The Defiance novel

---- Chapter 26: What A Nice Surprise Third person POV Alice knew there was something off when she woke up. First, she got a feeling that there was a devastating change on her body. Second, the man named Santino and introduced himself as Sev's father was there sitting with her, sharing a magnanimous breakfast . She was feeling better or so that was what she wanted to believe. "Eat your meal, child.

It is not good to ignore the food on table", the note he had given was giving off some weird vibe. It was not fatherly as he claimed to be. She wanted to ask a lot of things but seeing the old man enjoyed his eating, she knew her questions should wait. For all her life, one of the things she learned was timing. Everything was about timing. It time did not permit to give you timing, create your own timing. But she chose to wait for the correct schedule for now.

Her instinct was telling her to do so. She began eating her food. It went and ended peacefully and terribly quiet. "Come. Let me invite you in the garden. You will surely love the flowers and fresh air". The old man called for aman who had a stoic face and stiff body. He looked like the bodyguards in the movies, he ---- carefully guided Mr. Santino and his cane on the way to the garden. Another man then took the task to push her wheelchair to follow.

They settled in a table set placed near where the roses were blooming healthily. There were four chairs and tea was served to them. "Thank you", Alice thanked the man who helped her with her wheelchair but no tiniest response was given back to her. "How did you like the food?", Mr. Santino asked her pouring the tea on their cups. "It's good. Thank you so much, Sir", she answered and took her time to take a good eye on the house. It has the Victorian style which immediately mesmerized her.

"You like the house?" Alice nodded almost immediately as she was asked the obvious. She then turned her gaze back at the old man. "Where is Sev?", she didn't have time to catch her tongue when she slipped the name. The last time she remembered being conscious , Sev was with her and now none of the man familiar with her was on sight. Her rib drummed nervously. The eyes in front of her almost felt like sucking her into darkness. "So you knew him as Sev?

Not Seth?", there was ---- confirmation there. No doubt. Alice pressed her lips together to keep herself from talking more than she already did. Few words but it gave her out. "Does he know?" Alice did not answer, her eyes dropped on her hands which now held the cup of the cold tea. "He is so desperate to do anything for you, you know. Even before and it seems to heighten these days. I wonder why". She watched him for a few seconds, trying to think about his words. "Where are they?

And why am I here?" "For your information , I am holding you hostage for now. I want to make it clear. I don't like to pretend to be good when I know I'm not" Mr. Santino sipped the tea. Uneasiness came to her. Things became clearer but she needed more. "why?" "Tt's the easiest way to control my stupid son". Alice felt a pang of pain for Sev hearing how there was a lack of love and concern this man was when he said the word son. "Control? Aren't you his father? Why do you want to control him?

And what for?", those were the things she did not understand for a long time. She thought she knew Sev or even Seth but she did not. All she