2: Where Do I Find The Groom?

After a few hours of flight, they finally arrive at the Imperial City around dusk.

From the Lee airbase, they went straight to Lee's Mansion at the front of the mountain area. Lee mansion is located in one colossal mountain with complete facilities like a private airstrip jet, maid house, private lake, and lawn. They even have substantial other areas that are still have not been explored yet.

His father used to be a private butler for President Lee and his wife before he married his mother. That is why his father so eager to go to uncle Lee's daughter's wedding ceremony.

Uncle Lee's daughters and son are also his childhood friend ever since he was 5 years old until he's 17 years old, and they all are somewhat had a little bond by blood. Except for him. He's totally a stranger. His is an orphan baby that his mother, Hazel, took care of him since then.

He was raised up by his grandfather Andrei until he was 5 years old, and after that, he was raised and trained by his adopted father's dad, grandpa Ang. He lives on a private island that is far from the mainland.

That is where it all begins. How Asher met with the triplet and the twin, and that is where he knows Hyejin. She is the daughter of one of his private teacher.

They have been friends for so long. Until he was 17, his grandfather, Andrei, starts to fall ill, and he returns to Russia and looks after his grandpa until he's 18. After his grandpa's condition stable, he continues his study in Arendell and staying back with his adopted family.

Because Hyejin is a smart student, she also moves from her country to continue her study at the same place as him. For now, he has been friends with her for about 22 years now.

***.......

They finally reach Lee's Mansion after 10 minutes drive from the airstrip based.

The Mansion looks so colorful with the decorations lighting and the preparation for the wedding looks so grand.

Not only them, who's arrived early but a few more other business friends and a few noble families also come first to attend the wedding party tomorrow.

"Andy, you're finally here!" Hai Rin, the house's madam, greet them when they just arrive at the living hall. Together with her husband, Richard Lee, who seems happy to see them.

Both of them greet his family in a friendly manner. "Is that you Asher??" Hai Rin turns to look at him. A bit surprised to see the boy already grew up.

"Yes, It's me, madam Lee," he replies politely before bow his head a little to the madam of the house.

"Oh dear, you've grown up to be such a handsome man~," she said and grinned before she turned to look at her husband. Hoping that he will agree with her too.

"Yes, you look so much different than the last time I saw you, young man."

He just smiles a bit, hearing those compliments.

***.......

Athena's in her gallery from morning till dusk. She only returns to her room at the main building house after she wraps up her work.

She tied up her long and silky hair into a messy bun. She only wears a baggy shirt with black legging whenever she does her work. When she passed by the living hall, she could hear the commotion from her mother's voice, and she also listened to the name of 'Asher.'

She stops her pace for a second. Her heart's throbbing faster than it should. She knew it's not supposed to react like this after more than eleven years have passed between them.

"It's okay, Thena. Just act normally, and everything will be alright." She calms herself down before she continues to take a step on the staircase.

She thought she wants to sneakily go to her room without her mother noticing. Still, her mother already called her name from behind before her feet touched the first staircase.

"Athena dear, come here and greet Uncle Andy and his family." Hai Rin turns her body around and looks at her daughter.

Asher startled for a moment when Hai Rin calls 'Athena's' name. His heart races a bit, and he also calms himself before he diverts his eyes to the figure at the staircase, froze like a statue.

Knowing there's no way she could run away, she slowly turns her body around and walks to the group. She politely greets Andy and Hazel before she smiles at the teens' girl, Raisha. Lastly, she diverts her eyes to the man she has not seen for almost eleven years.

"Hi," she said one word and got a reply with one word too from him.

"Hi."

She turned back to her mother and said, "My dear mommy, I'll be going upstairs first." then she shifted her eyes back to Lu's family. "Uncle, auntie, please enjoy the banquet night. It is nice to meet all of you here today. But, I have to excuse myself."

"It's okay, we understand." Hazel reply with a smile on her face. She likes Athena's polite attitude and the soft voice she had.

She then fled away to her room in a rush. Took a bath and change into her night attire. She called her maid to bring her dinner to the room.

She doesn't like to be around a lot of people. So she decides to dine in her room for tonight.

In the middle of the night, her twin sister, Aurora sneaking into her room. She sits at the edge of the bed and shakes Athena's body softly.

"Thena...!Thena..wake up!"

"Emmm...What do you want, Aur?" she replies in a lazy tone. Still not opening her eyes.

