Lyra's POV:
I couldn't recall how many times I roamed about in the Garden, Lady Blackstorm and Queen Aria were overseeing Thalia's training.Which meant that I had been idle all day, and I was fed up. I grew tired of being out of work, so I made a decision.Havoc usually painted in the Storage House at this time, so I planned to go there and watch him paint.Although I would still be idle, at least my boredom would be cured.Getting to the Storage House I discovered that Havoc was not there, so I decided to go in a little deeper.‘He might have gone further.’ I thought.I was about to take a step forward heading further inside when I heard someone say. “You and my brother have grown quite close.’Turning around I wasn't exactly surprised to see Xander standing a few feets away from me. It seemed to be a usual norm of his to come up at me from behind.“He considers me a friend.” I replied, stariThalia's POV: I was extremely happy, my training went perfectly well today. Unlike usual Lady Blackstorm was not as cold and uninviting as she has always been. She actually praised me, she commended my efforts. Today was literally the best day of my life, which would soon change to be the day I wed Xander. Although she may have praised me because Mother was present, I still felt extremely happy to be praised for once. After my training the first thing that I did was search for Lyra. I needed to share the good news, she would be the happiest. I know Mother has warned me about her, or rather she has warned me to rid myself of her. But I won't be able to, Lyra has been with me since the very beginning. And I wasn't going to turn my back on her now. I made a decision last night, instead of spilling Lyra's blood, it was best to send her away from Joaska. Probably send her back to Zurik. I even told Mother abo
Thalia's POV:“Are you not going to say anything, Xander? Why were the both of you standing so close?” I asked, my eyes darting from Xander to Lyra.‘I needed an answer.’“Well, I came here in search of my brother and I stumbled upon Lyra, who was also in search of him. I was questioning her about her reasons for calling out for my brother so casually. When I noticed that my Royal Bracelet got caught up in her. I had to step close to pull it out carefully, without any pearls falling off.” Xander explained. “As you can see, there are a few strands of her hair still stuck on my bracelet.” He said, as he lifted his right hand to show me the strands of hair that were stuck on his bracelet.The hair did look a lot like Lyra's, but I was still suspicious of them. I had so many questions to ask in my head.One of which was: “Why did you get close to her in the first place? To have your bracelet caught up in her hair.”But then, I wasn't going to question him further. I will end it here, for
Thalia's POV:Later that night, after dinner I was in a deep sleep, when I suddenly had a dream.It was in a strange era, people wore strange clothes, used strange inventions, rode flying carriages and had strange markings all over their body.In what seemed to be a gathering like a Soiree but much louder and the ladies wore barely any clothes. Loud songs emanated from strange inventions and the half naked girls and lust filled boys danced weirdly to it.In a corner there were three sofas facing each other and two people were seated. Clearly not interested in the event.The young woman and the young man looked quite familiar. They were seated opposite each other, the girl sipped a bright yellow colored drink from a glass cup, while the young man stared at her, with love in his eyes.The young man wore a shirt that was barely buttoned up, and his sleeves were rolled up. While the girl wore a tight and short gown, which revealed her beautiful legs.I couldn't hear them speak, the noise
Thalia's POV:Mother walked up to her bed, the end of the robe dragged across the floor. Then she sat down on the edge of the bed, with her legs crossed. And then she asked. “What is it this time, Thalia? Have you come up with another absurd plan?” “I have come to say that I have agreed to go along with your suggestion.” I replied.“How so? What changed your mind?”“I saw the both of them standing quite close to each other in the Storage House. Xander seemed to have been leaning but Lyra, she just stood there. Not attempting to push him away. Even if she doesn't love him, there is no telling what might happen in the future. Xander is a very charming and kind man, every woman's wish. Which meant that sooner or later, Lyra would reciprocate his feelings and when that happens there will be nothing stopping Xander from calling off our union. To get united with Lyra.” I explained.“Um.. That is true.” She remarked.“So what is your plan?” “Go to sleep, Thalia. It's quite late, we shall
Lyra's POV:A few minutes ago I was sent out by Thalia to pick up pure Silk materials for Lady Blackstorm at the Town Square. I felt extremely happy that she had finally decided to find a way to win Lady Blackstorm over.Before I left I bumped into Nyssa, she had this strange Aura around her. Which I have never noticed before, it was normal for her to be cold towards me.But this time, she was engaging.“Oh, forgive me, I guess I wasn't paying attention.” I apologized.Nyssa just stared at me briefly then asked. “Are you heading out?”“Well, yes. Princess Thalia sent me out to fetch some things for her personal use.” I replied.“Um.” She replied, curtly.When I noticed that she didn't want to speak anymore I turned around to leave, but she grabbed a hold of my hands.“You should be careful. I overheard Queen Aria and Princess Thalia's discussion earlier at the garden. They plan to get you killed on your way to fetch something that they don't plan to use.” She cautioned.“I don't unde
