Bastian
Chapter 137 - Companion in The Ruin

✧Companion in The Ruin✧

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“Thank you so much, Dora,” Odette said.

   Margrethe bound into the room and immediately threw herself at Odette, her tail whipping side to side frantically and her tongue lapping at Odette’s face.

   “You have one hour,” Dora said, who was looking nervous at disobeying the master of the house and letting Odette see her dog. She thought her master did this because of a moment of anger, however, it had been ongoing for a span of 15 days.

   Bastian confiscated Margrethe and gave her to Dora to look after, with stern orders that Odette was forbidden to see the dog. Dora only obeyed and took the villain role because she had been commanded, but it was difficult as the dog constantly whined like a child who had lost their mother.

“Do you like Meg that much?”   Seeing the two reunited made Dora sigh, the two were really so very fond of each other and she couldn’t help but laugh as they played. It was enough to erase the guilt Dora felt for disobeying her master. “I’d let you spend an hour with Meg every day. However, I hope that you will keep it a secret from master.”

“Of course. I will make sure you stay out of trouble, Dora.”

   The two made their promises to each other as Odette arranged the ribbons in Margrethe’s hair. Odette gave Margrethe a kiss on the top of her nose and hugged her tight. Odette looked so different compared to the last couple weeks, she seemed genuinely happy.

   Why is the master so ruthless that he would refuse to let his wife even see a dog that makes her happy?

   Dora let out a reserved sigh. If Odette was to treat her husband as she did Margrethe, she could enjoy all the gold and finery she could ever ask for. Dora felt frustrated by Odette, who was foolish enough to not see how easy her life could be.

   “Would you like to go for a week? Of course you do, you must come with me,” Dora said, looking out over the sun filled garden.

Odette’s face lit up with a joyful grin, her eyes resembling those of a surprised rabbit.

In the end, Dora chose to disobey her master’s orders twice. This was her punishment for the time she had spent caring for Odette so closely.

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The claw marks disappeared under the shirt as the buttons were done up one by one. Bastian was careful not to agitate where Sandrine had scratched at his chest.

   Piece by piece, he picked up his clothes on the floor and put them on, ensuring they were straight and presentable. Lastly, after putting on a tie, he took his handkerchief and wiped away the lipstick from his cheek and tossed it into the fire. He looked almost as if he had just walked into the room.

   “You’re crazy,” Sandrine said, rousing from the sofa. Her wild red hair made her seem insane.

   Bastian barely glimpsed at Sandrine, as he recovered the crumpled piece of paper with the crude drawing of his wife on it. It followed quickly after the handkerchief and Bastian didn’t move until he was satisfied it was nothing but ash.

   “I believe our transaction complete, all debts settled, Lady Laviere,” Bastian said, giving Sandrine a cold glare. “I won’t be interfering with any of the other paintings you have in your possession. Whether you choose to put them in another exhibit or hand them over to the papers. Just be warned, if you do, my response will not be the same as just now. The next we meet, you will be asking me for mercy.”

    “Oh, making threats now, are we?” Sandrine smirked, the smeared lipstick completed the look of someone who had lost their mind.

Bastian shook his head lightly and put on his gloves. “I am giving you advice, in consideration to our past relationship.  If you cooperate, there’s no need for me to trouble myself with giving you lessons.”

   “You really think it will go your way just because I step down?” Sandrine got up from the sofa and trembly walked through the room, the look of triumph on her face. “The woman you try to protect by doing this crazy things with me hates you. Just as you despise me for wanting to have you by doing this. Its so funny that you’re getting back what you did to me, what you promised. If I had known it would be like this, I would have taken it easy on Odette. I’ve never seen someone so eager to repay their disgrace.” she glared at Bastian with both fear and joy in her eyes.

   Bastian didn’t say a word and continued to glare at Sandrine with his cold blue eyes, calmly putting on his gloves. Sandrine bit her lip so hard, she drew blood and the pain of it caused tears to come to her eyes.

   “I think I know why Odette ran away from you, she must really recognise the monster you really are.”

   Bastian remained unmoved by Sandrine’s hateful words. His face, devoid of emotions, was like a statue.

   Sandrine felt a wash of embarrassment come over her, at once she felt pathetic and stepped away from Bastian. Why was she so eager to try and please this monster? To think, she had let herself fall victim to this lunatic, even after what she went through with her ex-husband. Without meaning to, she felt grateful dan sorry for Odette, who had taken her place.  

