"Is it okay if Henry's here?"
"Why?" Henry frowned upon hearing Evan's question. He was telling Andrew about his trip to the University this morning, when Evan strode into the room with his questionable question.They were in the Arena because Andrew wanted to punish the chickens who had dared to kidnap Lila."It's fine, Evan." Answered Andrew.The frown on Henry's face didn't change. "Now I need your permission to be here?""It's a thought, Henry. Not a permission." Answered Andrew again."Yeah? If you think I can't be here, can I still be here?" Sneered Henry."I said it's fine." Andrew rolled his eyes. Although it was true that he wouldn't let Henry stay if he thought it would harm Henry's future."Is there something you guys hide from me?" Henry glared at Andrew and Evan in turn.Evan said nothing. He looked at Andrew, waiting for his response because he didn't have the right to make any response.Lunch time was over. The University's academia life was back on again. Except for Lila and her interns. They were walking leisurely in the research building, after having a long break."Can John and I go to the hearing too? We want to be there for you." Asked Susan in her childish tone."Sure." Lila chuckled."We can't, Susan. We have class." Said John.Susan pouted. "That class is boring. I learn everything about the subject from the library and Lila. For me, it's an obligation to support Lila. And so do you, John."Lila couldn't help but to smile watching Susan clung on John, so that he couldn't escape. Susan dragged him, walking in front of her and convincing John once again."Doctor Phillips!"The three of them turned around in unison."Why am I being summoned for a hearing?"Lila's lips pulled into a thin smile. "Let's find out. See you in your hearing then, Professor Gustav.""Do I have t
The sun had set when Lila strolled the neighbourhood from the bus stop in the main street toward home.She stayed late in her lab with her two interns, continuing the experiment with the blood sample and also helping her interns with their assignments. Because of that she missed dinner, but she didn't mind.That was why she visited the Angela Barlow café nearby the University. Paying with her own money, she bought a cold strawberry milk butter and a very chubby donut. She was starving and ate the donut right away.The donut's last bite went into her mouth just a good second before the bus came. Then she took twenty minutes on the bus sipping her drink very slowly.The strawberry's sweet and sour taste blended with the rich taste of milk, while the butter added a unique savoury flavour into the drink. Making it incredibly taste like heaven in every sip.She enjoyed her walk home while sipping the taste of heaven drink, feeling awesome.
It had been a while since the last time Edvard visited the University. His tight schedule forbade him to take any short break.Abigail, his assistant of twenty years, hadn't told him whether he had a schedule or not this morning. Thus, he decided that he had no schedule.Sipping his morning tea in his pavilion in the palace, he was thinking of visiting Lila in the University under the pretence of craving the cafeteria's sandwich again.What lie should he tell her so that she would agree to go out with him again? They already saved stray dogs, should he ask her to save stray kittens? She liked cats, perhaps she would want to go.Off we go then…The tea cup clinked sharply against its saucer as Edvard hurriedly put it down then rose from the chair. He grabbed the disguise equipment to go outside before heading to the door."Where are you going?" A woman's voice came from the direction of the door."Out." Said Edvard briefl
Lila walked faster. She forgot that she had an appointment with Uncle Malcolm's lawyer acquaintance this afternoon because her experiments were getting interesting and she was so absorbed in it. When she remembered, it was way past lunch time. Thus, without getting any food, she ran.Luckily, the lawyer's office was situated a few blocks away from the University. And if she took a shortcut through the city park, she would be there faster.Usual city park view greeted her once she was crossing the park. The tourists' lively activity of exploring the park didn't manage to pique her interest, but two little people who sat on the bench did."Hey guys…" Lila waved at them, smiling warmly."Miss…" The little boy's voice excitedly greeted her.Lila noticed the flower in his little hand. "Can I buy the flowers in your hand?""Sure." Unlike their first meeting, this time he responded without any hesitation. "How many do you want, Miss?"
