Is something going on in his mind, she wondered. But before she could ask him she heard him speaking, " Lilly..."

His voice sounded more like a whisper. So slow that she doubted for a minute if she even heard it.

"After Sebastian was born my mom became quieter and quieter. She smiled less often. She would just sit beside the window the whole day and stare somewhere far away."

Lilly continued to hear him without speaking a word. He was finally opening up to her and she didn't want to ruin it even though it seemed like it was hard for him to get each word out of his mouth but he was still trying.

"At times, she used to get mad at me while the other time she would be nice to me again so I had to keep a note of those changing behaviours. I used to wait at the door of her room and would go in only when she would smile at me because then I would know that she won't get mad at me."

Lilly could feel his heart speeding up and his body stiffening as he continued, "Then one day when she was sitting by the window I was contemplating whether or not should I enter the room and go close to her. I missed her. A lot. It had been days since I last heard her speak to me and saw her smile at me. Maybe she sensed my presence and turned her head to look at me and then she smiled. Her smile gave me the courage to walk in."

Lilly once again sensed the change in his heart's rhythm. His heart was now beating normally as his words too sounded less strained.

" I ran to her and rested my head in her lap as she threaded her fingers through my hair. That was all I needed at that moment."

______________

"Ashton." the lady of the mansion called to her son as he rejoiced in his mother's embrace.

"Yes, mommy?'' the little Ashton beamed at his mother.

Finally, after days, she was talking to him again.

"You are my heart and soul." she smiled at her son as she touched his cheeks gently. "I love you a lot baby."

" I love you too, mommy." Looking at his mother he asked, "Let's play in the garden today?"

" I would love to but mommy is really tired now so she wants to take some rest."

"Ok. We will play later." saying the boy started to leave.

"No." she held his hand to stop him as she continued, "Before that would you make a promise to me?"

"Anything, mommy." the little cherub smiled.

She held him by his hand as she walked towards her bed and sat on the edge.

'' I want you to promise me that you would look after Sebastian. He is your younger brother, Right?"

"Yes, mommy."

"So love him a lot and look after him. Can you promise me that?" she asked bringing her little finger in front of her.

He too brought his pinky finger in front and they both made a promise sealing the deal between them.

"I promise, I will look after Sebastian."

"That's like my good boy." she kissed on boy's forehead and then asked, "Do you see that bottle of medicine?" She asked pointing towards a small bottle of medicine on the table.

Ashton turned his head and located a bottle beside the flower vase.

"This mommy?" he asked picking up the bottle.

"Yes. That's mom's medicine. Now would you bring that to me?"

"Ok." he brought the medicine and gave it to her and brought a glass of water for his mother.

She opened the bottle and took 10 to 15 pills in her hand.

"Mommy, why so many medicines?" he asked.

"That's because mommy is very tired now and she needs to sleep. Eating these many medicines will help me."

"Ok." he nodded his head in understanding as he gave her the glass of water and she smiled at her dear son.

"Come, lie by my side." She called for her son as she patted the area on the bed beside her.

The little boy beamed at her as finally after days he was getting his mother's affection. So without missing a beat he hopped on the bed. She gently massaged his head with soft fingers as he slowly drifted to sleep.

Ashton heard the screams and slowly woke up while rubbing his eyes. Every maid in the room was looking scared and terrified while Ashton's dad was shouting at the top of his voice.

Turning his head he looked at his mother who was still sleeping soundly. She looked so at peace as if none of these voices was reaching her ears.

"Shhh... Daddy. Mommy is sleeping." said little Ashton placing a finger on his lips gesturing his father to be quiet.

"Who gave her these pills?" Arthur asked him angrily as he showed him the bottle of medicine.

"I... It's mommy's medicine. I g- gave it to her." the little boy stuttered in fear.

"You!" Arthur had almost hit the boy if the old maid of the household hadn't stopped him.

"Mr King, he is just a child. He doesn't know anything about it. It isn't his fault."

The child got so scared looking at his angry father that he tightly held to his mother's arm as he tried to wake her up.

"Mommy... Mommy.." he called for her hoping she would wake up and save him from his dad's wrath.

"Mommy wake up.." he cried but it was as if his voice wasn't reaching her ears.

"Take him away from my sight!" Arthur ordered and the maid quickly obliged. Taking Ashton in her arms she rushed out of the room while the little boy kept calling for his mother.

"I want to see mommy. Leave me!" he tried to get out of the maid's hold but she held him tightly.

''Your mom will never return now, Ashton. She's gone."

"No! she is sleeping." He protested as he once again called loudly for his mother in hopes that she would come running to him.

"Mommy... mommy..."

But no matter how much he called she never answered. He didn't remember for how long he cried or for how long he kept calling for her. He could neither remember the funeral nor the months after that. His five-year-old brain could not decipher the events that were going on.

He was too young to understand death. So he just waited for his mother who never came back.

He used to notice Sebastian being held by a woman who used to come home with his father. Mother had told him to look after Sebastian. So maybe if he looked after his brother well she will return, he thought to himself one day and smiling headed to his brother's crib.

"Sebastian, I promised mommy. I will love you. Ok?" he talked to the toddler who was playing in his crib.

''Mommy loves Ashton. Mommy loves Sebastian."

"What are you doing?" the woman who came home with his dad the previous night interrupted.

"He is my brother. Mommy said to love him."

"You don't need to be around him," she said to the boy. "I will look after him."

"No. He is my brother." Ashton protested.

"But I am going to be his mother," she said picking up the baby out of the crib. "Right, Sebastian? I am your mom now."

"No!" Ashton protested again. "You are not mommy." Saying he pushed her and she almost lost her balance.

"Ashton!" the little boy shuddered at the harshness in the voice of his father. "Do you have no manners? How could you push her like that?"

"B- but daddy she took Sebastian." he stuttered in fear.

"From now on Elsie will look after Sebastian."

"B- but daddy-"

" Ashton." Arthur interrupted and the boy tried to hold back the tears that left his eyes. "Lara, take him away," he ordered the maid.

From that day onwards whenever Ashton tried to get close to Sebastian Elsie would push him away. She would either scold him or threaten him that she would complain to Arthur.

The fear of his father, angry stares from the new woman and the disappearance of his mother... all these events became a major part of his nightmares. Nightmares that would always leave him a weeping mess and too scared to talk to anyone. If it wasn't for Grace then he would have died long ago.

Lilly felt Ashton's body going cold and stiff as he started sweating even in the room when the temperature of the air conditioner was low. She frowned and looked at him while he stared at the blank space.

''I killed her."