Work Text:
☆☆★☆☆
It seemed like a quiet night... Sort of. Hiding a particularly heavy body wasn’t unusual, but what was weird was the forest's eerie silence.
Alastor decided to ignore it, digging and shoveling earth, taking his time to create the perfect hole. Soon, however, he sensed something was off.
“Papa…” whispered the girl beside him. “I heard a doggie…” she said softly, while he, on the other hand, clearly heard gunshots in the distance.
“Come here,” he told her, gesturing for her to get closer. “Hide where I told you, and don’t come out until I say so.” He pressed a finger to his lips, signaling secrecy. The girl nodded, covering her mouth with both hands, and quickly dashed away, her small figure vanishing into the thick fog blanketing the woods.
He kept digging the hole, unbothered, while he heard footsteps approaching from behind. They soon stopped a few meters away, and he felt someone’s gaze piercing the back of his neck.
“Hey, you,” a man’s voice called. “What do you have there?” Alastor heard the man cock his weapon, though he still had his back turned, and the dogs by the man’s side huffed audibly.
“This?” Alastor turned slightly to glance at the man, grinning shamelessly. “It’s just my daughter’s cat… It had a little accident…” he replied, about to show the bloodied bag beside him.
“Ugh, it’s alright, man, really!” the man interrupted, quickly averting his eyes from the bag. “No need to show me, I get it,” he muttered. “Went through the same thing with my boy, and- Hey, retreat!” he shouted at the dogs as they tried to move closer to sniff the bag. Alastor kept digging. “Just heads up and be careful, though. People say there’s a murderer around these parts,” the man said, glancing around at the endless stretch of dirt and trees.
“A murderer, you say?” Alastor asked in surprise, momentarily pausing his work.
“They say he targets hunters in the area… If you see anyone suspicious, better report it to the police… And going around alone… It can be… Misinterpreted, you know what I mean?” the man chuckled awkwardly.
“Oh, but of course,” Alastor replied in a singsong voice, setting the shovel aside. “I usually don’t come alone, but… This circumstances overwhelmed me.” He shrugged indifferently.
“Sure…” the man nodded slightly. “Hope your little one doesn’t feel the loss too hard. Pets come and go…” he sighed.
“I think she’ll be fine; she’s quite understanding,” Alastor replied confidently.
The man laughed.
“Bet she is,” he said, backing up a bit. “Take care, good man. You never know,” he finished, and then he headed back the way he came, signaling his dogs to follow. They quickly ran to their master, disappearing into the fog that haunted the swamp.
“Nako…” Alastor called. “Nako, come here.” The little girl emerged from her hiding spot, her wide hazel eyes looking up at him.
“Did I do well?” she asked excitedly.
“You did perfectly, dear,” Alastor said, patting her head. “Now help me cover this hole. We can’t hide this bastard here anymore” he added with his usual charismatic tone.
“Okay!” Nako grabbed the shovel, struggling to replace all the dirt Alastor had moved.
“Well done, dear,” he praised her again, packing down the last bit of loose earth around the excavation. “Now, let’s head a bit further to the east, then we can go home.” He extended his hand for Nako to hold. “Alright?”
“Alright!” she replied cheerfully.
That meddler had spoiled the evidence cover-up for the day, but at least he hadn’t suspected anything, much less noticed Nako. Everything was fine.
For now.
★☆☆☆★
Alastor still remembered the day Nako had entered his life, not too long ago, perhaps a couple of years back, when he took over one of his victim’s houses to commit a crime. It was a rather run-down place, but he knew he’d burn it down to the ground once he no longer needed it.
That’s when he noticed strange footsteps, dark stains on the walls... And realized someone else was still living there. One day, he finally thought he’d caught the intruder, aiming to kill them… Until he saw a small figure hiding. It wasn’t just any intruder... It was a little girl.
Who would’ve thought the house’s owner had a daughter? He’d never guess. That said a lot about that imbecile.
