《The Legend of Saga》


 Cold Sheets

    ...Pregnant. I''m... pregnant. At this critical juncture of my life, I am going to have a child with my boyfriend of only a month. Just when I was finally about to open my own store and make my designs known, I had to do the most idiotic thing possible. I peeked out of the bathroom, locking eyes with Ferris who was half-asleep and half-naked on my bed. His hooded eyes peered at me from across the dimly lit room. It was as if he could smell my fear in the dead apartment air. I shivered.


    My mind instinctively flashed to where I met him: the bar he tended nightly and the fights he often broke up. I bit my lip, hesitating. Then I thought about the fights he started as well and the lack of empathy he had. His cold face when we agreed to try out a relationship. The many cut lips and bloody noses I had to treat when he knocked on my door at 3 a.m. No way can I do this with him. No way can this man be a father to my unborn child!Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "Blair, are you coming to bed soon?" Ferris'' voice resounded throughout the mostly empty room. I turned around to make sure he couldn''t see my face. I was always a terrible liar. "Yeah, just give me a minute." I nearly whispered, my voice shaking. He gave a noncommittal grunt and rolled over to block out the light. Soon he was dead asleep and I could get to packing.


    Luckily I didn''t have much to begin with because I had sold most of it to fund my store. I peered around the apartment I had been camped in for so long. It was a cramped studio apartment in a cheap, crime-riddled part of town. There was no way in hell I would let my child be raised in this. Guess the store will just have to wait for a little until I can get a better job.


    I opened up the door as silently as possible, the humid spring breeze washing over me. I pulled out my phone, dialling a number I hadn''t called since college. "Hey, Fleur? Yeah, I know it''s late and we haven''t talked in forever but I need some serious help right now. All right, I''ll meet you there. Be prepared for a shock."

 His First Friend

    I could hear the humdrum of the cafe behind me as I pulled the last sponge cake out of the oven. I passed it to Jason for him to decorate. Okay, finally done for the day. Now if I can just- "Blair!" Sh*t. Fleur sprinted up to me from out of nowhere, eyes wide and sweat rolling down in rivers. "We are so short-staffed right now since Ashley broke her wrist yesterday while breaking Emile''s nose! The manager told me that she''d pay you for four hours if you just stay for two more. Please? The old ladies are getting crabby and snapping at me so I need some backup!" She said, shaking my shoulders roughly by the end of her monologue.


    I clenched my jaw, sighing heavily. I nodded, but before she could pull me away, I pulled out my phone and motioned her away. She made an "o" with her mouth in understanding and went off to tell the manager. I dialled the most called number in my list, heart pounding in trepidation. A click soon sounded as he picked up. "Evander? I''m sorry but Mommy''s going to be late tonight again. I know I promised that tonight we would finally go out to dinner but my co-workers need me. Especially Aunty Fleur, she had to beg me. I swear on my future grave that we''ll go out next week." Silence answered from the other side of the phone. "Are you mad, Ev?"


    "It''s okay, I''m not mad, Mommy. If we''re not going to dinner, can I have a friend over? He''s in my class and is really nice! He''s the first person to talk to me all year! Even the teacher doesn''t say much, but it''s okay. I still have you and now I may even have my first friend!" He said and I put my hand over my mouth, trying to stifle any stray noises.


    "That''s great, baby!" I said, my voice wavering. "Have any friends over whenever you want. Just make sure I can meet them soon! And remember, if anyone tells you to smoke this or eat this, we say¡­" I trailed off. I could practically feel the prideful glow from his smile through the phone as he responded. "We say ''My Daddy''ll bust your face if you try to sell me anything again!'' You still haven''t told me what that means Mommy, but if you said it it''s probably something nice." Oh, that''s my little airheaded baby. Such a sweetie but so tragically gullible and trusting¡­ It makes him that much cuter though.


    "Okay, Mommy has to hang up and get back to work. Tell Ms. Bennett that I''ll be late, please. There''s dinner I prepared earlier in the fridge. I swear I''ll be home by 10 at the latest, so you better be in bed by then or you''ll be in trouble, mister. Love you baby." He said he loved me back then I hung up.


    Despite the fact that I told him to say that his father would beat them up, which Ferris definitely would, I haven''t been in contact with him since the night I left. As far as I''m concerned, he doesn''t even know that he has a kid. And I would do anything to keep it that way, even after nearly seven years now. He''s probably still in that bar, picking up girls whenever he gets lonely and punching the closest person out whenever he gets angry. Every time I think about that it absolves the guilt if only just for a moment.


    "Oi, Blair! Take table seven for me please!" Fleur called out from the doorway. I took a deep breath and put on my service smile before grabbing a plate and heading out.


    _(©´¡¸¦Å:}_? And a skip~


    "If you''re going to a black tie charity banquet, I would rather you go with a simple cocktail dress rather than an LBD. Let me see here¡­ Ah! The plum would go perfectly with these shoes! And it''s from the Michelle Light Collection, you''ve been holding out on me!" I said, holding up the dress in triumph.


    Mrs. Fl¨®rez tilted her head and debated on the combination. She nodded after a moment and then picked up her inconspicuous pearl necklace. "Would the pearls go with it?" I pondered, then shook my head. "If your rival is going to be there like you said, you should go simple with the dress and shoes, but your necklace and ring will be statement pieces. Use your matching ruby set. Yes, the one with the inlaid diamonds, It shows that while you''re keeping it classy and here to donate, you''re still a rich socialite with a better background than her. Oh, and use your black Ares bag." I put all of the items on the large divan in the centre of her closet. Gesturing to the vanity, I said, "Sit down so I can fix up your hair and makeup, Mrs. Fl¨®rez. You''re already running late so I''ll do it fast and free of charge."Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    As I pulled her hair into a wavy loose chignon, Mrs. Fl¨®rez peered at me through the mirror. "It''s already 8:00 p.m. on a Friday night, someone as young as you shouldn''t be working this late and instead be socialising," she smirked, "or dating." I groaned at her record-like dialogue. "You say that every time I come here, Mrs. Fl¨®rez. And like each time. I''m going to reply by saying that I already have my hands full with Evander, the PTA, the pastry chef job, and being a personal stylist for all you rich ladies up here in Vermillion Terrace. Until I get my big break and save up enough money to finally open up a shop and produce my designs, I''m going to be stuck single and busy."


    She tutted in disapproval. "You know, my Emory has been doing well for himself lately. A single, handsome young man who''s great with kids and in the fashion industry as well. Not to mention, he''s rich and has me as his mother, so how much better can you get?" I snorted at her attempt to sell her son to me yet again. "I''m sorry, but he''s hardly considered young now at 34. That''s eight years older than me. Old guys like him are so not attractive. By the time I''ll be hitting my prime, he''ll be dead!" That''s a big lie. Older men are totally my type. That''s why I dated Ferris who is a full five years older. Agh! I have to stop thinking about him randomly like this!


    She gave me a dubious look. Before she could open her mouth again, I said, "I''m sorry, Mrs. Fl¨®rez, but I''ll be doing your makeup now so I can''t have you moving your face." I said in the most respectful tone possible. She scowled at me, acknowledging my trick, but complied anyway. A couple of minutes of silence passed, she lost in her thoughts and me concentrated on my task. "Mmmhmm, and done! You''re all set Mrs. Fl¨®rez! Tell Mr. Fl¨®rez I said hello. Now you really have to get going because you have around 15 minutes left until the event starts. You''re lucky that Vermillion Terrace is close to the banquet hall. Make sure your driver doesn''t get arrested for speeding!"


    Mrs. Fl¨®rez scrambled out of the door, her demeanour completely opposite of that of a normal socialite''s. "Thank you so much, dear! Give Evander a hug for me! Allison, make sure to escort her out and give her the payment! Honey, if you don''t get out here right now I will drag you to the car myself¡­!" She screamed, voice fading away down the hall. Allison, the head maid, was watching her helplessly. After the front door slammed shut and the sound of tire screeching had sounded, she turned to me with a smile. "We''ve already arranged for a taxi to help you home, Ms. Clarielle. And don''t worry, it''s already been paid for. It''s the least we could do for calling you in so late. Now, if you please."


    I exited the mansion, hopping into the back of the taxi. It drove off into the night, stars shrouded by the city lights. Luckily the taxi fare around here was relatively cheap or else I would be in trouble. I barely had enough money to stay in a decent apartment and get Evander into a prestigious school, so getting a car was out of the question. Buses run routes throughout all corners of the city and, if necessary, Fleur can take me somewhere if she''s off work. I think the most stressful thing about this is how Evander is living.


    I feel horrible to have to cancel plans and stay out late, but I want him to be able to grow up smart and get connections early on. Who knows what can happen to me in a short instant? I hope he''ll be able to have someone to rely on besides the middle-aged couple who lives next to us. But it seems I''ve underestimated the snootiness of rich kids because all they do is tease him for being worse off than they are. I tilted my head back and sighed. The ride passed by quickly, the noise of the city around the cab lightly vibrating the walls. The music of clubs, the laughter of girls out late, honking of angry drivers, the engine purring quietly underneath its hood. I took it all in as if it was my last time hearing it.

