CHAPTER 4 (Step-father)

It was a thunderous night when Hades came to the house of the Ysares. Riding in a luxury vehicle, Michael gets out of the car immediately and opens a parasol for Hades. Elena and Lissana were waiting outside for him too. Elena could do nothing but look at him, and she also feels ashamed that there are no courtiers around them since they all left, and only their aunt Faustina remained in their family.

Their aunt Faustina was busy preparing for their courses in the kitchen, her aunt is old enough and can no longer sweep and scrub the entire house, so she stayed in the kitchen to cook.

"Come in, come in it's getting damp and chilly out here," Elena greeted Hades with a smile that didn't even reach her eyes. Hades stared down at her with dull eyes and nodded. Michael had already left because he had something to do, but had reiterated that he was going to come back before nine. Hades can't help himself, so he smiles at the young girl next to Elena, and she looks at him innocently, too. Her intoxicating violet eyes left him speechless, but Lissana took her eyes off and stepped into the house first and Hades realized she was avoiding him, but this time she was going to let it slip.

Lissana helps her aunt set a table while her mother and the man called Hades have been chatting in the living room for a while.

"That's Señor Hades, am I right my child?" Aunt Faustina asked Lissana as she placed the napkin on the table near the plate. Lissana is staring at her frowning.

"Do you know him, auntie?" Lissana asked, and her aunt nodded in response to her. She shrugged her hands in her apron and marched in the direction of her aunt.

"Aunt, do you have any idea on what he is doing here?" Lissana asked, and she can tell that her aunt knows something. She can see it in her eyes.

"Tell me, auntie, I won't tell mama what you have told me."

"Hades is going to be your stepfather, that is all I know Lissana," said her aunt, looking down at her apron.

"I know it's been how many years that your father passed away but I feel sorry for him. Your mother has changed my child so much and I know you're a clever girl and you understand all of this," said her aunt, leaving her with so many questions in her mind.

Lissana knows the shift of her mother even in her young mind, she knows it's a little odd, but her mind is like a mature person. Lissana takes a glance at the living room where her mother and the man called Hades are, and she was shocked at her own feet when she realized that he was looking in her direction as well.

His piercing grey eyes making her senseless. She can't break their eye contact for she feels warmth in his eyes that she finds it odd to be feeling that way. And she can't be mistaken that his lips twitched a small smile while looking at her. Her mother didn't even notice those little things. It seemed like time stopped in their moment. Lissana immediately breaks their contact and she nearly stumbles when she hurries herself to go out in the kitchen and find fresh air to breathe. As soon as she was outside she didn't know that she was holding her breath.

"Who the hell is he? Why is he like that? Stepfather? Who says that I'm okay with it? I'm not exchanging my papa for him. He's not even a father like. He looks like an asshole, a Casanova, yes that's the perfect word. I will not let him call me his child, no not in the whole wide world I'll let him. That man will not last long here, I am sure of that," Lissana breathed as she fans herself with her hand when suddenly her aunt came rushing by into her direction.

"Lissana your mother's calling you to eat with the guest. Come, come before she gets mad again to you. The whip in your back doesn't yet heal," her aunt says in a concerned tone of voice and she can't help but smile at her aunt.

"It will heal auntie," she says and kisses her aunt on her cheek and goes inside of the kitchen.

"Lissana, my child," Elena greeted as she steps her feet in the dining room. It was her first time to hear that coming from her mouth. She smiled for she knows that was her mother's wants. Lissana pulled a chair and sits properly.

"Lissana meet Hades, your new father from now on," Elena says straightly, she doesn't want to prolong the introduction and she gets into the point as always. Lissana stares at the man in front of her there were no emotions nor reactions on what her mother just announced earlier.

He was busy slicing his steak on his plate. She immediately stares down on her plate when she notices that he was about to look at her. She knows it's a little disrespectful and her behavior is weird but she's uncomfortable in his presence.

"So how is your firm going Hades?" Elena broke the silence and Hades stares at her.

"Do not call me Hades even after our marriage, this marriage thing is only addressed in the paper. And you know why I am here, I am here just to save your company and pay all of your debts. Be grateful to your father who has passed away. I am doing all of this because of your father," Hades stated as he wipes the napkin on his lips and sipped on his wine.

"I'm okay with that besides even though our marriage is just addressed in the paper, no man can resist me. If you know what I mean," Elena seductively says not bothering that Lissana is listening to their conversation.

"I've seen better," Hades says and stands up from his chair and puts the napkin near his plate.

"This dinner is done." Elena was about to stand when Hades stared at her. Elena suddenly went pale that she couldn't even understand why. She cannot even feel her feet and something in her eyelids wanted to close and she did. Elena fell asleep on her plate.

Lissana hurriedly ran to her mother and called her aunt. Faustina hurriedly helps Lissana to stand Elena on her feet and get her in her room.

"Done," Faustina said while taking a deep breath.

"Are you okay auntie? I'm sorry if I called you I know you're old enough but I can't do this on my own. I'm so sorry auntie."

"Oh dear, dear no need to apologize, you're such an innocent child. I'm just disappointed with your mother about what she had become. Come now before she awakes. Oh, where's your guest?" Faustina asked and alas she even forgets about their guest. She hurriedly goes down to the stairs and looks for him.

He was no longer in the dining room and even in the living room.

Lissana went outside and she yelped in fear when a man in a coat was standing at the corner of their door. It was him, Hades. He was looking at her deeply with those grey eyes again. She was suffocating.

"It was nice seeing you again Ysabelle," Hades says in a cold breeze that you can nearly see the fogs coming from his breath. And a luxurious car horns without her knowing.

And within just a second they disappeared and she was left dumbfounded in her feet.

"Ysabelle."