Celestia is packing the bag. She was too busy with her task until she didn’t realise someone walked on her from behind.
“BOO!!”
She screams and turns around to see Matthew laughing so hard. He falls on the couch and tries to stop his laughter.
“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?” Celestia scolds him.
“You should see your face!! It…It-It hilarious!!” He laughs so hard.
Celestia rolls her eyes. She puts down the bag and turns to him with a grumpy expression. “What do you want?”
“Nothing. Do you need help?” Matthew asks, as he stops laughing.
“Yes. Which is…leave me alone,” she sneers before returning to her task.
“Geez, you are so cold-heated, aren’t you? No wonder why you are still single,” he dramatically shakes his head. “You should smile and be sweet for once.”
“I’d rather be in my way so that I don’t have to meet a stupid guy like you,” she speaks up while focusing on her task.
Matthew hummed, crossing his arms on his chest, “I see…”
“But I love it when you smile,” he mumbles under his breath.
“Did you say something?” Celestia turns to him.
“Nope. Just wondering until when you will be single. I bet you will be until your old age, right?” He grins.
She lets out a sigh and turns to him. “Can you stop being nosy for once? It’s my life-I can do anything I want,”
“I’m just being caring for my friend,” Matthew shrugs his shoulder.
“I don’t need your care. It’s none of your business if I’m single or not. It’s my choice to accept any man I want,” she scowls.
There’s a pause between them for a moment. Matthew’s expression changed to firm. He stares at her right into her eyes, as if he is trying to say something but couldn’t.
“Is that mean you will accept anyone who courts or asks you out?” The sudden question made Celestia stunned for a moment.
“I mean…yes? Maybe-I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it,” Celestia shrugs her shoulder.
“Let’s say…if a man came and asked you out for a date, will you accept it?” He asks.
She furrows her eyebrows in annoyance and confusion, “Why are you asking me that out of the blue? You are getting weird.”
Matthew didn’t say anything, instead, he took steps forward toward her. She flinches and takes steps backwards. The way he acted right now made her heart pound in nervousness.
“Is it yes or no? Only two answers, Cel,” he firmly speaks.
“I-I- I-I don’t know! Stop asking me this out of the sudden!!” Celestia’s hands on his chest as he steps forward.
Their body were so close that she almost felt the heat from his body. Her eyes darted everywhere, trying so hard not to meet his eyes. She doesn’t understand why this guy acts like this all of a sudden.
“Answer the question,” he whispers.
She gulps, “Probably…yes?”
“So, if I say I’m asking you out, will you accept it?” Matthew grins.
Celestia felt the heat rush to her cheeks. Is that mean she had a crush on Matthew this whole time? There are possibilities on it since she and Matthew were so close and have a strong bond.
They argue a lot, doesn’t mean they hate each other.
It’s just her heart denied it all along.
She looks at him with a shocked expression on her face. “W-What?”
“You heard me. We have been friends for a long time-don’t you think we should try being something else?” He smirks.
“I don’t like you, how can you have confidence to ask me this?” Celestia glares at him. “Don’t you think you’re afraid of rejection?”
“Me? Afraid of rejection? Of course not. We can’t force someone to like us, didn’t we?” Matthew leans closer.
“True-but can you stop being close to me!?” Celestia flustered.
“Why? Are you blushing right now? Is that mean you have a small crush on me?” He teased.
Celestia grunts. She tries to lean away, but whenever she does, he leans even closer. Matthew, who doing it right now, enjoy this moment. He can see the way her cheeks slightly reddened.
Honestly, Matthew has a crush on Celestia since they started being close. But, he thought it was just a playful one. Year after year, that feeling hasn’t faded but grew stronger in his heart.
Maybe because of the chemistry between them.
“Are both of you done flirting with each other?” Victor’s voice makes them pull apart abruptly.
Celestia clears her throat, looking away in flustered, “W-We’re not!!”
“Yeah, right. Like I didn’t see the whole thing,” Victor rolls his eyes. He turns to Matthew who smiles michevously. “And you, focus on this mission first before flirting with her.”
“Well, I just try my luck,” Matthew shrugs his shoulder and walks off.
Try his luck? Celestia frowns, “Is he…for real?”
“What? Have a crush on you? Yes, he is. Don’t you know that?” Victor arches his eyebrows.
“For fuck sake, I didn’t! You know how Matthew is! He is…sweet talker and stuff. Like hell I’m gonna know that,” she scoffs.
Victor chuckles at her oblivious. He shakes his head slightly and packs some stuff in the bag. “He has been head over hills on you. Matthew just being…Matthew. The sweet talker is just his skills.”
“Well, I thought you knew about it-that’s why I didn’t say any word of it.”
Celestia grunts, closes her eyes in distress. She didn’t know what to say of it. She just couldn’t think straight right now. All of this is out of the blue and she is not ready for it yet.
“Is everything ready?” Damian walks into the living room with Riccardo.
“Y-Yes! Everything is ready,” Celestia nods.
“Great. Where is Matthew?” He asks.
“Warming up the engine,” Victor answers.
“Maybe we can go now,” Riccardo speaks. “I will tell my men to be prepared,” he took out his phone.
Damian gives a nod, “Great. Vic, tell the others to be prepared also. I believe that the old man has a lot of people guarding the secret base.”