 Oncoming Blizzard

    When we pulled up to the apartment building, I stepped out into the gelid night air. "Have a good night," I said to the cab driver before I closed the door. He didn''t spare a glance in my direction and drove away. I checked the time on my phone: 8:49 p.m. I breathed out a sigh of relief. I wasn''t too late tonight. I climbed up the flights of stairs to get to our apartment. I unlocked the door as silently as possible, hoping that I wouldn''t wake Evander up if he was already asleep. I pushed open the door open to hear giggling and whispers.


    Next to Evander on the floor of the living room was a young boy with dark, fluffy hair and a school uniform on. This must''ve been the friend that Evander had mentioned over the phone, but he was still here? That means he had been here since school got out nearly six hours ago! His parents must be freaking out by now! Oh, this is so not good.


    I leaned against the couch for a minute before Evander finally looked up from the board game. His basil coloured eyes lit up when they locked with my soot coloured ones. "Mommy, you''re home!" He bounced up, sprinting to my side. His arms wrapped around my waist and he nuzzled his face into my stomach. The other child also looked towards me, his brown eyes frighteningly cold. I gave a warm smile back, nevertheless, and waved. Evander broke away from me in realisation, eyes wide in excitement.


    "Mommy, this is Luca! He''s my new friend and is really, really nice! Come and meet him!" He dragged me over by my wrist and come to a stop in front of his friend. I stuck my hand out to him. "Nice to meet you, Luca. I trust that you have been good to my baby, right?" I probed, still a little suspicious of this new child. Evander didn''t have very many "friends" at his school. Stuck-up brats.


    Luca gave a small smile at my overt protectiveness and put his hand in mine. "Don''t worry, I have. We''ve been talking and playing Monopoly for a while. Your cooking is great, by the way." He said. I was oddly touched. Then I paused. "Wait, you were able to teach Ev, the child who has no idea what a dollar is, how to play Monopoly?" I said incredulously.


    He laughed lightly at my expression. "Well, there''s a reason I''ve been here for over five hours." That snapped me back to reality. "Speaking of that, we reeeally need to get you home. I bet your parents are worried sick!" His face soured at that. "Don''t worry, he isn''t. I''ll call my butler and have him take me home. Thank you for allowing me over though. It was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Clarielle." He bowed like a little gentleman and I could feel my heart melting. "It was a pleasure meeting you too, Luca."


    He then pulled out his phone and dialled a number. A few seconds later, I could hear a sound coming from the closet in the hallway. No way is someone in- The door opened and out stepped a teenager no older than 17 in a suit holding a ringing phone. I stood there with my mouth hanging open while Evander clapped, chanting "Magic! Magic!" over and over again. He bowed towards Luca and said, "Young Master, I will call the driver to take us home." He called a number as well, and I half-expected someone to come out of the bathroom. Luckily, nothing happened and I was told that it would be around twenty minutes before he would be here.


    The teenager peered at me from the corner of his eyes, but quickly looked away when I caught him. I looked towards Evander, then felt his eyes on me again. I whipped my head around and he averted his eyes to the ceiling, whistling a tuneless song. Twenty minutes couldn''t pass fast enough.


    A ''ding'' came from the butler''s phone, and both him and Luca got up. Evander raced over to Luca and trapped him in a bear hug, much to the latter''s chagrin. "I''ll see you on Monday, Luca! Thank you for being my friend!" Evander said. I cradled my cheek in my hand, watching them. "Come over again soon, Luca!" He nodded at me. The butler-master duo left and the atmosphere returned to normal.


    "Alright, Ev. If you''ve already eaten, it''s time for you to go to bed. I''ll tuck you in." While Evander changed into his pajamas, I picked out a story from the shelf. I sat on the side of the bed, pulling up the covers around Evander when he laid down. I opened it up to the first page and started reading.


    "Once upon a time, there was a young girl with a very young brother. Their parents had sadly died early on in their life, leaving the older sister to care for her brother. They scraped by, her being a maid at the castle. One day, the younger brother bumped into a prince by accident. Both boys were the same age and quickly hit it off. The father of the prince, the king of the castle, had also experienced a tragedy like the young girl. His wife died soon after childbirth, leaving the king to raise his son all on his own. This caused the two to drift apart. But suddenly one day, the prince and his friend had been kidnapped!


    The young girl and the king panicked, both going in search of the two. The king arrived to find that the young girl had saved her brother and his son all on his own! He immediately fell in love with her and married her the day after. The two young boys rejoiced because they had become brothers! Everyone lived in harmony and the kingdom lived on."If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    I closed the book, checking to see if Evander was asleep. He was out cold. I stood up and exited the room. I went into the kitchen, opened up the trash can, and threw the book right in. "Who the hell even wrote that? Hope they get nothing in royalties because that sucked." Then I turned the lights off and headed into bed.


    _(©´¡¸¦Å:}_? And a skip~


    On a certain playground in downtown Aureolin¡­


    "You better stop talking to that poor kid, Luca, or I''m going to make sure no one ever talks to you again," Freya said to Luca, looking down her nose at him despite the fact that he was at least two inches taller than her. It was an awkward sight to see a child''s head tilted back so much. Freya was steaming, unsure if she was mad at Luca or jealous of Evander. Her face was scrunched up into an ugly pout, causing Luca to wince and turn away.


    He clicked his tongue in distaste. "Please do so. It''s enough to have a brat like you bugging me all the time, so I would rather you call back the rest of your cronies. It''s tiring." With that, Luca walked back to the corner of the courtyard where a small boy with bright blonde hair was sitting with his knees pressed to his chest. "Evander." The child looked up with joyous eyes and gave a wide grin. "You remember me¡­"


    Luca took a seat next to him on the cold cement. He took a glance at all the playground equipment filled with snooty kids who wouldn''t even let Evander go within five feet of them. "Of course I remember you. It''s only been a weekend since I last saw you. I don''t have dementia." He snarked. Evander turned his head towards Luca in confusion. "What''s dementia?" The other boy just said "nevermind" and curled up into a fetal position as well.


    They sat in silence for a bit in the winter chill until Evander broke it with a question. "Hey, do you want to go somewhere cool after school today? I know a really cool spot that no one else goes to. It''s my secret hideout!" Luca smiled bemusedly, quirking an eyebrow. "Oh? And where exactly is it?" Evander shook his head violently, causing some of the playing children to stare at him weirdly. "I can''t tell you here!" Then, lowering his voice he said, "There are too many people listening. You''ll just have to follow me. We can meet by the back gates and I''ll take you there. You can come, right?"


    In truth, Luca actually had something important to do that afternoon. However, looking at Evander''s hopeful expression, he just nodded and started formulating a plan to get past his butler.


    _(©´¡¸¦Å:}_? And a skip~


    The late afternoon sun dangled in the grey sky, sparing no heat to the freezing souls below. I was one of the ones walking under it, one of those being pelted by the heavy snow that had suddenly appeared a few hours ago. I was so not ready for this today. This hoodie is too light for this¡­ I pulled my hood up as far as it would go and started race-walking home.


    My phone then vibrated in my jacket pocket, an unfamiliar number showing up on the screen. I hesitated for a moment before answering. "Hello?" I asked. There was an uncomfortable silence from the other end in response. I was just about to hang up when someone spoke. "Is this Blair Clarielle?" They asked.


    "Yes, who is this?" The person replied almost instantly. "I''m calling about my son. His name is Luca, I believe you''ve met him." Oh, so this is Luca''s father? He sounds rather young to be a parent, but I can''t judge. After all, I could say the same about me. "What about him?" I said.


    "Well, I believe that your son has kidnapped my son and taken him to an unknown location. I was hoping you''d know where they went." I coughed violently. "My son?! Evander would never do anything of the sort. He probably just took him back to the apartment like last Friday." It was his turn to be surprised. "Luca wasn''t at home last Friday? Dmitri never told me that¡­ Anyways, I was told that Luca was being taken by your son to his secret base. Do you know where that is? If so, could you please tell me so I can pick my son up? We have an important event to attend and we''re already late."


    A secret base¡­? Oh, he probably means the riverside. Evander and I have been going there since he was born. "They''re most likely going to be by the Saffron River. More specifically, the part across from the steakhouse. I''m not too far from it right now, so I''ll be going ahead." I hung up without waiting for him to say anything. Honestly, I don''t care about what Evander did. It''s more of the fact that I don''t want Luca''s father to kill me based on this because while his voice was cold, there was an undertone of panic. Poor kid, he''s probably not used to his son doing anything like this.


