Ahhhh!
Selena Lorenzo was having the time of her life watching crazy videos and recent updates online. The one which caught her attention the most was the mall drama which happened hours ago.
The video already had millions of views and thousands of comments! The painful thing though was that the faces of the people involved were blurred except the super successful entrepreneur, Madame Stephanie.
Saturdays are always meant to be crazy! She giggled and wanted to scroll through the comment section again when her headphones were yanked off her head, roughly!
She jerked up to see the burning gaze of Arian glaring back at her!
In the history of her stay in the mansion, Arian had NEVER stepped foot in her room or passed through the corridor at that wing! So it threw her off guard.
She dropped her phone and slowly sat up.
“Arian, are you okay? You look…”
“Did your father say anything to you concerning your stay here?” He asked straight to the point.
“I don’t understand. What do you mean?” She genuinely looked puzzled.
Arian scoffed and threw his face away, walking further from the bed. He looked extremely pissed.
“I’m sure you don’t expect me to believe that shit!” He half yelled and she unconsciously flinched.
“Arian, believe me! I don’t know what you’re talking about. Father called me back there in Korea and said I’ll be spending time with your family for a while. He didn’t permit me to ask questions. He literally bundled me in a plane and sent me down here. That’s all I know, I promise!” She yelled back.
He looked at her for a moment, his gorgeous light green eyes laden with disbelief and irritation. But then suddenly, they vanished and was replaced with anger, no fury!
“So you’re trying to say that a father forced his daughter airborne away from her comfort zone, into a country she knew absolutely nothing about and into a shitty little marriage?!” He exploded.
Her eyes bulged in confusion. What was he talking about and why was he so mad like he’s the forced gro…
Selena froze and gasped again. He IS the groom!
“A… are we I.. in an ar… arranged marriage?” The revelation was still affecting her. Arian dryly chuckled and looked around dramatically.
“You tell me. Like it isn’t what you wanted!” He accused, glaring maniacally at her. Tears pricked at the corners of Selena’s eyes as the realisation of his accusation set in.
“A.. are you b.. blaming me for it?” She whispered. Her tears piled up but the furious French didn’t answer.
‘Cause his look said it all!
“Arian, believe me! I had no idea of my father’s intention.” She tried touching him but he backed away immediately.
“Okay, let’s fool ourselves for a second that I believe you.” He harshly said.
“Really?” Her hurtful tears kept falling. But Arian De’ Argent who had a weakness with crying girls ignored her coldly.
“I’ll do anything to make you trust me again.” Selena might seem desperately cheap but she’d grown to like Arian a lot. Even if it’d barely been a month, she could boldly say she was in love with him!
Arian turned around sharply with an amused look on his face.
“Don’t get it mixed up. I never trusted you. I was only being nice and hospitable because you’re my father’s guest.” Her heart tightened into a knot.
“But if you wanna prove that you had nothing to do with it, then you’re gonna call your father and cancel this whole bullshit.” He seethed deadpan and left.
Selena went down on her knees and cried silently. How stupid was she to think he’ld ask for something simpler? How was she gonna tell her father that??
They didn’t have the perfect father-daughter relationship to start with and that was why she preferred her stay in Asia. And neither did Damon as well.
The siblings had always trembled at his feet and did everything he wanted. Calling him to cancel the union was close to suicidal!
Selena really didn’t want the engagement cancelled because of her feelings for Arian but she was gonna try. If it backfired, then she was gonna up her game in making him fall hard for her at any cost!…
***
Natalia was in her room Sunday afternoon when Tommy gave her a ring. Rather, he wanted them to Skype. She placed her laptop well and connected.
“Hi Tom!” She beamed and waved but he wasn’t as excited. He wasn’t even smiling or waving back. Natalia was worried.
“Tommy, is everything okay?” She was ready to run over to the little fox barefooted if anything was wrong. Tommy simply deepened his baby frown.
“You’ve been avoiding me lately.” He pouted aggrievedly. Natalia fought the urge to giggle.
Seriously?? She just spoke to him like eight hours ago!
“I’m so sorry, Tommy. Will you forgive me?” She pouted back. He looked thoughtful for a minute before smiling widely. Natalia laughed out. If he was her husband, she’ld probably have to call him every 4 minutes!
“Can you please come over? I wanna show you the collection of storybooks daddy got me! I want you to read them to me first before anyone else.” He gingerly raised a few while his nanny was in the background, stacking the rest in his little story library.