Lyra's POV:Opening my eyes I met with darkness, I couldn't see anything around me.‘Is this what dying feels like? Cold, dark and lonely.’ I said to myself.Or maybe I am already dead, probably this is my afterlife.Which meant that I wouldn't be given another chance to ruin Thalia's life.The only thing I could feel in the darkness were the tears streaming down my eyes.Taking a deep breath I attempted to get up, but I winced in pain and fell back to the ground.The sound of a heavy chain landing on the ground reverberated through the room.‘Where did that sound come from?’ I asked myself.I began to run my fingers across the floor hoping to find it, and fortunately I did. I felt the thick iron on my palms, as I began to trace where it led to.Moving forward seemed endless so I began to move backwards until I noticed…..‘Why in heaven’s name are my legs chained?’How did I fail to notice this, when I tried getting up a while ago? And who the hell chained me up?‘Maybe this is how th
Lyra's POV:“What about the innocent soldiers that die in battle with Draven, while defending under their King's rule?”“Like I said earlier, no man is completely kind. We should not dispute the fact that for good change to be brought, some bad eggs must be tossed away.”“That is true. What treatments would you be giving to me?”“Nothing extreme, Draven already stopped the bleeding and sealed the scar. I am only here to administer pain relievers.”“So it is true then, Draven Darkmoon can heal.”“Not entirely, he can heal wounds but he can't cure diseases or induce poison.”I watched Hysander move around a table, mixing and grinding several seeds, roots and herbs as he spoke.“Do you have any more questions, Lyra?”“You know my name?”“Draven did tell me about the strange girl that was always lurking around.”‘How long has he been watching me?’ I asked myself.When did it begin? At Duchess Hezabeth's Soiree, or maybe during that event at the Blackstorm's Mansion as a Coyote. It obvious
Lyra's POV:“On the day Draven discovered Sable’s corpse, he also found his journal. We both expected to see a book filled with medical discoveries and research but what we found was astonishing. Sable spent all his life right from the point he encountered Draven's mother, writing all about Draven's journey. Draven did not wish for Sable’s life work to go to waste so he began to publish his book one after the other. Although he did make a lot of changes to them.”“So, in other words. Draven is Sable Stormbringer.”“That is one way to see it.”“If Sable trained Draven how could he not see his face?”“Draven took Sable's number one rule to heart, trusting no one. From the day Draven turned 12 he began to hide his face behind a mask.”I was about to ask him one final question, when a hummingbird suddenly flew inside the room.I looked around the room in search of the window it came through, when I saw the window at the far end of the room.“You should chase the bird away, it's noisy.”“Y
He shut the door and dipped his hands into his pocket, admiring our cozy home. I felt a chill run down my spine."I don't understand what's going on. What is he doing here?" I whispered to my friend, trying to make sense of the situation."Let's just hear him out." She replied calmly.I glared at him, who was still grinning at me. "So, this is what you do? Go around saving girls to get into their pants?"He didn't seem surprised by my words, for reasons best known to him."Layla, it's not like that." My friend said, touching my arm, trying to calm me down, but I was having none of it.“You're never going to stop, are you?" He shook his head, turning around to admire our home further."Imani, he has to leave.” I whispered urgently."What? It's raining heavily outside. Where do you want him to go?" She replied, defending him.I was shocked. "No... he can't stay here! I don't want him in this house, and that's final!"Her expression changed, and she lashed out at me. "And what makes you
Vince stepped into his apartment, greeted by the savory aroma of pizza.Imani sat on the kitchen counter, devouring a family-sized pie."Hey, babe! How was your meeting with Michael?" Imani asked, mouth full of pizza.Vince sighed, taking a seat next to her. "It was a disaster. He refused to listen to me, and now he's in denial."“What happened?" Imani asked, concerned.Vince recounted the entire ordeal, from him informing Michael about Sun Mi's true identity, that her parents were trying so hard to hide to Michael's refusal to believe him."...and then Michael told me to drop it, that I was being paranoid.” Vince concluded.Imani shook her head. "He's just scared, Vince. He'll come around once he realizes the truth."Vince nodded. "I know, but time is running out. Sun Mi's life is at stake and his as well. He might die from depression at this rate. It's been four years already, yet Michael is still grieving this hard.” He explained.Imani placed a hand on Vince's arm. "We'll figure i
Vince stepped into Michael's office, with a warm smile."What's good, my man?" Michael asked, flashing a bright smile."Not much, just trying to stay out of trouble," Vince replied, chuckling."Trouble? You? Nah, you're a straight shooter, Vince." Michael said, laughing out loud."Hey, watch it, I can get into some trouble if I want to." Vince jokes."Oh, I'm shakin' in my boots." Michael teased.Vince playfully rolled his eyes. "Anyway, enough about that. I got some serious business to discuss."Michael's expression suddenly became serious. "Okay, what's up?" He asked.Vince took a deep breath and began to narrate the whole story, starting from when he paused his speech to run after Jerry, only to bump into Mrs. Johnson."So, while I was about to give my speech during your grand opening in Seoul. I had seen you run out of the building, obviously annoyed, so I decided to run after you but I got lost in the hallways and I saw someone I never expected.I saw Jerry talking to a strange
