YOUR MONSTER, MY PRIDE

The silence was deafening.

Jaden staggered, moving backwards slowly. His body trembling as he pressed himself against the wall.

Reynold took one step into the room, his gaze fixed on his brother. 

The door slammed shut behind him as he kept moving towards them.

"Reynold—" Jaden's voice cracked as he tried to laugh it off. He raised his hands up, putting on an innocent face. "It's not what it looks like." 

Reynold remained quiet, taking slow steps towards him. 

Jaden panicked. "She… she seduced me," he said point his trembling fingers at Annabel.

Annabel sat on the bed, covering the side of her dress which was ripped. She couldn't stop shaking.

Her heart pounding. But her eyes never left Reynold.

Reynold fist was clenched tightly. His expression darkened and unreadable.

"Reynold—" Jaden continued but before he could finish, Reynold grabbed him by the neck. Threw him against the wall and before Jaden could react he punched him straight in the face.

Annabel gasped, as she trembled in the chaos.

Jaden fell to the floor.

But Reynold wasn't done yet.

He jumped on him as he kept punching him again— 

 and again — right on the face and the same spot.

Blood splashed from Jaden nose and mouth, running down his cheeks.

"No one touches my woman," Reynold growled. His fist moved fast, full of anger. His Eyes dark and his face cold.

Annabel stood up quickly. "Reynold! Stop! Please!"

But he wouldn't stop. He was too angry to listen.

"He's your brother!" Annabel cried. "You are going to kill him."

He still didn't let go.

Annabel ran to him. She held his arm and tried to move him. 

But Reynold was fully ready to beat his brother to death. 

She wouldn't let that. 

Annabel pulled in all her strength in pushing him off Jaden.

Reynold growled wanting to continue his fight. So she did the only thing she could think of.

She stood on her toes, grabbed his face— and kissed him. 

Reynold froze.

His breathe seized. 

Then slowly his body calmed. His clenched fist slowly released. 

He remained still with his eyes opened.

Jaden turned on the floor, chocking and coughing out blood. He staggered as she managed to get on his fist. 

He stumbled out of the room, gasping in pain.

Annabel lips trembled against his as tears dropped down her cheeks. 

Just then, Reynold pulled her from him. Turned around as though avoiding her gaze. 

"You are not Carrie," he whispered. "Stay away from me, I don't know what i am capable of doing to you."

And with that, he walked out of the room. 

Annabel collapsed on the floor. Her hands wrapped around her chest as she cried silently. 

After a while, a soft knock came on the door, madam charlotte walked in. 

She looked at for a few seconds. She was a mess.

She rushed to her gently, placing a warm cloth around her. She helped her stand, guiding her to the bed. 

She sat beside Annabel, looking at her with pity and concern. Her hands gently arranged Annabel messy hair. 

"I'm so sorry…. I shouldn't have left," madam charlotte said with a warm voice. 

After holding in for too long, Annabel broke down in tears. 

Without hesitating, Madam charlotte wrapped her arms around Annabel, pulling her for a warm hug. 

Allowing her cry to her heart content.

After Annabel was done crying, she slowly lifted her head, wiping off her wet cheeks.

Madam charlottes passed her a warm cup of tea. 

"Why do I have to go through all this?" Annabel voice cracked as she spoke. 

Tears gathered in madam charlotte's eyes. She felt pain for Annabel. 

"It will only get better," she said, tapping Annabel head softly.

"How did you know what happened?" Annabel asked. She gently took the cup from madam charlotte. Her hands shaky as she slowly sipped it.

"Reynold told me to check up on you," madam charlotte said as a warm smile curved on her lips. "Actually, I think you are a blessing to this family."

Annabel looked at her, confused. 

"Ever since Carrie died…. Reynold hasn't been himself." Madam charlotte continued. 

"Sometimes, he's extremely angry and sometimes he's just quiet, but today," she gently placed her hand across Annabel's hand, warming it gently.

"When he came to me, I saw a different kind of softness in his eyes….. it was as if the old Reynold had returned." 

She smiled. Gently place her hand on Annabel's shoulder. 

