( Beverly Hills, California.)
“Selena, have you ever thought that maybe… just maybe, Damon could stop being a player?” Minji pursed her lips and stared at her.
“And where did that come from?” Selena twitched her neck her way.
“So is it possible?” She ignored her. The French mademoiselle crashed on the bed next to her, thoughtfully.
”It’s possible…” She breathed and Minji raised her head.
But;
“When he’s grown old and died!” She snickered and stood back up.
“How are you so darn sure?” The Asian persisted. Selena scoffed and continued pacing.
“Damon has been a nasty Casanova for as long as I’ve known him. And just a reminder, that’s my entire life! Girls bore him out easily. It’s tragic for one to put their hope on him because they’ll be the one to get heartbroken in the end!…. Which isn’t usually far away.”
“I don’t want to believe it.” Minji muttered and lowered her eyes. She stopped pacing and squinted her eyes at her.
“Are you in love with him?”
“What’s it to you?” She snapped and Selena raised her hands in surrender.
“I’ve got a lot of issues to deal with and a heartbroken girlfriend is the last thing I… Ouch!” She squeaked when she hurled a pillow at her!
“But don’t worry. If he ever falls in love, you know I’ll always root for you.” Selena smiled and bear-hugged her best friend.
“Gosh, don’t suffocate me!” Minji wriggled in her arms as they playfully tumbled around in her hotel bed.
The problem wasn’t about Damon falling in love. The big deal, was that someone else was already trapped in his little heart…
***
“Tracking the Kelions is both hard and tricky. They have different hideouts in different countries of the world and operate mainly with codes. Their trainings are also intense.
“Rumours says they have several corrupt government officials backing them up. Aside hired assassination, since the Mafia Don’s primary deals are in smuggling illegal drugs, ammo, cars and women, he has to have several transportation systems that work.
“Our main target is the sea. Shipping companies are secretly under search at the moment. So we should be expecting results soon.” Jake operated the data on the large screen with the control in his hand.
The underground investigation room was filled with computers and people from different races. Natalia’s decision of keeping the investigation low key changed because the Mafia Don already knew she was hotly coming from him.
And she was!
Esmond had helped out in organizing everything, including the professionals and coders who were the best in their fields and under an oath of secrecy.
“How long is it going to take?” Her cold eyes stared at it.
“A couple of weeks.” He answered.
“I don’t have a couple of weeks, Jake.” She groused.
“The university’s groundbreaking ceremony? Heard it’s around the corner.” He said and she nodded tiredly while Jake still looked cool.
Natalia knew he spent a lot of hours down there yet he was never tired. If she didn’t know better, she’ld have concluded he was enjoying the whole thing!
After all, stuff like this was his passion, the life he was used to.
“Give me a few weeks to go off the grid. Secretly searching through the docks for suspicious movements will alert the Mafia Don. While he thinks we’re occupied, we need to dig up as much as we can backstage.” He looked at her.
The Empress thought for a while and nodded.
“But be quick about it. Once the groundbreaking ceremony is over and I don’t return to Astheria, people will start talking. And I don’t want the bastard to know we’re really desperate.”
“Isn’t…” Jake started but paused almost immediately.
“What is it?” Natalia demanded.
“Isn’t the rumours with Emperor La Croft the next cover-up?” He asked in his usual curt expression.
Natalia shot him an icy glare without realising it. But deep down, her conscience began an uncertain, silent audit.
Was her vengeful side really using Esmond without her knowing? If the groundbreaking ceremony was over with the investigation not concluded, was her publicly perceived relationship with him the next, perfect cover-up for staying??
Natalia shook her head lightly with cold determination. She wasn’t using Esmond. She consoled herself. And she wasn’t going to.
‘But what about your current romance with him? Are you really giving him a chance or just getting occupied with his emotions?’ Her conscience finally turned in a cold audit.
Natalia’s heart shook without her knowing.
“I apologize, Empress.” Jake bowed a little, noticing the frosty change in her aura.
“Mhm.” She spared a hum, dodging the questions in her heart.
“During the time I’ll be away, please don’t leave the fort as much as you can. Always take adequate security with you wherever you go. The Mafia Don said he needed you. That means he’s going to make physical contact soon.”
“I’ll try not to leave if it’s unofficial. But I can’t look like a coward in his eyes.” Natalia emphasized and touched her neck which was empty. They turned back to face the screen.
“Sir!” An expert coder called. “I’ve got the reports you wanted.”
“Show it to me.” Jake said and walked away, passing by Naomi in the process.
Judging from the bright sparkle in her eyes, Natalia knew that either Jake or her fellow, brilliant nerds in the room was the cause.
“Empress, the head of staffs needs you urgently. She says it’s important.” Naomi bowed and left.
“Elva?” Natalia murmured confusedly and turned to leave.
