NovelAppLukas walked behind Odin as they climbed the stairs to the second floor. They stopped in their tracks when they heard a loud bang.
It cfrom the living room. It was as if something dull and heavy had fallen to the floor. Odin felt Lukas’ hand heavily on his shoulder. Even if he wanted to turn around to look at the source of the banging sound, he just couldnt.
“Mr. Sullivan, we'll just go upstairs. Didn't you say that you wanted to solve a jigsaw puzzle this afternoon? I've asked someone to buy it for you. It should be in your room now,” Lukas said in a gentle voice, not giving Odin a chance to refuse.
Looking straight into Lukas’ eyes, Odin was able to tell the difference between their strength. He took a deep breath and acquiesced in Lukas’ bidding. The two reached the second floor and walked towards Odin’s room. Lukas opened the door and Odin entered the room.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThe first thing he saw was a box of jigsaw puzzle on the carpet. It was the sone he saw that afternoon. Yet, Odin had already lost his interest in the jigsaw puzzle. He just stood there, seemingly watching Lukas open the box. His mind was full of the boy that his grandmother had brought back “Lukas!” Odin blurted out. Lukas stopped what he was doing. Raising his head to look at the boy, he said concernedly, “Mr. Sullivan, is there something wrong?”
Odin walked over and sat on the floor opposite Lukas. “Do you know him?” he asked. Lukas gave him a perplexed look. His eyebrows furrowed, he asked, “Him? Who? Mr. Sullivan, who are you talking about?”
Lukas then lowered his head and continued opening the box. Apparently, he didn't intend to answer Odin’s question. Odin was persistent. “I know you know who I'm talking about. Lukas, can you tell me?”
“Mr. Sullivan, you are still young,” Lukas said in an evasive tone. “Even if I tell you, you won't understand.”
The boy shook his head slightly.
“Well, I already know,” Odin said, his round eyes blinking.
“The boy Grandma brought back is my brother, right?” Lukas was dumbfounded. He quickly searched his memory for an instance of him mentioning the identity of Victor. His eyes darkened as he looked at Odin up and down.
“You don't have to worry about hiding it from me,” Odin told Lukas candidly. Lukas coughed to clear his throat before he said, “Mr. Sullivan, you...”
Odin cut in and bombarded Lukas with his questions. “He is my brother, isn't he? Why Lukas gave him a perplexed look. His eyebrows furrowed, he asked, “Him? Who? Mr. Sullivan, who are you talking about?”
Lukas then lowered his head and continued opening the box. Apparently, he didn't intend to answer Odin’s question. Odin was persistent. “I know you know who I'm talking about. Lukas, can you tell me?”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“Mr. Sullivan, you are still young,” Lukas said in an evasive tone. “Even if I tell you, you won't understand.” The boy shook his head slightly. “Well, I already know,” Odin said, his round eyes blinking. “The boy Grandma brought back is my brother, right?” Lukas was dumbfounded. He quickly searched his memory for an instance of him mentioning the identity of Victor. His eyes darkened as he looked at Odin up and down.
“You don't have to worry about hiding it from me,” Odin told Lukas candidly. Lukas coughed to clear his throat before he said, “Mr. Sullivan, you...”
Odin cut in and bombarded Lukas with his questions.
"He is my brother, isn't he? Why didn't Grandma bring him back earlier? My parents didn’t seem happy to see him either. Tell me, don't they like my brother? But why? I just don't get it because he is also their child.”
Lukas found it impossible to deal with the questions all at once. He felt relieved when the sound of the car engine interrupted their conversation. Curious, Odin got up, walked to the balcony, and looked down. His eyes fell on his grandmother getting in the car with Victor. Odin looked long and fixedly on Victor. Victor raised his head as he seemed to have felt Odin gazing at him. Their eyes met unexpectedly.
Holding Odin’s stare, Victor's eyes were cold and emotionless. Odin gripped the handrail more tightly. He didn't take his eyes off Victor. But in his mind, he was seeing his parents’ faces just now. He also remembered the sound of violent smashing Odin watched his grandmother and Victor as they left in the car. He didn't see his grandmother in the days that followed.
Meanwhile, his mother would remind him to study hard. Odin had to learn many things since that night. No matter how hard he cried, Maria wouldn't let him rest. And so, he passed out. His parents had a bitter quarrel about his brother. Even if he was dazed, he heard them mention Victor's name. He cto realize that it was this person who had caused every anguish that he had been through —his mother’s quirkiness, his parents’ rows, and his grandmother's unwillingness to cback. “Victor!” Odin said the nover and over again.
“Aren“t you happy forthat I'm still alive?” Odin asked and smiled wryly.
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