( Beverly Hills, California.)
The funeral of Ashley Dan’s dad went smoothly. Everyone in the neighborhood knew him as a kind philanthropist so it was more sorrowful.
Despite his busy schedule, Sir Campbell attended the funeral not because they knew each other, but because of the fact that the philosopher cared for his son when he failed as a father. Though, he left after an hour.
Ashley didn’t have any other relatives. Her divorcée mother didn’t even show up. Nicky’s soft heart went out to the broken girl with red, puffy eyes staring lifelessly at the whole procedure.
A few hours later, the last sympathiser left leaving Nicky and the employees of the house alone. Jeffrey was trying to make Ashley fall asleep while Nicky sat alone at the kitchen counter with her first meal of the day… a glass of orange juice.
The evening sky was getting darker and the maids were making some nice soup for the mistress of the house.
Nicky looked down at the simple black dress and pumps she wore and concluded they suited her mood in every aspect. Down, sad and pitiable.
Pity for Ashley… and herself.
Though it felt somewhat wrong, her heart was upset and jealous seeing her boyfriend and his ex together for the past few days. The atmosphere in the lovely house where most of the picture frames was of the two of them together, suffocated Nicky.
But maturity and the want to support her boyfriend kept her irrationality under control.
“Ma’am, is this the way you want it?” The cook politely asked.
Nicky was jolted from her train of thoughts. She stood up and tasted the soup she’d asked them to prepare. The strawberry blonde knew what soup was good for different situatons… all thanks to her formidable nanny Tess.
“Yeah. Something like this.” She nodded in affirmation. The cook smiled and served it. And Nicky thoughtfully took it upstairs.
But as Nicky stood quietly at Ashley’s bedroom door, she concluded the soup was a waste.
The emotionally exhaused receiver was already asleep, cuddled up in Jeffrey’s arms who couldn’t take his worried eyes off her. His fingers kept brushing her hair softly and Nicky felt the green eyed monster trying to claw it’s way out of her heart again…
But she remained calm.
Yeah.
It was maturity indeed…
***
“Yes. Apartment three, sir.” The doorman said and Damon Lorenzo nodded before walking into the elevator.
After the elevator door opened, he balanced the grocery bags in his arms and made his way to apartment three. With great effort, he knocked repeatedly until lazy footsteps sounded from the other side.
After a while, the door flew open and Bianca’s tired but pretty face appeared behind it. She wasn’t wearing her usual seductive make-up but didn’t make an effort to hide the impatient, icy scowl on her face either, noticing it was him.
“Evening, gorgeous. Dinner?” He breezed in his usual cheerful aura, ignoring her obvious hostility.
Bianca rolled her eyes and walked back into her apartment. Damon trailed after her and used a merry foot to slam the door behind him.
He made his way into the open kitchen while she crashed back on a couch, eating from a huge bag of chips and going through her phone. The flat looked better than the mess it was a few days ago when Damon unintentionally visited.
After dropping the bags, he walked back into the living room and settled comfortably on the next couch. With the way Bianca remained nonchalant, it was hard to notice she had a visitor.
Damon pursed his lips and continued watching her as she smiled at her phone once in a while with her mouth filled.
But seeing the clock make another complete rotation, he walked over and snatched away the crispy potato chips from her.
“Hey!” She gritted, looking up.
“Hi.” He waved, returning the greeting.
“What do you think you’re doing?” She impatiently spat. He took the huge bag into the kitchen and hid it somewhere before retracing his steps.
“Excessive junk isn’t healthy.” He good humorously lectured. Bianca snorted before glaring at him.
“Just because you were useful for once in your life that night at the club doesn’t mean we’re some kind of pals!” She seethed.
He flamboyantly shrugged.
“I know we barely know each other. I only recognized you as the girl with a recently depressing social life, a venomous mouth and a psychopathic attitude who was fully prepared to lynch someone to death IN PUBLIC!
“For someone born into wealth and class, you have a pretty lousy reputation.” He sat comfortably on the same couch she was.
“I don’t remember hiring a jester.” She spat.
