( Beverly Hills, California.)
“Daddy, why can’t I??” Tommy whined, hanging onto Sir Argent’s neck. The aristocratic French laughed as he carried the whining cat downstairs.
“Because it’ll be boring for kids like you.”
“I’m not a kid! I’m a big boy.” He helplessly argued.
“Of course. But it’ld be filled with grownups and there’ld be no kids around for you to play with. And do you know why?”
“Why?” He pouted and leaned his head on his dad’s shirt collar.
“Because they’re all gonna be home with their nannies, working on their color books, being obedient good boys and staying out of trouble! So that when mommy and daddy come home, they’ll have lots of treats for them.”
Tommy aggrievedly nodded as they walked into the breakfast patio where Mom Rose was already waiting.
“When he makes that cunning face, I know he wants something.” She suspiciously zeroed her mint green eyes at them. Richard kissed her and sat Tommy on his leg at the table.
“Oui Oui (Yes). Something I sadly cannot permit.”
“Don’t tell me he’s still harping about attending the ball!” She screeched. “I seriously don’t get why he suddenly wants to go.”
Tommy picked up his doting father’s cutleries and waited for the maids to serve breakfast.
“Rosella, you make it sound like he’s Cinderella chasing after the prince when you’re more anxious than he is.” He teased and Tommy giggled.
“That’s a baseless accusation.” She defended making Richard’s smirk increase.
“Then why did you obsess over that cheesy fairytail movie? God knows I almost went blind due to the number of dates we had watching that same….”
“Richard, shut up!” She snapped, flushing all over while Tommy chuckled until he choked.
”Where’s A…” Arian walked in at that moment wearing black shorts and a basketball shirt which had a priceless autograph of a famous past player. He wore a brown fancy bracelet which matched with his slippers.
Selena dully trotted behind, looking upset for some reason. She muttered a dry greeting and sat next to Mom Rose.
“Aunt, I’m heading over to the mall after breakfast. Do you want me to get you anything?” She buttered a toast absentmindedly.
“Not really. But you can get me a big tape to stick Tommy to a chair while I’m off to Dèlux Crèmé.”
“Mommy, I promise to be a good boy if you’ll get me two boxes of chocolates.” He tried to negotiate.
“No. You’ve been having too much sweets lately.” He made the cutest face ever but she ignored him.
“You’ll be going with Arian for his checkup today and visit the dentist afterwards. Selena’s in charge.” His doting father was more flexible.
Tommy aggrievedly nodded with a sad pout and looked his mother’s way, hoping to change her mind. But Mom Rose didn’t even bother to inch her neck.
“Still no!”
***
“Remind me why we brought Arla along?” Naomi stressed. Arla had been bugging her lately, distracting her from work.
They were in Elva’s suite doing some paperwork.
“She got restless to leave Natalia at the last minute. Plus, you’re lucky she likes you.”
“Why? I don’t see anything lucky in getting more hours of work.” She huffed out.
“You should be grateful you ain’t missing a leg yet!” Naomi flipped her head to Arla but Elva’s taunting laughter caught her attention.
“Hey! Don’t make such a joke.” She glared and picked the next file. “I haven’t seen the Empress in hours. Where’s she?”
“She went out with Jake.”
“With Jake?!” She couldn’t stop herself from exclaiming.
“Yeah… With Jake.” Elva repeated, giving her a weird look.
“Wh… where did they go? Together? They should’ve taken some guards too.” She stuttered, fumbling with her laptop. Elva fully turned to face her.
“And is there a problem?”
“I’m… I’m just saying. Since she’s an important figure, she should’ve taken more security.” She mouthed.
“Don’t worry, they’re undercover. Besides, no one knows her real identity yet. Jake took her somewhere nice because she wasn’t feeling too well.” Elva didn’t take her wicked eyes off Naomi.
“Oh.” The royal secretary mumbled, trying to ignore the tinge in her chest. “I guess they’re having fun.”
“More than you’ll ever know.” Elva chuckled evilly.
“Hey! There’s nothing funny.”
“You can’t hide your feelings, can you?” She giggled more.
“What feelings?” She became defensive and Elva rolled her eyes.
“They’re following up on a link in the investigation. So there’s nothing to be jealous of.”
“I wasn’t jealous.” She blinked.
”I’m sure you weren’t.” She naughtily wriggled her brows.
“Get out!” Naomi hurled a pen at her.
