"The Earth is larger, with way more people…" He realized that, to her, this world was as unknown as that one, so it would make little sense to compare both. "It's true that, years ago, when the twelve planets were discovered, your fath… Leonard became famous, together with the other businessmen involved in the exclusive purchase of the two of them that were left in private hands: planets eleven and twelve. But, shortly afterwards, another twenty-five were discovered and this one faded into the background. Nowadays, it's not one of the most spoken of, except among the scientific community, for there are very important investigations carried out here.
Roxanne," he said, standing up and coming to sit nearer to her, "the conclusion that I take from what I've learnt in the time I've been here, particularly since I've met you, is that this has been a lawless place, where each landowner has done whatever he liked without any kind of regulatory or moral restrictions. What's more…" Alan hesitated whether he should go on, but in the end thought that the girl deserved to live with no more secrets and, besides, her aunt might already have told her. "From what I know, Leonard and some of the other businessmen who colonized this planet… The women they brought with them were all…"
"Prostitutes, yes, I know. But not my aunt. She came because she was his personal assistant and he thought highly of her."
The question remained.
"My aunt didn't sleep with Leonard. He respected her in that sense, at least. But, nevertheless, there came the time when she couldn't stand the incarceration and the stupid fantasy that our life was, and… she killed herself.
One day, I went to her room and she wasn't there. I thought Father had taken her shopping to the village - he sometimes did. Thanks to that, Mama kept in touch with Adelle. But two days later, I was about to go out and look for her when Leonard arrived and said she'd been found dead in the field.
She'd been too quiet for weeks, very sad and pale. She couldn't stand it anymore. I don't blame her.
That's why I decided to leave. And Celeste came with me."
"The others didn't want to?"
"I didn't even tell them. Celeste was the only one who might believe me and wish to get out of there too. The rest are happy - excited to meet their fiancés and please Father."
"I'm really sorry," said Alan, holding her hand. "I'm sorry for your loss and for what you've been through."
"Thank you."
He let a respectful moment go by before satisfying his own intrigue.