“Sweetheart, I’ve noticed you’ve got no one. Not even friendly neighbours! So you should be grateful I’m offering my services for free.” Damon flirtily winked.
Bianca’s teeth furiously clashed against each other. If they were daggers, they’ld have probably stabbed him to life eternal!
“I don’t need anyone! I’m fine on my own!” She threw her face away, her red hair showing just how much anger she felt inside.
A new side of Damon wanted to ask questions, wanted to ask more. But he closed his lips and gave up. He didn’t want to seem nosy.
“Have you had dinner?” He asked but silence followed.
“Junk isn’t healthy food. I’m making dinner.”
“Knock yourself out!” She snapped and walked into her room, slamming the door behind…
***
“Here! Try this.” Esmond gently placed a cute, fluffy bunny-ears hairband on Natalia’s hair like a crown.
He pushed it further until it laid perfectly behind her ears. Natalia had stretched her hair brownish blonde hair on both sides of her face so it was pretty easy.
She tried not to flush when his warm fingers grazed her skin, not because she had a crush on him… maybe… But because of the number of audience watching!
Currently, they were at a stall in the mall were pretty hairbands like that one were on display.
“See? It fits! I’m still wondering what does not suit you.” He toothily smiled and she looked away. A set of horse ears caught her attention and she placed it on his hair too.
“This also suits you. Now we’re even.”
“Since you’re giving me a gift, I’ll cherish this one forever, Empress.” He said and touched it. Natalia raised a mischievous brow.
“Don’t get carried away. Those are for May, telling her I miss her.”
“Coincidentally, we just had a mind link. She says she misses you too.” He said with a straight face.
“Indeed.” She drawled. Esmond tried to hide his smile.
“I’m for real. The both of us share a mind and a heart!” He insisted. Natalia mock-nodded in agreement. Esmond gave up and chuckled.
…
~ Ooh, I knew it! They’re dating after all!
~ I was more than ready to bet my life on it! Meeting two Royals?? BEST DAY EVER!
~ Aww! I’m so jealous I wanna cry!
~ Hey, help me take a picture. He’s so hot up close!
~ Alexis is really gorgeous! Just look at that figure!
~ They’re so cute together. A match made in heaven! Gosh, my poor heart!
~ And with the headbands? They’re my freakin’ couple of the year!
~ Yo, move! I wanna take a clear shot of them.
…..
The royal guards and mall’s security had made a large circle around the Royals to keep the noisy crowd away. But even the beautiful Christmas songs coming from every store couldn’t stop the endless comments from streaming into their ears.
“Are they bothering you?” Esmond softly asked. Even though Natalia denied it, her repeated flushing further exposed her obvious lie.
The Emperor signalled to his Head of Security who then walked over to the mall’s executives who were also following them around. Soon, a man made an announcement in the speakers placed around the mall.
“Good day, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the important Royals we’re hosting today, C-Mega mall declares a 50% discount on all items for sale till the end of the afternoon. Thank you and season’s greetings.”
The next second, screams and scrambles drowned the classy voice. The fawning crowd into different directions, almost pushing down the guards in the process!
The few that remained waited to take quick pictures and short videos before joining the race.
Natalia was ignorant of her grin seeing the happy smiles on their faces. It was both cute and funny to watch!
The mall’s security was having a tough time maintaining orderliness while a bit of them were even part of the marathon?
“Do you feel comfortable now?” Esmond asked, a tinge of worry etched in his attractive figure. Natalia gave him a bright smile and nodded.
He returned the smile and took her hand without realising it. It’s something she noticed he was recently fond of.
Natalia tried to conclude he was probably the touchy kind but her roomie, Alexis, started a gossipy whistle at the back of her head.
She pushed her other half off the couch and clasped their fingers together. They smiled again and decided to continue their shopping up at the VIP floors.
Just as they were rounding the corner to the nearest elevator, the elevator doors opened and the occupants stepped out.
Natalia froze as quickly as her heartbeat. Her smile dropped and she felt herself go cold instantly. What stopped her wasn’t the cute little blondie running her way excitedly at full speed or the recently trending engaged couples, holding arms.
Her blood froze because deep within, she felt like she was caught redhanded… cheating.