Lila saw Andrew, Henry, and Evan were leaning on the car and their expression slid from smiling while talking to wondering as they stared curiously when Edvard pulled his car right next to theirs.It was Sunday, Lila told Edvard that she had to do volunteer work in the Caring House so she couldn't go anywhere with him except to the Caring House when they couldn't find Dan and Tana in the shabby building that they called home. She also told him that she was sorry for suggesting the Caring House because of her personal reasons.She was surprised when the prince expressed his enthusiasm to accompany her to the Caring House. And of course the prince thought, without any condescending intention toward her, it wasn't a common thing for people to visit the place. In return for his kindness, she gave him a brief explanation about her project's fund.Henry whistled when Lila and Edvard got out of the car at the same time. While Andrew fixed a cold stare at her whic
"Why are you looking at me like that?"Lila was leaning on the door frame. She realized something after the last kid in the class went out with an outloud distress that because she was an orphan that was why nobody's face was similar to her.Today's last session was the additional time asked by Henry to test his updated version of his human body game which was welcomed cheerfully by the children. And as a biologist, Lila was asked to give some explanation before they began to play the game. One of the games was about characteristic heredity from parents to their children, and the similarity between siblings."Stop smiling at me like that." Henry's brows were knitted. "You look so creepy."Lila laughed as she walked closer toward the table where Henry was tidying up the devices that the children used to test the game earlier."You know?" Lila pulled a chair and sat on it. "Your game makes me wonder.""Yeah?""You and Andr
In the village, people were happily celebrating. Food and drinks are everywhere.Lila sat on the long table with Henry and Evan after walking around the festival area, getting to know the people. Andrew was sitting on the other table with some farm owners. While Edvard was a delightful surprise guest, everyone wanted to shake hands with him and talk to him."They might give you a bag full of that." Said Henry, seeing Lila ate her muffin like she hadn't eaten anything for a week."Really?" Asked Lila with eyes widened innocently.Henry narrowed his eyes at Lila. He knew she was a big fan of pastry, plus her busy schedule oftenly made her skip meal time. And ultimately, in his eyes she wasn't that innocent.Unlike Henry, Evan didn't know Lila very well. He was dumbfounded, didn't expect the girl that Andrew liked would be so gluttonous, out of her image as a well-educated scientist. In his mind, smart people usually act gracefully.
"Are you okay?" Andrew put Lila down on the ground, examining if she had any scratch on her skin. After he was sure Lila was fine, he couldn't hold the urge to scold her. "Reckless! Very reckless. What's wrong with you?""Andrew." Warned Henry as Andrew's tone ended a bit higher. He understood that Andrew was scared like hell, he did too, but yelling at Lila when she was in a shock state wasn't right either. Also he noticed tears stream down her face."WHAT?" Andrew snapped.Instead of voicing his reaction, Henry gestured and mouthed "she's crying" at the same time.Looking away from Henry, Andrew wiped Lila's tears at once. He said gently. "I'm sorry. Are you hurt somewhere?"Lila blinked a few times, clearing her vision. She wasn't in a daze anymore since Andrew's touch hit like an electric shock when his finger gently caressed her cheek.Even though she couldn't see it at first, she knew it was Andrew's touch because
In his mansion, Andrew checked his phone again as if he did it over and over, Lila’s text of -where he needed to pick her up- would come. Not seeing her for a few days upset him. Her excitement over little things always managed to lift up his mood, sending brand new energy to him. And he needed his energy right now.It was almost midnight, how late did she mean by late dinner?Over and over he noticed the passing time while checking his phone. He really wanted to call her but decided against it. If she hadn’t noticed his text, it meant she hadn’t checked her phone yet, which led to a conclusion that she was still busy in her lab.Buuuutttt it’s nearly midnight. He groaned inwardly, staring angrily at his phone as if his phone was to blame for Lila’s lack of response.He
The pungent smell still lingered in Lila’s brain but not the effect though. Her eyes fluttered open when an unpredictable wavy swing swayed her ground, sending turbulence into her stomach. Instantly, she felt sick and dizzy at the same time.Her mind refused to work properly no matter how still she sat as another troop of butterflies stirring inside her stomach.What irritated her the most was that she couldn’t move. In a sitting position, her body was tightly tied on a hard wooden chair, and her hands tied on each arm of the chair.Damn! Not again. It seemed she had some kind of magnet that attracted kidnappers.The question was, who kidnapped her this time?All the rational clues led to one name, Carla. But her heart refuse
According to Lila’s experience, they were there with Andrew and the others to save her when she was kidnapped by the vengeful thugs. Based on that experience, they could be some trained military men. Also, perhaps they were a gangster member since there was this experience when she and the prince instantly felt safe not long after she ended her call with Andrew, at that time she didn’t think much as to why the prince pleaded with her to call Andrew because of the danger that threatened them and they had to keep the children safe. Lastly, the other day at the dinner they acted as servants and kitchen staff.Up until now a few days later, she could only draw a hanging conclusion. So many thoughts came into her mind on the drive home from the dinner. And Andrew was busy these past three days, delaying her to coax an answer out of him.But the way they bowed before