    The streets were hardly crowded. Most people had sought refuge as soon as the snow started, but those idiot kids just had to go down to the river. What if one of them fell in¡­? That thought alone made me start to run. Now is not the time to start rebelling Evander! In my worry, I had completely forgotten that I could just call him. I realised that later in the hospital bed, but by then it was too late.


    Soon the familiar sign of the steakhouse appeared through the gloom of the clouds and snow pelting the ground. All was quiet except for the rushing of the Saffron River and the light jazz coming from the restaurant. I shuffled down the hill, careful not to slip. The silhouettes of Evander and Luca became more apparent the closer I got. They were chatting happily until my grumpy voice resounded in the area around us. "You guys are in so much trouble!"


    I threw my bag on the hillside before grabbing both of them by the wrists, adamant about taking them to the safety upstream. Afterall, the riverbank itself was only raised concrete from the recent development around here. Ice could form and they could slip! My mother bear instincts were going wild as I analysed all the possible dangers like I was a robot. The actively resisted, whining and pulling away from me. Their whines grew louder and louder as I pulled harder and harder. Finally, I snapped. "That''s it! I''m going to-" But in the next moment, all I saw and felt was the cold water around me. Well sh*t, this was not how I had planned to spend my night.

 Hypothermia

    Evander could only watch as his mother helplessly flew into the freezing cold river. Just a few moments before, a blonde man had sprinted down the hill, almost slipping, and kicked her in screaming, "You''ll never kidnap my kids, you witch!" It was the same man that had come to his house on Friday: Luca''s butler.


    The child immediately ran screeching towards the river, intent on saving his mother. Luca only barely managed to catch him at the last second. The taller boy called back to his butler, telling him to save Blair. Dmitri only stood there in shock at what had transpired. His face was paler than the rising blizzard. Unbeknownst to any of them, there was already a man running downriver to catch her. His dark brown hair, previously combed back neatly, was now a mess from the harsh wind. Frantic celeste blue eyes scanned the river for any movement.


    He whipped his head backwards and called back to the blonde butler, "Dmitri! Help search god damn it! This was your fault!" His suit was being soaked by the raging snow. Guilt filled his heart when he just stood there and didn''t stop Dmitri in time. His breaths grew shorter and shorter, and just when he was about to collapse from exhaustion, he saw a hand holding onto the edge of the river. Sighing from relief, he went down to the riverside and pulled with all of his might.


    She was soaked, skin pallid against the grey concrete sidewalk. Her eyes were open, but they stayed fixed on one place like she couldn''t see anything. He pulled her up onto his back, intent on walking to the car. However, his legs nearly gave way on the first few steps. Dmitri, feeling more guilty than the other man, took her off of his master''s shoulders and carried her bridal style towards the still running car. Both of the children were already in the car, courtesy of Luca. Evander had snot and tears streaming down his face that only grew more prevalent as he saw the state his mother was in.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Luca patted his back. "It''s okay, she''ll be okay¡­" However, even he wasn''t sure. The heat was turned up to max as the driver sped to the hospital. Evander cradled her head in his lap, tears dripping onto her face. Everyone looked away. Twenty minutes passed and Blair had hardly warmed up, nor had she gotten out of her trance-like state. They pulled up to the hospital, the air filled with trepidation.


    Dmitri gently picked her up and carried her into the calm hospital. The man next to him clenched his jaw and immediately booked a V.I.P. room. The nurse looked up in surprise, recognising him instantly. "Yes, right away Mr. Fentress." She said nervously. As he started to follow her, a hand gripped his pants leg.


    "Are you sure she''ll be fine, Father?" Luca asked, looking at her in Dmitri''s arms as they rushed towards the hospital room. He turned towards his son with an awkward expression on his face. "Well, I don''t think there''ll be no lasting damage..." Luca widened his eyes and immediately punched his father in the stomach before running after Dmitri and Evander. "But¡­ I''m not a doctor...!" He wheezed after Luca.


    Nurses ran to the gasping man on the ground in horror, trying to pick him up and carrying him to a room. "Oh don''t worry! I''m perfectly fine." He said, waving them off gallantly. Well, it was gallant in his eyes.


    Meanwhile upstairs, both children were traumatised. Luca was wishing for a different father while Evander was crying his eyes out. Dmitri was also crying his eyes out, but his tears were from guilt. After all, Dmitri had a weak conscience in the first place. That''s why he could never lie, and if he tried, he''d end up breaking down after a few seconds of the other person staring at him. Because of this, he''d dyed his normally brown hair blonde and got himself a nose ring. Despite this, everyone still walked over him.


    Finally, after being warmed up and treated accordingly, she regained consciousness. And boy, the aftermath wasn''t pretty.

 Idol

    As the saying goes, hell hath no fury like a woman pushed into a river in the middle of winter. I woke up in a blind rage, ready to kick the ass of whoever had kicked me in. However, when I looked around, all I saw was a bawling Evander, a brooding Luca, and a butler who looked like I was about to bite his head off. I felt my ire drain away at the sight of my baby, but it returned when I remembered why I was by the riverside in the first place. I stayed in the hospital bed, acutely aware of the fact that I was wearing a flimsy hospital gown. I definitely don''t want to scar the children if it tears. Instead, I just sat up in the bed with the air of an irate queen.


    "So, you kids decided to go down to the river without telling anyone and expected everyone to be okay with that?" My conviction wavered seeing Evander''s guilty look, but I steeled my heart and kept the furious look on my face. "Let me tell you right now that if either of you ever do something like this again¡­ I will make sure that you''ll never see each other again." They both paled and looked at each other nervously. As if in tacit understanding, they both nodded and jumped onto me.


    "We''re sorry!" They shouted in unison. I sighed. I''m too much of a sucker for children. "Alright, alright¡­ I accept your apology. But Luca¡­" He gulped nervously and looked up at me with puppy eyes. "Your father said that you had some important event to go to right after school, which means that you obviously knew. Even so, you went to the river and inconvenienced him enough to call me and come to pick you up? Speaking of which, since you''re here, does that mean you skipped it? I feel so guilty right now¡­"This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    I covered my face with my hands, peeking in between my fingers to see his reaction. I hoped to instil more guilt into him, but my words seemed to have done the opposite effect. In fact, he only seemed happier once I mentioned that. "Oh, that''s right! Freya''s birthday party was today. Don''t worry, Ms. Clarielle. Just today she told me that she never wanted to talk to me again so it doesn''t even matter! She told the rest of the kids to ignore me, too." As soon as he finished his sentence, the door to the hospital room was wrenched open.


    In the doorway stood an infuriated man, huffing and puffing dramatically. "She did what?! That''s it, I''m pulling all of my investments out from her father''s company! I thought you two would get married but noooo! She just had to ruin it! That little brat¡­" He ranted on and on while Luca simply rolled his eyes and ignored his father. I just stared as he didn''t even pause to take a breath. This man was Luca''s father? This man who always appeared to be above mortal affairs on TV, the COO of Aeon, and one of three designers for FENTRESS was Luca''s father? Holy sh*t, I must still be asleep. There was absolutely no way that my idol, Lucian Fentress, was here in this room!


    I stared at the man in the entryway, taking in the sight of his face, red from nagging, and his crazed look in his eyes. The smile on my face started to falter awkwardly. This¡­ was my idol? He turned towards me with a stupid grin plastered onto his face. "Nice to meet you Ms. Clarielle. Or should I say, the future mother to my children."


    "Kids, cover your ears¡­ What the f*ck did you just say?!"

 Not Your Wifey

    I ignored the furious knocking at my hospital door and the shocked expressions of both Luca and Dmitri. Evander simply looked between me and the door, confused. Just a few seconds before, I had literally kicked Lucian''s ass out of the room. My teeth were grinding at an alarming rate, and I could practically see the sparks like it was a cartoon. "Wait, let me back in! I swear I won''t say it again," he then lowered his voice to a low mumble, "even though it''s true¡­"


    "I heard that end part, you bastard!" I shouted in retort. Are you kidding me?! This idiotic man-child is the one I had been drooling over on TV since he first debuted in the fashion world? He used to be so suave in my mind¡­ "Mommy, what''s a bastard?" Evander asked. I scowled, pointing towards the locked door. "Him."


    I heard a dramatic gasp come from beyond it. "My dear, how could you say that about me?" At this point, I was ready to put him in this hospital bed. I sucked in my anger and looked around the room. Searching, searching¡­ And bingo! I picked up my bag in the corner of the room, making a dismissive motion to everyone else in the room. "Everyone, get out unless you want to be scarred for life." They immediately scrambled out of the room, pushing past Lucian who was still at the door. I locked it behind them with the speed of a cheetah.


    I closed the curtains, taking notice that we were on the second floor. Mwahaha! I have the perfect plan! I pulled out my work uniform from my bag, regretting the fact that it was only a thin shirt and some dark pants. I put on my extra jacket, glad that I had packed it for today. I listened at the door, making sure that no one was there. I scrawled a quick note onto a notepad and placed it on the bed. My phone is still charged and my body is ready. Let''s do this.


