Chapter 56 Chapter Fifty-six
Elena's POV
The moment the car that picked us up from the airport stopped in front of our mansion, I didn’t wait for anyone, I missed my bed, missed my home, and my time with Shannon, I pulled the door open and rushed out, my boots hitting the marble stairs as I hurried inside, ignoring everyone. The familiar earth of home wrapped around me the second I crossed the doors, but instead of slowing down, I moved faster, and the coat around my shoulders suddenly felt suffocating. I shrugged it off and tossed it carelessly onto the couch I was wearing one of the gowns I bought in Italy, a silky, skimpy gown that barely reached mid-thigh, the fabric clinging softly to my body as I stretched my arms with relief "Nice dress daughter,"
I turned slowly to face him, my dad stood near the entrance with one brow raised, his lips curved in a teasing smile., "You like it, Father?" I asked, and my heart palpitations increased. I needed to know if he approved of it, because if Dad didn't, there was nowhere in hell I could wear it.
He looked me up and down thoughtfully before nodding, "You look good in it."
He says casually, but my heart leaps in joy. He didn't know what those words of his meant to me. A small smile spread across my face, "Thanks, Dad."
For a brief moment, everything felt normal as the Steward pulled our bags inside, and then his voice came up again. "So," he said casually, walking further into the living room, "did you find someone in Italy that you wanted to impress?"
My smile froze, "Father?"
My voice echoed sharply through the room. He raised both hands slightly in surrender. "I'm just asking," he said calmly, "you seem different."
Different? The word made something twisted inside my chest. Different? What does Dad mean by that? "Good different right?" I asked trying to sound like my heart isn't about to jump off my chest.
For a second, he studied me while I fidgeted with my fingers, then he said something that made my heart sink instantly, "Did Rafael approve of this?" The smile on my face disappeared immediately; it was as if someone had poured cold water over my head.
"Father," I said slowly, "do I always have to do whatever Rafael wants?"
Before my father could respond, Amara's voice cut in smoothly from behind him, "Yes, baby." I stiffened, anger boiling inside me, as she walked into the room gracefully, her heels clicking softly against the floor. "That is what every loyal wife does."
"I wasn't talking to you, miss loyal girlfriend." I snapped.
"Elena?" Father groans, "You are being disrespectful, and you know I don't like it."
"But father, I wasn't..."
"Not another word," Father cut me off. I sighed “and apologized to her.”
"What?" I yelled, but father didn't repeat himself, I murmured but there was nothing I could do, "Sorry,"
"It's okay, I understand," she said, giving that polite smile, then continued instead of just shutting her gutter up, I don't need a babysitter. "But you know, if you are going to be a good wife to Rafael, then you should respect him and whatever decision he makes." Her eyes moved over my dress disapprovingly like a mother disappointed over her daughter's choice of clothes. If this expression had come from Shannon, I wouldn't be half as mad as I am now hearing it from Amara. "That way should..." I didn't stay long enough to hear the rest of her nonsense. I turned around and headed straight for the stairway. I could already feel the beginning of one of her endless lectures, and I refused to stand there like a student while she explained how I should live my life. This is my life, not her boyfriend's life.
"Elena!" My father's voice stopped me halfway up the staircase. I paused, but didn't turn around, "Don't do anything stupid that would make Rafael not marry you."
For a moment, I simply stood there, my fingers tightened around the railing, my lips trembling to tell him that if Rafael doesn't marry me, thousands of men will be willing to marry me but I didn't answer, instead, I continued walking upstairs, and behind me, I heard Amara's irritating voice, "You are spoiling this girl"
My father sighed, "What do you want me to do?" He asked.
"Maybe a little discipline," she suggested.
My father's voice instantly hardened, "You are not suggesting I hurt my princess all in the name of discipline, are you?"
There was a short silence. I couldn't even hear her reply, but the next thing I heard was Amara calling out my dad's name sharply, "Valkor!"
I glance over the railing, the large bodyguard stepped forward instantly, my brows furrowed, "Go home," my father ordered calmly, "I will call you when I need you."
