Ben's accusations spontaneously burst out the wrath which Hansel had suppressed so far and this never missed out on Ben either but he ignored, pressing on his words with tears in his eyes.
" I know you want her dead for your selfish reasons, dad– Do you ever consider my feelings or what I want! "
"Enough! , you ungrateful being! " Hansel furiously snapped as he shook with anger and his words nearly choked him. He still had the murderous look on his face as he stared at the sorrow stricken young man in the distance with indifference, totally emotionless.
"How dare you raise such treacherous accusations against me– After all I've done for you?" He continued on an impulse and the muscle in his jaw twitched while he clenched his jaw. He was cold and glinted; those steel eyes focused on him, demanding an answer. Ben just stared at him in silence as he moaned, wiping his tears– the pain in his chest exacerbated. He felt those accusing words pointing at him. He felt he was actually the cause of everything and the centre of everything happening at the moment.
"You better get your facts right, young man else you live to regret your words– I bet you." Hansel's cold voice echoed to which in turn, Ben smiled as he spoke and the eyes to which he stared at him, glistened with unshed tears.
"What else is left to regret, dad– When all left is just a miserable life to bare." His lips trembled while he fiercely battled with his emotions.
Hansel's heart palpitated in anger, not even bating an eye. He drew close to him in quick strides and gave him two slaps in quick succession.
"How dare you " He roared. For an endless period, he stood rooted to the spot in shock with a fixed gaze and teary eyes.
"All I ever wanted was someone to love me and not whatever you gave me–"
A tear rolled down his eyes to which he swiftly wiped it off with the back of his hand and turned on his heels, running up the flight of stairs but then, suddenly paused midway, turning back his gaze back to his father who still stared at his back.
"You can do your worst to me dad but when it comes to those I love– I promise it will be your worst mistake ever. You know why?; because I can be the most dangerous person you ever knew. That, I bet you."
He blunted and dashed off. He could literally feel his heart thumping and his breath coming quick, short puffs as the tears trekked down his cheeks.
Hansel gazed at his back with mixed feelings; thorn between hurt, pain and regret.
"Damn that bitch!" He roared, thumping the glass of wine to the floor. Shuffling back to the sofa, he put the bottled of whisky on his lips and gulped down some of its content. As the liquid burned its way down his chest, he winced and closed his eyes. Ben's words echoed back in his head.
"All I ever wanted was someone to love me and not whatever you gave me–You can do your worst to me dad but when it comes to those I love– I promise it will be your worst mistake ever. You know why?; because I can be the most dangerous person you ever knew. That, I bet you."
It kept playing over and over again and he felt like he'll soon go crazy at any point in time. He howled, throwing the bottle to the floor.
Ben propped into his room, instinctively closing the door behind him as he leaned back on the door with closed eyes. Convinced he was all alone, he allowed the tears he had been holding in to pour out with loud sobs. The echoes of his father's furious screams from downstairs made it even worst as the tears threatened to drown him. He slowly faint to the floor with his back to the door while he curled into a foetal position.
**********
It was past midnight when Audrey and Rubin retired back into the house, from what felt like a long awaited fun trip, fully refreshed. Rubin bid his mother a goodnight and sauntered off to his room. Audrey on the other hand, first cross checked on Annabel, whom she found fast asleep before retiring to her room for her own portion of rest.
Rubin slowly opened the door and there was silence– complete silence as the clock on the wall in his room continued to tick with military precision. Silhouetted against the dim corridor light, Laura's absence dawned on him once more.
"Could she had gone again or she might be in there, waiting for me ?" He thought.
After a long debate with himself, he finally stepped in, only to find her lying fast asleep on the bed. A faint smile instinctively dazzled on his face and he sauntered over to the bed with steady steps, in attempt not to wake her. Just when he neared her, he quietly crouched before the bed and her sweet soft face spontaneously caught his attention once again– he felt engrossed with her beauty; she slept just like a baby and her innocence was as such.
Deep down his heart, he wished she was actually human to who he could sincerely lay bare his feelings without fear or regret and not a ghost.
Rubin gently threaded his finger through her hair while he shoved a hair back away from her face, bringing bare her beauty. Laura instinctively fretted, turning to the other side which alarmed him– He swiftly redrew his hand with a slightly opened mouth and his hand lifted midway in surrender. Finally aware he didn't wake her, he gently drew the sheet up to her chest and kissed her forehead.
"Sound sleep, dear" He mumbled and stood to his full length. He slowly moved over to the window and glanced out of it before drawing it shut. He silently continued to the washroom and within a minutes, the drops of water could be heard.
Thus when Laura's eyes fluttered open and she felt her heart skip a bit. "What's this feeling ?" She low whispered. Her subconscious mind reflected on Rubin's kiss and she felt warm and her lips instinctively curved in a faint smile, unknowingly. Not knowing to Rubin, Laura was all along conscious of what went on when he walked in.