( Beverly Hills, California.)
Thankfully, the young master felt better by the time they drove home. His agitated nerves had relaxed and his stress reduced. Tommy was already asleep so he carried him in.
But the Madame of the manor appeared at the grand semi-circular staircase, looking like the furious mother.
“Mom, he’s sleeping.” Arian quickly whispered to avoid her scoldings.
“Really?” Mom Rose was shocked.
“Yeah.”
“Aww. You’re such a sweetheart, pumpkin!” She pecked him sweetly. “But don’t EVER try this late night stunt again!”
Arian meekly smiled.
“I’ll take him to bed. Your dad and the rest are waiting for you at the third living room. Go meet them.” She said and walked up the stairs.
As she turned around, Tommy De’ Argent opened an eyelid and winked at his big brother mischievously before faking sleep again.
Arian gagged!
That…
“My love!” Selena appeared out of thin air and hugged him. Arian looked away when she wanted to go too far.
“Come. Uncle Richard has a surprise for you.” She bit her rejected lips and pulled him over.
In the third living room, the two French business tycoons sat across each other on leather sofas near a burning fireplace, drinking a famous French wine. It was so easy to notice the festivity in the atmosphere.
Sir Richard De’ Argent noticed them walk in first. “Ah! Arian, where have you been? Forget it! Come join…”
“Thank you for the invitation, father. But I need an early night.” He coldly stated.
“Uncle, please hurry up and tell him. I’m so excited to wait anymore!” Selena squeaked again.
“Then be the one to tell him since you’re so happy.” Sir Felix beamed and Sir Argent merrily nodded.
“Tell me what?” Arian became wary. Selena moved to his front with dreamy eyes and held both his hands.
“We’re moving over to our new house in France after the wedding! Isn’t that wonderful?!”
***
( Astheria, Australia.)
Natalia moved away from Esmond after the lingered kiss, looking everywhere but at him.
“We… I… shouldn’t we…. let’s…. We should be in bed…. No! I mean, you should be in bed. Alone! In a guest chamber. Inside. With me in my own room. I…. I think we’ve had enough champagne for one night. Don’t you think?” She stuttered.
Absolute silence.
Natalia took a quick peek at Esmond and caught him staring at her. She froze red-handed and hastily lowered her eyes.
Suddenly, he smiled. “Yeah, I think so too.”
She nodded and tried to walk away but he held her back. Natalia panicked and Esmond noticed with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“My room?”
“Oh.” Her breath calmed. “I’ll send you an es…”
“No. I want you to take me there yourself. As a host. And maybe a tour of the palace too?”
“Isn’t it late?”
“I don’t feel sleepy yet.” He pouted.
“I have sleeping pills.” She offered. He crumpled his face making her chuckle.
“Fine! But only because we’ll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Why?” He tried not to whine.
“Because I’m supposed to be running an Empire and you’re supposed to…”
“Okay.” He drawled and they started the tour.
An hour later, the duo slowly made their way to a guest suite in the palace which was far, far, faraway from her wing. Natalia knew Esmond wasn’t bad or had naughty tendencies. But these days?…
Clears throat.
“You’re forgiven now.” He interrupted her dirty train of thoughts.
“Huh? I thought the deal was to only have dinner with you.” She raised a brow.
“Yes. But dinners don’t usually end at the table.”
“Then where?” She was really ignorant.
“We’re getting there.” He mischievously winked and Natalia froze on her tracks…
***
( Beverly Hills, California.)
“We’re moving over to our new house in France after the wedding! Isn’t that wonderful?!” Selena squealed, bouncing on her toes dreamily.
“Just the two of us, my love! Ahh! I really miss home. New neighbours, the cozy weather. Oh, and uncle says you’ll be taking over the family business in France. We’ll both decorate our house together and choose all the…”
“I’m not leaving California.” Arian stated deadpan, rudely interrupting her daydreams. Selena’s happy smile quivered.
“But the new scenery will be good for you, my love. The doctor said…”
“Did the doctor say you’re part of the ‘new scenery’?” He asked inhumanly and continued.
“Since he didn’t, there shouldn’t even be any reason for you to go with me. However, I’m okay where I am. So don’t get hyped for no reason.”
Her smile automatically dropped.
“And besides, I’m trying to prepare myself for a lifetime of misery with you. You don’t have to drag me to your hell as well.” He was cold.
