"Coming, Auntie!" A child's voice responded.

Delicate footsteps echoed softly as they gracefully traversed the room. In the cozy ambiance created by the crackling fireplace, a woman adorned with long silver-tinted white hair was ensconced in a rocking chair, her ethereal presence reminiscent of an angelic being or perhaps a mystical fairy.
Enveloped in a warm glow, she cradled a small, precious infant in her loving arms, casting a spell of serenity upon the space with each tender moment shared between them.

The small child didn't understand how a small baby made her tummy so big for so long.
"Sweetie, listen honey.
You have to make Auntie a promise, okay?" The woman spoke.

"Okay, Auntie." The child smiled brightly from ear to ear.

"When Auntie isn't here, you have to protect her, okay?" Said the woman.

"Yes, Auntie! I promise I will protect her! I love her so much!" The child's face lit up with a bright and happy smile.

"I love them too." The woman whispered as tears fell down the woman's pale, white face.

"But Aunty, there's only one baby." The child tilted their head in confusion.
The woman pulled the child into a hug.
"I know honey, I know."
The woman replied as tears continued to fall down the woman's porcelain face.

"Auntie, you're getting my shirt wet." The child whined and his face disorder into a slight but playful frown.

"I'm sorry, sweetie." The woman quietly sniffled as she hugged the child.

"It's okay, Auntie. I forgive you." The child replied.

"Jack, it's time to go home! Let's go, son!" A voice yelled. The voice belonged to Mr. Estridsen.

"Okay!
Bye, Mrs. Savelli!
Bye, Aisha! I will see you soon" Jack waved as he ran out of the room.

The woman stood up from the chair with the baby in her arms.
"I wasn't able to protect my Light, but I promise, I will protect you, Aisha.
My baby, my Life." The woman whispered.

Flashback: Later at night, Nobody's Point Of View:

A piercing scream emanated from the frail woman's throat, echoing with an intensity that reverberated throughout the entire expanse of the grand mansion, causing a disturbance that reached every corner of its sprawling halls and chambers.
"HOW MUCH LONGER ARE YOU GOING TO ACT LIKE THIS, BILL?!
WHAT DID SHE DO WRONG?!"

"ASHLEY! THAT IS ENOUGH!
I'M TIRED OF ARGUING WITH YOU!
I'M DOING THIS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD AND AISHA'S OWN GOOD!" Bill yelled.

"MY OWN GOOD, BILL?!
AISHA'S OWN GOOD, BILL?!
IT'S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD BILL, AND YOU KNOW IT!
HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK OF DOING THIS?! WHAT TYPE OF A PERSON ARE YOU? ARE YOU EVEN HUMANE?
ARE YOU EVEN A HUMAN BEING, BILL?!
THAT'S OUR-" Ashley's voice was cut off with Bill's over-powering tone.

"Ashley, you do not want to go there tonight. You do not want to test me this evening." Bill huffed.

"Why do I not want to go there tonight, Bill?! Why do I not want to test you this evening? Hmm?
Why not, Bill?!
Is it because you have a guilty conscience?
Or is it that you for once in your life you are feeling remorseful?
Or are you for once in your life having feelings like a real human being?!" The woman screamed once again at the top of her lungs.

"Ashley, that's enough." Bill huffed.

"NO, BILL. IT IS NOT ENOUGH!
IT IS NOT ENOUGH UNTIL YOU PULL YOUR HEAD OUT AND REALIZE THAT SHE IS INNOCENT!
IT IS NOT ENOUGH UNTIL YOU PULL YOUR HEAD OUT AND REALIZE THAT SHE IS NOT THE PROBLEM!

IT IS NOT ENOUGH UNTIL YOU PULL YOUR HEAD OUT AND REALIZE THAT YOU ARE THE PROBLEM!
IT IS NOT ENOUGH UNTIL YOU REALIZE THAT NONE OF THIS WOULD BE A 'PROBLEM' IF YOU WEREN'T SO SELF-CONSCIOUS.

IT IS NOT ENOUGH UNTIL YOU REALIZE THAT NONE OF THIS WOULD BE A 'PROBLEM' IF YOUR EGO WASN'T BIGGER THAN YOUR HEAD!

IT IS NOT ENOUGH UNTIL YOU REALIZE THAT NONE OF THIS WOULD BE A 'PROBLEM' IF YOU WERE NOT SUCH A SELFISH HYPOCRITE WHO CARED MORE ABOUT YOUR OWN REPUTATION THAN ABOUT YOUR OWN FAMILY, BILL!" Ashley screamed.

"ASHLEY, I AM NOT GOING TO ARGUE ABOUT THIS ANYMORE WITH YOU!
I HAVE ALREADY MADE UP MY MIND, NOW THAT'S ENOUGH!" Bill huffed.

The yelling echoed throughout the hallways.
Bill turned around to walk away until a voice interrupted him and made him stop abruptly.
"I hate you...." Ashley whispered.

The words that left the woman's mouth caught him off guard and made him surprised. Bill turned back around to face the woman.

"What?" Bill asked in a menacing tone.

Ashley's stare stayed on the ground for a moment as she stayed silent until she found that she had had enough.
"I said...." She looked up into his eyes. Darkness and hatred filled her blue eyes.
"I HATE YOU!!!"
Ashley screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Hah..." Was the only sound of response that left Bill's mouth.

"If one dies, kill us all, Bill.
Do it.
JUST DO IT!" Ashley screamed.

Within a matter of seconds Bill swiftly held the woman against the wall with his hand around her throat.

"Do it, Bill.
I dare you to do it.
Hundreds of people have died in your hands without hesitation.
What's one more person, right?
So go ahead, Bill....
JUST DO IT!" Ashley screamed as tears fell from her blue eyes and down her pale face.

