( Astheria, Australia. )
“What present will you… or more precisely… will Astheria be giving the La crofts for their anniversary?” Elva asked. The Empress was getting ready for bed while Elva was helping with her wardrobe.
“The La Crofts have been Astheria’s longest ally. So some form of partnership will further strengthen our friendship.” She sat delicately on her dressing stool and picked up her hairbrush.
Elva took it from her. “Let me.”
“I’m no longer a child.” She bluntly pointed.
“Whatever. I’ve missed brushing your hair.” She confessed and gently ran the bristles through her long hair.
“Mhn.” Natalia offered perfunctorily. Elva aggrievedly sighed in a dramatic way.
“It’s not much of an apology! But your apology is accepted on the condition I get a leave for a week?”
“Get ready to lose your job as well.” She was blunt. Elva laughed out and pulled her hair but Natalia didn’t smile or get mad. She simply looked calm.
“So what kind of partnership?” She asked as she picked up a facial lotion.
“I’m considering a permanent union between our Empires. Emperor Miller has been an old and loyal ally for decades. Grandma and he were friends. So to still count on his allegiance, an infinite union seems fair enough. I’m thinking an academy of some sort.”
“Sounds great.” Elva nodded in agreement. “But I was thinking of something else.”
“Something like what?” Natalia raised a brow through the mirror. Elva smiled coyly which made her lower her defences…. a bit.
“You know Emperor Miller and his Queen had twins late in their marriage, right? It’s unfortunate the girl didn’t survive long.”
“Mhn. It was painful for everyone. It must’ve been their fifth birthday or so when she died. Grandma and dad travelled for a condolence visit while mom stayed to care for me. I was three then.” Elva brushed her hair down.
“They say he’s back from Europe. I mean the prince. The media’s buzzing about it.”
“So?” She stared nonchalantly at her nails.
“Jeez! You’re still so boring. Don’t you even wanna know what he looks like?” Natalia threw the lotion on the table and stood up.
“Thank you. But I don’t care what he looks like. If that’ld be all…” She dismissed and walked towards the couch to rub Arla.
Elva knew about her recent mood swings so she took a more cautious step.
“Well, that’s a huge loss for you.” She dropped the hairbrush and looked at her through the mirror.
“I miss Nicky and our friends. And as much as it spooks me to say… I also miss the B. R. A. T. S. I wonder how the drama went on and if Nicky fainted on live stage!”
Natalia absentmindedly picked up her phone.
“I can’t wait to see Ricky again. I miss him so much.” She fumbled with the lotion.
“I hope I won’t have to remind you we’re only going there for official business.” She was frosty. Elva gave up and groaned.
“Business, formal, undercover, no time for fun, blah, blah, blah! Seriously? Give yourself a break! Aren’t you gonna say you miss him too and… and you can’t wait to jump into his arms again?
“I don’t know what happened between you too and I never asked because you had a lot to deal with. But since you’ve been acting stingy with the gist, I have to ask what EXACTLY happened between Arian De’ Argent and Natalia Kendell?!” Elva asked, squarely facing her.
Natalia stood up with the same attitude. “You really wanna know, huh?”
Elva maintained the straight face.
“The stingy gist, dearest best friend is that ‘Arian De’ Argent and Natalia Kendell’ ended the moment we left that city! And just so you know, they should be celebrating their six months break-up anniversary today!”
The news hit Elva.
“W.. what?” She whispered. “But.. but how?… Why?… What?”
Natalia scoffed and backed her.
“Everything that happened between us was a lie from the beginning! I was nothing but an idiot he wanted to play with! He made me feel stupid and humiliated by having an affair with that two faced tramp behind my back!
“They were a thing even though we were together. He was cheating on me with her and never for once said anything.” Her voice became low and unsteady.
“But it doesn’t make any sense.” Elva was confused. “Arian adores you! He… he… he’ld never… and with who exactly??”
“Selena! Don’t you get it? It was all in the video. I saw them together. He was… They were…” She couldn’t bring herself to finish it.
“Don’t tell me you believed anything that bitch said! Come on, she never liked you guys together in the first place!”