Vince immediately ripped the box open, and they were met with a surprise. Inside, they found a packet of drugs, drips, syringes and a small paper containing instructions on when and how the drugs should be taken."What the hell is this?" Vince asked, puzzled.Bunker shook his head. "I don't know, but I can find the contact of a doctor or nurse, or at least a friend of mine that works in a hospital, they must know what these drugs are used for." He suggested.“Sure let's go with that.” Vince responded.Bunker made himself comfortable on his rusty cushion and picked up his laptop from the side table and turned it on.He scrolled through the laptop a few times before he announced joyfully. “I found someone's contact on the net, but she is not allowed to give out certain information except in crucial situations.” He explained.“So how do we go about this?” Vince asked.“Well, we will just have to put on a good show.” Bunker replied as dialed the number and the person picked up after the t
Sun Mi sat at the edge of her bed, sipping her coffee and staring out the window. She had been having the strangest dreams ever since she returned to America. Every night, it was the same thing - she would see herself in a different scenario, but the faces of the people around her were always blurry. Except for hers, she could see her own face clearly, but everyone else's was a blur.Jerry walked into the room, carrying a bunch of grocery bags. "Hey, good morning!" He said, setting the bags down on the counter. "I brought breakfast."Sun Mi smiled, she was grateful for the distraction. "Thanks, Jerry. You're a lifesaver."As Jerry started setting the table, he noticed that Sun Mi looked a bit off. "Hey, is everything okay?" he asked, concern marred on his face. "You look like you've lost your last marble."Sun Mi sighed, rubbing her temples. "I don't know, Jerry. I just can't shake off these weird dreams I've been having. And the weirdest part is, I can only see my own face. Everyone
Sun Mi slept peacefully in her hotel room, her facial mask placed on her face as usual . She was exhausted from the long flight and the events of the day. As she drifted off to sleep, she began to dream.In her dream, she saw two men in a car, speeding down the road. They were laughing and playing loud music, oblivious to the road ahead. Sun Mi's heart raced as she saw herself running into the road, trying to get to the other side. She tried to scream, but her voice was muffled.The car screeched to a halt just inches from her face. Sun Mi's heart skipped a beat as she saw the two men staring at her in shock. One of them looked like he had seen a ghost. The other was grinning from ear to ear."Is she alive?" The second guy whispered."We should take her to the hospital.” The first guy suggested, his eyes fixed on Sun Mi's face.Sun Mi felt a jolt of fear as the first guy approached her. He was handsome, but there was something strange about him. She tried to move away, but her body fe
Vince's mind was racing as he sat back in the airplane seat room, staring at the footage Travis had sent him. The grainy video showed Mrs. Johnson arguing with the masked Sun Mi backstage at a runway show. Vince's eyes narrowed as he watched the video again, this time paying closer attention to the body language of the two women."I think Sun Mi might be Layla.” Vince whispered to Imani, who was sleeping beside him. Imani's eyes snapped open, and she sat up straight, her eyes locking onto Vince's."What? Why do you think that?" Imani asked her with her eyes wide open in shock.Vince showed her the footage, and Imani's eyes widened as she watched."This is getting juicier by the minute," Vince said, his eyes locked onto Imani's. "I think we need to dig deeper."Imani nodded in agreement, then asked . "Are you sure about this?”Vince nodded. “I am not a hundred percent sure that Sun Mi and Layla are one and the same person. It's only a hunch and my intuition is never wrong.” He said, gr
As the plane soared through the skies, Michael, Sun Mi, Carol, Jerry, Imani, Vince, Mrs Brown and other business partners settled into their seats, exhausted from the events of the past few days.In business class, Jerry and Sun Mi chatted quietly, their conversation carrying over to where Michael sat."So, what was it like dancing with Michael?" Jerry asked, his eyes sparkled with curiosity.Sun Mi shrugged. "It was nothing special. Just a dance.”She said with a nonchalant expression.“Are you sure? Your heart did not flutter or skip a beat when he placed his hands on your waist?” He inquired.“Was it meant to?” She clapped back.Michael felt a pang of hurt listening to her words.“Why do I feel this way? I should be happy, this is what I wanted after all.” Michael said, trying so hard to convince himself.He decided to push his emotions aside, trying to focus on preparing for the conference call he would have in a few hours time.IN THE FIRST CLASS:Vince was on a mission, he neede
The event had long ended and every guest had gone to their respective homes or hotel rooms. Michael stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, while he made use of a smaller towel to wipe out the beads of water on his body.When he was done he sat down at the edge of the bed and began to think about everything that went down today during the grand opening. From being rude to Senator Bong Won Yun, because he had belittled Sun Mi. To actually listening to Imani and asking Sun Mi for a dance and finally finding it hard to say that he doesn't care about her.He couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt that had been weighing on him since Imani's words. He couldn't believe he was developing feelings for Sun Mi, especially after being responsible for Layla's death. He started questioning his own morality and wondered why he was capable of loving anyone else.“Michael, you need to forget about the past and move on.” Imani had said, but it was easier said than done.~~