CHAPTER 10 :

She was in Noah’s office staring at the floor.

“If you would keep staring there I am afraid your eyes would bore a hole in my office floor.”

She heard his amused voice and looked up. He was smiling looking at her, waiting for her to speak.

“You requested to meet me. I am sorry I could not get to you earlier because of my busy schedule.” He stated.

I don’t know about my eyes, but your eyes would definitely bore a hole in my face. Hazel thought to herself.

“There is some misunderstanding Prince Noah.” She stood from her seat and gave him her phone over the office desk.

 He frowned while taking it, not understanding a thing.

 “I got this message from the bank. Somebody deposited this money in my account.” She sat again, “This doesn’t belong to me, Prince. I don’t know who this person is.”

“This person is ME Hazel!”

“What? But … wh … why? Why Prince Noah?” this was least expected for her. 

“You deserve it, Hazel. You are getting the salary for the work assigned to you.”

“But the decided salary was not …”

“Hazel. The salary is for the job I ASSIGNED TO YOU.” And finally, the words sank in. She was supposed to convince Zek for the treatment.

“But Prince Noah. With due respect, I never thought of it as a paid task. On the other hand …” She did not want to tell him that she was not meeting Zek for the last few nights. 

But the pain she felt in her heart brought tears to her eyes which she chose to push back.

“Plus why pay me for a job which I haven’t accomplished yet. He is still not convinced.”

 “I know Hazel. It’s not accomplished. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be achieved. I trust you completely and I am sure that you would do it soon.” He paused for a moment. “You would get the rest of the salary after the task.”

Her mouth hung open, MORE!!

“No, B… But … I don’t think … I …”

“Hazel. You deserve it.”

She stood up and started pacing around in the office. Without realizing it, she was not supposed to do it in front of royalty.

“What I am going to do with this much money? I haven’t seen so much …” she turned to him, “I have hit a jackpot!”

He chuckled, “Believe me. Once you will get it, you would know how to use it and where to use it.”

“Ok…” she sighed. “Thank you, Prince.” She curtsied a little.

Noah stood from his seat and came near her, “Hazel, you can plan anything with it. Education, your future …”

I would be needing it to run away from Alec. That would be more than enough to support Ivy and the baby.

He saw her face with interest then laughed, “Everyone needs money, Hazel. Just trust me on this. You are smart. Plan something for yourself. Invest it somewhere.”    

She was having difficulty wrapping the idea around her head. There was so much on her mind that she did not seem to notice how close he was standing.

Nodding her head she chewed her lower lip.

“Go. Take rest. Your duty hours are about to start.” And then slowly leaned ahead to kiss her cheek, leaving his lips there for one moment longer than necessary.

Instead of waiting for her response, he left the office, leaving her there.

 Frozen! Again!

If I would tell Lily about this, would she believe me? Never. No one would. Except for Zeki!

She again became sad thinking of him. He had stopped meeting her altogether.

Did his assistant tell him, what a piece of trash I am? With this wig especially. Has he realized at last that I am no one? A nobody?

She wished she could meet him one last time. Just once. She wanted to see him. If she would get a chance she would touch him.

She would invent some excuse to go near him. To kiss him.

Now, where did it come from? Kissing him?

She was regretting her decision to share the piece of information with him. Why she brought up the ‘dead people talking to her’ topic. Everything was fine before that.

Not every person would take such things seriously.

Congratulations! She had succeeded to push away the only sincere friend and a near boyfriend away from her.  

Zeki. Please just meet me once. Just once. I want to see you happy. Stay with anyone you like. Don’t choose me Zeki. Choose happiness for yourself.  

I would easily live with your memories for the rest of my life. I promise Zeki. I swear. I am not asking much. Just meet me once.

…

He was sitting in his bed, his head resting on the bed-crown. The room was quiet. He did not know what time it was. Long ago right after his accident, he had stopped keeping track of time. He was no longer interested.

What good would that do to him?

For him, nights and days had become the same. Without any light, only darkness was there to consume him.

Until he met her. She had brought light and meaning to his life. Before she entered his life he used to scream when light rays used to touch his irises. 

But the moment she came, she brought sunshine. She made him laugh, fought him, cried on his lap, and even proposed to him. She even told him about her childhood fantasy of becoming a Luna.

He thought with a sad smile.

She was ready to live with him, to support him. She could do anything for him except cooking.

While talking to her for so many nights he had carved a face in his imagination. Being a warrior he had never let his guard down. He was trained in that way since childhood. He was trained to keep in check his feelings.

When he heard someone entering the door he straightened a little. He knew who it was.

The only man who was allowed to stay with him, his childhood friend, and his servant, Albik.

They grew up together, studied together, played, went on wars, got injured, and whatnot. He was only two years older than him.

“Albik!”

“Sir, she goes to the roof daily. Without having her meal.” Zek leaned back his head. He knew it, he was expecting it.

“Do you get the dinner tray placed in her room?”

“I am doing that daily Sir. But she spends too much time waiting for you. Returns after midnight, not before that.”

Damn! Silly girl!

He had to do something about it.

The story her grandmother had told her … well nobody knew about it. Not even Noah. It was something highly confidential in the palace.

He knew she was not lying. Whatever she told him about meeting dead people and the story her grandmother told about the werewolf. He did believe her. But he did not know how her grandmother knew about it.

Or maybe she was there to give Zella some kind of intuition. Zella thought that her grandmother was being weird and there were no werewolves.

She was a hopeless romantic, who dreamed to become a Luna.

He chuckled.

If only she knew.