“Having you here tonight is breaking our years of tradition, Lila.” The king started after the servants were done serving the soup. “In a good way.” Henry quickly added, seeing Lila’s spoon froze midway to her mouth. He glared at his grandfather before explaining to Lila. “His Majesty is pleased to see a pretty face like yours instead of us. Since every year we, four men, have this dinner alone.” Lila’s startled look turned into an understanding smile. “Thank you for having me, Your Majesty. I didn’t expect it would be a dinner for your birthday, Your Majesty, when Andrew asked me to go to a secret dinner.” “Typical of Andrew. Always full of secrets.” Edvard snorted. “It’s a surprise. Not a secret.” Andrew snapped. Edvar
Edvard was looking at the starry sky, wondering what Lila had been doing. He was in a secured private estate, safely away from the hungry sensation's seekers of paparazzi. Where once a year they had family dinner to celebrate the king's actual birthday. His trail of thoughts disturbed when he heard confident footsteps coming closer. He recognized it was his father's footsteps since the other two younger members of the family hadn't arrived yet. “I met the prime minister this afternoon.” Said the king, standing next to his son. “He told me something interesting.” Somehow Edvard could guess where the conversation might lead, but he waited for his father to elaborate. He understood why his father was still looking at him expectantly. Sighing, he asked. "Which is…" The l
When Lila agreed to Prince Edvard's invitation to go to the museum with him, it was Saturday morning.Since Edvard was Andrew's relative, she thought becoming Edvard's friend was part of her duty as Andrew's girlfriend.She also became used to the cup of coffee and a pink rose that was delivered every morning on her desk. To the angel, whoever he or she might be, who sent the coffee and pink rose to her, she felt grateful and quit questioning it. Because she really liked the coffee and enjoyed every delicious drop of it.Sunday morning came. Edvard waited for Lila inside his car a few metres from a bus stop. He didn't understand why she asked to meet at this specific bus stop, since her uncle's house was far away from the bus stop.He realized there were so many things that he didn't know about Lila, and he wanted to know all of those things to understand her.Like right now as he watched Lila get off of the bus which served a route from
"What is she doing here?" Andrew's smile dropped and his step halted upon seeing who was the one behind Lila. "Why is she with you?"His abrupt halt made Lila halt her step too. Behind Andrew, Lila saw Maggie was sitting on the long sofa and calmly put her drink onto the table.She was slightly irritated. Though she understood perfectly why he acted that way toward Carla, did he have to spark fire like that in front of Maggie?"I told you this isn't a good idea." Lila heard Carla's whisper.When they were in the hospital to get some stitches for Carla's wounded hand, Lila invited Carla to go with her to directly apologize to Andrew and Carla uttered the same thing.She knew Carla was worried then, and right this moment she sensed Carla was worried and scared at the same time.Andrew could be very scary when he was mad, she had witnessed it once. He coldly dumped Tony out of the country, because Tony did something inappropriate to
"I don't have enough money to buy a drink there."Lila fixed a blank flat look at her cousin, Carla. Her eyes drilled into Carla's, searching for something to validate her doubt.Since Carla came to her lab when she was tidying her work, she didn't believe a thing from Carla's mouth.Well, there was one thing though. Carla suspected Andrew made her lose a few jobs, while she was a hundred percent sure Andrew was behind it. She knew it was an easy thing for Andrew.But it was almost impossible to believe when Carla said that she was sorry for everything she had done to her and wanted to fix their relationship.Losing jobs would never change someone with spiteful and hatred that rooted for thirteen years into a better person. The change perhaps to get the job back or revenge. That was what she thought about Carla's intention.Lila said nothing then walked inside the fancy cafe. She failed to find anything to validate her doubt. Not
Edvard sat alone inside his car. He arrived early to get a parking spot as near as possible to the research building so that he could have a good view of everyone who entered the building, hoping he could see one particular person that occupied his mind.Worry had him fail to do his everyday duty as the second prince. He was out of shape, looking nothing like a prince. So messed up, he couldn't sleep and eat properly. Like something wrong was happening in his life.After Dan's funeral the other day, Lila looked really dejected. He wanted to console her because he also felt guilty for putting her in danger, but his every move was blocked by the disturbing Andrew. His only chance to talk to her was at the end of the funeral when it was time to say goodbye.Phone calls and messages seemed on hold. So then he went to her Aunt and Uncle's house, too bad Andrew beat him again. Her uncle told him that Lila went to do volunteer work with Andrew. Which he knew was