Chapter 19: Chapter Eighteen

Eros

I woke up with the worst migraine of my life, a familiar, pounding pain that felt like my head was on the verge of exploding. It was always the same whenever I had a nightmare, and the nightmares were always tied to my father’s endless issues. That was why I avoided him like the plague.

Groaning, I rolled out of bed, even though my body screamed at me to stay under the covers. I shuffled to the bathroom, pushed the door open, and flicked on the light switch. The fluorescent glow filled the room, soft but still enough to make me squint. Barefoot, I made my way to the sink, turned on the faucet, and splashed cold water onto my face, hoping it would clear my head and fully wake me up.

After brushing my teeth, I opened the medicine cabinet, pulled out a bottle of aspirin, and shook out two pills. I popped them into my mouth and drank straight from the faucet to wash them down, letting the cold water soothe my parched throat. 

Resting my hands on the vanity, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My father’s words from last night echoed in my mind, the one that had left me tossing and turning in restless sleep, and frustration bubbled up all over again.

I still couldn’t wrap my head around it—my father was planning to get married again. It had been five years since Mom died, and while that might seem like enough time for some, I never thought he’d move on, let alone marry someone else. And it wasn’t just anyone. No, it was Vivienne Briers. 

Vivienne Briers. The infamous actress who was as vain, narcissistic and self-absorbed as they came. She was known for her extravagant spending and for leaving a trail of bankrupt ex-husbands in her wake. Married twice, both times to millionaires who went broke after their divorces. 

That was the woman my father wanted to bring into our lives. She was a woman I’d come to think of as the Witch of the West—a woman who appeared as if she were a goddess, but in reality, she was nothing more than a gold digger in disguise.

The thought made me snort bitterly. "To each their own, I guess," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.

I opened the cabinet again, this time to retrieve two fresh towels, and hung them on the rack. Stripping out of my clothes, I stepped into the shower stall and let the hot water pour over me, hoping it would wash away the tension knotting in my muscles. 

Ten minutes later, I stepped out, grabbed one towel to wrap around my waist and used the other to dry my damp hair. Once done, I tossed the used towel into the hamper and ran my fingers through my hair, which was still slightly wet but it would have to do.

Returning to my bedroom, I crossed the room to my walk-in closet. Pulling the doors open, I scanned my options, quickly picked out my clothes and got dressed for school. Thankfully, the aspirin was starting to work, and the pounding in my head had dulled to a faint throb. 

The last thing I needed was a full-blown migraine and I couldn’t afford to show up looking or feeling like I’d been hit by a truck while teaching a tutorial class. At least for now, I could manage.

I finished getting dressed in under two minutes, quickly brushing my hair and applying sunscreen to my face. I slipped on my favorite wrist watch—at least five years old—that my mother had given me as a gift for winning the mathematics competition. It felt as though she had known I would win, and the thought of it tightened my chest.

Shaking off the heavy feeling that threatened to take over, I grabbed my duffel bag and headed back to my room to gather my things for school before I left.

"Good morning, sir," Minerva, one of the maids, greeted me as I entered the sitting room. "Breakfast is ready."

"Not today, Minerva," I replied. "I'll have a protein bar to go."

"Alright, sir." She nodded and left, only to return moments later with my favorite protein bar—Nutty Bliss. A delicious meal replacement chocolate treat that my sister Isabella had introduced me to years ago. I've loved it ever since.

When Maxim Foods went bankrupt, I had my father acquire it, restructure it, and get the company back on its feet with a new team. Now, it is one of the best snack food companies in the world.

"Thank you." I said, tucking the protein bar into my bag. "I'll be back late tonight, so don't bother with dinner."

"As you wish." Minerva replied, curtsied and left.

As I made my way downstairs, I ran into my father, who was also preparing to leave for work. I pretended not to see him, even though I made direct eye contact as we both descended the stairs from our separate wings of the house. I didn’t want to talk to him, and I hoped he wouldn’t start a conversation.

"Good morning, son," he said. "How was your night?"

"How do you think it was?" I replied dryly.

