Chapter 16

I found myself pondering Nicholas’ puzzling behavior. There had been a few moments when I caught a glimpse of his true emotions, like when he thought he was alone, and a faint smile played at the corners of his mouth.

It was a rare sight, since he suffered from facial paralysis, making his expressions limited, but I had seen them. I’d even heard him chuckle to himself a few times.

According to Wynter, who had been communicating with each of the brother’s wolves, Nicholas was vehemently arguing with his wolf who reminded him daily of his feelings for me. The smiles and laughter seemed to indicate that he was softening to the idea.

Winter had also told me that his wolf, who was the embodiment of his true self, seemed surprised that Nicholas could actually laugh.

He thinks of you and his heart is full, but he won’t admit it outwardly. It was a small revelation, a crack in his stoic facade. One that only I knew about. She was as confused as I was.

But as I observed Nicholas, I could see him continually fighting with his wolf's claim that he had a crush on me, a "fat girl." His self-image seemed to hold him above everyone else, seeing himself as someone of refined tastes, far out of my league.

How could he possibly entertain the idea of being interested in a girl like me? To him, I was nothing more than a foolish, cowardly, and useless human. In his mind, to be with me was beneath him.

The truth, however, lay hidden beneath the surface for the triplets. Each of them was aware of the changes that had taken hold within them, changes that could only be attributed to my presence.

Yet they remained tight-lipped, guarding their secrets regarding their connection to me. It was a perplexing puzzle, one that I desperately wished to solve, if only to be free of their torture.

They didn’t realize that I understood their inner fight, that their wolves were communicating with mine, but it still didn’t make it any less for confusing for me.

From what I had learned during my time here, Armand, their father, had always been ruthless toward the triplets and even more cold-blooded toward others. However, he’d begun to show an unexpected side when it came to me.

Despite his usual intimidating demeanor, he was patient, tolerant, and caring in my presence. He spoke softly to me, kind. On weekend nights, when Armand returned, the family gathered for dinner.

The maids prepared many of my favorite dishes, while never bothering to ask about the brothers interests. “Thank you.” I said as they a simple meal of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich before me.

“Again? This fucking sucks! When are we going to have some actual food in this house? This shit is disgusting.”

Cheney wasn’t a fan of most of what I enjoyed eating and voiced his dissatisfaction through curses, only to be punished immediately by Armand.

“Quiet! You will eat whatever is sat before you, or you will each the gravel from my shoe! What will it be?” Armand’s voice bellowed and shook the room, the crystal glasses marking a soft tinkling sound.

Encounters like this became more and more frequent with Armand growing more and more upset with the brothers, and more tolerant of me.

It became clear that their father's gaze held a tenderness for me, one that bordered on the affection shown to a lover. It was a perplexing revelation, raising even more questions for me.

I could feel the tension running through the house. The triplets would see me in the hallway and either change course to avoid me completely, or in Cheney’s case, purposefully bump into me or say something hurtful.

“Hey Big Beryl, let me ask you a question? How the hell did you get so fat eating all that bird food? There’s no way you got that wide just eating soup and salads.” Comments like these were common and I ignored them, but they bothered me none the less.

Within the confines of this prison I now called home, I felt a longing to unravel the mysteries that surrounded this family and their undeniable connection to me.

The changes I had unknowingly ignited within them fascinated and frustrated me, their significance growing clearer with every passing day and each moment I was there with them.

As I thought more about the twists and turns that made up the new relationships I was creating with this family, I longed to understand the depths of Nicholas's conflicting emotions, to decipher the reason behind his contradictory behavior.

I couldn't help but wonder if his reluctance to acknowledge any potential attraction to me came from a fear of vulnerability, or perhaps the clash between our different social standings.

Or could it just be that the ways of the heart were lost on me.

I began to feel growing sympathy and compassion for them while witnessing the discord between the triplets and their father. Armand's favoritism toward me only served to deepen the rift within their family.

I found myself torn between the curiosity that drove me to explore these unexplainable connections and the desire to bridge the gaps that had formed within their household.

In the midst of it all, I remained firm in my belief that understanding, empathy, and compassion could mend even the most fractured bonds, all the things my mother and father had always taught me. But could it overcome the hatred that the brothers seemed to have for me.

I knew that the path before me was going to be a delicate one, but I still held onto the hope that someday, the confusion that I was feeling and the truths hidden beneath the surface would be revealed, lighting that path towards healing and unity fro all of us.

But for now, this is the life I was leading, and I was trying to embrace this dance of emotions, knowing that with patience and perseverance, the answers I sought would eventually find their way to me.

And in the process, perhaps the triplets and I would discover a shared destiny that was far grander than any of us could have ever imagined.