    I unlatched the window, letting the wintry air swirl into the room. I climbed up onto the window sill and lept from it, landing in a lifeless courtyard. My feet were buried in the snow and cold chills ran up my spine. Running around to the side of the building with my phone in hand, I saw an exit door that was close to the room. Perfecto! Evander''s photo showed up on the screen as I heard a call tone.


    When he answered, I immediately said, "Baby, I need you to say to them that you''re going to the restroom. When you do, go find a nurse and ask her where the side exit door on the first floor is. I''ll be right out there. Don''t let any of them know that you left or that I left either. Come quickly." I heard an affirmative sound from the other side before he hung up. A few minutes later of me dancing to keep my feet warm and out of the snow, the door opened and out popped an excited Evander. "That was so scary, Mommy! Luca''s daddy gave me a weird glance before I left and then went into the room. I started running when I heard him shout a bad word. They didn''t see where I went, though."


    Oh sh*t, that''s so not good. Damn it, the man-child''s smarter than I thought! I pulled Luca''s hand and whipped out my phone again. "Fleur, I need a quick save! Can you come pick me up from the bar across from the hospital? Yes, I''m with Evander. No, I''m not raising him to be an alcoholic! What the hell do you think I do with my kid? Just get over here." I hung up on her ranting about my unsafe parenting.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    With the snow, hardly anyone was on the streets so we just ran across it like a couple of criminals. I suppose we kind of are right now. I pushed open the door only to be greeted by dim lighting and soft piano music. A lonely man was sitting in front of the piano, posture hunched over and face drained. Such was the magic of Monday evenings, I suppose. We sat in one of the red booths while I waited for Fleur''s notice. Evander and I just let the music wash over us in the meantime. Oddly enough, there seemed to be the sound of a guitar as well despite there not being one present. Hm, I must just be hearing things.


    Finally, my phone buzzed with Fleur saying, "I''m out front beyotches!" Well, it was more like, "im here beyotches". I took one last glance at the man before dropping a tip in the jar. He seemed to be having a rough time. I turned around and left, quickly seeing Fleur''s white van in front of the bar. It gets more pedophile-y every time I see it. I opened the back door and buckled Evander in before hopping into the front seat.


    Fleur cast me a sly grin. "Do you like it?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows. I immediately knew what she was referring to. Her hair, cropped to her skull, was now dyed a whitish-silver that made her cerulean eyes pop out even more than they already did. "How did you choose the granny white colour?" I asked sardonically. She gave me a sarcastic laugh in return. "It''s that one anime thing, you know? So many black characters have white hair for some reason, so I decided to do it too." I shook my head and laughed at her stupid reasoning. Of course that''s why she did it.


    "Now, why the hell were you at a bar with your six-year-old child at the tail-end of a blizzard?" She asked. Taking a deep breath, I launched into the story from the riverside to now.


    _(©´¡¸¦Å:}_? And a skip~


    Dmitri was standing outside of Blair''s hospital room, glaring judgmentally at his boss. "Luc, what the hell possessed you to think that saying that was the best way to get the girl?" Lucian merely gave him the side eye before returning his eyes back to the door. "Women like honest men," was all he said in response. The atmosphere turned awkward again.


    Then, a phone ringtone broke the tension. Evander answered his phone with an expression of excitement. He sat there in silence for a while before nodding his head and making a noise. He hung up and looked towards Dmitri and Lucian. "I''m going to the restroom." He was painfully trying to keep a straight face, but obviously failing. He walked away and exchanged a few words with a nurse before continuing down the hall. All of them looked towards the restroom two doors down from Blair''s room. Lucian narrowed his eyes and opened the door, immediately being hit by a blast of cold air. "Son of a b*tch!" He shouted.


    A note was fluttering about the room and smacked Lucian directly in the face when he stepped in. He peeled it off his face with gritted teeth. ''Good luck trying to catch me muthaf*ckah! I''m a ninja! ~Not your wifey''


    Lucian crumbled up the paper with a frustrated expression on his face. Then the frustration turned to smugness as he realised something. "Hehehe¡­ But I know where the ninja lives!" He laughed maniacally, ignoring the expression on both his child''s and his butler''s faces.


    Legend has it that a witch was heard throughout the hospital on that day. Years later, people still believe that Room 207 is cursed and anyone who goes in there will feel a chill like there was a blizzard inside.

 Nice Shot!

    I was making dinner in my apartment when the doorbell rang out of the blue. I checked the oven timer: still five minutes left. I turned off the flame on the stove and pulled the door open without looking through the peephole. I expected to see Fleur''s face greet me, but instead I came face-to-face with a bouquet of Gardenias. Luca''s face popped out from behind them, still as stoic as ever. "Hello?" I said, bewildered.


    Luca sighed, audibly tired. "These are from my father. He said he''ll cry if you don''t accept them, so please don''t make this hard for him. He''ll do it, too." With that, he shoved the flowers into my arms and turned around to head to the elevator. I called out to him after a moment, "Do you want to stay for dinner?" He looked at me questioningly. "Well, you said before that you liked my cooking and I wanted to apologise for giving you a shock earlier today."


    I grabbed his arm, pulling him closer. "More importantly, you seem to be really good for Evander. He''s the happiest he''s ever been because you came around." He nodded his head and walked past me, plopping down on the couch. For a kid with such a rich upbringing, you''d think he would have a little more decorum.


    "Evander, you have a friend here to see you!" I said outside of his bedroom. "Also, dinner will be ready in three minutes." When I looked back in the living room, I immediately blanked out. Sitting there next to Luca was his father. His hands were on his knees and one of his legs bounced anxiously as he looked around the apartment. His eyes brightened when they saw me.


    "Wifey!" He exclaimed excitedly. I immediately regretted what I wrote on that note. "Mr. Fentress," I forced out through gritted teeth, "What brings you here?" The little bastard grinned cheekily at me. "Why, you invited us in for dinner, my dear wifey! Also, please call me Luc or hubby. I would prefer the latter, though."


    Luca looked at me guiltily, mouthing "sorry" from behind Lucian. Luckily I had made enough for four. Guess we won''t have leftovers tonight like we usually do. "Luca, Mr. Fentress-" he scowled, "I hope you enjoy rotisserie chicken." The oven went off behind me. Soon enough, the chicken was on the table and all of them were wolfing down the meal. I could hardly get a bite of it with the fencing forks getting every single good part.


    Dinner ended with a victorious Lucian, a cheering Evander, a satisfied Luca, and a starving Blair. "You three are cleaning up this mess," I said with finality. Lucian started to protest but I quickly cut him off with a scathing glare. "What was that, Mr. Fentress?" He mumbled something under his breath before helping the two kids. I scoured the cupboards for something more to eat while they worked behind me.


    When I turned around, however, Lucian was covered in water and Luca was struggling to catch a falling plate. I rushed over to grab it, sliding like a baseball player across the tile. I caught it and placed it on the counter before turning to the father-son duo who were standing there confused. "Have you two never done any housework before?!" I asked incredulously.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    They shook their heads. I clutched my head in my hands, feeling a headache come along. "Alright, Evander and I can do it. Luca, sit on the couch and please don''t try to break anything. Mr. Fentress¡­" I took in his soaking wet suit. "Follow me. I have some things that might fit you."


    I went into my bedroom and opened the door of my small closet. I pushed my round-framed glasses up, looking for the exact outfit I was thinking of. Finally, I located it in the very back. I handed him a black sweater and a pair of baggy jeans. He looked at me through hooded eyes. "Why do you have men''s clothes in your closet, wifey?" He asked accusingly. I shrugged with a smug look on my face. "Oh, they''re not men''s. It''s just that you''re only an inch taller than me and so lean¡­ My clothes will probably fit you." I mocked.


    He laughed mirthlessly and took the clothes. Then, it was as if the storm had broken and the sun shone through the clouds brighter than it ever had. Damn, this boy had abs for days! I whipped around, my face pure red. I clutched my nose to make sure it wasn''t bleeding. A few seconds passed before an arm wrapped itself around my shoulders. A firm chest pressed against my shoulder blades.


    "Like what you see, wifey?" He asked right against my ear. I closed my eyes to rid him from my system. "It''s not anything I haven''t seen before, shorty." I shot back. He chuckled before pulling away. "If I''m short, then you''re tiny." He said. I rolled my eyes. "Oh please, 5''6" is average for a woman. 5''7" for a man though¡­ Face it, you''re a shorty."


    Lucian pouted adorably and I had to turn away again. "I''m gonna go help Evander. You sit on the couch with your son." I said without looking back. When I entered the kitchen again, everything was put away spotlessly. That''s my boy. Evander and Luca were watching cartoons on the couch together, oblivious to my arrival.