“I will speak with your father and iron out the details for resolving the contract between us, until then, good day, Lady Laviere.” Bastian nodded in satisfaction, turned and left. He acted so gracefully, as if their ‘coitus’ on the sofa some time ago had never happened.  “Well, lets hope there are no more unfortunate events to force us to meet again.”

Sandrine tried her best to remain strong, but the second Bastian left the room, she collapsed to the floor and wept.

   She was so angry with herself and felt utterly humiliated. She had to resign herself in the knowledge that, one day, Bastian would be forced to feel this way too. Perhaps it had already happened

“Remember this day, Bastian!” Sandrine’s cries of animosity echoed through the late afternoon sunlight. “Your love will eventually meet a similar fate, much like mine has!”

Bastian paused briefly, then resumed walking without looking back. As he moved away, Sandrine’s cries grew louder, blending with the fading rhythm of his footsteps.

The love that she had so yearned for, slipped through her fingers like sand. It was a pitiful ending, fit for the worst, third rate operas.

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Franz woke in the face of the blinding afternoon sun. He had drunk himself stupid the night before and could barely recall what had happened. He awoke, lying on his back in his bed, maybe his mother had been there.

   Franz very slowly stood up, holding his throbbing head together. He remembered he had trashed the room, thrown bottles, tossed furniture, but it was all cleaned up now.

   Even though he had fallen so far that everyone pointed and laughed at his failure, his mother still stood by his side, it made him sick. He would rather endure his fathers wrath. The hell that would drive him mad would be his mothers morbid obsession with making him better than Bastian.

   He staggered toward the bathroom. Standing in front of the sink, Franz looked at the wreck of a man in the mirror. The cuts across his face were all the more better because of his mothers treatment, but the bruises were still broad and ugly.

   After gingerly washing his face, Franz went back to the room and immediately started again on a bottle of whiskey, but found the bottle to be empty. He tossed the bottle out of the window and immediately saw Bastian’s mansion, he started to think about Odette again.

   He staggered out onto the balcony as if possessed. The calm sea glittered under the winter sun and Franz couldn’t help but think of them like Odette’s sparkling eyes when she smiled. Anger welled up inside.

   He wanted to have her on canvas. The stolen oil painting was one of his most cherished works and sometimes, when he was lonely, having that painting around was better than having the real Odette for company.

   Odette, the woman he so loved with all his heart, was mercilessly trampled by a monster.

   When the painting was burned, Franz felt like he had lost a piece of himself and everything after that felt like it was happening to someone else. The farewell to Ella was a relief, he laughed for a long time when he lost all his money in the railway deal and even as his father beat him, he felt nothing. All because of Bastian’s ruse.

   Being the heir to this family was a death sentence. A fact that drove his father mad, but for Franz, he felt like the door of his cage he had been stuck in for so long had burst open. Now that he was free, he wanted to fall ever deeper into the abyss, deep down where his mothers vain hopes could not reach him.

   When he thought of Odette, who was no doubt going through her own hell right now, he wanted to be with her in their ruin. Maybe now she would understand that they were meant for each other.

Odette. my Odette.

As he repeated her name, Franz began to see a flash of life in his eyes. He learned that Odette was confined, carrying Bastian’s child. The thought of Odette enduring worse days than his brought a strange sense of satisfaction, as if she might finally realize he was the only one for her and can help her.

Franz flushed as he drew Odette in his mind, Odette who no longer rejected him, who was filled with love and passion in her jewel like eyes, the Odette from his lost painting.

Franz returned to his room. He gathered together all the money and jewellery he could get his hands on. He needed to let go of the sense of debt owed to his mother, it wasn’t his fault he wasn’t born as Bastian Klauswitz.

   The hour chimed when Franz left the bedroom and made his way down the quiet hallway. The house was as still as a dead rat. After everything that happened, his father couldn’t be around his family and ran off to one of his lovers in the capital. His mother was bed ridden from the shock of finding out that her husband had other lovers. What a dignified and noble family.

   Franz went by his fathers study to retrieve the car keys. He found more money and some other sparkling trinkets worth a little bit. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he saw the gun hanging on the wall. There was no doubt Bastian would try and interfere.

Leaving the mansion through the back door, Franz ran straight to the garage. Soon after, a black car started speeding toward the forest that linked the two mansion.

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