"I think you can make this family whole again."

Annabel face dropped. 

"He has helped me so much today," Annabel said with a sad face. "I don't even know how to thank him." 

Just then an idea flashed in her head. She turned to madam Charlotte with a tiny smile on her lips.

"Tell me everything about Carrie and Reynold….. I want to know how she made him happy." 

Madam charlotte looked at Annabel with surprise.

"Why do you want to know about Carrie?

Annabel gave a sad smile. "Because…I want to thank him. He saved me today. I want to make him happy but I don't know how."

Madam Charlotte looked at her for a moment, then sighed softly.

"Reynold doesn't open up easily," she began. "But when Carrie was alive, she brought out the softest side of him."

Annabel leaned in quietly, listening.

"They used to sit together in his study every night. She would read to him, sometimes they'd read together. That study became their world. Just the two of them."

She paused.

"But after she died… he never let anyone enter that room again. Not even me."

Annabel's heart ached as she imagined it.

Madam Charlotte continued, "There's another thing. Every Friday, Carrie would make his favorite meal — shrimp pasta with creamy garlic sauce. It was their little tradition."

Annabel gave a soft smile, then nodded slowly. "Thank you… I want to do something for him. Even if it's small."

—

That evening, when the house was quiet again, Annabel stepped into the kitchen.

She worked carefully, following the instructions she had asked the cook for. She didn't want help. She wanted to do it with her own hands — to mean it.

When she finished, she placed the shrimp pasta carefully on a tray. A glass of water beside it. She took a deep breath and stepped into the hallway.

Her heart raced as she stood in front of the heavy wooden door of the study.

"He hasn't let anyone inside since she died."

Her hand hovered on the doorknob. She closed her eyes for a second, breathing in.

Then she turned it.

The door creaked open.

The study smelled like books, old wood, and silence. Tall shelves lined the walls. A deep brown leather chair sat in the corner beside a lamp. There were picture frames on a side table — one of them had Reynold and Carrie laughing in a garden.

Annabel stepped in slowly, holding the tray. Her eyes moved gently around the room.

It felt sacred.

She walked quietly to the desk and placed the tray down.

Just then… the door behind her opened.

Reynold stood there.

He froze.

Annabel turned to face him slowly.

He looked at the food. Then the tray. Then at her.

His voice was quiet but cold.

"What are you doing here?"

Annabel took a step forward. "I… I just wanted to say thank you."

He didn't move.

"You saved me. I know you didn't have to… but you did. And I wanted to make something for you. Charlotte told me about—"

"I didn't ask for this," he cut in, his tone still low, but sharper.

"I know," Annabel said gently. "But I meant it. I wanted to do something that mattered to you."

He took a slow step inside.

"I didn't invite you in here," he said, his voice rising slightly. "This room… is not for you."

Annabel stood still, confused. "I was only trying to help."

"This isn't helping," he said, louder now. "You don't belong in here."

Her heart dropped. "Reynold—please don't do that. I'm not trying to replace Carrie—"

"Don't say her name," he shouted suddenly.

Annabel flinched.

Reynold's eyes darkened. "You think because you cooked some pasta and walked in here, you understand me? That this means something?"

"No," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I just wanted to make you happy. Even for a second."

"You don't get to decide what makes me happy!" he barked. "You don't get to walk into my world and act like you understand!"

His voice was thunder now.

"GET OUT!"

Annabel jolted.

Her body moved backward out of fear and in the process—her elbow hit the small table beside her.

One of the picture frames fell.

CRASH!

Glass shattered across the floor.

Annabel gasped, her hand covering her mouth.

She looked down slowly—and saw it.

A picture of Carrie. Her smile, her eyes, her warmth… now cracked beneath the broken glass.

Reynold froze. His face paled.

Silence fell in the room again.

Annabel stepped back slowly. "I…i..I" stammering.

Reynold didn't say a word.

He just stared at the broken photo, as if the pieces cut straight through him.

His eyes darkened. His fist clenched and jaw tightened as he slowly lifted his head. 

Annabel knew— she knew he wasn't going to let her off that easily.