Chapter 31- Meeting the Crabby President

Chapter 31- Meeting the Crabby President
~ Daniella ~

“So, how was your visit with your fellow club member, Sweetie?” my mother broke my blank, lifeless state with a tap in my shoulder. I was in the pantry of the office making a morning coffee for both of us when she stepped in and ask that question.

I know I had been acting like a zombie since I left Suri’s house, not to mention mute, and it seems my mother noticed it.

“It was okay,” I answered her but honest to goodness, no, it wasn’t.

I turned to face her with one mug of coffee in hand. Although I didn’t offer it to her, she took it with a raised brow.

“Okay?” she parroted in a questioning tone.

I took mine and sipped a little of the warm liquid.

“Yeah,” was my scarce reply.

“O-kay,” this time she stated it with a roll of her eyes. I just ignored it. “You know you can tell me anything right?”

I smiled weakly at her. God, I shouldn’t make her worry.

“Yeah, thanks for worrying Ma, but I’m okay. I just needed some time to think what Suri meant in her letter.”

Yes, a letter. I drove like crazy to get to her house only to find out from the caretaker that Suri and her butler left early in the morning. To where, he didn’t know, but I have a suspicion they returned to the chateau. I was disappointed of course, but it was at least lessened when he gave me a letter from Suri.

The letter didn’t have much information though, just a vague explanation that she needed to leave asap as ordered by Erik and an instruction that I should patiently stay in New York until further notice. ‘For your safety’ that’s the last words in her letter that got me to deeply sigh in surrender.

I get it, I know. She still needed some degree of secrecy when it comes to the club activities, but the least she could do was to inform it to me in person.

“Alright, I’ll give you space.” My mother walked out of the pantry after giving me a kiss in the cheek while I stayed in there with my mug on hand.

It pains my heart...

It saddens me...

It pisses me off that I can’t get a hold of them through the phone. If not for Suri’s instructions, I would have already been in the chateau by now (safety be damned) asking Erik questions and possibly sermoning him for acting distant.

Sitting at a cushioned chair, I watched my cellphone resting on the table. The person I had been expecting to text or call me stayed MIA and it bothered me a lot.

“God, I shouldn’t let this bother me,” I voiced out after putting the mug out of the way and me leaning with my forehead pressed on the table.

I stared at the emerald ring now safety worn by my ring finger. Whatever the reason why Erik gave this back to me, I have to wait to know it when I return in the chateau. As to when it will be, I don’t know, but I hope it will be soon.

Soon enough that my patience can bear.

And soon enough that I wouldn’t have to worry too much about their safety and welfare.

“Three weeks,” I grumbled to myself. “Three fucking weeks, dammit!”

I stood from my bed with a stomp on the floor. It was early in the morning, but not a beautiful one since my sour mood immediately surfaced the moment I woke up.

This day would be officially the twenty-first day that I still haven’t got any message from the Club members or from Erik.

And yes, I actually counted them.

It was hard for me to live day-to-day when all I could think about was them. Especially Erik. I was able to act and work in the office normally yes, but my mind definitely preferred to wander around and think about the welfare of the club members. Especially Erik.

Many questions clouded my head. Especially Erik-related.

How are they doing? How is he doing? Did the Bratva find them? Did his father find him? Are they still alive? Is he still alive? Is the chateau still operational?

God, I’m going crazy.

I tried my best to research about them this whole twenty-one days, yet I couldn’t seem to catch any news from the net about the chateau’s status and theirs. If there was, it wasn’t even updated.

I was at wit’s end and it took a toll on me. I couldn’t deny it, I did have bouts of crying for about eight days feeling sad, afraid and restless. Mr. Startsev’s surprise birthday party plan that I should have already completed was affected too. I mean I was able to finish the planning. I just didn’t feel positive and confident about it. Especially the fact that the location was still pending.

If the chateau was indeed attacked by the Bratva like what Erik and the others feared, I guess the birthday party location would be changed.

