy." Felipe strictly instructed.

Devonne hesitantly entered a medium size tunnel. The moment he closed the door, he heard the people quickly scattered in the chateau. Few men checked upstairs for anyone residing the house. Felipe stood silently waiting for the general inspection to finish. He never took glimpse of the entrance to the secret tunnel.

"Our motion sensors have detected earlier an unfamiliar vehicle entered our property." One of the visitors said.

"You mean Don Philip Consolacion Drax's property?" The old man boldly corrected the man.

The said gentleman was taken aback by Acosta's passive aggressive statement. He chose to ignore the subtle insult and took a step forward. The old man and the house are the same. Felipe was with it on its glorified days and he was there as it fell.

"Answer my question, has someone visited here earlier? Our little birds informed us that the legal counsel of the family has already reached out to the currently only living heir of the family."

"I believed no one is here but me. The car you detected might have gotten lost. A tourist perhaps." The old man deadpanned.

"I hope you are not deceiving us, old prick. You've been with this family for quite a long time, I'm sure you managed to learn their schemes." With the venomous tone, the gentleman warned.

"Now, as I've said, no one came here. If you don't mind, I would like to ask you to leave. My little birds also whispered to me that Don Hector is still lurking in the shadows and won't be impressed to see various people swarming his beloved home." Felipe calmly told the rude gentlemen.

Shock turns into fear. The confident visitors slowly faded by the mere mention of a notorious person. On other side of the wall, Devonne held his breath when he heard the old man. He clenched his jaw and followed the track of the tunnel.

It took him almost an hour to reach the end that leads to a river then to Paris. At the end of the river, a house stood simply surrounded by a variety of flowers. He slowly walked to the house.

He stopped his pace when he saw a familiar face sitting idly at the front porch. The woman he met at the auction. The young lady quickly recognized him.

"Devonne?" She clarified.

"The one and only." He answered. They both closed the distance and hugged each other.

"You left without saying a word." The woman said quietly.

"I'm sorry, it was urgent. By the way, you live here? I thought you have an apartment?" He curiously inquired.

"It's my parent's house. Would you like to come in?"

"Why not?" He playfully replied. The lady held his arm and dragged him inside.

The house is small but well-maintained. There are antiques inside that quirks Devonne's interest, but what really took his attention was a picture of a lady together with his mother. Hazel stood beside him.

"That's my mum with lady Catherine," She suddenly muttered. She turned towards the kitchen. "Mother, I have a visitor. The one I've been telling you about."