To Love A Maiden: An Enemies To Friends To Lovers Romance ✓

Chapter 7 - Celeste

Angel had almost pushed back all of what happened last night to the back of her mind, including the nightmare. And as she prepared to head out to school, she felt almost as good as new.

Although it had taken her another thirty minutes before she could go back to sleep last night after returning to the room she shared with Mel, she was determined to thrive through the day, even though she might have to drink some of that caffeine - free energy drink that the Kingsley's had always supplied their employees.

She loved the drink, but she always had to remind herself that it was for the consumption of every employee in the household and not just her.

She met Mel on her way and the two waved each other goodbye before Angel walked out of the employee quarters. When she got outside and in the large parking area, she contemplated on whether or not to ask Taylor to drive her to school. But seeing that she wasn't really late, she opted to get an Uber instead. She was just done ordering the Uber when she saw Taylor from her side eye, jogging up to meet her as she approached the main gate.

"Hey, Angel! Want a ride?" 

Angel stopped to turn to him fully. "No, I'm good today. I already ordered an Uber."

She watched as he chuckled. "You are so stubborn, aren't you?"

She frowned, crossing her arms across her chest. "Why? I don't need the ride."

Taylor raised both hands in surrender. "I'm just saying. Mrs Kingsley wouldn't mind, and it's not like you're getting it for free per se. You work here."

"It doesn't matter." She replied impatiently, catching a glimpse of the way he was looking at her now. 

She shifted underneath his gaze. Out of all the drivers and security guards that worked at the Kingsley's, Taylor was the one who always approached her freely like he considered her his friend. But Angel knew that he looked at her differently like the way he was looking at her now. She just wasn't ready for anything like that at the moment.

The truth was, she wasn't sure if she would ever be.

But then again at the back of her mind, somewhere deep down, she found the image of another person lurking in it, like she didn't need to think too far or too deeply about him because just last night, she'd bumped into him again. 

Why was he invading her thoughts now?

She swallowed at the feel of being in his presence yesterday; the way his gray eyes had searched her face as if he was looking for something. It was weird, but Angel felt like it was also oddly satisfying. 

She didn't know what to think about that. But she also couldn't shake this feeling that she shouldn't think about it.

She blinked twice when she found Taylor's gaze resting on her again.

"I'm good, Taylor, honestly. Thanks."

He placed both his hands in his pocket and nodded at her with a smile. "So, I guess I'll see you later?" He asked, one hand now placed at the back of his head.

Angel mentally shook her head. "I'll be back to work before dinner time." She responded.

Taylor nodded and then left her, making sure she was really good before he went and joined the other drivers in servicing the cars just further along the elevated podium where Angel had collided with Cristiano last night. 

When Tan, one of the security guards, saw her approach the gate, he quickly went and opened it for her. But Angel was not at all prepared for who was at the gate - a tall blonde woman who looked no less that 5'10" with her long tanned legs exposed in the slit of the black dress she had on. Angel blinked twice, her mind wondering where she might have seen this woman before. But before she could act on the thought, she heard the woman's voice. 

"Are you just going to stand there and block my path?" 

Angel took a step back and made way for the woman to enter the gate, not sure who she might be. But before the gate slid shut, she heard one of the security guards's voice.

"Miss Celeste. You're welcome. This way, please."

And that was when Angel remembered. The woman had frequented the house quite often to come see Hano. Maybe she was his girlfriend? Or maybe she was one of the women he had a thing with - she wasn't sure. But it wasn't her business. 

She released a sigh of relief when her Uber driver pulled up. 

~~

"Celeste!" Hano greeted when he stepped into one of the drawing rooms. The two shared a quick embrace, and Celeste sat down, crossing her long legs and placing her purse on the space next to her on the couch. 

"What can I get for you?" Hano asked with a wide smile plastered on his face.

Celeste relaxed back on the couch, a bored expression on her face. "Anything strong would do just fine. But where is Cristiano? You said he is usually here in the morning." She shook her head and muttered to herself, "I can't believe he didn't tell me he was back in the country."

She pulled away blond tendrils from her face to the back of her ear.

Hano came back with a bottle of Negroni and two small glasses. After filling both glasses with ice cubes, he turned back around to face her, pouring the drink into one of the glasses and extending it to her.

She received it and took a sip while Hano filled a glass for himself and sat on the chair across from her.

"You would think he'd tell me immediately he got back in town. And it's been almost a week." Celeste scoffed.

Hano smiled at her. Everyone except Cristiano himself knew that Celeste had a thing for him.

But Cristiano and Celeste had always been childhood friends. And when Cristiano began going to boarding school at the age of fifteen, Celeste felt her heart crushed. Even though Cristiano didn't stay in touch with her consistently, the woman had been consistent in visiting and attending the functions that the Kingsley's organized in the mansion. But Hano knew that she only attended in hopes that Cristiano would show up one day. 

The past eleven years proved her wrong.

"Oh you know Cristiano is always busy. He is only here for about a year, and when his project is over, he'd be gone again. Who knows when next he'd show his face around here." He said dryly, raising the glass to his lips.

Celeste rolled her eyes.

"Why don't you give him a call now that you are here?" Hano suggested.

At the sound of that, her face brightened up. "That sounds like a good idea." She said, lowering the glass on a side table and picking up her phone. After dialing Cristiano's number and waiting for it to ring, she was met with disappointment when it said it was unavailable. 

She slammed her phone on the couch. 

"Did he change his number again?" She asked, and Hano didn't miss the frustration in her voice.

Cristiano had changed his personal number twice in the last two years. So the question wasn't surprising to Hano who just chuckled lightly and shook his head.

"What's funny?" Celeste asked, the irritation glazing her tone.

"Nothing. He probably did. I rarely called him these past few years. We only spoke on Zoom and emailed most of the time, so I honestly wouldn't know, but here -" Hano lowered his own glass and pulled out his phone. He then began texting Celeste the number he had on his phone for Cristiano.

After doing that, a smile creased his face when he spoke again. "Why don't you come to the Function we are hosting this Friday? Cristiano will be there."

~~

So, Celeste, huh?
What do you guys think of her?👀

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See you soon.

Love,
Pri. xoxo