Missing Princess of Xenoa

Deux

As I walked downstairs, the soft glow of the evening lights illuminated the grand foyer, casting a warm ambiance over the space. My eyes scanned the room, and that's when I saw him— a guy standing with a girl who looked eerily familiar. I furrowed my brow, trying to place her face among my memories.

'Have I seen her before? Or is it just someone who bears a striking resemblance?' I wondered, my curiosity piqued.

Before I could ponder further, the guy suddenly appeared beside me, his tall frame towering over mine.

"Miss Iaxah Jaix, we need to discuss something important," he said, his deep voice commanding my attention.

A crease formed on my forehead as I wondered who these people were and what they wanted.

"I didn't come to the Philippines to discuss business, and besides, I'm an actress and a supermodel, not a businesswoman," I said, gesturing for them to sit down with a wave of my hand.

The girl spoke up, her voice gentle but firm. "It's not about business, Miss Jaix. It's about you."

Confusion washed over my face as I tried to understand what she meant. "Wait, who are you? And what do you mean 'about me'?" I asked, my voice laced with skepticism.

The girl introduced herself as Zhasienne Carmille Reyes and her companion, Kalix Troy Dreyar, while the guy who had appeared earlier, named Azrael Nick Villareal, remained silent, his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made me feel uneasy.

"We're here to tell you about your real identity, which your adoptive mom, Reianne, has hidden from you for almost 19 years."

The words hit me like a ton of bricks, leaving me breathless. "Reianne is not my mother," I protested, my voice rising in defiance. "My mother is Savannah."

Kalix's expression remained emotionless, but Zhasienne's eyes widened in surprise.

"Savannah? She changed her name, huh?" Kalix whispered, his words piercing the air like a dagger.

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I demanded to know who they were.

"We're the Alphas..." Azrael began, but Kalix cut him off with a glare, his eyes flashing with warning.

Zhasienne was on the verge of speaking when Azrael Nick's phone suddenly rang, shattering the tense silence that had settled over us.

"Oh, excuse me," he said, his voice apologetic as he stepped aside to answer the call.

Zhasienne's gaze followed him, her eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and expectation, as if waiting for him to reveal what the call was about. Meanwhile, Kalix remained emotionless, his expression unreadable as he stood with his arms crossed, his eyes fixed on some unknown point in the distance.

As Azrael returned, his expression was serious, and his voice was low and urgent. "Gago, tol, Alissy and Razer are heading to the city," he said, his words dripping with an air of importance. "They're looking for us."

Zhasienne's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and she asked, "Why would they look for us? We've already told them everything."

Azrael's response was straightforward, "They want to join us."

I couldn't help but think, 'Why am I even listening to them?'

The conversation seemed to be unfolding without my input, and I felt like a mere spectator, watching the exchange between these three individuals with growing disinterest. Kalix, however, seemed to have made up his mind. In a cold, detached tone, he said, "Let's meet them in the city," and without waiting for anyone's response, he turned and walked away, his long strides eating up the distance.

The other two followed suit, leaving me standing there, feeling abandoned and confused. "No thanks? Seriously? No explanation? No goodbye?" I thought to myself, a mixture of frustration and annoyance simmering beneath the surface. They had just left me hanging, without even the courtesy of an excuse or a farewell. It was as if I was nothing more than a minor inconvenience, a blip on their radar that they could dismiss at will.

Later, as I sat on the beach, watching the sunset paint the sky with hues of orange and pink, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. The cool breeze caressed my skin, carrying the sweet scent of saltwater and tropical flowers. I rummaged my hand through the white sand, searching for something, anything, to distract me from the turmoil brewing inside.

That's when I heard a voice behind me. "The place is beautiful, isn't it?"

I turned to see the guy I'd met earlier, standing behind me, his eyes sparkling with warmth.

"Yeah," I answered softly.

"I'm Eric Casquejo," he introduced. I smiled but didn't say a word.

We chatted, and he mentioned that I looked familiar. I explained that I'd grown up in France and hadn't been to the Philippines in a while.

Eric's expression turned intense, and he whispered, "I'm sure I've seen you before... or maybe it's your twin." His eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "A doppelganger!"

I was taken aback by his outburst, and I laughed it off, thinking he might be a bit eccentric. As we continued talking, Eric introduced himself and mentioned that he knew who I was.

"You're Iaxah Jaix, the famous actress and supermodel in France," he said, eyeing me from head to toe with a gaze that was both admiring and playful.

I smiled wryly, aware of my fame, but Eric's confidence and flamboyance were something else.

"Oh well, you're beautiful, but I'm even more stunning," he said, flipping his bangs with a flourish. I rolled my eyes good-naturedly, thinking that he was indeed a bit crazy, but his energy was infectious, and I found myself laughing along with him.

'He's indeed crazy.'

@philaryx_2022