At least he was dead now.
At first, Alastor pitied her and let her stay in the house until he had to dismantle it, but soon he noticed a few things:
- The little girl followed him everywhere.
- They didn’t speak the same language.
- That asshole had been a terrible father.
He could live with the first thing. However, the first time he noticed it, he’d been quite startled, realizing someone was following him and only calming down when he saw Nako didn’t want to be alone.
It was then he noticed the second thing, when he tried to explain she should stay in the house and that he’d come back with food. She just looked at him, puzzled and confused, as though trying to decipher his words.
And the last thing, well, there was no doubt. The little girl would tremble each time he raised his voice, and he soon noticed that other loud noises terrified her, finding her in tears after he’d taken care of some of his victims. And if that wasn’t enough, Nako had been severely malnourished when he found her; Alastor couldn’t believe the conditions the girl had lived in.
After some back and forth, a few murders here and there inside the house, he finally decided to take Nako with him and burn the place down as he’d initially intended. That was her first crime. Although she always appeared rather indifferent to situations, she seemed excited when she understood what they were about to do.
Needless to say, they stayed there until they confirmed the place was reduced to ashes. Meanwhile, he noticed how Nako watched the fire as if it were a marvelous spectacle. At least she enjoyed the sight, even if the smell was dreadful.
When they started living together, she gradually learned the language, though teaching a child was always challenging, especially a different language from the one she’d known her whole, but quite short, life. This way, Alastor finally learned her name was “Nako.” And of course, she couldn’t be kept hidden forever, not if he could help it, which is how Mimzy eventually discovered his little new “acquisition.”
“So, this little one… Where’d you get her?” Mimzy asked while petting Nako, who was dozing off in her lap.
“I just found her around.” he replied dismissively, pouring a couple of drinks.
“You know you can tell me the truth…” she insisted.
He fell silent, not knowing how to answer.
“Oh, you knocked up a prostitute, didn’t you? I didn’t know you were that kind of man…” she teased, letting Nako snuggle closer to her belly.
Mimzy received a playful thwack on the head for that comment, along with a friendly pinch on the cheek.
“Hey!” she protested, gently moving her hand to avoid waking the little one.
[♡]
Nako had proven herself to be quite an efficient little accomplice, helping without complaint to hide bodies or even restrain victims. Though limited by her size, she’d learned a lot from him.
He still remembered with an odd pride watching her smother one of his victims while he worked; he could still see how she appeared unaffected by the act, yet happy to help, seeking his approval with her gaze. He couldn’t have been more pleased.
Thanks to her, he’d perfected his technique, and she had even saved his life a few weeks back when he noticed the authorities were catching wind of his… Hobby. Hunters were now patrolling with dogs that would stick their noses where they didn’t belong.
Maybe it was a good time to take a break. Write a few scripts for his show, tidy up the house, help Nako with her schoolwork… Just for now.
Then they could come back stronger.
☆★★★☆
The first time Nako called him “papa” had been a total surprise.
“Papa,” a tiny voice called out in the middle of the night. That night, he’d stayed up late working on some scripts for his show and taking a midnight shift, just to avoid keeping his audience waiting.
“Hmph?” Her call made him look up.
“Papa?” A small head with brown hair peeked through the doorway.
“What?” he repeated, still bewildered.
“Papa,” the little one walked closer to where he was seated.
“What did you just… Call me?” He was sure his face was to be a picture at that moment.
“Papa… Fear,” Nako said, her vocabulary still limited in his language, but he could see her teary eyes.
He paused for a few seconds, thoughtful. “Come here,” he finally said, patting his lap. She immediately leaped onto him, hiding her face in his chest in embarrassment. “What happened?” he asked, still puzzled after the initial shock.
“Scary… Monster…” she murmured, trembling, not looking up.
“Is there a monster in your room?” he deduced from the few words she managed to say.
