WHAT COMES AFTER THE END OF THIS

Chapter 80

Chapter 80

Yrene's PoV

"Lyssy this is a terrible idea." I pleaded with my three best friends, currently dragging me across the streets of Oxford; that too, in a blood maroon silk with a plunging neckline, a thigh high slit with off shoulder sleeves and six inch Christian Louboutins red bottoms. One of Alyssa's fashion designer had a new collection coming out this Christmas and Alyssa, being Alyssa, had signed Aelin, Katie and I as the faces of the upcoming collection. Why me? Well, because Alyssa thought I was 'oh so pretty, and who better to model for a new designer than the family of already renowned fashion designers like Michele and my mother.' Somehow, the three of them had convinced me with their,
"Nini, Katie and I are doing it too!"
"It's been so long since we wore dresses to model and not to fancy annual parties!"
"The dresses are so exquisite, Nene! You'll love them!" Not going to lie that had been my selling point. I loved dresses, but who didn't?

So now, the three of us were walking down the streets of Oxford, wth out hair and makeup done to the utmost perfection, while the passer by's ogled at us. The campaign was set in Oxford due to the area's scenic beauty and history of the ancient castle, to aid the concept of 'revival of royalty' which was also the name of the collection and the reason for the glittering gold and maroon ruby combs in my hair.

As we strutted to the awaiting photographer, he almost dropped the camera,
"Marvellous! Lyss, they are beautiful."
I recognised the accent as French and his walk as a born and bred Parisians; clearly Alyssa had hired her private photographer considering she was now more French than English, having moved there a few months ago.

"Marcùs, these are my friends..." She introduced all of us to the awestruck man with the camera.
"Will you keep on gawking or will you start with the shoot, Valentine has trusted you a lot with this shoot to not have come down here with you, don't let him down. Or me." She gives him a hard, 'no bullshit!' glare, and we all start to mould our faces into  various poses.

"Give me one smile! One more! Perfecto!" The photographer was doing Alyssa's solo shoot and soon enough it would be my turn.
"Aaannnddd we are done!" Alyssa's assistant gave her a cocktail and her team went on to wipe the non existent sweat on her brow.
"Yrene, darling come over so we can start."
I had been dreading this very moment, my insecurities were about to resurface but I grit my teeth through it and stepped in front of the camera. With one hand on my waist and the large blow fan making my hair spread around me and the skirt of one side of the dress swelling with air and looking more beautiful than ever, I felt confident. I struck poses like never before and I felt the limelight on me, a few of the by standers took out their own phones and recorded the shoot.

"Walk for me, darling! Strut like you own the world!"
I obliged him and I was walking down the street in full model mode that I didn't even see him standing there. Awestruck. Shocked. But not more than me.
~*~
Chase's PoV

She was the mot beautiful creature that I had ever laid my eyes on, four years had passed and still the beauty that I had seen first coated the features. I was viewing her from afar, admiring the beauty in that sinful dress. As she parted her lips in an exotic pose and closed her eyes, I almost jumped out of my skin to kiss her senseless, but I didn't. I couldn't.  I was glued to the spot. When she strutted in my direction, I still couldn't move and when she crashed into me a that instant, all else disappeared, the world dissolved, and it was just me and her wrapped in my arms.

It was like de ja vu. My medieval princess, queen rather, was back in my arms, right where she belonged. Her bluer than blue eyes, like sapphires burning bright, looked at me with haze clouding them, until recognition kicked in and the haze was replaced by millions of questions. Never before had I seen so many emotions, so many questions pass across someone's face, so much hurt, so much pain. It cracked my heart in two to know that I had been the cause of it. Her shock was such that she remained in my arms for a few more minutes before finally pushing me away. She pushed me away with a force so great for a woman her size that I stumbled a few steps and let go of her. She ran then. In six inch heels, she just ran away. Her friends called after her, the photographer whined about her having not completed one of the shots but she payed them no heed whatsoever. She had escaped from me like sand escapes through the gap between the fingers when enclosed in a fist. In frustration I turned around to face her friends, all their mouths were hanging open from their hinges. Aelin was the first to speak,
"Sir?"
I was slightly uncomfortable with the use of the word 'sir' but I tried to not show it.
"Aelin." I was bouncing uncomfortably on my heels and they sensed it and so answered the question that still remained unasked.
"Forget it. She'll never come back. Never. But tell us, why are you here?"
"Business."
"Can you stop lying now, at least?"
"I am not lying, I'm serious."
"Okay, so it's settled then: you're not here to see Yrene so we can go and tell her it's tell her okay to come out. Right?"
What? No. No. No. That's not okay! It's not right! I was here for Yrene and her alone. To fuck with business. As they made to walk away, I stopped them.