“I know. I didn’t want to at first. I wanted to believe that everything she said was a lie! But something was off. Arian wasn’t picking his calls so I went over to confront him myself.
“But Elva… I caught them together again, barely an hour after he left me!”
“Something doesn’t add up.” Elva was breathless. “It’s not like Arian to… ”
“To what?!” She yelled and faced her.
“Putting aside everything else, he lied straight to my face that he had nothing to do with her whereas they’re engaged to get married! Damn it Elva! The only reason she came over to live with them was because they’d been betrothed since childhood and were about to be formally engaged!
“The stupid invitation she came to pass across was a mock to the pathetic feelings I had for him!” She said and aggressively wiped her tears. Elva tried to reach out to her but Natalia walked further away.
“Natalia, you’re not pathetic…” She cut Elva off with a self-depreciative laugh.
“I was messing around with a married man! Thank God grandma never found out else the shame would’ve killed her faster! Who knows?… They might even be expecting a… a baby soon!” She hysterically paced around.
“Natalia, calm down! You’re hysterical and probably over thinking things. You should hear him out first…”
“Don’t you get it?! There’s no damn point! And why should I even listen to him? So he can stuff me up with more lies??”
“Arian is…”
“Stop it!” She screamed, and even Arla flinched. ”Stop mentioning that name! I forbid you and anyone else around me from calling his name!
“You know what? I’ve had enough for one night! I’m never getting back with that bastard even if it’s miraculously possible!” She spat and walked off into the balcony…
***
( Beverly Hills, California. )
Ricky Winterfield drove into the quiet compound and killed his engine. When he got out, he spotted the familiar blue convertible at the other side of the fountain.
Ricky sighed in either relief or sorrow and got into the walkway before making the three steps into the house.
Everywhere was dark and too silent. He got out his phone’s torchlight and slowly made his way upstairs. Fortunately, his instincts brought him to his destination.
The door was wide open and soft rays of light penetrated the dark hallway, casting a golden glow on the floor.
Ricky switched off his phone’s torchlight and gently walked towards the room. At the door, he could see Arian sitting on the floor with his back against Natalia’s bed. He was barefooted, clutching a pillow and watching a slideshow on his phone.
Ricky could hear silent sniffs as he walked in.
“Ar…” He began but knocked over a couple of books on a side table. Arian didn’t bother looking up.
Ricky held in a cuss as he squatted to pick them up when a folder slipped out of the pile. The legal symbol on the front page made him open it out of curiosity.
And voila!
It was a certificate of ownership, stating Arian Antonio De’ Argent as the new legal owner of the said building.
“You’ve gotta be shitting me.” He unconsciously whispered. And what else?…. It showed his best friend had bought the building about six months ago!
Then the significant date clicked.
Ricky sighed deeply and returned the folder.
“Man, you’ve got everyone worried about you. Including me.” He crashed beside Arian who completely ignored him.
“But just so you know, I wasn’t that worried though! Your teary mom asked me to go find you. So don’t think too highly of yourself.” Ricky quickly added. It totally wasn’t his thing to get mushy or emotional.
“I know you’ve been coming here late at night and I wonder how your mom would freak out if I become the whistle blower?” He stretched out his legs.
“She’ld probably recreate your bedroom door from melted titanium and be the only one with the key!” He chuckled to himself.
Arian didn’t move an inch or raise his head. His tears kept falling slowly and Ricky completely understood. He was okay being the talker.
“Funny enough, that ass named Jeffrey was right from the beginning!” He turned to look at Arian.
“When he said you’ld be worse than you were if you ever got your heart broken.” Ricky smiled because it came true.
After a while, he pretended to be upset.
“What are you staring at that’s so important than my terrible cheer-him-up speech!” He grunted and grabbed his phone.
“Oh.” Came out as a silent whisper when the next picture of Arian and Natalia together popped up in the slideshow.
Ricky quietly returned it. But Arian tossed the phone away and massaged his hurting temple with a weary sigh. The strawberry blonde patiently looked at him because Arian reminded him of himself years ago.
Then a naughty lightbulb clicked!
“I know just the perfect distraction.” He smirked…