"I need to go.. I really am sorry. Please tell daddy that I will be back when I find him and drag him back here. I promise you." she said again.

This time, Athena immediately shot open her eyes. She sits up and looks at her sister.

"What did you say??"

Aurora smiles and flicks Athena's forehead, using her finger. "I'll be going now. Tell daddy that he can never catch me if he tries to. Don't waste his time and... I love you, bye!"

After she said that, she stands up and run to Athena's balcony before she jumps to the ground.

Aurora is so good at sneaking, and she was fast too. If she said there is no use to catch her, then it's really no use.

Athena sighing and gets up from the bed; after 5 minutes, Aurora fled away. She then wears her gold color satin robe before she went to her father's bedroom.

She knocks a few times, but there is no answer from the inside. She then went to the living room and still couldn't find her parents. Most of the guests probably already asleep in the guest room as the mansion is less boisterous and noisy than before.

She keeps searching until she heard her father's voice at the outside pavilion with uncle Andy, his wife, and also…Asher?

Because she needs to deliver her sister's message, she courageously goes to the pavilion.

"Em, Mommy, daddy... I had something to tell you guys..could you…" she nervously said when noticing all the eyes has shifted to her.

Yeah, who won't look at her right now? With only her nightgown covered up with a satin robe and her messy hair and no makeup face. Of course, everyone will turn to look at her.

Hai Rin scrunches her eyebrow slightly, and Richard also feels uneasy from just his daughter's voice. Both of them walk to her and ask.

"What happens? Did something bothering you?" Richard asks while Hai Rin looks at her daughter with a quizzical look on her face.

It's so not like her daughter to walk out in the night just to find them if there is nothing serious happen.

"Um..how, do I put this.." she diverts her eyes to the ground.

"It's okay. Just tell us, honey." Hai Rin said in a gentle tone. Athena is not like her two other children. She always the softest and delicate.

"Em...It's Aurora..she-she.."

"Aurora? She did what?" Richard takes a turn. His heart was already racing inside. Like he can sense another trouble that Aurora just made.

"She said that she will go and find her husband and drag him back. I think Kinslee abandon the wedding, and Aurora went to find him."

Both Richard and Hai Rin were in shock to hear the news. Richard take out his phone and want to make a call to his base, but immediately Athena said again. "Daddy, she said, don't waste your time to chase her."

Upon hearing that, Richard stop his finger from dialing any number before he clenched his phone. He goes to the pavilion with an intense look on his face. Hai Rin also follows her husband and sits down beside him. While Athena, she went to the pavilion and stood behind her parent.

Andy feels the air has changed a bit. He turns to look at Hazel and his wife also shrugged her shoulder.

"Richard, did something happen?" he finally asks when they're still silent.

"I don't know how to put it into a word," he said with regret sounded from his voice.

Andy silent for a second before he said again, "Tell us, maybe we can be any help."

Richard looks up at Andy's face. He then averts his eyes to Asher, and then he scrunches his eyebrow a bit.

"Asher, do you have any girlfriend now?" Richard asks, making Asher, who wants to drink his juice, suddenly choked a bit.

"Uh.." he wants to say no. But it feels like he had one. Even though he never said anything to Hyejin, but their relationship more likely looks like a couple.

"I'm sorry, that is rude of me to ask you this question." he then turns to his daughter and asks.

"When will Zayne return back to Imperial City?"

"Um.. a few more days."

"That's not good too." Richard pinch the space between his eyebrow.

"What exactly happens, Richard?" Andy asks again.

"Our daughter, the bride for tomorrow, is now fled away to find the groom. Which I assume, also has been running away." Hai Rin finally spill out the problem they're facing right now

All of them in the pavilion turn silent after hearing that.

"So, your backup plan is...?"

"Adrian already married a few years ago. I only had two daughters left. One already runs away, so the only choice I have is.." He turns to look at Athena again.

Athena knows what his father means, so she bit her bottom lips.

'Relax..it just for helping my family. Nothing could go wrong from doing a good deed.' she tries to calm her heartbeat right now.

Athena finally nods after a few seconds of silence. "I'm ready with whatever your decision, daddy."

Hai Rin stood up and hugged her daughter. "I'm so sorry, honey. We had no choice." she already tears up when Athena agrees with this sudden decision.

"It's okay, mommy, don't cry." she wipes her mother's corner of eyes.

"Now, one side is settled, then the problem is..where do I find the groom?" Richard finally let out his worries.