Though she had
been reborn in this world as Amandine Leroux and lived as such since her birth,
in her first lifetime, the one she remembered anyway, she had gone by the name
Fung Hui Qing and had been the most favored consort of the emperor. Her days
and that of her family had been good but at the end, when the emperor got sick,
her enemies finally trapped her and she got killed under the pretext of having bewitched his majesty and using shady means to orchestrate the fall of great
houses. That was actually… quite true. However, she wasn’t more guilty than
those people were innocent.
Nonetheless, once closing her eyes for what she thought to be the last time, death
didn’t come but a voice did. As she stood in utter darkness, not even her
fingers could be seen, someone or something gave her the option to restart her
life, to repay the kindness given and avenge the wrongs experienced and indeed, Fung Hui
Qing had many grievances to sate and unhesitantly agreed. It didn’t matter
what the entity which came to her was, so long as she could, even if just for
the briefest time, go back to that time.
After her
agreement, she wasn’t given many details, just that she had to collect things
from different worlds. So long as she willed it, a board would appear to
explain the world she was in, the item she had to retrieve, the person giving
the item and who her own person was supposed to be. It was that simple or it
sounded that simple anyway.
So long as she acted
her part she thought, she would definitely get the chance to go back.
The next moment,
she was waking up while a woman was giving birth and she had just become the newborn
infant. Being an infant made many things easier, for this world was a bit
disconcerting at first. There was no emperor, no palace, things as she knew
them, didn’t exist, even the clothing was different.
Technology was
expanding, cars were everywhere on the street, no horses to be seen, phones could
be used to contact people miles away. And the latest invention was that of smaller computers. Everything around just let her understand that she didn't really belong here.
The scent waft
from the pan, she turned off the fire and dressed the table. Everything ready, she
wondered if she should directly head to wake him up or let him sleep some more.
Though in her mind he should rest, the man had talked about a meeting this
morning or something like that when they were dining yesterday night.
She didn’t have
to debate for long, strong arms embraced her from behind, a chin nuzzling in
her neck while a husky voice murmured good morning to her. She laughed, softly
putting hands over his arms nestling closer, she tilted her head to kiss his
cheek and whispered a good morning back.
His breath had a
trace of mint and his skin, the scent of soap. She wondered when exactly he
entered the bathroom, she didn’t hear him at all, was she too engrossed in making the
breakfast?
“What do we have
here? Called for a takeaway already?” There were teasing and mirth in his voice.
He released her
to inspect the table closer and Amandine could thus take a clearer look at him.
She had turned on the light when waking up but since the sun was already peeking
its head up, the room didn’t really need it anymore.
Alexandros had
already taken a bath and changed into another set of clothes. Not the one from the
night before but one of those she had in her closet. They were together for two
years almost three now, so there were some of his belonging in her apartment
and she had some of hers in various of his apartment as well. He had worn his black
pants’ suit and a white shirt but had yet to tie a tie or put a vest on it. He
pulled a chair and sat, chin on his hand as he looked at her. There was also a towel
that he had draped over his shoulder after wiping his hair apparently, but the
black moss wasn’t completely dry yet and was still dampening the white material.
She increased the
radio’s sound a bit for the morning news was playing before taking place in front
of him. The table only takes two chairs but it was big enough to not feel
cramped. Though her apartment wasn’t as ridiculously spacious as his, it was
quite impressive for one person to live in so she was satisfied.
The person was
already up and had already taken a bath but his eyes were slightly red and were
screaming lack of sleep.
“You should have
taken your breakfast first before brushing your teeth,” she said ruefully,
looking at the full cup of orange juice she had served for them both.
He laughed
slightly, as though considering she was being silly and took a mouthful of the
juice. She cringed at his place and didn’t care anymore. Usually, he would just
take his black coffee and not even glanced at the juice, this time it was
deliberate.
She lazily watched
him eat, not even bothering to cover it up. Both hands under her chin, her
elbows on the table, looking straight at him. He sure had a good appetite
making her feel that cooking for him was never a waste. He always ate heartily.
Accustomed to her stares already, he didn’t even pipe a word today. He wasn’t much of a talker when
eating anyway.
