A MAZE OF GREED

Edwin was restless. His mind did not concentrate on anything. He asked Ruth to come and spend some time with him. But she refused.

She was still upset with him for ignoring the fact that Theodora was the one who tried to poison him.

In all honesty, Edwin was not really shocked after knowing it, however, he did hope that it would never be true. Alas!

Edwin had promised himself to not walk down that same memory lane, but now he could not help but try to seek comfort in those past memories.

He stood up and walked to his large wardrobe. On its top was a small bag, hidden well behind the large travel bags. Edwin pulled the bag down, bringing the short shower of dust.

The dust particles made him sneeze multiple times. He rubbed his nose before putting the bag on the nearby table.

He recalled the last time he had touched and opened that bag. It had been many years, and the thick layer of dust on the bag was its proof.

Edwin dusted it with a napkin he found in the wardrobe. He opened the bag- the chest of his childhood treasure.

He pulled out a set of marbles he used to play with his friends, Lester, Eloise.

He had also kept the first coin that he had ever earned in his life as a reminder of where he had begun.

He also had many pictures he had drawn in his childhood. It once used to be his favourite hobby. But after his grandfather's death, he had no one to show them and get praises in return. So he stopped.

"They are beautiful!"

Edwin literally jumped at that voice. His startled eyes landed on a woman who had a small smile on her face.

"Ruth? When-"

"Just now. I knocked twice but when I got no answer I came in directly. Would you mind if I see them?"

She did not wait for his permission and took the drawings from his hands.

Edwin smacked himself mentally for getting lost in his thoughts that he did not realise her coming into his chamber. He silently watched her studying every drawing with complete concentration and high curiosity.

As she observed one drawing after another, her expressions changed like the seasons in a year. It was fascinating for Edwin.

"I assume there must be interesting stories associated with everything in this bag?!" She asked with a bright smile.

Ruth stifled her laugh, seeing the tips of his ears turned red in shyness. Edwin looked so adorable that she wanted to pinch his cheeks and cooed praise to him.

Edwin scratched the back of his head, shifting from one foot to another.

"Only if you are interested."

"Come on."

Ruth decided the most comfortable place to enjoy his unspoken side of life. But her choice surprised Edwin. He kept staring down at her as she sat on the ground Indian style and scattered all the contents of the bag around.

Ruth looked up at him in confusion, and then it dawned upon her.

"Erm... you can sit in the chair..."

But he shook his head and sat beside her making her smile in contentment. This prince was more humble than the world knew.

Ruth began asking him about everything that she found in front of her. As she had expected, Edwin had some stories associated with that everything. Some were funny, some were happy... but most of them were sad and made her realise how lonely that young boy was amongst the crowd of hundreds.

"What is this picture?" Ruth asked, pointing at one particular drawing where a woman was dressed in white, and a man dressed in black stood at the door. And a boy was hiding behind his mother.

Then Ruth saw another picture where the woman in white dress had her hands extended in the boy's way as he stood beside his grandfather.

"this" Edwin pointed at the woman in a white dress from the first drawing. "this is aunt Agatha."

"Lord Augustus' first wife?!"

Edwin nodded with a sad smile. "It was the first time I saw her when she came home after their grand wedding. I still rememeber how happy everyone was- mother, father, grandfather and of course I."

Ruth did not miss how Edwin left mentioning Lord Augustus in the list.

"How was she like as a person?" Ruth asked.

A long lost look captured his eyes. "She was very sweet, just like my mother. She always tried to speak with me. It took me some time warm towards her, but when we did, people used to call me aunt's tail as I used to follow her everywhere she go.

My mother sometimes used to scold me when I refused to leave her side, but she never mind. I still remember the nights she held me to her side while I sleep peacefully between her and uncle Augustus before my parents died and then almost every night after they died." Edwin gulped down the lump formed in his throat.

"And what about Lord Augustus? He did not mind you disturbing their privacy?" Ruth asked in an attempt to understand the dimensions of their relationship.

Edwin shook his head. "I would not say that he particularly liked it but he did not mind either."

Ruth was surprised to know this. Then how come their relationship took such a drastic turn, and why?

Ruth nodded her head in understanding. "And who is this?"

She asked, pointing at the other picture in which the woman in a white dress was extending her hand towards him.

"That is... aunt Theodora."

Ruth's smile faltered hearing her name.

"She was friendly, to be honest, but for some reason, we could not bond ever despite her incessant tries. Perhaps I was being unfair to her by comparing her with aunt Agatha.

But that little boy did not get the same warmth as aunt Agatha from aunt Theodora. I always found her attempts superficial and insincere."

It was the first time that Edwin was confessing his feelings for his family.

"But I accepted her and respect her because she came into our life when there was no woman left in the family. She came into this house to provide my cousins love of a mother.

She proved herself a good wife by always supporting uncle Augustus. Grandfather was very proud of her, that she actively participated in business and administration. She was an ideal daughter-in-law for the O'Dell family and its reputation."

But Ruth knew the vile face behind that mask of pretence. And she was adamant about disclosing it in front of the whole world.

Watching her thinking in silence, Edwin knew what was going on in her head.

"I know you must be thinking that I am a spineless man who serves justice to the world but when it came to his family I always fail. I failed with Eloise and now I failed again with aunt Theodora."

Ruth was silent at first, and that made Edwin's heart cut into open wounds. Did she really think that for him?

"I do not think of you as a spineless man. But I understand that there must be some reason if you are ready to look past her crime." Ruth deliberately chose the strong language and the way Edwin cringed visibly, she knew it had done the trick.

"After aunt Agatha and my mother, my family became vulnerable. Aunt Theodora brought the shelter we all needed. A woman in a family is very valuable, and it can be understood by only those who do not have a single woman in their family.

She brings love, compassion, mercy, care, warmth and wellbeing to a family. My mother used to say that a woman can build an empire from ashes and similarly she can bring down the strongest empires, erasing their name from the history."

Ruth's opinion about Margaret O'Dell became stronger with every word she heard about her. She was the lady, an ideal daughter-in-law that the O'Dell family needed.

"I promised my grandfather during his last breath that I will always keep this family together. I will always try to keep the glory intact and not let anyone point a finger at the O'Dells.

This is not the first time something like this has happened Ruth."

Ruth gasped in shock at his revelation.

Edwin avoided looking at her in the eye as he needed the courage to open this compartment of his heart.

"I have been through a lot, betrayed many times and have been alone and lonely all these years. But I am still fighting Ruth. It must do not make any sense at this point, or you may consider me weak or crazy.

But I am fighting to keep the promise little Edwin made to his grandfather. I will not let anyone point a finger at my family. Even at the cost of my life. Because that is what my father had done and would have done even now."

She saw a lone tear falling from his eyes. Watching this giant man shedding tears over the undeserving people for the sake of his promise made her heart cry too.

She touched his face to make him look at her.

"And I promise to share your responsibility of fulfilling your promise. I will make sure to keep this family's prestige intact. I will eradicate every negativity which will try to bring shame to the legacy of this family and its ancestors.

I will help you to make this family a happy one! This... is MY promise to you!"

And then she sealed her promise with a kiss.