“This is my room, sweetie.” Elva chuckled. She looked away blushing badly.
“Should I give you good advice?” Elva offered. “Don’t bother falling in love when he will never feel the same way.”
“What are you…”
“Haven’t you noticed?”
“Noticed what?” Naomi was more confused.
“Jake is gay!…”
***
“Are you certain it’s around here?” Natalia asked Jake who was driving through a neighborhood filled with mean looking thugs and street kids.
“Definitely. Our links couldn’t have been wrong. He’s hiding in here to protect himself from those who are after his life.” She nodded and kept quiet.
Jake had suggested they use a low profile black car with tinted glasses to draw less attention. He pulled up at a corner and turned to Natalia.
“Wear this.” He pulled her hoodie over her head and zipped the sweater up to her neck.
“And take off your ring.” She did as he ordered because seconds later, an intimidating muscular guy knocked on the driver’s window.
Jake cautiously winded down.
“What’re a couple of rich folks hanging ’round here for? No safe for ya asses in a few secs.” He said and puffed out smoke from a cigarette.
Natalia almost choked.
She turned her eyes the other way to see a couple of thugs watching them closely, nearby.
“We’re looking for someone. Know him?” Jake indifferently showed him a photograph. He didn’t look moved at all by the oppressive odds.
“Watcha wanna know? Gonna cost ya rich asses a big lot for every tweeny word.” He showed a dirty smile. Jake nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, I know this punk. Lives ’round here I think. Always on his toes like a kitty ’round the clock.”
“Can you get him to us? Or set up a meeting somewhere else with this letter. He’ll understand.” Jake placed an empty paper which had the hazy logo of Astheria in a brown envelope filled with US dollars.
The man stealthily collected it and turned to grin his way out when Jake held his wrist which temporarily threw him off balance. Natalia could hear his bone crack under Jake’s iron fist.
“Delay or betray us, and there’ld be no hole in this world you can hide in that we won’t rat you out and end you.” The man trembled under his icy gaze and nodded. He vanished as soon as Jake let go.
“Let’s leave this place. It sickens me.” Natalia blurted, trying to control her nauseousness.
“I could… Are you okay?” His voice turned warm in a second, staring at her. She tried to nod but her dizziness began to increase.
“It’s just a headache.”
“We’re going to a hospital.”
“No, I’m…” He ignored her and drove out of the neighborhood which looked like a drug den.
Some minutes later, Jake pulled up at the biggest hospital in the city. Natalia got out of the car and looked at the building which felt familiar. But her headache stopped her from remembering anything else before she passed out…
***
“Young master De’ Argent, if you keep taking the prescribed medication and diet then you’ll be fine in no time. I’ll prescribe some multivitamins as well.” Doctor Stephen assured and passed him some drugs.
“Doc, could you please lead us to the dentist? Tommy needs a check up.”
“Sure thing, miss.” He smiled and led them out.
“Ugh! Selena, I thought we had a deal.” Tommy whined as she pulled him along…
Arian laid back on the examination bed and closed his eyes. Deep down, he preferred being dumb because his voice and opinion never got him what he wanted.
He was still stuck in an arranged marriage.
After waiting for a while, he stood up and trashed the drugs in a waste bin before walking out to find the dentist’s office…
***
“You’re free to leave after signing the discharge papers. Please eat healthy and rest well. Your sugar level dropped so you got fatigue.” Natalia nodded and stepped out of the hospital ward with Jake.
“I’m starving.” She leaned on the counter at the reception while he handled her dismissal.
“Fast food isn’t healthy.” He lectured and she almost rolled her eyes.
“Would eating your legs be considered healthy?”
“I’ll be honored to add in my proteinaceous kidney to the menu.” He winked and she weakly smiled.
“I’m going over to the snack machine. Be quick.” She turned around only to bump her pretty nose into someone.
“I’m sorry.” They apologized together.
It was a woman. Natalia graciously nodded and watched as she disappeared down the crowded hallway in a haste. She breathed and took a step forward but stepped on something frictional.
It was a driver’s licence… belonging to the rushing woman! Natalia picked it up and rushed after her.
Thankfully, the woman didn’t use the elevator at the end of the hallway but cornered left instead. Natalia got to the end of the hallway and turned left.
“Excuse me, ma’am!” She yelled before running over.
Arian froze the second he stepped out of the elevator. The familiar voice echoing down the hallway caught his attention and his heart skipped a beat when he turned over…