The little one nodded, burying her face further into his torso and hugging him tightly. For a moment, he thought about going back to the room to convince her that there was nothing there that could hurt her; however, he was about to make a live broadcast, and of course, he didn’t want to neglect his listeners.
“Well,” he began, addressing Nako. “You can stay with me tonight, but you better keep quiet, is that clear?” Nako finally lifted her gaze a little and nodded vigorously once more, settling herself on Alastor’s lap as her muscles relaxed. A few minutes later, she was sound asleep.
He couldn’t have been more exhausted; taking care of a child and hosting a midnight radio show was a task he wouldn’t wish upon his worst enemies. Probably.
He couldn’t wait for the day when he could finally be rid of her. After all, he never got attached to people. Ever. He’d leave her in a comfortable orphanage and return to his solitary life of murders in the depths of the swamp outside of Louisiana, just as it should be.
★★☆★★
Today, Nako was more cheerful than usual. Not that she was particularly serious most of the time; of course not. By nature, she was very lively, though rather shy.
"Did something good happen?" Alastor asked, taking a sip from his coffee and glancing up from his newspaper to see his "daughter" approaching with a smile barely contained on her face.
"I have something to tell you," Nako, now a young lady at her almost —or rather supposed— seventeen years, sat next to her father, eager to share some good news… Or so she thought.
"Go ahead" he prompted, taking another sip of his cup and turning a page in the newspaper.
"I want you to meet my boyfriend." Maybe Alastor drank his coffee too quickly because it went down the wrong way, making him cough.
"Excuse me?!" he asked, startled, trying to control his voice.
"My boyfriend, dad," Nako said confidently. "I want you to meet him. He also works in the media like you do. Well, like you used to." She gave him a few pats on the back, trying to help with his cough.
"When… How?" he asked incredulously.
"We met a few months ago," she began to explain excitedly as she cleared the dirty dishes from the table. "I met him at one of his events… We talked a little, had a few dates… And then we started exchanging letters." She blushed a bit, fiddling with her hands.
"When was this? Why didn’t you mention it before?" he started interrogating her, putting down his newspaper. "What does he do exactly? Young people today don’t appreciate radio like they used to… Is he handsome? Does he have money, maybe property? Is he… White?" His questions came out so quickly it was hard to miss his concern.
"Because I knew you'd ask!" Nako exclaimed, interrupting her father. "That’s why I didn’t tell you, I knew you’d probably pull a background check on him," she said, folding her arms across her chest. "And yes, he’s rich, very handsome, yes, he’s white, a good one, humble and generous, goes to church, and he doesn’t look down to people like us…" she explained, almost excusing herself.
"Nako…" he called her almost pleadingly.
"He’s on TV, dad! He’s quiet popular!" She sighed, lowering her gaze. "And he is the one who wanted to meet you," she murmured, that last part barely audible.
There was an uncomfortable silence that felt like an eternity before Alastor spoke again.
“When will I meet him?” was his first question.
“This Saturday,” she said. “He made a reservation at a very nice restaurant; you’ll love it. I promise, we’ve been there a couple of times and…” she tried to describe the place to divert his attention.
“What’s his name?” came his second question, wanting to know one of the most important details.
“Hmph?” Nako paused mid-sentence.
“Him… What’s his name?” he asked once more.
“Oh! His name is Victor. Victor █████,” she said his name almost automatically.
“Victor…” he tasted the unfamiliar name.
“Actually…” another topic to share came to Nako’s mind, something Alastor might like to hear.
“Hmph?” he looked up at her.
“He used to like your show. Actually likes it… A lot! That’s also why he’s so positive about meeting you…” she said, knowing that if her dad ever loved anything, it was his radio show.
“I see…” he replied without much enthusiasm.
“He’s very nice! Please, Dad…” she insisted. “I love him.” she confessed, pleading for him to give him a chance.
“Alright, alright,” he said, trying to calm her. “If this makes you happy, fine, I’ll meet him.” he replied, giving her a rather disinterested smile.