However, I cared less about this. What I only cared about was the Club’s safety.

Many nights, I have dreamed about my time with Erik; our encounter in the vineyard, bedazzling his head, that time in Lotus Spade when he acted as a hostage taker, and our kiss, errr kisses. It would have been a good night’s dream if not for the ending. Yes, the ending where it always showed me leaping in front of him just like what I did in the barn a year ago, but with a different twist. This time Erik was the one who was bloodied all over.

Granted that it was just a dream, it still didn’t take my fear away. The feeling of dread still ran through my nerves.

In the end, I prayed.

I prayed a lot that it wouldn’t be a premonition of the future.

Last night, thank God, I didn’t have the same dream, but the memory of it was enough to trigger my final decision.

I will go to the chateau. Screw Suri’s instruction. I will go there to find out once and for all the state of the Club.

After hastily packing all of my clothes and personal necessities in two bags, I took a shower (the quickest that I could) and dressed myself in travel clothes of jeans, a cotton blouse and overcoat.

I texted my mother and Ericka of my decision, both of which replied back with a ‘good luck’ and ‘have a safe trip’ message.

They knew that this would be my decision in the end, so they didn’t bother to stop me at all.

I kissed my cat goodbye and Tia Sofia too, who turned briefly emotional as I went out of the front door.

The moment I turned to the street though, I gasped in surprise. Standing before me clad in black slacks and white trench coat was Vincent himself with a sorry expression on his face.

My heart sped.

“Vince-nt!” I shouted, a little out of breath.

“Good morning Daniella.” He gave me a smile but it lacked warmth as compared to his normal ones.

“You’re here! Why are you here?!” Without overthinking, I dropped by bags on the ground and crossed the distance between us to hug him.

He embraced me back with enough tightness in his arms. “I missed you,” he whispered.

He is alive! He is alive! Thank God he is alive! My thoughts celebrated.

I held myself from crying in joy. If he is alive, then that means that everyone else is too. Especially Erik.

God, I hope so.

I pulled back and looked at him, confused.

“Hey, answer my question! Why are you here?”

He tilted his head to look what was behind me and said, “I see that you are ready. Good. We need to go now.”

“What?” I shouted just as he grabbed my arm.

In haste, I took one lighter bag while he took the heavier one and we crossed the sidewalk to the awaiting taxi in the street. Once we were inside, I threw him one very important question.

“Are we going back to the chateau?”

He kept silent, but nodded at me whilst looking beyond the taxi’s window.

Somewhere in my heart, I was very happy, but a big chunk of it was still confused.

“What happened Vincent? Why—”

He raised a hand to stop me. “Everything will be explained in the chateau Daniella. Right now, keep your questions to yourself since I am not the right person for you to ask that.”

I did, although it was hard for me.

We used the private airplane of the Fancy Pants Club on our way back to California. The whole time of the travel, I was silent as Vincent requested. He was doing the same, but I can’t help but notice how his forehead creased, looking as if in turmoil over something.

When we arrived in the chateau, it was already after lunch. As soon as we entered the main foyer, my jaw dropped upon seeing the definite change of its interior.

Fancy decorations beautified it. Fresh flowers from new brass vases adorned the grand staircase and every hallway that my eyes could see.

I looked at Vincent with confused eyes and he only scratched the back of his head and said, “Uhm, it is the Club’s semiannual ball tonight Daniella.”

Of course, as Suri told me, the second ball of the year will be held on October first.

Today is October first.

Figures.

“You will host a ball amidst your enemy possibly attacking you?” I asked, thinking how absurd it was.

Vincent just pressed his lips briefly. “That’s not our concern anymore. We have already confirmed from Luca that Iopata is clueless of our actions.”

My brows furrowed. “You mean to say that the chateau and the Club are safe?”

He nodded.

“When did you find out about that Vincent?”

I had to ask since dammit I kept on thinking about their safety for twenty-one days!

“Two days after you left, Daniella,” he answered sheepishly as if he was guilty of my suffering.

