“Elva, isn’t it too classy?” Natalia asked for the one hundredth time that day.
“Nope! And we’re getting it.” Elva glowed with a huge smile and dropped the designer coat on the couch before following the store attendant to the next collection.
Natalia chuckled. They were currently on a shopping spree. And yes! the girls had moved to Beverly Hills already. Their first adventure was at the city’s historic museum and now they were at the biggest, top notch mall in the city!
The shopping centre was super crowded and filled with happy looking people.
Natalia and Elva moved from store to store buying new clothes to suit the environment. Left to her, the princess didn’t need much as she’d barely worn a quarter of their previously shopped ones, but Elva was in her elements.
“What do you think about these boots? Fab, right??” The person in question excitedly cooed, displaying two sets of knee length boots of different colors.
“They’re pretty. I’m sure they’ll come in handy.” Natalia muttered absentmindedly.
Her gaze was laser focused on the cotton candy stall a few yards away. The princess remembered eating one of those fluffy stuff at an amusement park in Florida and craved for three again!
Two for her and one for Elva.
Shhh. You can keep a secret, right?
She whispered her plan and slipped away before hearing a reply from the focused assistant who was peering thoughtfully at a cool jacket.
Natalia smiled as she strolled over. It was amazing to see a whole lot of people in one place at a single time. She was almost at the cotton candy cart when she spotted a little boy drooling over the bakery store.
Shelves upon shelves of freshly baked scones, brownies, butterscotch, cheesecakes, cakes and treats were on display that Natalia felt tempted too.
His cute little face was glued to the window with his hands beside his chubby cheeks. Natalia looked around but she found no guardian with him.
Out of curiosity, she slowly moved towards the little boy. He didn’t seem to notice as his mind was entrapped by the shelf of muffins dripping with melted chocolates…
When she got to him, the princess crouched to his level and gently poked him. This got his attention.
“Hello!” She beamed and waved. He turned to her. Natalia smiled the more when she noticed how cute he was!
His dirty blonde hair, green eyes, single dimple and chubby cheeks made him extraordinarily heart melting. He also wore a stylish, little cap with the initial “T” written boldly on it.
“Hello.” The little fox replied with a shy smile. It almost seemed as if he was blushing.
Natalia smiled again.
“Is everything okay? What are you doing out here all alone?” She asked and looked around. His adorable face fell as he pouted.
“I came to the mall with my older brother but I got carried away. Now I’m lost and hungry.”
“Aww.” Natalia helplessly fawned with a softened look and ruffled his fringes. “Hmn… How about we get some cake first and then go find your brother? Then we can give him a big piece of our minds for being irresponsible!”
The little fox’s face glowed as he imagined munching on some tasty cakes than scolding his passive brother.
He nodded gleefully.
“By the way, I’m Natalia or Nat for short. You?” The princess said as she took his little hand and walked them into the bakery.
“Tommy!” He grinned and trotted along happily…
***
( At The Campbell’s Mansion.)
The word “torture” was nothing compared to the way Jeffrey felt. Breakfasting with his dad with a one sided conversation going on was soul crushing.
Whenever the rare opportunity presented itself, Jeffrey tried his best to improve their strained relationship and make his dad hate him…. less?
Well not exactly hate, but blame.
But so far, the only reaction he got was the occasional head nods and silent ‘mhns.’
“Dad, school is resuming two days from today and I’ll be in final year.” He announced brightly.
Sir Williams nodded silently. Jeffrey pushed it aside and went further.
“Also, coach says we’re gonna have one of the toughest football matches in the history of B. H. A with a rival school in Italy. He mentioned something about a tournament holding later on of some sort? I don’t know. But if we bring the cup home, our team would have better recognition in the state league.” He casually shrugged but anyone could tell how excited he was from the tremor in his voice and the vibrant look in his blue eyes.
“Good it’s gonna end this year. Once you’re done with high school, you’ll be flying abroad for your college degrees. Then you’ll be coming back to run CB Corps.” Sir Williams curtly stated like his life had long been premeditated.
Jeffrey wasn’t totally sullen. At least, he’d dropped the papers he was reading to glance at him for a split second.
A little progress.
“Yeah, I know. But there’s no harm in trying out both at the same time, right?” He questioned, referring to his dream of becoming an international football star.
“Focus on your future than on distractions! You have responsibilities in the company. If this mindset continues, I’ld be forced to have a talk with that coach of yours.” The business mogul impatiently growled.
Jeffrey quietly stared on with so much pain in his eyes. Yes, he got everything he wanted but not the love he ached.
It died the moment he was born, and his mom gone.
Everyday, he fought the choking feeling he felt but he was losing the battle slowly.
“Why?” Jeffrey softly muttered. His father looked at him like he did with every other person. And majority of that number constituted his employees.
“Why do you treat me like a stranger? Why do I have to go through so much pain just because I’m your son? Why do I get all the blame for mom’s death? Why are you always so distant and cold?! What have I done to deserve any of these?” Jeffrey could feel the tears burning at the corner of his eyes.