Her eyes turned misty.
“Arian!” Sir Argent snapped, flushing out of embarrassment.
“Privacy.” Arian requested and the maids silently left the room. The aged butler Lee followed suit and closed the door behind.
“Yes, father?” He humbly answered.
“Talk to your fiancée with more respect.” He snarled, silently fuming.
Arian obediently nodded and turned back to Selena. “If you’re not yet sleepy, please excuse me. Being here exhausts me.”
“But Ari…”
“My hand.” He stared down at his hand which she was clutching. Selena held it tighter.
“Fine, we don’t have to move to France. We’ll stay somewhere else in Cali…”
“Let it go, Selena!” He snapped, his patience running thin. Selena looked desperate with tears running down her cheeks.
“As long as we can stay together, I’ll go anywhere you want us…” Arian forcefully yanked his hand free making her slightly loose her balace.
“Nothing changes. Anywhere with you is still hell.” He shot her an icy look and turned to walk out. But she sidestepped him.
“What do you want?” He clenched his fists as she clutched the shirt his mother had specially made for him.
“Arian you…”
“Must you always create physical contact before you talk? It’s shameless, and I hate clingy people.” He spat. Her tears turned into a downpour.
“Arian, what is wrong with you?!” His dad yelled and stood up.
“Maybe the same thing that made you fill up her head with shit!” He yelled back, finally loosing it.
“France? House? Living together??” He scoffed like he was surrounded by idiots.
“Sir Argent. As you well know, I can’t tolerate squatting in a house with an overstayed visitor. Not to mention living with one!”
“My love, you…”
“Quit that bullshit! I don’t belong to you and I’ll never be! So get out of fairyland already.” He glared at her.
His patience and manners had long disappeared as his temper raised the tension in the room.
“You’re my son and you’ll do as I say!”
“Like I’ve been doing my entire life? No, I’m done being your freaking ass-kisser! You won’t order me around anymore like a puppet, Sir Argent!” He yelled as his mother rushed in.
“What’s going…”
“You’ll move to France after the wedding and run the family business over there. There is no room for negotiation.” He snarled.
“Richard, go easy on him! It’s a life changing event! You don’t expect him to accept it so easily.” Mom Rose soothed.
“He’s not making any effort to accept it!”
“And you’re not making it easier to accept either!” She pointed.
“You’ve spoilt him rotten! And that’s the problem! Rose, tell me. What else do you want me to do, huh? I’m open to ideas!”
Arian didn’t like the way his mother was being talked to. He fisted his hands to reign in his boiling emotions.
“You should try a little gentle persuasion since I’m the one cleaning up YOUR mess!” He growled.
“Check your tongue, young man. I’m your father and I deserve some respect!”
“Father?” Arian De’ Argent scoffed viciously. “You completely lost that honor when you betrothed your two year old son to this THING here all because of greed!”
Smack!
.
.
.
He slapped Arian.
“That’s enough, Richard! Don’t you dare hit my son again!” Mom Rose threatened misty eyed, coming into their middle.
Arian pushed his hair away and turned back to him.
“It stings, right? Hearing the truth? Well, here’s another!” He seethed.
“Arian, don’t anger him the more!” Mom Rose scolded.
“Please stop.” Selena begged, pulling at him again. But Arian pushed her off without caring if she’d hurt herself or not.
“You might have fathered me but you’re nothing close to being my dad! I’ve done everything my whole life to please you. To be that son you can be proud of! I played the good boy. I kept to your trainings and aristocratic etiquettes. I stayed out of trouble. I respected curfew. I screwed having a normal childhood to live up to your expectations!
“I never liked studying, but my grades were always perfect! I never got into trouble with the cops even for once! I stand when you want me to! I sit when you order me! I answer when you call! I’ve done every thinkable thing a filial son could do!
“Even though it hurts me sometimes, I still bear the pains! And those times Jeffrey used to confess he envied the way you’re always home for your kids unlike his dad, the pain only grows worse because it’s all a lie!
“When have you ever been there for me?!” He yelled, letting his hurt take over.
The whole room remained silent except from the tears of the two females.
“When have you ever been there for me, dad?” He continued on a more broken tone.
“I did everything you wanted because I aimed your genuine love and attention. And I thought I got it… But only when you wanted me to do something extraordinary like getting married to some stranger!…”