CHAPTER EIGHT

I was waiting for the painful impact but I felt none after a while. So I slowly opened my eyes to see my condition, maybe it’s a miracle that I can still walk or use one of my hands after this. I’ll surely find out who pushed me off!

“You okay?” An unfamiliar voice caught me off guard. I look up to see blinding blonde hair and shining blue eyes.

Who’s this?

“Who’re you?” I raised my eyebrow instinctively. He looks like an American and I’ve never seen this man before. Not in my past nor in my current memories.

“I’ll tell you once you get off.”

I gasped when I finally assisted what situation I’m in. Basically, when I fell, this guy out of nowhere appeared and saved me like a knight. He has fast reflexes, I suppose. But who’s he?

I quickly escaped away from his embrace, even if I was struggling in shock, he made sure to let go of me slowly and gently. I couldn’t help but feel flustered from what had happened.

“Allow me to introduce myself,” He took my right hand and placed a soft kiss on it. I can feel my face turning crimson. The unlooked-for action made my knees tremble for an unknown reason. His lips were soft and pink like cotton candy.

I couldn’t talk. I was dumbstruck.

“I’m Van Valloghen.” The exact time he finished introducing himself a voice called upon us.

“Van!” It was none other than Navia.

Did they know each other?

I quickly shook his hand off and distanced myself. Navia is coming down the stairs while giving us a questionable stare. Van rushed to Navia’s side and embraced the evil woman.

“Why are you here?” Navia glanced at me then back to the foreigner guy. She smiled sweetly at him.

It was a smile I have never seen before. It was endearing, sweet, gentle and genuine. For a second it made me wonder if the Navia who watched me fall and the Navia standing in front of me were different. I’ve seen her smile to people, even to me, but I’ve never seen her like that. Her eyes sparkled as her smile reached her eyes. Her face is even lightly turning red.

Is that really my enemy?

“She what?”

“Your sister fell and I caught her.”

Their conversations pulled me away from the nonsense thoughts. Of course, Navia is my enemy. The Navia in my past life and the Navia right now is the same. I cannot falter just because I saw another side of my sister.

Honestly, I pity her backstory. I’ve only read a few lines but her life was indeed tragic but that doesn’t justify what she did and it doesn’t make her sinless just because of some tragic backstory. Navia chooses this path and I must choose mine too even if that means clashing at the end of the road.

“Freya, are you okay?” Navia came running towards me. Her affectionate eyes made me shudder in disgust. Why is she pretending to be nice? Is she trying to impress her guest?

“I’m fine.” I awkwardly smiled at her and pulled her hands down that was placed on my shoulders. That worried expression was supposed to be placed when I fell in the building, not in here.

“Are you sure?” She asked again. Her acting is too good that I can’t help myself but wonder if the person who confronted me earlier is her evil twin.

“Navia,” My voice became a warning. She needs to stop this silly act. Whoever that blonde guy is, he might be an important person for Navia not to lose her ‘perfect’ appearance.

“Freya,” She held my wrist, “I’m just worried for –“

“Stop!” I shouted loudly not caring if the whole people in the mansion heard it. My anger is boiling, “How dare you even act this nice!” I glared at her, “When I only yearned for love, you tossed me away!” I can feel the bitterness at the tip of my tongue, “I hated you, Navia.” This feeling inside of me seems to deepen as the days goes by. I ignored this kind of resentment even in the past.

“Freya, what are you saying?”

“You!” I pulled the hands she’s holding and pointed at her, “You’re not my sister,” I spat and quickly ran upstairs. Tears are flowing and I think they’re not stopping any minute now. The aching of the heart that I buried deep inside me is resurfacing.

When I finally got inside my room, my knees finally gave in and I ended up crying on the floor. Too much has happened today and it made my head swirl. What’s with the unexpected events? It scares me. Knowing that the future I once know is crumbling. When I did something I did not do in the past, it made a ripple. It’s like a drop in the calm sea.

It hurts so much to think about it. And what made my feeling worst, is because I know the truth. I hate Navia. I hate her so much it makes me want to claw my nails to her eyes. I hate her for what she has done but the truth is that I hate her for smiling like that in front of some strange man. I hate her so much it hurts. The resentment I felt when she first turned her back on me, the bitterness I buried after she threw me away – everything is coming back.

I hate her.

“YOUNG miss,”

I groaned. I didn’t realize I slept. When I glance at the window, I saw that the sun is up high.

My body hurts and it’s because I was lying on the floor. I yawned. My eyes hurt so much from crying. When I rubbed them, I felt the puffiness. Maybe I cried myself to sleep.

“It’s your time for breakfast.” The voice who called me once again spoke. I groggily stood up and open the door. There stood a maid. She’s a little small but her face looks mature. Her long black hair is tied in a centipede way sideways.

“Also someone is looking for you,” She said when I came to face her. I’ll shower after eating. What happened last night made me lose my appetite.

“Who?” I yawned again as we walk in the hallway towards the dining table.

“Your fiancée,” She answered.

It feels like I was thunderstruck when I heard that. One person popped in my mind but I ask the maid who’s following me to make sure.

“June?”

“No, miss.”

A cold run down my spine.

“I-It can’t be him right?” I questioned myself and stopped walking.

“Yeah, it’s me, darling.” The familiar voice made everything clear. When I looked at the man grinning from ear to ear, wearing a formal suit, and made his hair slick back, it almost made my heart skip a beat.

“What the hell are you doing here, Gin?”