WebNovels

Chapter 1 - Finding The Hopes

The world is a canvas of extremes: mysterious, gorgeous, and bloody, yet imbued with an underlying kindness.

On a bright, cheerful morning, at a vast, unique three-story mansion surrounded by a beautiful garden, something special is always happening. Ancient in its architecture yet bursting with life, it is the home of three happy, deeply mysterious siblings. More than that, the mansion, named Jardin Paisible, is a rehab centre, a therapy centre, and a home for seven orphaned children—a true piece of heaven on Earth.

Two children are playing a frantic game of chase near the fountain.

"Amili, did you hear that?" whispers a boy.

Amili, shading her eyes against the glare, frowns. "Yes. It sounds like someone is crying. It might be Evan. That kid scares himself just looking at his own shadow."

"No," the boy insisted, turning his head. "It's not a kid. That's a woman."

Amili shrugs, already turning back toward the house. "Ignore it. Just another one of Dr. Johan's abnormal patients, probably." " And there is my Check!"

"No, No, No, I can't lose by a girl 3 times in a row!"

In the mention, there is a Therapy Room. Today, somebody is crying in there. She is Emma Vance. A 24-year-old girl and an activist. Wear an orange dress. Taking consulting to a young psychiatrist.

"What is the problem with me?" Emma chokes out. Sitting on a couch. Napkins, after napkins, she is soaking her tears. 

She pulls herself together and begins her explanation. "When I was a kid, everybody hated me. They said I was a crybaby, and even my parents were annoyed by me. He was the only one who ever talked to me—wisely, politely, with a gentle smile. When I saw his smile, I forgot all my problems. I suppose that he loved me, the only one who cared about me. Now, after all this time, why does he refuse my marriage proposal? I... I think he loves someone else."

The doctor leans forward, his patience clearly exhausted.

"That is not the case, Emma. You misunderstood Mr. Johan." He spoke the words slowly, as if addressing a toddler. "Yesterday, he was simply going to see a patient with his twin sister. But you immediately assumed he was cheating on you. You came up from behind and slapped his sister, starting a fight without knowing who she was. You even injured his friend at their."

The doctor shook his head, looking disgusted.

"Then, when you realised your mistake, you ran away like an idiot, only to come back today like a fool to propose to him for marriage! What world are you living in, Emma? You are the most confused and nervous person I have ever seen in my life. When you start crying, you could be a direct competitor to Evan. The most annoying thing you do is that you come for the consultation with that person who refused your proposal earlier in the morning, Who Is Me. Me…!" 

"What do I do? You are the only one who listens to me," her cry becomes louder.

Johan Bennet, 25 years old, wears a grey suit and has been sitting on another couch, facing her furiously. He instantly calmed, and Johan took a sharp breath. "You are my patient, you are my patient," he whispered, a mantra to himself. The harsh anger vanished, replaced by a devastatingly gentle smile."Listen, you beautiful lady," Johan said softly. "I have to take care of twin sisters and a younger brother. Also, give these kids a better life. So, I don't have time for romance. Please, just leave me." 

Emma looks into his eyes and visibly blushes. Even his rejections are special to her. She understands the words, but she truly wants to listen to his voice, calm and polite, for a long, long time. In that moment, she is utterly still, acting as if she is hypnotised.

A bright, red bicycle squeaks to a halt by the fountain near the entrance. A 25-year-old girl dismounts, looking exactly like a mirror image of Johan. She is Dr.Jennifer Bennet. The twin sister of Dr.Johan Bennet. Despite being a doctor herself, she also serves as Johan's primary receptionist.

Amili and the other children, including a boy named Arnold, quickly gather near the path.

"Good morning, Dr.Jennifer," they chorus.

Jennifer parks her cycle and offers them a rushed but warm smile. "Good morning to you all. Do you see Dr. Johan?"

"He is consulting a patient," Arnold replies quickly.

She runs towards Johan's room. The door burst open, and Jennifer Bennet rushed in, looking stressed.

"Johan, do you buy the cake?" she asks, her voice tight and sour.

Johan's gentle demeanour doesn't waver. "What is the event for the cake?"

"Today is Joseph's birthday," Jennifer replies, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

Emma instantly sprang up from the couch, her face clear of tears. She rushes to Jennifer and hugs her tightly. "I am so sorry, Jennifer. I was truly horrible yesterday."

Jennifer returns the hug, her expression softening. "It's fine, Emma. When I heard that it was you, I forgot everything. I forgive you. Now, where is Joseph? Did he skip college today?" But she is also whispering like Johan in her mind, "She is our patient, she is our patient, I can't slap her."

"Oh… He is at school today," Johan answered simply. "He never remembers his own birthday. How can I remember his?"

Jennifer grabs Johan's and Emma's arms, pulling them toward the door. "Okay, fine, we will give him a surprise. Come with me, we have to buy a cake from the bakery!"" Soon! We have to do all the arrangements before he comes back," she rushed, already halfway through the doorway.

"Jennifer, Jennifer, Jennifer," Johan says, surprised. "I can walk on my own. Please stop." But he quickly smiled, allowing himself to be led. He called out to the kids who were still gathered by the fountain. "Hey! You all, today is Joseph's birthday!"

Meanwhile, at a prestigious school, Joseph Bennet, a 15-year-old boy, wears a blue school uniform and square glasses. He sits silently by the window of his classroom. He is an attentive, super-intelligent student who rarely speaks, instead choosing to observe and analyse the world with a quiet intensity. He is driven by a deep, almost intellectual curiosity to know the verifiable truth behind the chaotic reality around him.

"God makes three worlds to maintain our life," the lecturer of history drones. "The World of Knowledge, where we live; The World of Soul; and The World of Life. Only our world is perfect for living."

Johan and the other students look disappointed by the lesson. A student nearby leans in and whispers to his friend, "Again! The government changes the curriculum again. That's the third time this month. I don't even buy the latest textbook."

Joseph ignores them, his mind already churning through the inconsistencies.

"Last time, they said the World of Life is full of divine beings. Now they say they are extinct from there. After the War, the whole curriculum changed again and again. We are not kids anymore. What is the truth? Who are we? What is the reality?"

He gives up on the lecture and gazes out the window.

Suddenly, a shriek rips through the air—the voice of a girl, seemingly coming from the floor above.

"No! An... Anni, don't do this! Anni!" 

Joseph focuses on the sound. His world suddenly becomes slow, turning the bright day outside into a chilling tableau. He watches a girl fall past his window. She looks hopeless, broken from the inside, with no desire left to live.

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