    Suddenly, Lucian popped up behind me with an evil expression. I got a sinking feeling in my stomach when I saw it. "Hey kids," he said. Both of them turned to him with a curious expression on their faces. "How would you two like to be brothers?" I stared at him with wide eyes. Please tell me this is not going where I think it is¡­


    They shot up off the couch. Evander grabbed Lucian''s leg expectantly. "Yes! How?" He shouted. Luca nodded frantically, also curious. I bit my thumbnail and started to interrupt. Before I could though, he said, "It''s easy! Your mommy and I just have to get married!"


    Oh hell no. He. Did. Not.


    Evander rushed up to me this time and hugged me tightly. "Pleeease Mommy! Can you two get married so me and Luca can be brothers?" I am going to f*cking kill him. I picked Evander up and took a deep breath. "Evander, sweetie¡­ Only two people who love each other can get married." He didn''t get it.


    "Then you two should love each other! I love Luca already after three days so you two can fall in love easily!" Luca pinched the bridge of his nose. "Evander, that isn''t love you''re feeling for me, you idiot." Evander pouted and turned away from him. "Yes, it is." He sassed back before I put him down.


    While those two were arguing, I took the chance to interrogate Lucian. "What the f*ck did you say that for?" I demanded. He simply shrugged the same way I did earlier and said, "It''ll happen sooner or later, so why not sooner?" I shook out of rage.


    Then, before I could stop myself, I punched him directly in the face.


    "Nice shot, Mommy!"

 Never Trust Lucian Fentress

    Lucian was sitting next to me on the couch, looking away from me with a pout. "Well, I''m sorry if it means anything. It was reflex when I punched you." He still didn''t say anything. I got up and went into the kitchen. I opened up the freezer searching for an ice pack. When I finally found it, I pulled it out and returned to the couch.


    Without even thinking about it, I straddled his lap and put it to his cheek. "There we go. Better?" I said in full mom-mode. In my eyes, he was just another injured child throwing a tantrum. In his eyes, though¡­


    "When you''re in trouble where no one can hear, BOOM, the FBI will appear!" Sounded the TV from across the living room. Neither of us paid any attention to it. "For the last time, I''m sorry for punching you. Now stop pouting, shorty."


    I like the nickname. It fits.


    All of the sudden, I felt an arm snake around my waist and my body being pulled forward. I resisted his pull with a scowl. "Let go of me!" I shouted. I could feel his lips against my neck as he mumbled, "But it really hurts, wifey¡­"


    Red highlighted the tips of my ears and I fell backwards onto the living room floor. I stared up at him with a stunned look. The kids bounded out from Evander''s bedroom with worry plastered all over their faces, expecting another fight to have happened. Instead, they caught me with my face flushed and Lucian smirking at me from the couch.


    He winked at his son conspiratorially and Luca quickly pulled Evander away. Damn this father-son pair¡­ They''re sooo getting no dinner next time. Lucian put his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. His mocking gaze ignited a fire within me. "Listen, shorty!"


    Before I could get the next word out, he cut me off by standing up and walking over to the kitchen counter. Lucian opened his leather work bag and rummaged through it. Finally, he pulled out a bunch of papers with a victorious expression on his face. I would''ve laughed if I wasn''t still so embarrassed.


    Lucian sat next to me on the floor and handed the packet to me. I took it and read the top words. "Oh, so what is this a contract for?" I asked. He snickered at my suspicious expression. "Don''t worry, it''s not going to be anything about marriage."


    He continued, "I heard that you were once a rising designer who was about to open a store. What happened to that?" Damn, so he knew. I bet he had a file on Evander and me as soon as Luca mentioned us. My eyes narrowed as I searched his expression. Seems like he didn''t know all of it if there was no disgust in his gaze.


    "What more can I say? I wasn''t living too well at that time because all the money I earned instantly went to my savings for the store. Then, I got pregnant and my fiance died soon after. I had to make a decision between my brand, Bliss, and my child. I obviously chose my child. To this day, I''m still using that fund to let Evander go to that snooty Amaranth Academy. But even with that amazing discount my friend got me, I''m running on fumes."This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    I put my chin on my knees and sighed. "I won''t be able to pay for another semester. It was originally going to be easy to tell Evander that he can''t go anymore but now that he''s made a friend¡­ I don''t know if I can pull him out of that school anymore. I can tell that he really values Luca, but children are fickle sometimes. If Luca forgets about Ev when he transfers schools, that would break his heart. I don''t know what to do now¡­"


    Without even realising it, I had spilled all of my guts to a man I hardly knew. He didn''t say a word throughout my entire monologue so I had just kept talking to fill the silence. The quiet blanketed us, the TV now playing a flashback. Cheesy piano music left the air trembling slightly with every low note that played.


    Then, he broke the tension that had formed. "The contract is for a transfer of funds from me to you. It''ll be enough to open a store in Chiffon and to hire a competent team." I started to protest. I was never one to accept handouts no matter who it was giving it. However, he held up a hand before I could finish. What was with this guy constantly interrupting me?!


    "I know what you''ll say. This deal isn''t for free, though. I said loan which means that you''ll have to pay it back within a year. If your business fails, then you''ll be put into a debt that will probably cripple you for life. So consider your choices carefully here."


    Lucian paused for a second to let me mull it over. "Your first choice is to finally live out your dreams of owning a luxury brand and keep Evander in the academy, but possibly be left with a debt for the rest of your life if you don''t succeed. Your second choice is not taking this deal and having Evander leave the academy, but there''s no chance for a debt being placed on you."


    I waited for him to finish patiently. I had already made up my mind from the time he mentioned Evander. If it was for his happiness, I would even sell my soul. "Alright, I''ll accept your deal," I said with finality. He smiled enchantingly and pulled out a pen.


    I signed wherever he pointed. That was my greatest mistake.


    When I filled in the last blank, his smile went from enchanting to devilish. His laughs started soft, but they soon grew to full grown cackles. I backed away from him with a horrible feeling. "I win! I win!" He chanted. I tried to grab the contract, but he quickly sat on top of it. I tried shoving him aside, but he didn''t even budge.


    "What did you make me sign?!" I demanded. Why oh why did I not read through the terms?


    He tilted his head towards me languidly. "Oh, nothing terrible¡­ All it said was that if you don''t repay twice the loan within a year, you''ll legally be my wife."


    On that day, I learned a valuable lesson: Never trust Lucian Fentress.


    _(©´¡¸¦Å:}_? Bonus Scene:


    Evander heard the laughter from the living room and rushed to check on his mommy. However, Luca quickly grabbed his wrist to pull him back. "Don''t worry, this is a regular occurrence. You''ll get used to it soon."


    Hearing his friend''s words, he sat back down despite the worry lingering in his heart. Luca reopened the book and started reading to Evander again.

 The Young Master

    I stepped out of my apartment building and immediately got blasted by the chill of Winter. I really need to move down south someday to get some semblance of heat. My mind then flashed back to my childhood home. That caused a shiver to run through me more than the cold.


    I pulled up my texts, biting my lip with uncertainty. This could very possibly just be a marriage meeting disguised as an interview. I could trust Mrs. Fl¨®rez, right?


    Hailing a cab, I told the driver to go to Vermillion Terrace. Sadly, the guards at the gates won''t let any taxi in unless hired by a resident themselves. When the cab arrived at the tall gates I quickly paid the fare and got out. I walked up to the booth where the guard was sitting and pulled out a pass. He acknowledged it before opening the gates for me to walk through.


    The Fl¨®rez''s house was closer to the front of the neighbourhood luckily, so the walk wasn''t too far. I knocked on the giant doors and waited patiently. Allison greeted me at the door as usual. She pulled on my wrist and put her face close to mine. "Beware Emory today. He''s in a terrible mood because he thinks that he''s going to have to marry you."


    I rolled my eyes. It seems I wasn''t the only one thinking about that then.


    Allison guided me through the mansion at a superhuman pace. It seemed like she didn''t want me to meet Mrs. Fl¨®rez on my way in. I appreciated the sentiment. Once she stopped in front of a door in the corner of the house, I knew that this was where the interview was going to take place.


    Quickly adjusting my collar, I released a breath I didn''t know I was holding. I turned the doorknob and was immediately blinded by the bright light of the sun beaming through the windows. The room itself turned out to be an office completely decked out in art-deco style furniture and paintings. A lone man sat at the desk in the centre of the room, eyeing me predatorily.


    I stared him right down without feeling an ounce of intimidation. I pulled out a chair and sat down slowly. "Ms. Clarielle-" he started. I glared at him before he could continue. "Excuse me, I''m the one conducting this interview. I will address you first and you will respond accordingly. Understand?" He nodded, obviously taken aback.


    "So, why were you fired from your last job, Mr. Fl¨®rez?" I began. He didn''t appear angry as I had thought he would. Instead, he seemed calm and collected. That''s a definite check mark.