“You will?” Nako asked, surprised.
“Why, of course.” he affirmed as he looked at her.
“Wonderful!” Nako cried out in excitement as she hugged him.
“But…” he paused as he looked her in the eyes. “I’ll keep an eye on him… You know we can’t trust just anyone,” he warned, lowering his tone cautiously.
Another silence filled the room.
“Of course, I’ll keep an eye on him too… I just know he’s a good guy, he’s the one…” she said, sitting beside Alastor.
“I know, I trust you,” he told her as she rested her head on his shoulder. “But not him.” he muttered that last part a bit to himself, putting his arm around Nako.
[♡]
Saturday came faster than expected. He wasn’t nervous, of course not. He had waited his whole life for a way to be rid of Nako, and in the end, this was his chance. She had found a boyfriend. If he turned out to be good, they’d get married, she’d leave home, and, with some luck, he’d never hear from her ever again.
However, despite everything, she was still a key piece in his criminal activities, flying under the radar as an adorable young lady raised by a “single father.” It was hard to say if letting her go wouldn’t backfire, though she seemed loyal enough.
It was difficult to imagine a world where she’d betray him by leaving him. A dilemma he’d been mulling over for the past ten years. Maybe he’d just keep her close to ensure she wouldn’t talk about their past. That was all; he didn’t want to spend another moment with her. It was perfectly fine if she left. He was eagerly awaiting the chance to meet this prospect who could possibly become Nako’s future husband.
And he could return to his quiet life as a solitary man with a radio show.
“Dad,” his daughter called. Alastor turned to see her. Nako wore a sparkling red dress that matched his suit. “How do I look?” she asked, enthusiastic.
“Perfect, darling, you look perfect,” he said as he walked over to fix some loose strands of her hair. “What about me, how do I look?” he returned the question, showing off his outfit.
“You look great, Dad,” she said. “Uh, wait…” she leaned in to straighten the collar of his shirt. “A bow tie? Isn’t that a bit outdated?” she asked as she gave it a final touch.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, dear; bow ties never go out of style!” Alastor said sarcastically.
“If you say so, Dad…” she laughed a bit at his response. “We need to go; Victor will probably arrive before us if we don’t leave now. He hates being late.”
“At least we have that in common,” he said, opening the front door to let her pass first.
« And I hope that’s not the only thing… » Nako thought to herself, unable to imagine her father and her boyfriend causing a public scene over their differences.
[♡]
Upon arriving at the restaurant, they quickly spotted a well-dressed man who appeared to be waiting for someone.
“Oh, that must be him!” Nako said, letting go of her father’s arm to run towards the figure. “Victor!” The man turned quickly, noticing the young lady who had called him, and his face lit up at the sight of her.
“Nako!” he called, walking towards her with a kiss as a greeting. “I thought you’d take longer; you know I don’t mind waiting when it’s for you,” he said as he took her hands.
“I know,” she replied, blushing at the gesture. “But this is important…” she said before a voice interrupted the couple’s reunion.
“You must be Victor █████,” Alastor said, stepping between them. “A pleasure, quite a pleasure to meet you,” he continued, holding out his hand to shake Victor’s.
“Oh! Yes, of course!” Victor responded, stumbling over his words, his hands sweaty with nerves. “You must be Alastor █████! Ah, I… Nako has told me so much about you… Well, I mean,” he seemed genuinely nervous as Nako maintained an uncomfortable smile, looking everywhere but at the interaction. “She’s told me all about what goes on behind the scenes- Uh, I mean, behind the microphones, yes, the microphones!” he corrected himself, letting go of Alastor’s hand. “Because you… Don’t like television…” Victor finished, barely audible and with embarrassment clearly visible.
“That's true,” Alastor affirmed, glancing at Nako as if to gauge whether this man was good for her. “I don’t like television; that’s why I was so surprised when Nako told me how you met. God, we don’t even have one at home…” he said, returning a smile that made the other man visibly tremble with fear.