“Tommy, I’ld love to but I can’t. I have to hang out with a friend this evening.” She mouthed sadly making his face fall.
“Oh? Okay, I’ll jus let mommy read them to me instead.” He murmured. Natalia’s heart lurched with guilt.
“Hey, how ’bout you come over to my place tomorrow after school and I’ll read them all to you?” She offered and Tommy suddenly raised his manipulative head happily.
Sighs.
They continued chatting for hours until Natalia had to go.
“He might’ve been cute but that doesn’t excuse him for becoming evil.” Natalia argued and pouted making Leonardo chuckle.
“But he had a good reason to be. I mean, his whole family was murdered! Being evil was the only way to avenge them and he took it.” He casually shrugged as they took another step on the sidewalks of the street.
“Yes. But being the villain is bad. There are other ways to seek justice.” She concluded as they got to a group of teens playing loud music and dancing to it. They looked like street kids and were entertaining the crowd for money. Natalia gave them what she had in her bag. After generously beaming at her for some reason, the usher quickly moved on to the next person.
“Woah! That’s a lot of money.” Leo noted, forgetting about the movie they had watched earlier and were arguing about. Natalia linked back their arms as they continued their aimless stroll around the streets of Beverly Hills.
“Was it?” She innocently asked. The Princess was used to purchasing stuffs with her credit cards. So she didn’t really notice the huge sum she’d given the little boy. Leonardo gave a surprised looked.
“Yeah. Didn’t you notice the extra generous smile he had?” He chuckled and shoved his hands deeper into his jacket. Natalia shrugged.
“Either ways, it seemed like they needed it more than I do. Some of them have no place to stay or someone to love and care for them. The most uncared for turn to crime at a tender age or run into bad company. Sometimes, I feel the elite have more to do for the society they live in. Everyday, I’m forever grateful for the kind of life I’m opportuned to have.” She confessed sincerely.
They used the zebra crossing and walked into a quiet garden. The park was beautiful and totally natural. They found a park bench and sat. A few other people were around too, mostly couples. Natalia silently flushed at how cute they acted with each other despite noticing other people around them.
Suddenly, Leonardo De Luca took off his jacket and gently laid it on her. Natalia didn’t even notice she was hugging herself to keep warm. She smiled out in gratitude.
“You’ll be a great politician someday. I won’t say a philanthropist because you already are. You’re a kind person, Natalia.” He said and she blushed again, fidgeting with his jacket which was a little bigger than her.
‘I hope so.’ She silently prayed.
“What’s your favorite pet?” He asked out of nowhere.
“Any furry pet will do.” She thought for a while, suddenly missing Arla.
“So if I magically turn into a wolf, you’ld still like me?” He mused.
“Make sure it’s an Alpha. Big and strong…. else I won’t even look your way!” She warned and he laughed out.
“Why?”
“Every girl wanna be a princess, duh. But having to become a Luna? Who wouldn’t??” Her imagination made him chuckle.
“Well, aren’t you?” He whispered, staring at a purple hibiscus.
“Huh?” Natalia suddenly turned to him. A hot blush crept up Leonardo’s neck, filling his ears.
“You’re a princess in my heart.” He silently whispered. Natalia flushed and faced her legs, using her fingers to trace the ‘supreme’ logo on her jeans.
“The full moon will be out in a couple of days.” He said brightly and leaned back on the bench, slipping an arm behind her back rest. Natalia looked up at the sky and saw the crescent moon lurking lazily In the cloud. The blue black color of the night cloud lingered around like a mother nursing her little baby.
She sighed out wondering how Leonardo felt growing up with only a mother who worked a lot.
“How do you…”
“Do you know…” They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“We need to stop doing that.” She giggled, mentally counting the number of times they did it that evening.
“Why?” He whined like a kid. “It means we’re one.” Natalia covered her blush with a smile.
“Did you know that those who have their first kiss under a full moon eventually end up together forever.”
“How do you know that?” She faced him.
“It’s just some myth.” He shrugged. “Mom’s a romantic, I think. She either told me that when girls started falling or to simply scare me from being a Damon junior.” Natalia chuckled.
“It’ll be so easy to love your mom.” She smiled. In the partial darkness, Leonardo looked at her and smiled back. Her eyes were so pretty and hypnotic and something in them lured him in, that Leonardo De Luca found himself inching closer before he could stop himself…
Chapter 54