Chapter One:

***

Staring back at the couple who were standing on the balcony of an apartment, was the beautiful sky. The stars sparkled bluntly at them without shame and they never took their eyes off it too.

It was the beginning of the new day that had begun their one-year anniversary. They decided to spend it together, as a couple that they were.

Ashton and Thea,

In a few weeks, they were to be wedded as one, forever.

Ashton swept her hair over allowing cool air brush her exposed shoulders, then he placed a necklace on her. The diamond glittered in the night, twinkling along with the stars. He could feel her smiling from behind. He had in mind that she loved these kind of presents and that was what he always showered her with.

There came a time where she once refused to accept anything from him but he always made her accept them. No matter what she says. He liked her to feel special, to feel that there was no one else but her and he prayed she thought the same.

He finally turned her to face him, gently.

'You are the Moon and I am the sun, do you remember?' He explained to her and she chuckled.

'I remember,' He smiled at her too, spreading his hands over her shoulders to embrace her. After a while, she turned back so she could admire the night with him.

'I was upset that night,' she started. 'My mom was in the hospital, I was stressed out...and then we met in the hospital, right before the eclipse.' She smiled at her last words.

'Yes, we belong together baby,' he said. 'I don't want anything to ever go wrong.'

She turned to him. This time he released his hold on her. 'Nothing will go wrong, Ash.' Thea told him and he nodded. 

'We'll have to promise each other that no matter what, whatever circumstances, we shall surmount them. Whatever irks us, we'll talk about it. Whatever seems sceptical, we can talk about it as well.' He said and she agreed.

'okay,'

She gave him an assuring smile before raising her necklace to interlock it with his as a promise, an incentive to always remember.

He smiled too, then turned her to the face of the sky once again. Together they were willing to spend the night and not just that night, but other nights as long as it took them.

----

(A year later)

    Thea gathered all the courage she had left after yesterday. Yesterday was literally the worst day of working in this shitty restaurant. She found it hard to leave so suddenly because she fought so hard to get a job after her mother's breakdown. They used up almost all the cash they had for medical bills. Taking that her mother's illness went overdrive right after that incident.

That incident changed her life for good.

She sighed before entering the restaurant. All eyes turned to her immediately. She ignored them and walked further into the restaurant to begin the day.

Thea put on her apron and started off immediately, resisting every chance to glance at Cassandra, her co-worker, who wouldn't stop giving her a sly smile.

"Thea?" The manager called and the lady turned to stare at her manager. "Meet me in my office," he told her and she nodded.

When she walked passed Cassandra who was at the counter, she was sure she heard her say something like,

'That's right, you'll get what you deserve.'

"Sir?"

The middle-aged man who was already seated on his chair sighed.

"I'm sure you already know why I called you Thea, so let's not beat around the bush." He stated and she nervously stood properly.

"Thea, I refuse to allow such a scene as happened here yesterday to be played without having something to say about it."

"Sir, i-"

"Let me finish, young woman!" The man blurted out in anger. "Cassandra told me everything that happened yesterday."

Oh no! Not again!

"I expected better from you of all people, young lady. I've tried, but every time you let my patience with you go to waste. I don't think I have any more, so I need you to pack your things and never come back because you are fired!"

"What? What did Cassandra tell you? I'm telling you Mark-"

"It's Mr. Rowell to you now." He told her but she shook her head, buying the formality immediately.

"She started it all. Cassandra accused me of something I wouldn't think of doing and then lied to you." Thea said to him.

"Well, I don't care what really happened but she told me that she confronted you about dating her boyfriend and you started yelling at her, but you started the commotion first and that is all I know."

She almost scoffed loudly. For goodness sake, that girl is a liar and a cheap bitch. Andrew wasn't even dating her.

"I thought you were at least matured enough to take your cat fight somewhere else but you decided to have it here, in front of my restaurant! You see me and my little empire as nothing?" He snapped.

"No, no, not at all, Mr Rowell. You need to hear my side of the story. Cassandra is lying-"

"I heard enough to drive me mad already. Just leave Thea and don't come back." Mark said to her.

"I need this job Mr Rowell.....I beg of you. I haven't done anything wrong, please don't send me away." Thea pleaded.

"You should have thought about that before hitting an innocent lady right in front of my shop! I don't need to say this again. Leave my office, immediately!" Mark blurted out and the lady scurried out of the office in sobs.

She reached for her bag where she kept it before dashing out through the back door. What was she going to do now? Why her?

Thea combed her hair in frustration before calling a taxi and heading home.

~~

(London, 9:45am)

   The young man buttoned up his sleeve to get ready for work as he was already late. He refused to take another look at the lady that laid on his bed. Every time he did, he remembered that they were nothing like he formally had.

"Ashton baby, you ready for work already? Why didn't you wake me up?" The lady softly said, but he ignored her and took his jacket by the hand, then walked out of the room.

Once again, she had managed to have her way with him just as she wanted. Her dream since when she was a kid was to be with Ashton and she saw herself achieving that the moment he asked her to be his fiance in front of everybody.

She was dumbstruck.

But after that sweet moment, he went back to being cold like before. But that didn't bother her. The moment she saw his argument with Thea, she knew it was her only chance to get what she wanted.

She sighed and got out of bed to take a shower.

The moment he saw her come down for breakfast, he stood to leave the dining room.

"Nice breakfast Maria, I'll take my leave now."

She saw him standing and immediately she called out to him.

"Em Ashton?" The man halted. She smiled and went down the flight of stairs.

"Would you like anything special for dinner, sweetheart?"

"No, I'll eat out." He said.

"Well, can we eat out together?" She inquired and he nodded.

"Sure, I'll pick you up by five." He said before walking away.

She smiled at herself and sat down to have her own breakfast. Maria's lips formed a thin line instead. However, she decided that it was best not to show any emotion concerning the couple.

She took Ashton like a son and she understood him very well. She also knew for a fact their relationship was on a thin line from the minute his mother forced him to propose to Claire in front of everybody.

Worst of all, she wondered how Thea was doing. The memory of their breakup seemed all too fresh in her head.

"Is there anything you need?" Claire shook her head instead, dismissing her with the wave of her hand.

~~