“Dad, I told you already, it was at my friends’ place, that’s what we do… We watch TV every now and then; there’s interesting stuff on it, I swear!” Nako interjected, lightly pinching her father’s arm.
“Oh, really? Like him?” he said, pointing his thumb towards Victor, who looked bewildered by the scene.
“Dad!” Nako’s pale cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red visibly.
"Don’t blame Nako, sir," Victor interrupted this time. "The network is doing everything it can to attract a mass audience… I know it used to be more common to spread things by word of mouth, and back then radio was cheap and efficient…" Alastor looked him up and down, warning him about whatever he might be about to say. "In a good way, I want to clarify! It’s not that it isn’t now! Just… Now people have more time to look around in a relaxed way," Victor finished, almost holding his breath as he waited for Alastor's response.
"I see…" he replied, initially sounding a bit disinterested. "Is that why you liked my show?" he shot back with a question.
"Why, yes sir! I mean… Before, everyone listened to the radio, so it was easy to discuss the topics with others, especially friends, and we could delve into it," Victor said, releasing a short sigh of relief as he enthusiastically commented on everything he knew about the show. "You were… You are, yes… Of course! You’re a great narrator… You always had the latest mystery and crime cases up-to-date, and, oh, I could listen to you for hours, hiding from my parents!" he said, shaking his head to calm his excitement and trying to get back to the conversation. "I… I know for sure that you were the best at telling fantastic stories every night to Nako before going to sleep...”
"…" Alastor’s silence led him to a conclusion. "Yes, I was… Certainly very good at telling Nako bedtime stories, I always have been…" he said, turning towards the restaurant doors. "But how about we discuss it inside? I hear it takes a long time to get a reservation here… It must mean it’s special, right?" he concluded with a confident smile.
"But of course!" Victor replied naturally, taking Nako by the arm and guiding her to the entrance. Meanwhile, she felt that she could finally breathe.
★★★★★
Now that Nako was married, Alastor could notice how particularly silent his home was. It didn’t bother him, of course, but the silence was undeniably deafening. To say he tried to keep his house as lively as Nako used to make it would be to deny reality. But at the same time, he wouldn’t admit it, at least not in front of her, who knew him better than anyone else.
Of course, he didn’t know why he always ended up visiting Nako at least a couple of times a week, having long talks before Victor returned from work, and enjoying snacks while watching the sunset. Now that she lived in a lovely sunny suburb, traveling from outside the city, even from one state to another, felt pleasant. On the way, he could plan out a few casual crimes, while exploring new routes around the city, finding interesting places to hide a body, especially in such a cheerful neighborhood.
It was during one of his visits to Nako —in which at this point, he entered almost without knocking— since no matter the day or time, she was always happy to see her father. Although Victor wasn’t as pleased to see him from time to time sitting in his living room and even less so when he announced he’d be staying for a few days. Alastor adored watching Victor hold a forced smile with one eye twitching in irritation.
Nako was cooking as she usually did, though it wasn’t her favorite activity. Now that she was a married woman, she wouldn’t even let her father help, so all he could do was sit and watch her. He noticed how she looked paler than usual, a bit sickly even, looking her up and down as if trying to figure out if something was wrong with her, if maybe something was going on.
“You know…” Alastor started, catching Nako’s attention, who looked back at him without letting go of what she was holding. “If Victor doesn’t treat you well… You can always come back home,” he suggested, while she looked at him with confusion. “We could get back to our old days and… Go looking for people…” he said, smiling the way he always did.
“What are you talking about, Dad?” Nako raised her eyebrows in surprise, also letting out a small, awkward laugh.
"..." There was silence, as always. “You’ve lost weight,” he admitted, observing her with severity. “I never made you go hungry, you know? Victor is a good man… But it’s clear that television has him brainwashed…” he started his usual rant about the man.