“And Empress, I found this lying around.” Jake called and tossed her something.
Natalia caught it midair. It was Arian’s necklace! The one with the wolf emblem. She’d lost it days ago and literally upturned her room just to find it!
She smiled in gratitude at Jake before taking the elevator upstairs. Inside the elevator, Natalia wore the necklace again refusing to admit why and tucked it safely inside her ash colored, crop-top sweatershirt which matched with the sweatpants. And wore the hoodie over her hair.
“How can I help you, ma’am?” She groused when she walked into her office and spotted Elva sitting at her assistant’s chair with her glasses.
“You have a visitor.” She said emotionlessly.
Natalia arched a brow. “What visitor?”
“In your bedroom.” She dismissed and got back to her laptop.
Natalia shrugged and walked over to her room, feeling like a student dismissed by some strict principal!
“Hmph! In my own office.” She silently snorted as she stepped in.
“Hello?” She curiously stared at the elegant, but delicate figure backing her. When the woman turned around, Natalia’s heartbeat froze.
“Mom?…”
~~~
(Some minutes later.)
“Bitch, what the hell’s wrong with you?! Get outta the freakin’ way!” A driver yelled and sped past Natalia.
Natalia didn’t wait to yell out an apology before continuing her race. The words of Mom Rose kept ringing loudly in her ears, freezing her heart.
~~ … You have to help me, Natalia. I don’t care how distant we’ve been but I desperately need your help.” She tearily begged and held her hands… ~~
A delivery boy almost grazed her with his motorbike when she ran blindly into the zebra crossing but Natalia dodged in time.
~~ … It’s Arian. He’s not been well for a long time now and he’s missing. He left home some days ago and no one knows where he is. Please you have to help me find my son.” She cried… ~~
The cold night stung Natalia’s skin even through her sweatshirt. It almost gave her frostbite but she endured.
~~ … He had a big fight with his dad and things got really bad. He left without anything except the clothes he wore… ~~
She bumped into a woman and a heavy grocery bag fell off her hands. “What the….”
~~ … Ricky confessed he’d bought the same house you were living in before you left and hides there sometimes. But he’s not there either. Arian was so broken after you left that he repeatedly attempted suicide!… ~~
Natalia first tears rushed out uncontrollably, ignoring how they made her vision blurry. She was terrified and her heartbeats thumped in her ears.
The beautiful faces on the streets, happily waiting for the fireworks to announce the new year didn’t catch her attention. All her sanity, nerves and anxiety was focused on correcting her mistakes, dreading it wasn’t too late.
~~ … Arian’s depressed with his life and he tried hiding it. I don’t know what I’ld do if anything happens to my son… ~~
The happy noise and crowd increased as midnight approached. Luckily, Natalia had entered into the highway with the city slowly disappearing behind her.
All of a sudden, she froze on her tracks when the headlights from a speeding truck flashed before her eyes and hooted loudly!
~~ … I know you both have different lives right now and know it’s extremely selfish of me to ask you for this…. But I need you to please bring back my Arian. His family needs him so much… ~~
“Hey, get outta the way! Move!” A logger yelled and pushed Natalia out of the way before the truck hit her.
“Are you alright? What were you… Oh my God!” He gasped when her hoodie fell off and revealed her face.
Without sparing even a smile of gratitude, Natalia pushed his hands off and ran off, leaving the countryman gawking after her.
~~ … Natalia, I trust you’ll find him. If there’s any time you considered me anything close to a mother…. please don’t ruin my faith in you. You’re my best hope. Please find Arian and bring him home… ~~
Natalia stopped at the secluded mansion in front of her. After punching in the password, the gates opened automatically and she ran in. The cold made her shiver and she knew her health was getting affected but she moved on.
She was ready to believe Arian was gone if she didn’t find him in the house where they’d built beautiful memories together.
She typed in another password at the main door which was easy to remember because it was the combination of their shipped names, ARLIA. The door opened and she rushed inside.
The warmth from the electronic heaters was nothing compared to the warmth she felt from the bottom of her heart when she laid eyes on Arian… Her was-never-really-over lover.
A set of expensive dark blue headphones sat on his head, leaving his long raven black hair falling messy, but hot, in all directions. His right hand was working on a high brand phone while his other held a cup of hot chocolate.
He was slowly walking out of a kitchen corridor when their eyes met and held.
Arian De’ argent dropped the mug and put away the headphones without breaking eye contact. Emotions flickered and crackled in the air.
“What are you doing here?” He asked in an indifferent tone. Natalia could’ve felt hurt but strangely enough, it made her happy.
Without hesitating, she closed the distance between them and captured his lips. Arian instinctively pulled her closer. She slid her arms around his neck, deepening the passionate kiss as fireworks sliced and crackled through the air, signifying the beginning of the New year…