“On it,” Victor nods.
“And you Celestia, what’s wrong with you? Do you have a fever or what? Your face is red,” he notices.
Celestia clears her throat, “I-I’m fine. Just…a little bit hot. Anyway, let’s go!” She didn’t let them reply and just left the living room.
Damian arches his eyebrows and looks at Victor for answers, but that man just chuckles. He shakes his head to sign Damian to let it go.
____
Melody breathes heavily. She felt like her whole body was limp right now. All the hits that were delivered to her caused all the bruises and wounds.
“You sure are useless bitch,” Matthias sighs. He gestures his men to step away from her. “There’s no need to torture her anymore.”
“It’s not like we’re going to find the information in her. She is too loyal to her husband,”
He sighs in annoyance. Matthew did everything to get the information out of Melody. But none of it works. Melody would just take the pain or keep her mouth shut. The truth is, she doesn’t even know a single thing about Damian’s clan.
“I told you, I didn’t know anything about his clan!” She snaps.
“Bullshit. You are his wife-of course you know.” Matthew scoffs.
“Yes, I’m his wife. That doesn’t mean I know everything! Hell, I don’t even know when his birthday is,” Melody chuckles sarcastically.
Matthew rolls his eyes, “Such a useless bitch,”
“Better being a useless bitch than being a jealousy old man,” she fight back as she getting tired of him repeating those words. Her words triggered him.
“I am not jealous of Damian. Stop talking about that, I warned you yesterday.” Matthew glares at her.
“You are. Should I repeat the words I said?” Melody smirks. Even with all the pain she received, blood trickled down on her forehead.
Matthew gritted his teeth. He gets up and walks towards her. “You have one last chance. Either you cooperate with me or we do it the hard way.”
“What is this? Are you deaf since you’re already old?” Melody spats. “How many should I tell you? I don’t fucking know anything about Damian’s clan!!”
He swings his hands across her cheeks. “Another chance. Do you want to cooperate or not?”
Her eyes closed, holding the pain that she just received. She sighs, not knowing how to tell this old man that she didn’t know anything.
“Tell me…how should I tell you that I didn’t know anything?” She glares at him.
“You think I believe that? One last chance. Tell me or we do it the hard way?” Matthew pulled out a gun from his pocket.
Seeing the gun made Melody chuckle. “What? Do you think a gun will scare me? Oh please, I have been seeing that things a lot…including being aimed at it.”
“Oh really? Then, you wouldn’t mind if I aim it…” he slowly moves the gun and aims it right at her stomach, “…right here.”
The action made Melody stiffen, but she tried to act cool. Matthew smirks and leans closer, “I believe that…you wouldn’t like it if you lose your baby for a second time, aren’t you?”
She gritted her teeth. Yes, she is pregnant for a second time. No one knew about it, not even Damian. She has been keeping it quiet and trying to find the right time to tell him and everyone.
The trauma of losing her baby keeps lingering in her mind.
Melody is staring at herself in the mirror. Her hands gripping on the sink with the unused pregnancy test kit in the sink. She keeps arguing with herself whether she wants to check it or not.
She knows she is pregnant but…she just wants to see it herself.
After debating with herself, she takes the pregnancy kit and checks it herself. After a while, she took a deep breath before checking it.
That’s it.
Positive.
“Oh my…” Melody closed her mouth. She didn’t know how to react. Happy? Panic? Scared?
All of her emotion is mixed up.
The door knocked, “Mel, how long are you going to be in the bathroom? What? Are you asking for a second round in it?” Damian’s filled her ears.
She can imagine he is smirking right now while saying that. “I will be right out!”
Melody about to grab the knob but halt. She stares at the pregnancy test kit, debating whether to tell him or not.
“Mel!” Damian’s voice getting impatient.
“Y-Yes!! Calm your ass down, will you!?” Melody grunts.
She threw the pregnancy kit in the dustbin and made sure it was hidden by the trash in it. Just like that, she hid her pregnancy news without knowing how to tell Damian about it.
What if he is not thrilled about it? After losing their first baby…
Matthias smirks seeing the changing expression on her face. “Aww, now I get you, huh?”
“There’s no mama who wants to lose her baby for the second time, am I right?”
Melody couldn’t say anything when he was right. She can’t risk losing this one for a second time. The cold gun pressed on her stomach.
“I bet Damian wouldn’t be thrilled knowing his unborn baby died along with their mother,” he chuckles.
“You can threaten me, hurt me and anything but leave my baby alone,” Melody said through his gritted teeth. “This unborn infant has nothing to do with you.”
Matthias laughs. “As long as it related to Damian, it had something to do with me.”
“You’re such a coward. Using someone or something weaker than you. Fight with your size, old man,” Melody spats.
Matthias’s eyes twitch. He didn’t understand how these words can always manage to trigger him. All her words hit his pride and ego.
“Mind your words. I can kill you anytime,” he warned her.
“Damian will get you before you kill me,” she talks back.
He chuckles, “He doesn’t even know where you are. Even Riccardo didn’t know this secret base. So, just stop daydreaming about your prince saving you.”
Before Melody could reply, the door opened. His men try to catch his breath, and it seems like it was urgent.
“Sir…there’s something you need to see.”