"You slept well, I presume?" he asked, unfazed.

I glanced at him briefly as we reached the landing, facing each other. My father stood at six foot three, just an inch taller than me, but I had a feeling that in the coming years, I would tower over him.

"I just have one question," I began, my voice cool, unable to hold back. I arched my brow. "You’re not bringing your new wife into this house, are you?"

"Where else?" he replied. "She loves it here."

I sucked in a sharp breath, his words catching me completely off guard. "You’ve already brought her here?" I asked, my voice cold.

"Well, yes," he said, frowning. "Shouldn’t I have? It’s my house, isn’t it?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "I can’t believe you!" I snapped, gritting my teeth, my fist clenching. "You’re not just going to marry her, but you’re going to bring her here to ruin everything Mom worked for all these years? Do you really think things will stay the same if she moves in?"

“She won’t be home most of the time. She’s an actress...” he began, his tone defensive.

“Oh, give me a break,” I cut him off, my voice sharp. “Who’s to say she won’t give up acting after you marry her? Isn’t that what she did with her former partners? Took a break from acting until after her divorce.”

“Look, son...” He sighed, running a frustrated hand through his hair.

“Don’t call me that,” I snapped, my voice cold. “I’m ashamed to be your son right now. You could do so much better.” Without giving him another glance, I turned on my heel, walking away before I said something I couldn’t take back.

By the time I arrived at school, the halls were still relatively empty, with only a few students lingering around, leaning against their lockers and gossiping as if they had nothing better to do. 

I reached my locker, typed in the combination on my phone, and once it clicked open, I swapped out the books from yesterday for the ones I needed for the first three periods today. After I shut the door, I came face-to-face with Scarlett.

“Good morning, Eros,” she greeted me with a bright, unwavering smile. “I got this for you.” She handed me a chocolate bar—my favorite.

I stared at the chocolate bar for a moment, then looked up at Scarlett, whose smile was still intact. I couldn’t even tell if it was genuine or forced.

“Not interested,” I muttered, brushing past her and walking away.

“Oh, come on, Eros. I know it’s your favorite,” she said, catching up to me and stepping in front of me. “There’s no ulterior motive.”

“Surely, you’re not hard of hearing, right?” I asked, my tone icy. “I’m pretty sure I spoke English, not some other language. Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not. Pathetic.” I sidestepped her and stormed off, my frustration boiling over.

I knew I was probably just taking out my frustration on her, but I was fed up with Scarlett not taking the hint. She’d been after me for years, and every time I turned her down, it was as if my words or actions meant nothing. 

Her brain seemed wired to interpret things differently, and nothing I said or did ever seemed to hurt her. It was beyond frustrating.

I had both Spanish and Greek classes with Athena, but she didn’t attend either one. Why I even noticed her absence was something I refused to dwell on. It wasn’t my concern if she wanted to skip school. When I saw Serena, I was tempted to ask her about Athena, but I stopped myself.

I didn’t want Serena questioning why I was concerned about her sister, and I certainly didn’t want to become the subject of gossip among the girls. If I did something out of character, Serena would spread the word in no time.

I was Eros Belmonte, the so-called Ice Prince of Emerald Crest. My reputation was too important to risk. I valued my privacy too much. The rest of the day went by with me keeping to myself, but the absence of the girl with the olive skin, amber eyes, and chestnut brown hair lingered in my mind.

I couldn’t help wondering if she was okay, but I quickly pushed the thought away. I wasn’t in a position to worry about someone else right now. My father, the gullible man he was, wanted to marry a woman who was obviously after his money. 

She’d drain him dry, then walk away without a second thought once she was done. Once she’d had her fill. Maybe even then, it still wouldn’t be enough for her. Women like her were never content with just a taste of heaven; once they had a piece, they craved it all, leaving nothing behind for the person who had offered it to them.

For my mother’s sake, I couldn’t let that happen. Not now. Not ever.

“Leonardo Ciaran Belmonte, get it together,” I muttered, sending a silent message to my father, hoping for a miracle. I needed a miracle. And I needed it now. More than ever.