Hellbound Heart

"It must be because of my strange heartbeat, right?" Elle continued, her jaws clenching as she tried hard not to tear up. "It intrigued you because you realized that my heartbeats were so similar to your..." she choked despite her efforts not to let her emotions get the best of her.

"Yes." Sebastian answered in a low and serious voice. "That's right, Izabelle. Your heartbeats did catch my attention and intrigued me the moment I saw you that first time."

"And that's why you took interest in me and eventually agreed to marry me, isn't it?" Pain brimmed in his eyes as she uttered her accusation.

"That's not the only reason why I agreed to marry you, Izabelle. Your brave bargain that night had also convinced me to accept your proposal." Sebastian answered her truthfully.

She swallowed the still growing ache in her throat. It felt as though it had formed a ball and got stuck at the back of her throat. "But you... you and Alexander were there in Eves Palace not because of me, isn't it? It's because... the heart of a person who is still so dear to you guys is residing within me."

Sebastian shook his head. "F**k no, Iza! None of us were aware of the heart within you at that time. Alexander was there because of you. I had found out that they had already known you since you were little. I don't know much about the details, but all I know is that you were a very important person to Abigail. That's why Alexander was there to attend your supposed wedding."

Surprise flashed across Elle's eyes before she tilted her head, trying to recall Alexander in her memories. After some moments, she creased her brows before saying, "But I don't remember anything..."

"I don't know exactly what has happened, but it appears that you have completely forgotten about them. And since you don't remember anything, Abigail didn't want to say anything to you to avoid making things more complicated before it was time. Perhaps she just didn't want to confuse you or she's just waiting for the right time to tell you about it. Either way, once we're back, I'm sure Abigail will reveal everything to you if you ask her about it. However, I can assure you that it wasn't intentional that either of them had kept this matter from you even up till now."

Elle's burning emotions cooled down a little after thinking and considering what was being said. She had immediately felt the truth in Sebastian's explanation. That memory that came back to her just now was proof in itself. And not to mention that she indeed could not remember anything about her early childhood life. Many times, she had wondered what happened to her memories from her younger years and why they were missing. As though something had been deleted or hidden deep in her mind. She had asked her doctor about this, once a few years ago, and all she had been told was that her case was normal. And of course, since it had come from the doctor, her response was to put it aside and not worry about it. More so when there were other more pressing matters that were troubling her.

"What about you?" she asked. Her voice was now barely above whisper. "Why did you come to the Eves Palace that night? What was your reasoning?"

"I was ordered to attend. I didn't ask for any explanation because when I ended up seeing you, I realized I was definitely being set up to meet you."

"S-Set up? By who?" Elle was taken aback. Who would even dare to set Sebastian up?

"I'm not sure. Maybe by Alexander or... my... my damned older brother had already planned for this long before he even left."

"Ezekiel?" her eyes stretched wide as soon as she said that name. "Ezekiel is... the Kiel that Zeres is talking about?!"

"Yes, he's the Kiel Zeres mentioned."

"Tell me... did he really steal..." Elle paused. She did not know how to broach the subject about his missing older brother.

"By the time I was freed from the dungeon, he was already gone. So, I know nothing about the things that he has done." Sebastian's face darkened a little.

"But do you believe... he did that?"

Tiny muscles on his face twitched as he dropped his head and ran his fingers through his hair. After a stretch of silence, he finally answered. "No."

A short moment of silence passed when Elle felt her heart suddenly throb. It was not exactly painful, but it was strange. Definitely not a normal throb.

Lifting her hand, she clutched it over her chest and whispered in a saddened tone. "Whose is it? The owner of this... heart?"

"I don't... really know, Iza. I don't think any of us really knows the truth. All I know is that your heartbeat is exactly the same as... Alyssa's."

Elle's heart throbbed again. However this time, it was a little painful. Alyssa... She uttered that name in her head and she could not help the bitter and painful smile that tugged at the corner of her lips.

Those nights she had caught Sebastian calling out that name in his sleep while he was holding her, vividly flashed in her head like taunting and haunting images. And she could not help but think that perhaps... the reason why Sebastian was so drawn to her was because... Lord... she hated the very thought in her head right now. Hated it so much that she wished she could just shut her brain down like how one would shut a computer down.

"Iza..." he called out to her softly as he reached out to touch her. But she jerked her face away just before his fingers could brush her skin, shocking him.

"Right now... I don't know why my mind is... replaying those nights when you were... calling out Alyssa's name while holding me, Sebastian." She told him with a voice so weak and choked on the tears that seemed to be stuck in her throat.