C'est la vie - A Collection

Avarcia • Part 2

I snuggled deeper into the velvety bedding, unwilling to part ways with its comforting embrace. The alarm clock on my bedside table had already snoozed twice, failing to rouse me at the intended 6:00 am. You see, I should have mentioned this earlier, but Luna-yes, that's me-possessed the sleeping habits of a cat. I could curl up and snooze for hours, though you wouldn't want to mess with the tigress I became once I woke up.

Beside the fireplace in my room stood a polished coffee table, upon which my trusty backpack awaited. The small sofa set surrounding it had become a temporary resting place for my jacket, while my shoes and socks littered the soft gray wool carpets. Kai, being the thoughtful person he was, had stocked my wardrobe with cozy clothes of my choice and filled the mini fridge near the sofa with an array of sweet treats he thought I might enjoy.

Turning onto my back, I gazed up at the pristine white ceiling, halfheartedly attempting to lull myself back to sleep. But my phone's persistent chiming shattered any hope of drifting off again. I rubbed the bedding absentmindedly, hoping to stumble upon my phone. Finally, my fingertips grazed its shiny surface.

"Two missed calls and 30 messages? She probably thinks I'm dead."

I soon found my answer as my phone began vibrating violently, indicating an incoming call from Lexi.

"Where the hell were you?" Her high-pitched voice pierced through the phone, prompting me to hold it at arm's length to protect my eardrums.

"You sent me to this hell. Why ask now?"

"Thought you were dead."

"Seems like you had serious doubts about him torturing me." A chuckle escaped my lips as I heard Lexi's tense voice on the other end.

"You're not funny, you know?"

It was my first morning at Kai's place.

After my conversation with Lexi, I finally managed to gather the willpower to get out of bed. I headed to the bathroom in my grand room, expecting no surprises. I treated myself to a relaxing hot bath, allowing the warmth to seep into my bones. Once refreshed, I chose a pair of black dress pants and a loose purple turtleneck sweater from the selection in my closet. I swiftly pulled my hair up into a messy bun and made my way to the coffee table, eager to locate my shoes.

Before leaving, I reached into my backpack and pulled out my brown leather book-the diary that held my thoughts and secrets. Scribbling a quick note, I returned it to its place and slung the backpack over my shoulder. I descended the stairs, hopeful for a breakfast feast that had become a distant memory.

I couldn't help but reminisce about the days when rich people in their opulent mansions would indulge in delectable food for all three meals and snacks. That had been my life too, until I turned five.

Kai was taken aback by my sudden decision to stay with him. Despite having offered to take care of me before, I had always declined. But now, having me back seemed like an early Christmas gift to Kai.

He was well aware of the reasons behind my expulsion from the hostel school-my smoking in the dorm that inadvertently caused a fire. With no place to stay and the orphanage refusing to keep me, I had no choice but to accept the two options presented by the orphanage authorities: find a legal guardian or fend for myself. Reluctantly, I agreed to stay with Kai, assuring him that he would pay for his past sins. No amount of wealth or power could change my decision to distance myself from anything and everything related to the Kassel name.

From my perspective, it had taken far too long for Kassel to come back into my life. Ever since Kai ran away from the orphanage, he had made a promise to himself to retrieve me. Yet, from the pages of my calendar, it seemed he had taken his sweet time fulfilling that promise.