    "I was fired because I didn''t believe the line was going in the right direction and questioned my boss. She didn''t take kindly to it and promptly fired me." His answer was clean cut and straight to the point. "Now, what was this brand called?" I asked, already knowing who it was. He frowned for a brief second before answering. "Bliss Couture."


    Of course it was. Bliss was the brand I wanted to start up seven years ago. When Evander came along though, I ended up giving all my designs to Fleur for safekeeping and possible use. However, Fleur''s sister, Lis, stole them from her soon afterwards. Lis started Bliss Couture and proclaimed all the designs as her''s.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    It did well for maybe two years, then it has been on a steady decline since then. I had only given my mediocre designs to Fleur. I kept all of the best ones for myself and have been waiting to use them all these years.


    "You worked at Bliss Couture? That brand''s been a sinking ship for a while now. It doesn''t matter how expensive of a label that is, it''s not a good mark on your resum¨¦e. If anything, it makes me want to not hire you more than if you had simply just come into this industry. What do you have to say in your defence?" I asked him.


    He scoffed. "I completely agree with what you said. That place was terrible in every aspect, especially the designer. Lis Sutcliffe, the ''designer,'' didn''t allow me to say anything about her work. My job is a stylist so I have to edit what''s been given to me, but she simply didn''t allow me to do it properly. If I mentioned that a different style hem would look better, she would explode on me. To be honest," He leaned in conspiratorially and looked towards the door. "The only reason I stayed in that job was that my mother loved their old designs and still wears them to this day. I didn''t want to disappoint her."


    Then, as if realising something, he yanked himself back. "But no matter how much I don''t want to disappoint her, I refuse to marry you. I''m sorry." Oh, so that''s what he thought of? "Don''t worry Mr. Fl¨®rez, I have absolutely no intention of dating you. My job is my spouse right now so there''s no room for anyone else." Better to get this clarified.


    His face stiffened for a second, then a smile blossomed slowly. His hazel eyes crinkled up at the corners when he did so. "Oh good¡­" Wait, did he think I had fallen in love with him already? What a loser.


    The interview continued on for a long time, each of us with our own concerns. Finally, just as the sun was starting to set, it was over. It had morphed into more of a casual chat at the end but all the information I needed was confirmed. Turning my head towards him, I smiled and stuck out my hand in his direction. "Welcome to the job, Mr. Fl¨®rez."


    He took it gently and shook it. "Thank you, Ms. Clarielle. When do I start?" From the look in his eyes, he obviously expected it to be more like a week. Too bad for him that wasn''t how I operate.


    "Now," I said evilly. I pulled out a giant folder packed to the brim with paper. "These are all designs I''ve made over the past ten years. Review them over the next week and pick out the best. We''ll discuss edits next Wednesday, so don''t start any without me." He looked shocked at the copious amounts of designs I had made.


    What he didn''t know was that I intentionally put obvious flaws in some of the designs. If he''s a true stylist, he won''t be able to resist pointing them out to me next week. So what if I hadn''t technically hired him yet because I won''t put it in the system until he passes the test? It''s not illegal.


    Well, probably.


    As I walked out of the mansion, I reviewed my checklist. Alright, I have my stylist but I still need a CEO and a PR Manager¡­ Emory was the easiest to find because I had been hearing about him for years from his mother. The next two will get a little challenging, though. "How should I go through with this¡­?"


    I mumbled to myself the rest of the way home, slightly scaring the cab driver. When I arrived at the apartment door, I quietly unlocked it. Moonlight from the open window spilt onto the hardwood, illuminating a small body perched on the couch. I froze guiltily before realising Evander was asleep sitting up.


    Smiling wryly, I carried him to his bedroom and placed him in bed. He grasped at the covers when I pulled them up. I kissed his forehead before getting into bed beside him. "I''m sorry for always being so late baby¡­" I murmured into the wistful silence. "But hopefully that''ll change soon." Closing my eyes, I let his rhythmic breathing lull me to sleep.

 The Hopeless Romantic

    I pounded my head on the wall for the seventh time that week. How is it so hard to find a CEO or a PR Manager in this god-damned city?! I groaned out of frustration and peered over at my assistant chef. He looked away guiltily.


    Guess I did look pretty crazy right now.


    I watched the clock with bated breath and cheered when it finally hit the hour. I waved goodbye to Jason who was still staring at me like I had just murdered his mom in front of him. I ignored it. Phew, I''m glad that Evander is on a playdate today because I need a drink. All this searching is stressing me out.


    The glowing sign of my favourite bar greeted me as I turned the corner of another block. I pushed open the door and took a seat at the bar. The bartender nodded to me, indicating for me to give him one second. There was another woman with bright auburn hair not too far from me looking around expectantly. Her face lit up when a man walked in through the door.


    "Jack, honey, I''ve been waiting for you for over an hour!" Oh wow. There are so many warning signs about this that I can''t even feel pity for the woman anymore. Firstly, he took her to a date and a ramshackle bar? Don''t get me wrong, I love this place, but it''s more for the vibe than literally anything else. Secondly, he shows up at least an hour late and hardly even greets this woman who''s been excitedly waiting for him?


    And lastly, he literally reeks of women''s perfume. It smells like he sprayed it on himself because of its pungency! I gave her a judgemental side-eye before ordering my drink. But sadly, they decided to sit right next to me at the bar. Goodbye my lovely peaceful drinking session, I''ll miss you¡­


    She was on my right, chattering away about anything and everything. Suddenly, he sighed. Her eyebrows drew together in concern. "What''s wrong, honey? Did I do something wrong? You know I love you¡­" She said, putting a slight drawl on those last words. His head snapped up angrily.


    "No, you don''t! You don''t even know me! We met," he gestured wildly between each other, "two days ago! Two! Dos! You didn''t even know that I actually crossdress most of the time because I. Like. Men. I only dated you because I felt bad that that other guy turned you down so cruelly. But you know what?" She whimpered at his furious tone.


    "I completely understand why he did! You''re a psycho." With that, he stormed out of the bar. Well damn, that was a little bit harsh. I looked towards the girl next to me and noticed that her face was completely covered in tears and snot. Grimacing, I pulled a pack of tissues out of my bag and handed it to her. "Here, use this," I said. She thanked me profusely and wiped away her tears and most of her smudged makeup.


    "I don''t understand why this always happens to me¡­ That was the third time this month!" Wait, today was only the 10th. How fast does this woman go through men?! Or rather, how fast does she get dumped based on that display that just happened. I eyed her warily. Should I be honest or not?If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    To hell with that, she needs some serious help. I chose the brutally honest route. Besides, it''s not like I''ll probably ever see her again. "I can tell you why." She looked up at me with glimmering eyes when I said that. I almost stopped what I was about to say. Almost.


    I took in a deep breath. "It''s because you say you love them after two days and tolerate it when they treat you like garbage! Also, if you ask out a guy you know absolutely nothing about you''re guaranteed to have a bad time. You didn''t even know that your ex was gay! You''re too much of a hopeless romantic right now to have any success. You need to calm down a little, take a break from dating, then start with something casual." I finished my rant without looking at her. I simply took a sip from my glass and waited for her to speak again.


    Instead, I felt a weight fall onto my shoulder. I looked over in alarm. The woman had passed out probably from too many drinks. She was here for over an hour after all just drinking alone.


    I placed my glass on the bar and stood up, making sure to keep an arm wrapped around her waist in case she falls. I told the bartender to put mine and her drinks on my evergrowing tab and left. He knew me well enough to know that I''d probably pay next time I came in.


    I transferred her purse to my shoulder and tried to locate her phone. I prayed that it was unlocked before realising there was no password. Guess that makes sense. I searched through her apps to find a navigation one. I opened it up and looked at the home address listed. Perfect, it''s not too far from here.


    A cab soon pulled up and I pushed her in first before climbing in behind her. I showed them the address and then put the phone away back in her purse. I pulled out my own and called Evander.


    I felt guilt creep onto me once again. Why am I such a horrible mother lately? Staying out late and abandoning my own child because of my problems. This has to stop soon. Sadly, that just won''t be tonight. Evander picked up almost immediately. "Hey, baby? I''m sorry but can you make your playdate with Luca a sleepover? This woman needs help and I have to get her back home."


    I expected to hear something back from him, but the only thing I heard was a bunch of voices shouting. What the hell was going on¡­? "Baby?" I said.


    Someone answered almost immediately. But instead of a child''s voice answering me, it was a sultry man''s. "Yes, honey?" God damn it I want to hang up right now. Instead, I bottled the venom inside and said in the sweetest voice possible, "Can Evander please spend the night at your house tonight? I have something I need to take care of urgently."


    A low hum sounded from the phone. "Oh, is that urgent business seeing a man, dear wifey?" I scoffed. "Hardly. A woman passed out dead drunk on me and I''m taking her home right now. I''m going to wait with her until she wakes up to make sure she''s okay." He seemed to ponder for a moment. "Is this woman a lesbian?" I scowled into my phone. "No. Would that matter?"