“Dad!” Nako interrupted him. “I’m fine… He treats me well!” she said in exasperation, putting down what she was doing. “Victor is a businessman… I know you don’t like his job, but that’s not it… He treats me well, I swear.” She paused, thinking about what she was about to say, a mischievous idea forming in her mind, covering her smile with one hand. “Besides… It’s a little hard to eat with all the nausea,” she commented, avoiding her father’s gaze, holding back laughter. “Can you imagine being a grandpa? Maybe you’ll be one soon… Maybe they’ll even look like you, Dad,” she said, turning her back while admiring the look of horror on his face reflected in the pot on the stove.
Meanwhile, Alastor stood frozen, as if someone had thrown a bucket of cold water on him, a long silence of discomfort settle until Nako couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore, letting out loud giggles at the sight of his face. To which he showed displeasure at his daughter’s mockery.
“What was that?!” he asked, with a hint of annoyance in his tone.
“You should’ve seen your face!” Nako said, pointing at him with one hand.
“That wasn’t funny, dear!” he replied, sighing in relief that it was a lie.
“You should trust me more…” Nako said, looking at him intently, teasing a bit about his reaction.
“So then… ?!” he shouted, picking up on the previous conversation.
“Not about that! About Victor… Seriously,” she asked, with a hint of sadness in her voice. “He’s good… If something was wrong… I’d tell you,” she said sincerely.
“I know… It’s just that you don’t look well…” he commented, trying not to show his concern at her slightly anemic appearance.
“Sorry… I got sick, but it was something I ate… It’s nothing serious,” she assured him, as if it were nothing.
“Was he at least good enough to take you to the doctor?” he questioned Victor again, his daughter’s husband who, in his eyes, was a complete miser.
“We went!” Nako replied firmly. “And I’m fine, everything’s fine,” she reaffirmed.
There was another silence between them, only slightly broken by the sound she made with the kitchen utensils.
“There’s something about him I don’t like…” and he continued complaining about him whenever he could.
“I know,” Nako sighed heavily. “Victor is… Somewhat mysterious, but he would never do anything to hurt me.” They had this conversation again. It was never really serious, but sometimes it was tiring to hear it so many times.
“But what if he does it to hurt us?” Alastor replied, leaving her thoughtful.
“I’ll sleep with one eye open from now on, then.” she said with a slight tone of mockery.
“Good,” he replied as he watched Nako start setting the table, prompting him to get up to help her. “And as I said before…” they looked at each other while setting the plates. “You can always come back home.” Despite it being an invitation, it sounded a bit like a plea, though he tried to hide it.
Nako nodded. Even if they weren’t a real family, they had to admit that they had taken a liking to each other, though neither she nor he would admit it. Ever.
Dinner remained quiet, with Victor initiating most of the conversation this time, though Alastor wasn’t too thrilled to see him, especially not when he thought about the little “joke” Nako had played on him that afternoon. His serious expression made Victor feel uncomfortable, though at least he wouldn’t be staying the night with them that day.
☆☆☆☆☆
Nako wasn't someone who questioned things much. After all, when a strange man took her in shortly after he had killed her father, she never asked why he did it. She didn’t fear him, nor did she ever want to run away from him, as she had first thought when she saw him. In truth, she was more frightened by whoever her real father was, while this mysterious figure, now her father, only inspired admiration and fascination.
And of course, security… Even if, to this day, she knew less about him than she truly understood, trusted him blindly, willing to follow him to the ends of the earth if needed. They also shared their mutual love for a certain bloody but fun activity. If she had to choose, she’d choose him. Always.
Her father, Alastor. She wouldn’t trade him for anything in the world.
When she met Victor some years ago, she was certain he’d be the second most important man in her life, her husband. The love of her life; she was entirely sure the moment their gazes met. It didn’t matter that he was a bit older, though no one actually knew that, not even the people at the TV network.
And, of course, Alastor didn’t know either. Only the two of them knew, and she felt good about that. When she introduced them for the first time, she feared he wouldn’t let her go, that their criminal records would keep them bound together forever. But thankfully it didn’t go like that.
