SWNOVELS Chapter Chapter Forty-One: Wheels of Fate in Motion
Chapter Forty-One: Wheels of Fate in Motion
THE BISMARCKS is reported to be one of the top ten wealthiest families in the United Seas, almost tripling their average yearly revenue. As a result, they created more than ten thousand jobs all over the United Seas just to keep up with the expansion of their subsidiaries.
Jean congratulated his efforts and his board members celebrated the milestone. They just closed a deal with a distillery company from the country of the Southern Isles, which is expected to increase their company’s annual revenue next year.
Aside from those, Maximillian Bismarck is now regarded as Sutton City’s pride. The name “Bismarck” is well-known all over the world and it caused netizens to create memes or quotes about him and his success. They made fun of his wealth like he was able to buy anything. For instance, there’s this expensive piece of property somewhere and they would comment, “If only I have Bismarck’s money, I can afford that,” or “I bet the Bismarck guy can afford a diamond coffin with his billions,” and the funniest thing he’d ever read from the internet regarding his wealth is that men all over the country are posting theories about how their respective lives would change if they’re fortunate enough to be his son-in-law, or if they get a chance to date the popular Erin Bismarck.
Yeah, like he would ever allow his daughter to date at the age of 12.
Max was so driven by those goals—distractions, to be precise—that he didn’t realize that it’s been more than ten years ever since Hyacinth left. The hope that lingered in his heart that he’ll meet Hyacinth soon filled him with anxiousness that he couldn’t quite explain; it is as if he was not certain how to act around her if she ever appeared any moment now. Will she understand that it had been ten years since he last saw her? Because for sure, he’ll act like a crazy fool.
He would hug her, kiss her, and make love to her over and over as if it were their last. He would never want to part with her again. He’ll goddamn bring his wife with him to work if he has to.
But for Hyacinth, it had only been a few minutes, maybe even seconds. He wouldn’t want to scare her, would he?
His longing is so strong that it caused his ribcage to tighten a little bit. He took a deep breath and shrugged the thought of his wife off of his head.
Max went home later than usual. When he stepped inside his home, Erin was waiting for him in the drawing room which Hyacinth redesigned to look like a modern living room. The walls were plain white, which matched the black-marbled floor and the cream furniture: cabinets, lounge chair, sofa, bookshelves, and the glass table adorned by a simple cream vase with white orchids.
Max smiled. He never changed a thing around the house because he wanted to welcome Hyacinth with the familiar interior of the home she redecorated.
Hyacinth got those ideas from the internet. She even got into DIY and vintage stuff. Max adored the vintage letters she’d written for him that are sealed with glittered wax and stamped with a customized wax stamp.
“Dad? You look like the undead.”
That usual comment from his daughter caused him to chuckle.
“Yes, sweetie. I’m busy with work.”
“But you’ve been thrice as busy as last year. This will be bad for your health, Dad.”
He raised a hand and waved it as if he were brushing Erin’s concerns off her mind. “Don’t worry about that, Rinny.”
She sighed. “I told you, you can date anyone. You have my permission to date, Dad. I want to put a stop to this.”
Max went to the sofa and slammed his back against its cushions. “I told you, Erin. I’ll never do that. Do you think those girls out there could measure up to your Mom?” He sighed. “I could remarry if I want, kiddo, but I’d rather wait a lifetime than change my fate.”
“Then where is she? Why is she not here? Just accept it, Dad, that she doesn’t want us...” Erin’s voice trailed off. “Maybe, she doesn’t want me.”
Max wanted to correct his daughter’s words. He itched to tell Erin the truth but that would alter the fate. It will cause chaos to their fates. Hyacinth may never come back if they altered the threads of fate.
Max and Erin might never see her again.
Sighing, Max motioned Erin to sit beside him. The girl obliged and he held her hands into his palms, squeezing them gently. “Erin, you’ll realize that your Mom never left you. I meant that literally. It’s just that, I can’t tell you the details.”
But Max knew that Erin has been investigating her abilities. His daughter constantly visits her Aunt Maine in the Western Isles and asks questions about her abilities but Maine remained tight-lipped.
It didn’t slip from his notice that Maine only visits them during the holidays and birthdays because Maine had been avoiding Erin’s frequent questions about her mother’s disappearance. Erin had also claimed that she has this memory of her mother disappearing into thin air with a gray thread dangling on its back.
Erin wanted to know everything about the threads but nobody gave her any detail regarding her ability. She needed to learn those herself when she travels into the past. She needed to go back in time and set the wheels of fate in motion.
“But what about you, Dad? I want to see you happy.” Erin let out a shaky breath. “I’d never seen you so happy, Dad. I wished that I could go back in time and find out why you ended up with Mom in the first place.”
Erin hugged him tightly in her embrace, her hands on his back searching for something.
“I’m sorry, Dad. I know you warned me to not touch the threads because they’re dangerous, but I want to know. I think my ability to see them is the reason why Mom disappeared.”
Max hugged his daughter tightly, feeling her solid form slowly vanishing.
“Dad, I saw myself with her,” Erin whispered. “I need to know why I was there with her when she vanished.”
Max nodded. “Yes, sweetie. You were there. Your Mom’s holding your thread like how you’re holding mine.”
Erin closed her eyes, letting a teardrop fall from her eyes to Max’s lap before completely dissipating.
Then, as he blinked with his weary eyes, there were two human forms gradually forming into a solid matter right in front of him.
Good heavens! It is as if he’s seeing a ghost gradually becoming visible to the naked eye. Max couldn’t properly explain it but it had been like watching a dissipating smoke in reverse.
The first to appear was a pair of heads with light-brown curls that he remembered the most. Max could feel his body trembling at the sight of the familiar posture and features of the only woman he ever loved with the intensity of a hurricane and other natural disasters imaginable. Then, Hyacinth’s pale skin and the blue dress she wore the day she left with their daughter slowly reappeared in the vacuum.
“Haya...”