Chapter 43: CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: HOUSE PARTY III

\-ARTEMIS- 

It had been a long time since I had been on a date with a man. Well after Jarvis, none of them seemed worthy of love, and it felt easy keeping it that way. 

"I believe you're diving in on something you have experience on." Alexander said. 

"You don't need to have experience in something before doing it. You didn't have any experience before you started your first job. That alone makes my decision worthy." My chin held up as I proved his theory wrong. 

"That system of delivery is actually hard. I'll help you with it since you're such a darling." He adjusted his collar, his eyes rolled up like he didn't care about it. 

"I don't need your help!" 

"I can throw in some sensations then, make you moan till you give up the idea." His eyes, scaling through my jumpsuit like he was planning to throw them off anytime soon. 

"Specially made red wine for Miss Artemis' and the Royal Prince of Height." Madelyn walked up to us, placing the cup of red wine before us. 

I observe the swirling red wine as it settled in the glass cup. It wasn't glowing, and it didn't have any form of reaction scent. 

With a sigh, I tilt my head, catching a glimpse of Bella and Jamie. She was staring at me, Jamie's hands on her waist as he planted kisses along her neckline.

Her moans were hushed by the loud instrumental, making it inaudible. 

They really were in love. 

"Don't you think we should get something light to eat alongside?" 

I shudder, shifting away the thoughts in my head. "There's really no need." 

He watched my facial expressions, inspecting every inch to detect if something was wrong with me. I wore a smile, blocking any observation he had made about me. 

"Mr. Alexander." Sir Timothy let out. 

They both chuckled, greeting themselves like they had known each other pretty well. Sir Timothy adjusted his monocle, his breath seizing as he rasped. 

"Here, you need to quench your thirst." I stretched my hand forward, holding up my glass of red wine. He stared at Alexander, whose polished smile said nothing but comfort and positivity. 

Timothy Ranger, also known as Sir Timothy, is the King of Reece, a small country on the outskirts of Hyperion. Riches were his stronghold, and he had used that to his advantage, making his little country known and recognized by Hyperion and the others.

"Thank you, Artemis." He let out a gasp as he gulped down the entire content. "Prince of Height. We shall see at the royal gathering tomorrow, and yes, I wouldn't mind if your beauty joins us in the meeting."

"She'll be joining us, King Timothy. I assure you that." Sir Timothy adjusted his monocle once again before leaving for the main arena where the nobles were gathered. 

"Sorry for that, Mi Amor. We nobles sometimes like to test ourselves and see the difference in our characters in order to form a strategic alliance. Congratulations, you passed Sir Timothy's test without even trying. Be expecting a big reward, Artemis." 

"I'll go get myself another red wine so we can drink together. In the meantime, you can have mine." His voice calm like the morning breeze 

He planted a kiss on my forehead. "Be back in a bit." 

I grabbed his glass of wine, swirling it as I brought it closer. The light illuminating it made it look quite fresh, unlike the one I had been given. It was just as I suspected;

Bella was planning something big for me. I could only hope Sir Timothy doesn't die from the drink if she decides to poison it. 

I raised the glass at eye level, checking to see if there was going to be a slight glow. It remained the same; the light did nothing but make it look more and more enticing to drink. 

A smile escaped from my lips as I gulped down half of the wine. The taste is exquisite, strawberry as Mom had explained it to be. My diet didn't allow red wine, but this was the only day I could break it off and become one with the world. 

I raised it up once more, ready to gulp down the entire content when Catherine suddenly bumped into me, the glass cup shattering and the wine escaping into the earth.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Artemis. I slipped and... and... and the glass in your hand shattered." She bit her nails as she stared at the stain of wine on my jumpsuit. 

I heaved, calming myself from resorting to any form of violence or insults. She kept staring at me, waiting like there was more to what she had done. 

"I'll go get myself cleaned up." I grabbed my phone, heading for the exit.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Artemis." She bowed. 

"It's alright. Just try not to slip on the guests; they get really grumpy when things like that happen." 

As I walked down the passage of the left wing of the mansion, I felt a sharp pain in my head. My legs were beginning to fail me, the images from my eyes all blurred up. I wasn't feeling sleepy nor energized to say it was the wine's doing. 

I crawled up the stairs, heading for the room Mom had made me stay the night in. The right wing, where my bedroom is situated, had somehow been made to hold guests, and some unknown rich men's kids had been given my room as a suite. "Children like girls stuff; let them have it for a night," she said.

I push the door open, throwing away the sneakers I had pulled up in. "Time to head to bed."

Suddenly the ground began to spin before my eyes. I fell to the floor, trying my very best to hold so I wouldn't suffer a landslide or worse, an underworld exoneration; not like I know what that is. 

"What are you doing in my room, Artemis?"