The Man Behind the Monster: Phantom of the Opera Story

30: Where the True Distortion Lies

CHRISTINE'S POV

"He left during the night.", Raphael said, venom laced in his voice.

"Well then, it serves the whore right.", I heard Raoul spit back.

My eyes widen in shock once I heard those words come out of Raoul's mouth. How could he say something to degrading towards Lizzie?

I cut my eyes towards Raoul and a grimace covered his face. Then, I turned to Raphael and Lizzie. Even from across the room. I could visibly see Lizzie's body shake in Raphael's arms.

I turned to Raoul to say something to him, but he was already halfway out the door. I turned back to Lizzie.

"Lizzie, I am not very happy with you right now, but I am certainly going to apologize for what Raoul just said."

She didn't say anything. She didn't even look up to meet my gaze. I wouldn't either if I was in her position.

Yes, I am extremely upset with her, but maybe I did cross a line. Lizzie for sure would never do something like this to me.

I've denied her happiness all due to the way I felt. I neglected the thought of how Lizzie would feel.

I just hung my head and exited her room, slowly closing the door behind me.

What have I done?

I turned and started walking down the hall, in search of Raoul. He needed a stern talking to. I turned down another corridor and I saw the flash of his coat turning left down another hallway. I picked up my pace to catch up to him.

"Raoul de Chagny!", I called out to him down the hallway. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face me. "What was that?"

"What was what, Christine?", he said, playing ignorant.

I angrily stomped the rest of the way towards him.

"Do not play dumb with me Raoul. What you said was completely unnecessary and down right hurtful. You need to go apologize to her.", I said, raising my voice slightly.

"I only called her what she rightfully is."

"A whore? Is that how you truly see Elizabeth?", I asked as my hands balled into fists at my sides.

"There is only one type of woman who sneaks out to go meet with a man and spend the night with him.", he said, staring at something which was behind me. He didn't even try to make eye contact with me.

"From what I heard, it sounded like she was never alone with him.", I said, reaching up to grab his face so he would look at me. "And how dare you relate my sister to a common prostitute."

"How dare I Christine?", he asked, pushing my hand away. "What about you? Do you really want your sister to be with that man? That horrible, disgusting, disfigured, poor excuse of a man. It was you who wanted me to get rid of him in the first place."

"I was scared. People say irrational things when they are scared. And it is horrible to say this now, but I've now come to my senses. Who are we to say who Elizabeth can and cannot be with?"

"Would your father approve of him?", he asked, staring right into my eyes.

I was at a loss of words. Would father have approved?

Maybe father would. Father loved to get to know people. He loved to learn the personality of each person he would meet.

Father wanted us to see like he did too. The appearance of someone does not often dictate the type of person they are.