Shadows Of The Empire
CHAPTER 1
Violetta Rosenfeld
"Two years ago, the night that I thought would define my life turned into the night that broke me."
The soft hum of the violin was the only sound that dared to fill the silence of the room. The moonlight, pale and watchful, slanted through the tall window, casting long, broken lines across the floorboards.
Violetta's fingers moved with practiced precision, the melody shifting from brighter notes to somber, drawn-out chords that seemed to mirror the ache buried in her chest.
The university, Brussels University, she was getting a degree at, had become both her sanctuary and prison. Something that she chose for herself.
The halls echoed with laughter and chatter of the students, voices light and carefree, but here in this room tucked away from the chatter of the students, she felt the weight of her soltitude.
The notes she played were sweet and haunting, a fragile attempt to stitch together a heart that had been left in pieces since the day he disappeared.
Even music, the one the that had always spoken to the deepest parts of her, couldn't mask the pain.
Her bow wavered, a tremor in the hand that had once moved with unwavering strength. The last note lingered, fading into stillness, a fragile whisper that echoed only in her mind. It was a sound that asked no questions, only longed. The silence that followed was louder than any symphony, a testament to the void he left behind.
She let the violin fall against her chest, the strain in her arms forgotten as she looked out the window, eyes searching the night as if it could answer her unspoken question. "Where was he now? "
The moon's pale light caught the tear that slid down her cheek, the only witness to the night that was both ordinary and extraordinary.
And in that silence, she whispered to the darkness
Violetta Rosenfeld
Come back to me.
CHAPTER 1 PG 2
The morning sun cast it's golden hue over the sprawling campus, draping everything in a warm glow that barely reached the dim, quiet corners of Violetta's room. The soft rustle of leaves outside the window was the only sound, mingling with the distant hum of the city waking up.
Violetta sat her desk, the music sheet spread out before her like a map of memories, but her eyes weren't on the notes. They stared out the window, lost in delicate dance of tree branches moving with the breezes, eyes reflecting the same muted longing.
Her hands, pale and slender, traced the rim of the tea cup, the porcelain cold beneath her fingers. It was still early, and the house was shrouded in a silence so deep it felt like an old, familiar wound. There were no echoes of laughter, no hurried conversations— just her and the quiet, the unrelenting weight of solitude she had chosen but never wanted.
Violetta Rosenfeld
Sighs *Another sleepless night*
Violetta moved through her morning with the practiced grace of someone who had long since mastered the art of pretending.
She dressed in muted colors that complemented her amber gold eyes, a trait of the Rosenfeld's, slipping into the clothes that were more armour than fashion. There was no room for the bright, playful hues that might once have hinted at joy. Not when the past, with its warm familiar presence, felt like a distant dream she could no longer touch.
She left the house on foot, navigating the familiar path to the university, the routine so deeply embedded that it is a easy breathing. The campus was alive with the chatter of students and the shuffling of footsteps on stone pathways but she walked alone, seperated by an invisible wall of solitude. No one dared to approach her, though their eyes followed her.
Some looked with admiration, some envious, some curious, unable to resist the allure of a girl who seemed to droft between the realms of reality and something more elusive, something they could never quite name.
Violetta now sat in her usual spot at the library, her fingers flicked over the pages of an international relations textbook, but the words blurred, the meaning lost on her as her mind wandered to the memories that refused to die.
The once music prodigy(although anonymous) , who received various awards, broke various records, named the best musician of the modern era, the pride of her nation, could now only produce grief through her music. She still played and still received awards, her every work being a masterpiece till date, but it pained every listener. Everyone who heard the music she produced in the past two years had all cried and even expressed they almost went into depression cuz of it being so sad and impactful.
She had chosen international relations, a field that required every ounce of her focus and required for her to mingle with world, it was an ironic choice— her way of trying to move past the chaos and find reason to keep going without him.
Marisol Midvels
'Skipped over to her, her face bright and smiling' Hey Lola!
Violetta Rosenfeld
'Gave a small smile'
Violetta Rosenfeld
*Marisol is the only one who could disrupt my silence with her bright. And to mention, she is a hopeless romantic and craves for the love in the novels. And my only friend in this sanctuary/prison.*
Marisol Midvels
'Smiling brightly, her eyes sparkling with excitement' You won't believe what I heard today—
Violetta Rosenfeld
'Tuned her out'
Violetta Rosenfeld
*Marisol is an excellent student who does law. But her romantic antics and her greed for gossip knows no bounds. But she is beautiful. A special type of beauty. *
Violetta nodded her head, prentending to listen to whatever Marisol was saying and got lost in her head.
Violetta Rosenfeld
'📱buzzed'
Violetta Rosenfeld
'Takes it out and frowns seeing the name'
Violetta Rosenfeld
'Looks at Marisol and offers a forced smiling' Sorry Marisol, I have to go. I'll see you around.
