The Price of Gold | Fortune's Fool #1

45.5 | embrace the desolation

• [ e m b r a c e   t h e   d e s o l a t i o n ] •

♥ louisa ♥

"MUM! DAD!" I shouted as I strolled down the stairs exuding confidence. Julia and the other maids rushed out to the hallway in alarm; I gave my blonde friend a hearty smile that read get ready for a scene in response to her confused look.

My mother came first, stalking out the living room with her dark brown hair loose for once. "What is this havoc you're causing, Louisa? Lower your voice, please. The neighbours will complain."

I was tempted to remind her that the walls were soundproof but let it slide. Her accusing eyes moved to Lexi who was standing on the stairs beside me.

My mother had never seen her before and took this as an opportunity to drill through her, oddly startled when the blue-eyed vixen boldly held eye contact. She shot her a long, curious look - although she was one step higher than me, Lexi's petite stature meant that our heights were level and in harmony.

Earlier, when I had told Lexi that my parents were prohibiting me from breaking off my engagement with Logan, she had immediately backed me. I guess she understood what it felt like when your parents refused to accept your own decision.

"What's going on, Louisa?" A loud voice boomed as heavy feet slapped against the floor. "I happened to be on a very important business call with our partners in China when you-"

Dad looked as if he'd just seen a ghost.

He had frozen on the spot in his coal-black suit that easily cost a couple ten thousands, his right hand clutching a mobile phone and the left tightened into a fist. I relished his impending doom, noticing a layer of recollection shut over his eyes as he remembered her.

"L-Lexi? What are you doing here?"

Lexi turned her head towards me, silently asking for permission as her unnaturally large lips pulled upwards into a smirk. I nodded sharply at her, my facial expressions mirroring hers.

It was time to embrace the desolation that secrets could cause.

Lexi proceeded to seductively sashay down the marble stairs. "Oh my! What a coincidence. Long time no see, Edward baby."

It sounded a million times more provocative due to her high pitched nasal voice. I felt my lips twitch upwards when I caught Lexi shoot him a three-second long alluring wink with her mouth open.

My long legs began moving again when I descended the stairs. The plan was playing out exactly as I intended it to. My mother would soon realise that I didn't just have the looks but the brains too.

"I-I-" He stuttered in disbelief whilst I savoured the look of shock on Dad's face after glancing at my garnet nails. They shone as if they were dripping liquid crystal.

For some reason, I'd been drawn to red recently.

Mum wasn't oblivious and had certainly caught on the fact that she was missing something. "Someone explain to me right now what is going on." Her puncturing eyes landed on me as she continued demanding, "Louisa, I'm talking to you."

"Oh, nothing serious. I just thought I'd introduce you to my friend Lexi Walton," I grated in a relaxed tone, watching my mother get even angrier.

God, I was turning into Gabriel.

It didn't bother me that Mum wasn't interested in what I was saying because she had picked up on the battle of gazes between Lexi and my father. The sound of her voice was encased in a tough sternness as she attacked my Dad. "Do you know her, Edward? Why are you so shaken up? You've gone pale."