    He made an affirmative sound. "Of course it matters. I can''t have someone taking advantage of my wifey. Anywaaays, I''ll let your son stay if you do one thing." I hesitated. "What thing?" He chuckled at my nervousness. "Just call me hubby once. That''s it."


    Of course it was something stupid like that. Would I be willing to sacrifice my dignity for Evander? "Be good to him¡­ hubby." I immediately hung up, not wanting to hear his laughter. I''m sorry dignity, but my baby''s just too important.

 The Dreaded Question

    The woman''s apartment building was surprisingly extravagant given how young she looked. Is she actually an heiress, or is she that successful? I wonder what her job is¡­


    I reached into her purse once again to find her keys and unlocked the door with her still on my back. It was a bit of a struggle but I finally managed to open the door after a minute or two. I stepped into the apartment, looking desperately for a couch or something to place her down on. Luckily for me, the door opened nearly right into a living area.


    I hobbled over to a white couch and plopped her down onto it. I collapsed on the floor completely out of breath. Physical activity wasn''t my strong suit, to be honest. I peered over at the unconscious woman in wonder. How was she still passed out after being dragged across town, up a set of stairs, and thrown onto a couch? Alcohol can do wonders, I guess. After a long while, she let out a groan and turned towards me with half-lidded eyes.


    "How long was I out?" She looked around the apartment and then shot up off of the couch. "Why am I home?! How did you know where I live?!" I calmly waited for her to stop freaking out. Finally, she sat back down with a weary expression on her face.


    I started to explain, "You''ve been out for maybe two or three hours. For how I knew where you lived, I checked your navigation app for your home address and got your keys from your bag. You should really put a password on your phone, by the way." She nodded and thanked me for taking her home. She asked what my name was and I asked the same of her.


    "My name is Quinn Jones, the next CEO of Bliss Couture. Surely you''ve heard of me, right?" She looked hopeful. I nearly spat out blood at her words. Another Bliss Couture employee? And one that''s in the position I need? I can''t tell if life is going incredibly right for me or incredibly wrong.


    Fleur, maybe I can get revenge for you after all.


    I put on an angelic smile and sat on the couch next to her. "Oh, are you? I have to say that I don''t think that''s a good idea¡­" I trailed off, seeming to not want to say more out of respect. Everyone hates a white lotus, but sometimes it''s necessary to get what you want.


    Sure enough, she took the bait. "What do you mean?" I bit my lip and hesitated. "It''s just that I''ve heard some rumours about Lis Sutcliffe, the head designer, but I''m not sure if you''d want to hear them." She nodded fervently and motioned for me to continue. "I overheard some of Lis''s friends talking at a restaurant, saying that all her designs were actually from her sister. But ever since her sister was kicked out of the family she ran out of designs. All of the clothes being released now are her own work and that''s why everybody hates it so much."


    Quinn looked shocked at that revelation. It''s not completely untrue, so the result won''t change even if she investigated it. She grabbed my shoulders and shook me roughly. "Are you sure?!" She shouted and I had to dodge to avoid her spit. I nodded. "This makes so much sense now that I think about it¡­ What should I do? Should I quit?" She turned to me and repeated that last question. I smiled delicately.


    "I have another idea. How about you come work for me? I''m also a designer for a high-end brand. The problem is that I have no one to be the president for my company yet so I haven''t been able to release any clothes or run a business." I looked into her eyes with the most sincere look I could manage. "Would you please help me?"The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Without giving me an answer, she pulled out her phone. "Hey! Yeah, I know it''s late but I have something important to tell you. I quit! Bye bye!" Then Quinn hung up with a victorious expression on her face. "Well, how did I do?" She looked like a puppy waiting to be praised.


    "Are you sure about this?" I asked, astonished by her behaviour. "You really helped me out tonight, not just by taking me home. You set me on the right track in love and told me how much of a loser the founder of my company is. Truth be told, she was kinda a b*tch anyway. I''m glad to be leaving."


    I shook my head with a breathy chuckle. Quinn''s a complete idiot but I''m sure she can get the job done right for now. Keeping a small business afloat has got to be easier than a large one, right?


    She tilted her head with a questioning look. "What''s the name of your brand anyways?" I shrugged and said I didn''t know. "I was hoping that we could all come up with it together once I have all the people I need on the team. Names aren''t my strong suit and I would rather have one that everyone in our team can identify with."


    Quinn nodded in understanding. Good, I have a stylist and a president, now all I need is a PR Manager. Let''s hope I''ll get lucky and not find another one from Bliss Couture. No matter how bad their recent stuff has been, they''re still a powerful entity with quite a few fans. I don''t want my rowboat to be sunk by a yacht at the very start of my business.


    I left the apartment, debating on where to go. Should I go pick up Evander or go back home and pick him up in the morning? I pulled out my phone and checked the time: 11:16 p.m. Maybe I''ll just let him sleep there¡­


    However, thinking about how lonely the apartment would feel if I slept alone tonight, I quickly hailed a cab and headed off to Lucian''s mansion. It was in Aegean Crest, the richest neighbourhood in all of Aureolin and its surrounding cities. It was on a long cliff over the sea. Only nine houses were ever built and three of them were owned by members of the Fentress family.


    Each individual house was gated here unlike Vermillion Terrace but Lucian had already cleared me for his. The cab dropped me off and I showed the guard my I.D. badge. His expression changed immensely when he saw it. The guard bowed to me and said, "Welcome Ms. Clarielle, I will inform Master Fentress of your arrival immediately." I nodded for him to do so, not intending for this to be a surprise visit.


    I walked the short road to the estate with a sense of hurry. I was anxious to see if Evander was doing fine without me and to take him back home if he wasn''t. Very soon, the grand mansion broke through the trees and I could see the front door swinging open. It was Lucian looking concerned out of his mind.


    He rushed up to meet me and asked, "What''s wrong?! Is everything okay? I thought you would come to pick him up in the morning?" He looked like a frantic mother hen with his worrying. I laughed and responded, "Everything''s fine, I''ve just come to check on Evander. Is he asleep?" Secretly, I was hoping he''d be whining for me.


    But Lucian''s response dashed my hopes. "Yup, he''s out like a light. He''s a good kid¡­" His voice trailed off as he stared at me. I raised an eyebrow and he looked away, rapidly blinking. In the dim lighting, I couldn''t see the blush on his face.


    "So, do you want to come inside?" He asked tentatively. I was about to say no before I realised that I had a question to really ask him. It had been bugging me for a while, but I''ve been too nervous to ask it in fear of the answer. So I just nodded and said, "Yes, please."


    Lucian guided me into the giant house before taking me upstairs. When we had finally reached the third floor, he took me through a door. At this point, I was seriously suspicious of his intentions. Through the door was¡­


    More stairs. Go figure. Just as I was about to ask where the hell we were going, we ended up on the roof. I could feel the cool night air brush past my cheek on its way to the ocean. Lucian guided me to a set of chairs to sit and chat on. When we sat down, I tentatively asked my question:


    "Why do you want to marry me?"

 The Lolita

    Lucian shot a glance towards me with wide eyes, obviously not expecting that question. This time I could see the red on the tips of his ears. He stammered for a bit before composing himself and turned towards me with a serious expression. "Well, I felt an instant attraction when I saw you. Even though I see girls a lot prettier than you often, there''s something about you that''s irresistible." I bristled a little when commented on my looks, but I softened when he said the ending part.


    "But that''s not why I want to marry you, or at least that''s not all of it. The most important part is Luca. I want him to have a mother, one that will be able to care for him and love him unconditionally without any ulterior motives. On that day at the river, I saw how you chose to make sure the kids were safe instead of saving yourself from falling into the river. And then when I heard you scold them in the hospital and somehow made my stubborn son apologise for something he did, I realised that he needed someone like you in his life.


    You''re the first woman I''ve ever met that genuinely cared about Luca. All my previous girlfriends were just pretending to get closer to me, but you don''t even care that he''s my son. For that I want you to stay by his side not as a friend''s mother, but his own mother. That''s the main reason why I want to marry you. Well, that and the fact that I like you." He ended his monologue with a shy smile.


    I can''t believe that it had never hit me that Luca didn''t have a mother. I just assumed that he had a mother that maybe wasn''t married to Lucian, but still took care of him on certain weeks like most divorced couples did.


    I gave him a questioning look, "May I ask what happened to Luca''s mother?" His face contorted to one of anger and pain. "She ran off right after Luca was born saying that she couldn''t raise him without-" He stopped short and fell into deep thought. I let it go, already getting the answer I wanted.