Marisol Midvels
'Concerned' Already?
Violetta Rosenfeld
'But she already left'
Author
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CHAPTER 1 PG 3
Violetta had come out of the library and found a quiet place, under a tree, where no one was around to pick up the call.
Violetta Rosenfeld
📱Hello.
？？？
📱Hellooo sister dearest. Missed this brother? You just have, after all, it is difficult to stay apart from me.
Violetta Rosenfeld
'Rolled her eyes'
Violetta Rosenfeld
📱Get to the point, Leo. Don't you have to get back to your set?
Leonardo Rosenfeld
📱Oh? Sister dearest seems to be keeping tabs on me. Are you missing me that much? Just say the word, and I'll very kindly bless you with my presence.
Violetta Rosenfeld
'Used to his narcissism'📱You calling me could only mean there is something that needs to be dealt with immediately. So stop wasting time and tell me what it is.
Leonardo Rosenfeld
📱'Dramatic sigh' What did I do get such a sister? Siblings call to check up on each other too sister dearest. Something that you seem to have forgotten.
Violetta Rosenfeld
'Knows she is in the wrong and ia also feeling guilty and bad for treating her brother this way.'
Leonardo Rosenfeld
'Continues' 📱Anyways, have you got anything on the Caldwells?
Violetta Rosenfeld
'Turns serious' 📱Yes. I found suspicious transactions in Nick Caldwell's account. So I hacked into his laptop and found that he had been illegally trading with a seller from the country Marentia. It's been going on for 2 years now.
Violetta Rosenfeld
It started with buying imported cars in bulk from which he made petty profits. I'm sure dad over looked this because he wasn't really a threat and let it go. But Nick had used this leniency and pity to his advantage and had started smuggling in drugs.
Violetta Rosenfeld
They have smuggled drugs twice over the past 3 months. I have proof of that. I mailed you the pendrive with all the evidences from his laptop. Must have reached you by now.
Leonardo Rosenfeld
📱I did receive it a while ago. I'm going through it now. The audacity of this guy to misuse dad's pity to smuggle in drugs that could possibly kill our entire youth through addiction.
Violetta Rosenfeld
📱What are you going to do?
Leonardo Rosenfeld
📱'Sighs' What else? This guy should be put behind bars and the seller from Marentia should also be caught. We still don't know how many more buyers our country, Virelda has. But to think a tiny country like Marentia dares to something like this.
Violetta Rosenfeld
📱'Sighs' Isn't it because it's time for elections again? All the pests living on due to dad's pity are trying to take over the crop at a crucial time like this. Any scandal on dad could deeply affect his chance for the being president again.
Violetta Rosenfeld
📱The evidence I sent you might not help close the chapter of the Caldwells or the seller from Marentia as it had been taken through means of hacking. It could not help dad.
Leonardo Rosenfeld
📱'Sighs' I know. The team is already on it. Moreover Papa Darian is on it as well. There is no need to worry as it's being done directly under his supervision. All the drug mafia has been closing.
Violetta Rosenfeld
📱'Surprised' Papa Darian is personally over seeing it? Oh ho~ Does this mean the notorious "Shadow Marshell" is back to work again?
Leonardo Rosenfeld
📱'Chuckles' Yes he is. He even declared openly he is coming for them all. Papa is unbelievable.
Violetta Rosenfeld
📱'Smiles' I guess there is nothing to worry about then. Papa is taking caring of it. And you have your team in it as well, I'm sure you will find a way to make the info I gave legal soon. Dad's going to thrilled. You think he will retire for the next term?
Leonardo Rosenfeld
📱'Serious' Pray that he won't Vio. As it could only cost me rather than benefit. My freedom.
Violetta Rosenfeld
📱'Understands he doesn't like politics and sighs' Alright I will pray for your wishes. Is there anything else?
Leonardo Rosenfeld
📱'Back to his playfulness' Well, you've been quite busy. Your newest album broke another record. Congratulations sister dearest.
Violetta Rosenfeld
📱'Rolls her eyes' Did my brother dearest listen to my newest piece?
Leonardo Rosenfeld
📱Oh! I did infact listen to it. It cost me several sleepless nights. Did you know someone even tried to commit suicide after listening to it? A lot have gone into depression. You are the talk of the world.
Leonardo Rosenfeld
📱Tell me sister dearest, do you plan to change your music or will i need to cover up all the deaths that are caused by your music? You could be even accused for murder. How could I ever cover that up??
Violetta Rosenfeld
📱'Pissed' LEONARDO!!
Leonardo Rosenfeld
📱Love you too my sister. Now byee. Miss this brother~
Violetta Rosenfeld
'Glares at her phone'
Even amidst all the grief that Violetta is going through, her brother always had the talent to bring emotions out of her.
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