Bill loosened his grip and let go of the woman, he then let his hand fall to his side. The woman's feet then hit the ground. The woman's legs had then given out as she held her hands against the wall for support and her back slid down the wall. Bill soon clutched his hands into tight fists at his sides to control his anger.

"Bill, I am done with you.
Let me take them and leave, Bill.
Let us go, Bill.
Please, Bill. I am tired.
I cannot do this anymore, Bill.
We cannot do this anymore, Bill.
Please Bill, I am begging you.
You can keep everything that you own.
Just let me have my family's assets, Bill.
I am begging you, please, for once, do something good and be empathetic for once in your life and let us go." Ashley's voice had nothing but one emotion in it,
Tiredness.

"Ashley, I can give you almost anything and everything in the world." Bill sighed.

Silence filled the halls.

"I want....

A divorce...." Ashley's voice was hoarse from the screaming and arguing that had just seconds before had taken place.

Bill knelt down onto one knee, his hand reached for Ashley's hair. He lightly took a small section of Ashley's hair in his hand. From there, he held her long, platinum hair in his hand, and slowly took it up to his lips.

"But, that is one of the things that I am unable to give you." Bill whispered.

Bill withdrew his hand, letting Ashley's long, silky, blonde hair fall back into its place of which was rested upon her chest. Bill then got up, finally standing. He turned around, and without giving the woman below him a final glance, he walked away, leaving an unspoken tension lingering in the halls.

Nina came running through the corridor, her footsteps echoing, as she made her way towards Ashley.  She crouched on the ground and lightly grabbed the Ashley's hands, holding Ashley's hands in her own.

"Madam, I can't stand to see this go on any longer!
You need to run away with your baby.
I will give you all of my savings for you to leave!
Even if I have to put my life on the line so you and the young miss can live happily without being trapped or in fear!" Nina whispered as tears fell from her eyes.

"Nina, listen.
If anything happens to me, I need you to raise my babies and take care of them.
Even if it comes down to just Aisha, because that is how it is looking now.
You're my last hope and I'm trusting you." Ashley faintly smiled.

"Young madam!
Please, don't speak like that!
You will be fine!" Nina cried.

"Nina, get out of my way.
My wife and I are going to bed " Bill emerged unexpectedly, stating as he appeared.

"But sir-" Nina protested, her arms wrapped around Ashley protectively.

"Don't provoke him, Nina." Ashley sighed, sharing one final glance with Nina.

"Yes, madam." Nina said as she stood up and backed away from Ashley.

"It's late, let's go to our room, to our bed, and go to sleep, Ashley." Bill rubbed his eyes with one hand.

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Ashley whispered.

Bill bent down and picked Ashley up in his arms and carried her down the hall, up the West Staircase, on the way to their bedroom.

"Bill... Put me down." Ashley said in a calm tone as she wiggled in his arms.

"No, your body is weak." He replied, unfazed by any of her efforts of retribution.

"Put me down, now! Please! Put me down!" She yelled as she slammed her fists onto his chest.

"Davidson!" Bill yelled to his right hand man.

The older man came dashing up the stairs towards the scene.

"Yes, sir?" Davidson asked

"Open the door and wait out here. I want no one coming inside of the room." Bill stated in a calm tone.

"But, umm, sir....
Legally.... Y-you can't force Madam to stay in the room...." Davidson stuttered.

"Davidson.....
I never said that no one can go out of the room,
I just said I wanted no one to come into the room." Bill said in a threatening tone.

"David, don't do it." Ashley shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Madam. You can leave the room at any time and everything will be okay." Davidson faintly assured, but he himself knew deep down that he could not ensure anything at all.

Davidson opened Bill's door for Bill to walk in and Bill walked into the room.
"Close the door, Davidson." Bill sighed.

"Yes, sir..." Davidson gave the couple one final glance before finally shaking his head and closing the door.

Bill walked to the bed in the room and placed Ashley down. He let out a heavy sigh.
"What is your problem, Bill?" Ashley asked.
Bill walked to a dresser, pulled out a cigar box, took one and lit it.
"Nothing is "my problem," Ashley." Bill replied nonchalantly.
"Why are you so against our children, Bill?" She asked.

Bill stayed silent for a moment until he broke the silence.

"Let me ask you something, Ashley....."

He walked to a chair and sat down.

"Is the kid mine?" Bill asked.

Silence filled the room until it was broken once again.

"Haha... HAHAHA!!!!" A psychotic laugh left Ashley.
Bill turned his head towards Ashley.
"WHAT THE HELL, BILL?!
HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK THAT THEY AREN'T YOURS?!
DO YOU NOT TRUST ME?!" Ashley cried.

"It's not that I don't trust you, Ashley.
I just wanted to hear it from you." Bill sighed.

The thing was, she knew that the children were his, he knew that child was his, but the people around them thought otherwise.

"Bill, what sense does it make that they wouldn't be yours?!
How could I mingle with another man if I don't leave this unforsaken prison?" Ashley asked.

"This isn't a prison, Ashley.
Open up your eyes and take a good look around you.
Do you see guards anywhere?
Do I have you locked up in a cell behind an iron door?
Do I have you tethered up in some dungeon?" Bill gritted as he was on the verge of losing patience.

"No, Bill, I do not see guards anywhere.
But do you know what I do see?
I see that I am surrounded by people that watch me, follow me and report my every move.
No Bill, I am not locked up in a cell behind an iron door, but every pathway feels restricted.
No Bill, I'm not tethered in a dungeon, yet I find myself trapped in this miserable house – a cage you've placed me in, as if I were a captive bird!" Ashley screamed.

"You may call this place a home, Bill.
But for me, this so called home is a prison." Ashley sighed.

End of flashback