Chapter 1-Back to Costa Galaxia

CHYNA:

“It looks like this place has changed a lot since I was here last, Dasha.”

 I took my shades off and looked around as we approached the Mon Refuge Restaurant. We came here for a snack.

 “What did you expect? Costa Galaxia should improve and not the other way around,” my elder sister said with a shrug as we entered the newly-opened restaurant.

We went straight to the third floor. Dasha took a seat near the wall panel. I followed her. A big binocular was placed nearby, free for everyone to view the sceneries outside.

I saw a ball car in Saturn Cove, entering the forest trail. I squinted as my gaze followed the ball car.

“Gosh! Do I see things, or is it really a ball car?”

Before Dasha could answer, I hurried to the binocular. I got excited, looking around the whole place.

Through the binocular, I spotted another object heading towards Neptune Cove. I gasped when I saw a spider car climbing the steep parts of the area.

 Startled, I took my eyes off the binocular. I could not believe what I saw at Costa Galaxia.

 Only in Mexico and France had I seen such hi-tech vehicles! Those were just being discovered, but they were actually here now.

I graduated from Business Administration but worked as a flight attendant, thanks to my brother's encouragement. Thorx was a pilot, and our jobs made us able to travel the world for free. Not that we couldn't afford it otherwise. Our family, the Salvatores, owned one of the largest airlines in the country.

 I loved my life. Being the youngest Salvatore, I always got what I wanted. I was a spoiled rich kid, a bratinella—I could not deny that. My dad really pampered me and gave in to my every whim.

 I had only taken a business course to please my parents in their hopes that one day I would be able to manage one of our family businesses. I might be a brat, but I aimed to please my loved ones. But to become an FA was what I had always wanted to do in life. I loved to travel.

And then I'd met a guy named Lenox Del Vega.

Well, Lenox was a memory I didn’t want to reminisce. Because by doing so, I only ended up thinking of another guy…

The guy who happened to be the reason I was here again tried to convince myself that I was already fine.

 Costa Galaxia’s security was extremely tight. Being an exclusive leisure community, any visitors should have approval or invitation from the members or would not grant entrance. Even though Dasha was its resident physician, I knew it wouldn't be easy for me to get immediate approval. But I wasn't Chyna Camille Salvatore for nothing. When I wanted something, I would do everything I could to get it.

 I had gone straight to Vincent Periera, who owned and the heir of Costa Galaxia. It turned out he was friends with my brother, Thorx. And things went efficiently. I had managed to be one of the members here way back three years. And withdrew the membership for some reason.

Now, I am here again, in the very heart of Costa Galaxia.

When was the last time I set foot on Costa Galaxia, anyway? Three years ago. It had been three years since...

I shook off these horrid thoughts and focused my attention back on the surroundings. I admired the modernity of the establishments and the modern vehicles scattered around. There used to be golf carts around, but it had levelled up since. I started getting excited, just thinking I could ride a ball car or a spider car.

These futuristic vehicles were probably exclusive to Costa Galaxia. Indeed it was the only place in the country that had these fantastic rides.

Well, I shouldn't be so surprised at all. Knowing Vincent Periera, he would give it his best shot. He had hired the best employees and used all his connections to keep Costa Galaxia on top. He’d do everything to make it the best leisure and residential community in the country.

And he had yet to fail. For nearly three decades, Costa Galaxia had thrived in the industry. His inherited business continued to thrive. Costa Galaxia was listed among the most popular of its kind in Asia, and only the filthiest rich could get selected for membership.

I was really proud of Dasha because she had managed to enter this very exclusive community as its resident physician, but I guessed Vincent Periera himself basically handed the job to Dasha. Costa Galaxia was very important to her because she had met here her fiancé, Aelax, who was a chef and an owner of Orange Cup Café.

 I turned to my sister, who was now talking to a server. I went back to my seat, just exactly when the server walked away.

“Since you looked so preoccupied, I took the liberty of ordering for you, Chyna,” Dasha said.

“We're dining here, not at your fiancé’s café?”

 Dasha frowned. “Cold war. And no further questions, please.”

 My eyebrows raised slightly at what I heard. Dasha and Aelax were as sweet as any couple could be. “That's some news. So, you two also fight?”

“How could we not? Our wedding seems to be the least of his priorities. There's the property he bought in Venus Cove. He oversees the house construction, but he has no time for the fitting at the couturier. Our wedding always comes last.”

 I knew Dasha was busy with the wedding preparations, and although it surprised me to hear about her gripe about her fiancé, my mind settled on something else she'd said. “Venus Cove is being developed now?”

 The Costa Galaxia was made up of twelve coves named after the planets in our solar system. Only thirty percent of the area was developed to preserve natural resources. And now they were converting Venus Cove into a residential area? Earth Cove already had twelve cluster buildings for members and two hotels for guests.

 Dasha sighed deeply.

 “I don’t know what Vincent was thinking. They are also planning to build a school. He is seriously building his own planet here, maybe because he doesn’t want to leave the place. Maybe because his son is growing up and he wants everything the kid needs within reach, all right here. Well, they already have a mansion in Venus Cove. All the married ones, actually. They are building mansions there.”

 I nodded. I shouldn't be surprised to hear it. Who would choose to leave Costa Galaxia if they could live here forever? Even I if things didn’t go as what might the Prince Of Destiny had planned for me, I would not have withdrawn my membership here. Well, I could not stay long here because… things were hard for me way back then.

 But now I was planning on staying, just to see if I could. I only hoped I could handle it.