He felt exhausted. He was defeated again. He wanted answers that would somehow heal the hurting chasm in his heart. However, the least explanation his father could offer was;
“Don’t be silly. I’m leaving the country tonight and won’t be back for a while. Contact your manager if you need anything though your accounts are okay. And don’t do anything that will ruin the good name of this family.”
And like a robot, the C. E. O of CB Corps stood up, took a last sip of water and walked away, leaving his son abandoned in the lonely mansion with tears sliding down his cheeks…
***
Unable to accurately express his frustration, Arian De’ Argent dumped the bag of video games he’d bought earlier in the nearest trashcan.
If he wasn’t so distracted, he’d have noticed when little Tommy left.
He was just a kid!
Barely five!!.
What was he thinking?!
They were at the biggest shopping complex in the city and he lost a kid? Like, who did that??!
Arian groaned and ruffled his glossy hair in frustration. But it only made him look more sexy!
‘What to do? What to do?’ His thoughts raced as he turned to leave the store. Suddenly, he bumped into someone.
“Hey, hottie. I’m Jessica and this is my friend, Giselle.” One of the two girls who purposefully bumped into the hot French purred.
The ‘Giselle’ stood by her side, seductively battling her lashes. Arian furrowed his brows, wondering what had gotten into her eye.
She was obviously flirting but the clueless young master didn’t see it that way.
Arian headed for the exit again but they sidestepped him. Again. Noticing the closeness between them, his features furrowed into a deeper, cold frown. The girls were startled and unconsciously took a step back.
They were really getting on his bad nerves!
“We saw you standing over there all alone and thought you might want some company. Do you have time? We could have coffee with…” Jessica noticed the impatient look on Arian’s face and quickly butted in.
“Or we could hang out anywhere you want?” This time, Giselle was brazen enough to trail a lush finger down the contour of his gorgeous torso, clearly showing their intentions.
The young master shot her a hard look and glared down at her over polished nails.
Thank goodness he was wearing a leather jacket!
He jerked away and finally walked out. The last thing he wanted was to lose his already bad temper…
***
Elva panicked wondering where Natalia was. She should’ve been back ages ago but she wasn’t!
She paced around the door of the clothing store they’d been in, hoping she’d breeze in like the burst of sunshine she was. Customers were trooping in with glows on their faces and leaving empty handed, or close to, with sullen looks.
It was expected though. Not everyone could afford the heavy price tags on each shelf.
Elva was afraid her best friend was in some sort of trouble. The princess was just getting used to the world and could be awfully naive sometimes.
And that was a terrible combination!
The store manager walked over to her with a pleasant smile and returned a black card subserviently. She rattled on the usual goodbye message with her train of attendants waiting behind with the various paid-for shopping bags. But her voice wafted into the background of the handmaid’s mind.
Elva was worried and it showed. She made up her mind to wait for a while more before going to look for Natalia if she didn’t show up.
And Natalia didn’t…
***
Natalia and little Tommy De’ Argent walked hand in hand around the mall, asking questions and making descriptions for an entire hour!
But Tommy’s brother seemed to be a ghost.
Tommy was getting tired so they took a break. They sat on one of the mall’s benches placed before a huge water fountain. The sculpture in place was that of a man at salute, holding a large torch on his other hand from which water flowed out.
Natalia guessed they were at the centre of the mall. She helped Tommy open up the rest of the strawberry jam doughnut, chestnut cookies and a cool cup of milkshake they’d bought.
He smiled up at her and the princess fondly rubbed his hair again. Something she was getting used to.
It was then she remembered ELVA!
Natalia yelped and hastily brought out her phone which Elva insisted she carried along everywhere she went.
“El…”
“Where in the world have you been?! I’ve been waiting ages for you to come back but you haven’t. Your phone wasn’t going through either! Don’t tell me you set it on silent mode again!! You…”
.
And she went on and on.
.
Natalia giggled and it almost didn’t end well for her. After making descriptions of where she was, Elva told her not to move an inch and cut the call.
“Phew.” The princess breathed and turned her attention back to Tommy who was focused on munching the cookies. It made her smile.
“So, Tom. Will you tell me about your family?” Tommy temporarily raised his head with a full mouth. He gingerly swung his little legs over the bench as he pondered.
“Well there’s four of us. Daddy, mommy, me and my older brother.”
‘Yeah. Your irresponsible brother.’ The princess snorted disapprovingly.
“Oh.” She offered outwardly. Tommy chattered on.
“He recently turned nineteen and attends the biggest and most prestigious academy in western L. A, Beverly Hills Academy.”
“Is the school really that good?”
“Un-hun!” The little fox paused and thoughtfully scratched his hair. “It produces p.. pro…. prominent leaders and heirs of businesses! At least that’s what mommy says.” He cutely shrugged, sipping his milkshake.
“What about you?” Tommy innocently looked up at her.
Natalia’s eyes bulged.
“Well… uhm…. you know….” She stuttered and nervously looked at the smart five year old blinking up at her with huge adorable eyes.
Chapter 08