My father turned to leave, meanwhile Shannon was struggling to drag her suitcase across the marble floor. I wondered what the naughty girl packed for a trip of just two days. My father walked over and dragged the bag from her, "Drop that, you can't carry it."
Shannon parted her lips to protest, but Amara's voice came up, "Valkor!" Amara called. I know the reason she was calling my father; Amara didn't like the way my father cared about Shannon. Whenever Father did anything nice towards Shannon, Amara just felt it was all wrong. My father had already taken the bag from Shannon and Amara muttered under her breath, "stupid bitch." She grabbed her smaller suitcase, ordering one of the guards to bring her other suitcase, I guess they went shopping while waiting for me. As Amara walked towards the exit door, I blew a goodbye kiss to Amara while I gestured for Shannon to come upstairs quickly, and she just followed without question. Once we reached my room, I collapsed onto the bed with a groan.
The familiar scent of my room filled the air, soft lavender, fresh linen, and my sweet fresh flowers, all hit my nostrils, they felt like I never left, Shannon dropped her small bag on the bed, when we were much younger we share the same room even now we both have our separate room, sometimes we still sneak into each other room and wrapped our hand around each other all through the night, "That went well." She said sarcastically.
I buried my face in a pillow. I know she didn't approve of my disrespecting Amara, but Amara is a handful. "She is impossible; she just doesn't know when to stop."
Shannon flopped into the chair near the window, "She is not entirely wrong, though."
I look up immediately, "What?"
"Yes, she is just saying what your father already believes," Shannon struggled, "you are supposed to marry Rafael"
I rolled on my back and stared at the ceiling, "I know, but she didn't have to make it seem like I am cheating on that asshole."
"Wait a minute," Shannon dived to the bed, "did you just call our Golden boy an asshole?" I pushed Shannon's head slightly, "c'mon, are you going to dump him already and pick Nikolai?"
"No," the words came out wrong, and Shannon sighed. She was really fed up with Rafael. Even I was fed up with him.
It's been three days since we left Italy, the days seem to run fast, and somehow they were turning strangely empty. Rafael had called almost four times, each day. He was checking on me like a doting boyfriend, but his calls were not what I was looking forward to. I kept checking my phone, for just one text or message from Nikolai. At first, I told myself I was being ridiculous, that maybe, he didn't returned my text or message, because he is busy, or maybe he hadn't seen my message, but today, the truth started creeping in, I had already call more than a thousand times, and had sent him several text, none of them had been replied, and the calls was not returned, he just let it rang and rang until it ended. The truth was slowly stabbing me like a knife. He didn't want to talk to me; he didn't even bother to open the message, let alone read it. My chest tightened painfully, "he doesn't want to talk to me," I whisper gently, my eyes almost pooling with tears.
Shannon looked up from her book, "What?"
I turned my phone so she could see the empty chat, and suddenly I felt like a stalker. "Nothing "
Her eyes narrowed, "You are talking about Nikolai?"
I didn't respond; instead, I stared at the screen again, the number saved in my phone, his name boldly staring at me. I just felt maybe I should stop calling; after all, my father didn't even like him, and I'm his brother’s fiancée. Maybe that's the reason he didn't want to have anything to do with me. The more I think about it, the more I feel bad. I thought we had something, but it turns out the moment meant nothing to him. My hand unconsciously moved to my lips, tracing them, recalling his lips against mine. Shannon sighed and walked over to me, "he still didn't answer?"
I shook my head slowly, she looked at the phone, then at me, and suddenly her voice softened, "Elena!"
I swallowed, "he doesn't want to talk to me." The words felt heavier when spoken out loud.
Shannon didn't immediately respond; she just watched me quietly, then she leaned back on the bed beside me, "or," she said calmly, "or let him be, maybe you should forgive Rafael, and let Nikolai be." Forgive Rafael, I don't think I could ever forget what he did to me, and Nikolai, my heart somehow refuses to stop thinking about him.
I shake my head, "I just want him to be my friend "
"But he doesn't want to." Shannon snapped, I look at her, she sighed, "I just don't want you to get hurt." She said softly, running her hand through mine, then threw her phone to me. I stared at her, then the phone, "Use it to call him, since he doesn't have this number."