Chapter 6 – Black and White

“WHY DO you hate Blaze so much? I thought you knew each other?” Mikaela asked her mother after the latter went to her room when she skipped dinner.

“That’s exactly the reason why I want you to stay away from him, Mikaela. Because I know him. I know what he can do to you. He is not the man you think he is. I’m sure you’re just acting like this because you were fascinated by him, because you fell for his looks. And that’s normal considering how many women went crazy over him. But you should stop as early as you could. No matter how nice you treat him, he will still end up destroying you. Believe me, Mikaela, watering a rock doesn’t make it soft.”

Those words from Mikaela’s mother rang in her ears for the countless time today. The latter even looked like she was about to cry while saying those things. She was currently in her studio to back up all the important footages in a separate hard drive. Those were from the wedding she recently covered. And yet, her mind kept wandering elsewhere.

Mikaela was lucky enough that she was still allowed to go to work after last night’s event. She was finally freed from Landon. For some reason, he was in a hospital. He said he had an accident after meeting her last night which caused him a few broken ribs. And she heard that in a week or two after his discharge, he would go to Australia and live there. It was like he was in a hurry to leave since the preparations for his departure was being processed now. It was according to Landon himself who called her to apologize this morning.

It was something new since he didn’t strike her as the person who would do it. He was the major cause of her stress and he had harassed her too many times before and yet, not once did he ever apologize.

“I-I’m sorry. I will never bother you again, Mikaela. Just p-please spare my life!” she remembered him saying in a shaky voice. Landon disappeared from the other line before she could respond as if someone was threatening him which she found absurd since he was the only son of a very influential man in the business industry. That was the reason why he wasn’t afraid to bully other people.

Whatever the case, Mikaela was glad she was finally freed from him. Although the security around her had tightened all the more. Her mother forbids her from going to other places except her studio.

Had she promised her mother never to meet Blaze again, her punishment would have been lighter.

“I will let this slide only if you promise me that you will never meet that Blaze Stevens again, Mikaela,” her mother said last night. Sylvia had only ever called her by her full name whenever she was trying to stress her point.

Mikaela looked away. “I can’t, Mom. I’m sorry. You are only telling me that Blaze will hurt me, but you are not telling me the reasons why you were saying those words against him. That’s unfair for both me and him.”

“Are you defying me, your own mother, just for a stranger you only met once?”

Sylvia looked cheated when Mikaela refused to answer. She couldn’t tell her that there was something she wanted to understand that’s why she wanted to keep meeting Blaze.

This morning, Sylvia didn’t join her for breakfast which had never happened before. Her mother was still obviously hurt but she refused to back down. Fortunately, her father was currently in a business conference abroad. He left at dawn that’s why they didn’t get to talk anymore. Mikaela could not give in this time; she had given in way too many times whether it was job related or her relationships with other people because her mother would constantly interfere. And she could not do it again especially after what she suddenly saw last night.

She saw Blaze’s aura and her mother’s. His was a combination of black and white. An aura as white as his was rare. She couldn’t remember ever seeing something like that. It was also the first time she had encountered two auras in one person. It was amazing. It was as if he could balance his inner angels and demons since none of them was above the other. They were equal.

While her mother’s aura turned deep purple, which was always associated with fear, guilt, and anxiety. But why? What was she so afraid of?

Sylvia’s reaction only made her more curious. That’s why if only Blaze would call her to confirm their date tonight, she would not hesitate escaping from her bodyguards again to feed her curiosity.

“You can ask your mother. I’m sure she would be thrilled to tell you our story.”

“I’m just appreciating the fact that you are different from your mother.”

“I like your honesty, Mikaela. It’s unlike the woman you resemble so much.”

She felt like those things were clues from the puzzle which Blaze had wanted her to solve. Did that mean that Blaze hate her mother? She had tons of questions and Blaze and her mother seemed determined to avoid all of them.

Mikaela also did research about Blaze that’s why she now understood why his name sounded familiar. He was the CEO of Roman’s, the five-star hotel chains in the Philippines and in many countries in North America and Asia. She had heard his name many times in gatherings from her father’s visitors who wished to do business with Blaze. Back then, nobody knew what he looked like since he always had a representative who attended the formal events for him. It was only recently when pictures of him started spreading in magazines and internet as if he was willing to let his identity out this time.

Mikaela leaned on her chair. It was almost five in the afternoon now. And Blaze was all she could think of the entire day. Until now, her heart would still pound with just the mere mention of his name. She was worried that he might not be interested to have a date with her anymore after all the ruckus from last night.

Mikaela almost jumped from her seat when her phone rang. The number on the screen was unregistered. Please let this be Blaze.

She cleared her throat before answering the phone. “Hello?”

“It’s me, Blaze.”

I know. Even without the introduction, she could tell. It was hard to forget that incredibly sexy voice of his.

“My meeting will be over in a while. Do you still want to have dinner with me tonight, Mikaela?”

Every time Blaze would call her name, it felt like he was tickling her heart.

“Of course! But I’m currently in my studio. Can you please tell me the name of the restaurant instead? I will meet you there.”

“No need. I will pick you up at seven.”

“Really? The address is-“

Blaze laughed. “I know where it is, Mikaela. It’s hard not to know since it’s famous around this town.”

“Then I will wait for you here.” Mikaela had hoped she didn’t sound too excited.

He seemed amused when he spoke. “Great. But what about your parents? Do you think they will allow you to go?”

She bit her lip, feeling guilty all over again. “I’m really sorry about last night. But don’t worry. I… I’ll find a way to meet you. It’ll work somehow. I’m sure soon enough, Mom will realize that you’re a good man.”

“I hope so.” Again, he sounded amused. “I can’t wait to see you soon, Mikaela.”

So am I.

Mikaela held the phone over her chest after he hanged up. She had a dreamy look on her face. She had never been this excited before that she couldn’t hide her smile. Her eyes were sparkling as she quickly stood up and went to the mirror to fix her clothes and make-up.

Fine. She would admit it now. It wasn’t just about the auras. In another circumstance, Mikaela wouldn’t bother to care about it. She would just shrug and think that his aura was extraordinary and then brush it off the next day. And if her mother didn’t like him, then that was all the more reason not to meet him. If he wasn’t Blaze Stevens, the one who was causing a stir in her heart right now, she could ignore him.

But that was not the case. The moment she saw him, it was as if she had found a missing part of her. It was as if she had been waiting for something for a really long time and she had only found it when she met him. She didn’t know what that was.

But she would find out soon. She would complete this puzzle no matter what.