Although there was a fireplace in the room, Estelle felt a chill that now pierced her bones. Not because of the outside air that slipped in, but because of one sentence from Edward that made her fall silent.
"What?"
"Hector is your mother's favorite student."
No. That's something Estelle had never thought of before. She remembered that her mother had worked as a private teacher, but she never expected Hector to be one of her students.
Mrs Andersen was Hector's guardian at the time due to his poor relationship with his parents.
The old man poured the nearly finished tea into his cup. Bringing the cup to his mouth and inhaling its aroma before drinking the liquid. Estelle remained silent, processing everything Edward had said with turmoil in her mind.
"Hector's relationship with Mrs Andersen was stronger than his relationship with his parents, making the assumption that Hector murdered Mr and Mrs Andersen impossible."
The girl's lips thinned. "But that doesn't mean Hector is free from all accusations, does it? Even in this day and age, a loving husband and wife can end up killing each other later on."
Eyes framed by wrinkled skin gazed at the girl for a moment. The man placed his cup back on the table and smiled gently.
"There is another thing that made us agree that Hector was not the perpetrator."
Estelle's gaze was fixed on Edward, as if she were searching for a lie there. However, the man who has experienced the ups and downs of life understands that the girl wants a definitive answer. A fact that might be difficult to explain even for Hector.
"Hector owes his life to Mrs Andersen." The old man closed his eyes for a moment. Recalling the dark times when the Nightwood family's sole heir was on the verge of death.
"Do you see the scar on his wrist?"
Estelle nodded. Mr Wright paused for a moment, gathering the remnants of memories from the past. The event that made him immediately tremble upon seeing it. As a father, he cannot believe that other parents would have the heart to do such things to their own child.
"At fifteen, Hector once attempted suicide. I remember it clearly because when we arrived, his small body was already covered in blood and turned blue. While Mrs Andersen was the only one who dared to call the police and ambulance because all the servants at the Nightwood residence were afraid of the master."
At the same time, Estelle remembered the scar on Hector's wrist. A horizontal scar caused by a sharp object. Something very noticeably odd compared to Hector's dominant nature.
Estelle's breath broke the silence, the girl cupped her face and thought of all the facts she never could have imagined. A strange feeling arose in his heart. A tickling sensation that demanded she pity Hector. But of course, her logic rejects it.
"How can that be?"
The old man smiled bitterly. "As the heir of the family, he is expected to always be strong and perfect. The pressure from his parents was no joke. Not only did the child struggle academically, but he also had to fight for his life in the face of assassination attempts."
Estelle's eyes widened and her lips thinned. Yes, that incident has happened before, and the current Hector is still overwhelmed by it. What would happen if such a small child were always threatened by danger?
After dozens of attempted murders with firearms or poison, the boy's mind finally gave in. He chose to close the book at such a young age, but Mrs Andersen, Hector's private tutor at the time, fought to save his life."
Hector survived... thanks to his mother's efforts.
Estelle lowered her head. Should he be grateful or feel pathetic? Her mother's actions were not shameful. In fact, Estelle was proud. But if she looks at it now, her mother seems to be releasing a demon from its seal.
"From that moment on, Mrs Andersen became Hector's guardian, and his trauma slowly healed."
Silence. No comment from Estelle. The old man finally smiled and pushed the plate of cookies closer to the girl.
"Of course, there are other things that led us to conclude that Hector was not the perpetrator. However, because it concerns someone's safety, those documents and facts cannot be revealed to the public," explained Mr Wright.
"That means... Hector is truly innocent? Then... what about the ring?"
Mr Wright shook his head. "Before the incident, your parents met with Hector to propose an agreement and entrust something to him. The ring was the symbol of Hector's vow to Mr and Mrs Andersen."
"What kind of agreement?"
The man's smile felt softer and warmer than the fireplace. Both his lips and eyes became inverted crescent moons.
"Telling you about the contents of the agreement is Hector's responsibility."
There was no intention to force, the girl just nodded slowly. However, she just realized that there was information that contrasted with what she had heard all this time and also what Mr Wright said. And she wasn't sure how much she could trust both sides.
"All this time Lucille said that... Hector was the real perpetrator, so... I tried to poison Hector."
There was no look of surprise on the old man's face. He just nodded and chuckled slightly.
"You are a very brave girl."
"But... that's not the point I want to discuss."
Mr Wright noticed a passing shadow outside the house. His frail hands were raised and waved towards the window. Estelle followed Mr Wright's gaze and found Hector smiling as he waved back.
In such a scene, Hector looked like an ordinary adult man. There were no guns or knives ready to threaten him.
Standing, Mr Wright walked to the window. His gaze was fixed on the increasingly heavy falling snowflakes as the sky, which was initially grey, now turned darker. The evening has arrived.
"What you see as good and bad can be distorted depending on your perspective," said Mr Wright. "You will not find the truth if you do not look at it neutrally."
Estelle's fingers were tightly clenched. Her knuckles turned white, and her mind became agitated. Has everything she believed all this time been a fragment of a lie?
"Finished talking?" Hector returned, looking dishevelled from the snow clinging to his body and clothes.
"Yes, I think so," replied Mr Wright. "You should rest, if there are any more questions, I will answer them tomorrow."
"Thank you, Mr Wright."
After Mr Wright excused himself to prepare the room, Hector sat beside Estelle, patting his snow-covered clothes. Although it eventually melted, for some reason the man still tried to brush the snow off his clothes and hair.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Estelle's cold voice diverted Hector's concentration. The man stared for a moment, guessing the girl's mood.
"If I say it myself, will you believe me?"
Estelle's lips thinned. That's a strong reason. If Hector had told her, she wouldn't have believed him. As a result, Hector used Mr Wright's influence to persuade her.
"What you hear from Mr Wright is a fact from a neutral standpoint," Hector explained. "A man who always holds onto his principles will likely not reveal baseless lies. If you don't trust me, at least there's no reason for you not to trust him."
Estelle knew and understood.
"Are you trying to build my trust in you?"
The dark-haired man shrugged. Honestly, he didn't care if Estelle believed him or not. None of that was a factor in his decision to give up on tying Estelle.
"No. I just want you to know the facts. As part of the repayment for past debts."
Estelle cast a sharp glance at Hector. That gaze did not imply friendliness at all.
"Then, as repayment for your past debt. Tell me, what agreement did you make with my parents?"
Hector's body froze. For the first time, the man felt uncomfortable and refused to meet Estelle's eyes. There is no answer. The man's lips remained sealed.
"Why? Are you afraid?"
"No."
"Then why—"
"I will tell you when the right time comes."
***