Tsk.

“And you didn’t inform me this? You guys just let me stay in New York without an update? It drove me half-mad thinking whether you guys are still alive or not! I thought I was supposed to return here when everything is safe?” I felt my cheeks burn. Anger was beginning to bubble up inside me and Vincent noticed it.

He cupped my face tenderly, looking in torment.

“In behalf of the Club Daniella, I apologize for our actions, but it was Erik who ordered us not to call you. He ordered Karl to block your number and he told us that you will not be returning in the chateau anymore.”

“Why?” that one word came out strained from my mouth.

He shook his head. “I’m sorry. It is best that Prez answers you that, not me.”

“Then tell me where he is, Vince. I want to talk to him now.”

Indeed I was itching to rant in front of Erik and I know that Vincent was aware of it too, but instead, he told me this: “No, you mustn’t. Not now.” His voice came out stern.

“And why is that?” I crossed my arms.

“You need to meet Suri and Alec first.”

He turned his back to me and then pulled something out from his coat pocket. It was his phone.

Before pressing the button, he winked at me first. Gone was his troubled face earlier. That’s the time when I realized that something was off.

“Hey, Suri,” he said, turning away from me again. “Yeah, we’re here...” I thinned my eyes, finding his actions suspicious. “Yup, she is clueless.”

What? Clueless?

“Right, we will go to the guest room now.”

When he was done, I quickly asked him, “What the hell was that Vince?”

He grabbed my shoulder and the heavier bag next to me and then pulled me towards the grand staircase.

“Come Daniella. We should go. You are not supposed to be seen by Erik until later.”

“What?”

I let myself get dragged along in silence until we reached the second floor. In the farthest hallway of the west wing, there Vincent took me. We entered in a guest room with him stepping inside first. When I followed, my jaw dropped seeing Suri and Alec inside, already waiting for me with make-up paraphernalia set-up in the vanity mirror and two gowns and one grey tuxedo hung on the clothes stand near the mattress.

“Oh Dani, I’m sorry I left you in NY!” was Suri’s immediate apology then.

She raced to hug me. I just welcomed her with a smile.

“It’s okay, but I am not going to forgive you if you wont tell me what is going on here.”

She, Alec and Vincent looked at each other with mischievous grins on their faces.

What the hell?

“Well, the plan was for you to dress up for the ball later,” Alec started. He pointed his eyes on the beauty products with great pride.

“Okay. What else?” was my reserved response.

“Erik doesn’t know that you are here.” It was Suri who said that.

“Yeah, I realized that,” I said as I glanced on Vincent’s way, standing in my right side. He just gave me a knowing smile.

“We plan to surprise him because he is being an ass about your absence,” Suri continued.

“We miss you a lot Dani, and we know that Prez too. He is being snappy at us and the staff since...you know, since you left,” Vincent expounded.

I couldn’t be more surprised with that.

“Isn’t he already snappy and rude since then?” I stated, remembering the Erik that I first met way back.

“Well, much worse. If you know what I mean,” was Alec’s response.

Briefly, there was a chill in my spine. I’ve seen and experienced Erik’s crabby attitude many times, and if Alec says it is much worse, then I can only think it to be scarier.

Silence stretched for minutes as they waited for me to speak.

They looked expectant though.

“Alright, I’m in with your plans,” I answered tugging up a wicked smile on my face. Erik has a lot of explaining to do, but before that I need to see him drop his jaw.

The three of them somehow lightened up. I heard Suri’s audible sigh of relief and I saw Vincent close his eyes in satisfaction.

Alec moved forward and picked up a bath towel hanging in one of the sofa. He tossed it to me and said, “Then, you better go and freshen up Sweetheart.”

I caught it cleanly. “I think I should if you are going to turn me into a Goddess again, Alec.”

Suri clapped her hands and squealed a big YES as I walked into the bathroom.

“Hmm, this sure is going to be interesting,” I heard Vincent say before I closed the door.