    "I''m sorry but I don''t think I can marry you despite your reasoning. I can and will treat Luca as my own kid, but I''ve vowed to never marry anyone that I don''t love. I''ve seen what it does to people and I will never do that to myself or Evander." When I said that, I realised something. "Besides, do you think you could also be a good father to Evander? I can already tell that you''re not doing a good job with Luca because of how often you''re gone. He''s basically being raised by a butler."


    I had no right to speak, though. I was doing the exact same thing to Evander with all of my jobs and with setting up the company. At least I wasn''t trying to set up my son''s marriage when he''s only six!


    His head drooped as he started twiddling his thumbs. "Blair," he said after a while, "I promise that I''ll make you my wife with my own capabilities one day. You will fall in love with me whether or not you know it yet." I swallowed nervously when he turned his soul-piercing gaze towards me. "And that''s a promise," he concluded. I released a breath I didn''t know I had been holding when he looked up at the stars.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    I stood up when he didn''t speak for a while, ready to go home. My impression of Lucian really changed tonight. I guess he isn''t as much as a perverted idiot shorty as I thought. Well, he''s still a shorty but he''s definitely more serious than I thought. More of my type¡­ I shook that thought from my head.


    He got up after me and said, "You should probably stay here for the night. It''s gotten too late for it to be safe on the city streets. Besides, your apartment''s so far away so it would be better to just sleep here." He looked genuinely worried for me. I refused his offer, saying jokingly, "Who knows if you might take pictures of me while I was sleeping or something weird like that?"


    I was expecting him to laugh, but all he did was freeze with a guilty expression. No way, was he really going to¡­? I shuddered at that thought and gave Lucian the look of a kicked puppy. He chuckled and scratched the back of his head, obviously trying to cover up his guilt.


    "You know what, I''ll just send you back with one of my drivers. You don''t have to come to pick up Evander in the morning either, I''ll send him back as well." I wanted to leave right away, but instead, I asked if I could see my son before I left. He nodded and took me back downstairs to the second floor. He said that they were in the room at the end of the hall.


    I peeked in to see two children asleep on a bunk bed, Luca on the top one and Evander on the bottom. I smiled seeing my baby so at peace even when in someone else''s home. I guess I didn''t need to accompany him everywhere anymore for him to feel safe.


    After peeking inside, I closed the door as quietly as possible and went down to the front door. A tall woman was already waiting there for me. Lucian was nowhere to be seen, probably because he was sulking somewhere.


    I followed the woman outside to the car and quickly got in, eager to go home after a long stressful day.


    _(©´¡¸¦Å</img>">_? And a skip~


    It was the middle of the afternoon when a "gift" arrived from Lucian. It was now Sunday and I was at home with my son enjoying the rare calm.


    An insistent knocking on the door roused me from my designing. I looked towards Evander who also seemed curious. Guess it wasn''t Luca then or else he would''ve immediately answered it. I peered out of the peephole and saw a short woman standing there impatiently. She tried looking into the peephole but scowled when she couldn''t. Who the hell is this¡­?


    I pulled open the door and she shouldered past me without saying hello. I stood there in shock, worried that we were about to get robbed by a girl with a lolita-style dress and straight-across bangs. Suddenly, she turned around a shoved a note towards me. "Here, it''s from my boss."


    I opened it up with shaking hands. ''Meet your new PR manager, Alicia Hayes. I heard you hadn''t gotten one yet so I decided to help you out a little. Count it as my dowry.  ~Your Hubby''


    I immediately tore up the note and threw it in the trash. Alicia didn''t seem surprised. She probably already read the note before she came here. "Alright Ms. Clarielle, this better not end up being a complete demotion for me. Mr. Fentress is already handling my income because I''m definitely too much for you to afford right now." I was going to protest before I realised it was probably true.


    That point aside, I finally have all the people I need to start my company! I have the young master stylist, the hopeless romantic CEO, and the lolita PR Manager. All I have to do is find out which property Lucian gave me as part of the contract and finally come up with a brand name with the team.


    My dreams are finally coming true...

 Epic, Legend, Chronicle

    I stood in front of the shop that Lucian had given me with a twitching smile on my face. Are you serious? I eyed the giant store in the centre of the mall with wide eyes. I checked the text I had gotten from Lucian after Alicia arrived: ''Alicia will take you to the shop that was mentioned in the contract. The furnishings are already provided and it''s already been staffed. All of these expenses, as well as the rental for the shop, has been added to your loan. Good luck with your work! ~ Your Devoted Hubby'' Underneath the text was a long string of numbers. This was the current loan cost?! You have to be kidding me!


    I tossed the amount to the back of my mind and unlocked the shop doors. I''ll worry about paying it back when we actually start making a profit. The store was decorated extravagantly with a simple white, grey, and cream colour scheme and reserved modern furniture. It had an undeniable aura of class and charisma. I have to admit, it looks amazing. Empty clothing racks littered the tiled floor. Mirrors were conveniently placed next to all the ready-to-wear racks. I should''ve known that a prolific member of the fashion industry would know exactly what to do to get the most sales.


    There was a set of stairs at the very back of the store right next to the storage room. I walked up them curiously. When I reached the top, I realised it was an actually an office space! This was great because I hadn''t rented one out yet. It was fairly small but perfect for a company that was just starting out.


    Once I was done inspecting everything, I returned to Alicia who was waiting patiently by the door. "Done?" She asked drily. I nodded, telling her that we''ll all meet on Wednesday to discuss how we''re going to start. I texted the other two on the team to notify them. I could barely contain my giddiness. This is it, I''m finally going to become a real designer!


    _(©´¡¸¦Å:}_? And a skip~


    When Wednesday finally rolled around, I met with Emory, Quinn, and Alicia in the office. Quinn and I discussed having the ready-to-wear designs start being put in production soon so we could open by next Friday with a full stock. Emory presented the designs he had chosen and pointed out the mistakes on the intentionally flawed ones. As expected, he couldn''t resist correcting them. Perfect.


    Alicia showed me the website that she had set up. Sadly, no designs were posted yet but they would be soon. She also sent out a Chirp that announced our up-and-coming grand opening on her person Chirper. Of course, no name was mentioned yet because we simply didn''t have one. Everything was falling perfectly in place. We continued to discuss until finally, we had reached our final problem.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Now, what should our name be?" I asked. Everyone at the table immediately starting arguing. I shut them up forcefully and told them each to write down their names on a piece of paper. When each one was finally passed to me, I read them aloud. "So we have Oleander, Heaven''s Gate Designs, and Elite. Or should I say the poisonous flower, the cult, and the socks? C''mon is this the best you all have?"


    Quinn turned to me with an affronted gaze. "Well, what do you have?" I froze and realised that I hadn''t actually thought of anything. I just stayed silent. Emory then asked, "What do you think our name should sound like? Should it end in something like Couture or Designs, or should it just be one word?" Now, this I actually had an answer to.


    "It should be a one-word, easy to pronounce and spell name. Also, there needs to be an epic feel to it. I want people to feel inspired when they hear it!" We all fell into thought before Quinn piped up again. "How about we just call it Epic?" I shook my head instantaneously. "That''s way too cheesy."


    Alicia then said, "What about Legend?" I said no again. It just didn''t have that feel I was wanting... When Emory suggested Chronicle, I realised the perfect name. "Guys, what word is synonymous to epic, legend, and chronicle?" Alicia caught my meaning immediately and so did Emory. "Saga!" They both said at once. I pulled out my phone and opened up my browser.


    "Saga: a long story of heroic achievement/any narrative or legend of heroic exploits. It''s perfect! We want to be the heroes of the fashion industry and dominate it for many years to come." I took a look at all their faces before breaking out into a grin. "Most importantly though, it sounds cool as hell." That gained me the cheers I had been hoping for.


    I told Alicia to update the website and create a social media account under our name. I also made sure she started publicizing accordingly. Then, I turned to Quinn and instructed her to get a sign made for the store and to send the ready-made designs the Emory had chosen off to get put into production. Emory already knew to continue working through the designs he had been given, so I just waved him off while telling him to ask me if he had any questions.


    Looking out the window, I noticed that the sun had started to set. I decided to head home and cook a big meal for my baby in celebration of my new success.


    _(©´¡¸¦Å:}_? And a skip~


    Once Blair had left, Emory turned to Quinn with a nervous look. "You didn''t tell her about our history, did you?" Quinn stiffened at the question. "Of course I didn''t, why would I? I didn''t even know you worked here until tonight." She looked like she was on the verge of tears.


    Emory ignored her expression and simply said, "Good. Don''t ever tell her about what happened between us back then. If you do¡­" He trailed off threateningly. She shuddered. "Here are the approved ready-to-wear designs. I''ll get the edited ones to you once I''m done with them." Emory handed her a folder and she took it with shaky hands. She was careful not to touch his fingers and practically ripped the folder away from him in nervousness.


    He walked out of the office leisurely, not even aware that Quinn had burst into tears when he turned his back. But she knew that he wouldn''t care even if he had seen them. Not after how much pain she had caused him before.