Despite his good judgment, her father approved of him. She couldn’t deny that she didn’t know Victor as well as she should have when she walked down the aisle on the arm of the man who had raised her all those years, with whom she had committed the best and most sadistic of crimes. That was her truth, and she lived for it. For them. The two men in her life: her father and her husband.
Their tolerance for each other was enough for her. She loved cleaning and cooking all day long, waiting for her husband to come home and receiving her father’s visits. Her life was perfect like that. Even if she no longer committed crimes with Alastor as before, everything was fine.
But when everything goes well, things can quickly go wrong.
She had been married to Victor for a few months, a handsome, wealthy man who would leave a legacy on television for the generations to come. He left so early every day that Nako couldn’t even see the light of day, and he returned so late that the city lights and empty streets accompanied him on his way back. It was his routine. She knew it perfectly.
And yet, she found a way for it to feel strange.
Victor began acting oddly as Alastor started visiting more frequently without warning. He had always been uncomfortable with the sporadic nature of Alastor’s appearances, but he knew how happy they made her, so he never complained. Though there were a few comments here and there, he wasn’t one to hold back on things like that or keep quiet altogether, it just wasn’t his style.
The strange part was the silence. His mouth had become like a solemn temple in a funeral, and that was the strangest thing in their home. Suddenly, he was reluctant to share the bed with her, spoke little, seemed to talk on the phone a lot, and hid what he was reading or even watching; he tried to conceal his strange behavior, failing miserably because Nako wasn’t stupid. At least he managed to mask it better when Alastor was around, but when they were alone, he showed no hesitation in displaying his weird disdain.
Not like he hated her, but as if he was hiding something very important from her.
What if he was cheating on her?
Her curiosity and fear led her to imagine the worst-case scenario. She took deep breaths as she scrubbed the floor for the thousandth time, even if the stains were already gone, she was now just trying to match the whiteness of the tiles, even if her hands bled in the process.
When she still lived with her father, she had never been too concerned about cleanliness. Living in a run-down wooden cabin, she enjoyed cleaning; she diligently cleaned the blood, the bodies, the crime scenes... But now, in her well-lit home, with her perfect life, she couldn’t allow a single stain on the floors, much less on the walls.
Having a home as clean and bright as a diamond was the only thing keeping her sane at that moment. Without the courage to tell her father, she would organize and reorganize her home week after week in the hope of not finding anything suspicious about her husband. She prayed to heaven it would stay that way until she moved a bureau she had never moved before.
Behind it was a carefully torn piece of wallpaper with a small latch on it that Nako initially didn’t dare to open. In the end, she decided to open it just a little bit, and with her face close to the wall, she could make out a figure inside that she recognized almost immediately. Her head began to spin, wanting to scream, run, and cry, but she chose not to.
Instead, she made a call.
“Dad?” She heard the phone being picked up on the other end.
“Nako? What’s wrong, honey?” Alastor asked, hearing the tremor in his daughter’s voice.
“Can you come and visit me… Today?” she asked, trying to control her breathing, nearly in tears.
He didn’t need her to ask twice before hanging up and running out of his home in the swamp.
[♡]
As soon as he entered the room and saw the pure terror in his daughter’s eyes, he knew what was coming.
“He knows…” Nako said bluntly. “I found this today…” She moved to open the bureau again, which she had replaced out of the initial shock the first time.
Alastor approached, tearing the hidden door from the wall to reveal an impressive collection of items that were all too familiar to both of them.
Alongside these items were countless audio tapes, photos, newspaper clippings, and several diaries with loose notes scattered around.
They were evidence... Evidence meant to incriminate them both. Victor had been after them all this time, after Nako… And him.
“I think you… Already know what we have to do.” he told her in a low tone.
“Of course I know, Dad,” she replied, looking her father straight in the eyes.
She would soon be a widow.