She looked on as
he finished his slices of bread and finally took a sip of coffee. That was when
she asked,
“How long will
you be around?”
“A month or so,
it on depends on how it goes with the contract. And you?”
“Oh, I should be
in the country for two months, I believe. Slowing down a bit to catch some
sleep. Those last six months drained me too much.”
“The filming is over? How very wonderful, doesn't that mean your schedule will be more flexible?"
She smirked, crossing her feet under the table, "Why? Did Mr. Andreou think of a way to occupy my time?"
"A very satisfying may indeed" he too reply with a smile before sighing regretfully, "A pity the one with less amount of time now will be me.”
A peal of laughers escaped her lips, "now, now, isn't working until the wee hours of the morn what used to be your most favorite past time?"
"You're unkind," he seemingly pouted.
"Oh dear," she mockingly exclaimed, then she cut a part of her omelet to put in his plate, "here a proof of my very profound kindness."
He merrily shook his head at her antics, a smile on his lips as he sipped his coffee, then swept more energetically his hair before hanging the towel on the chair while getting up. As she ate her breakfast, she looked on as he put on his tie, then his jacket before retrieving his cartable from the side of the room where she put it this morning.
Eating, she asked, “Could you happen to be available on next Tuesday's night? A friend of mine is holding a party and I have no one to accompany me.”
He smiled
apologetically and kissed her temple. “I don't think I will. But gift her something in my place.”
He took out his
check, wrote an arrogant figure full of zeros before putting it on the table near her hand.
"Aren't you generous for a simple gift?" She said, gazing at the slip of paper.
“Also to cover
for the clothes I have ripped, but, Cara," he said huskily near her ear, "you look so beautiful without a stitch
on, it’s a crime not to show it.”
She gulped her mouthful and laughingly replied,
“Oh, should I go
for a nude model next time? I have received so many demands for it lately. Advertisements nowadays seem to think that the less their models wear, the better,”
His smile froze as he saw that she was really considering it.
“That-”
“Why? Would you
be jealous?”
He didn’t talk
but merely smiled and Amandine smiled back.
No matter what world, men, whether they liked the woman or not, so long as she was theirs they would be possessive. On what basis did he think he should be, when she, she wasn't supposed to have any sort of desire regarding him? He kissed her cheek and wished her a good day before leaving. It wasn't like she was serious about it anyway and if she was, he would never be the reason she would accept or refuse. She did always do things as she liked.
No matter what world, men, whether they liked the woman or not, so long as she was theirs they would be possessive. On what basis did he think he should be, when she, she wasn't supposed to have any sort of desire regarding him? He kissed her cheek and wished her a good day before leaving. It wasn't like she was serious about it anyway and if she was, he would never be the reason she would accept or refuse. She did always do things as she liked.
Amandine’s good mood didn’t diminish at all. Not to say, but the man was skilled in bed if only for that she was ready to forgive how he ignored her just now. Anyway, his behavior wasn’t strange the least. Amandine was his mistress. Not a girlfriend. That supposed something else. A lot more feelings maybe and a possible future. That wasn’t the case in this relationship. What they had was something a bit more than friends with benefits but less than a couple. They were exclusive to each other but feelings weren’t supposed to be involved.
Though Alexandros
Andreou was one of the children of fate, she, she was but a mere stepping stone in
his relationship with the woman he would come to love for real, Emilia
Armstrong. She, Amandine, was that catalyst which would spark the woman’s jealousy and unveiled Alexandros’
love for her.
Her task wasn't overly detailed but rather just some few points were mentioned when looking up to the transparent blue board: to become an actress, to marry one of her co-partner in one of her film/series, to divorce, to go out
with Alexandros Andreou, then finally, to receive from him that diamond necklace.
Why was she
supposed to be a divorcee before courting him? Simple, because divorcees weren’t marrying materials
around here. They could be played around with but ultimately had to be discarded. Lest the man took their relationship into the real deal.
Her mocking smile
still on her face, she looked at the generous amount he put on the check and wondered a
bit if she should go out today to spend it. She wasn’t a miser, by any means.
Her work was doing quite well actually. However, it came to her understanding
that it was a mistress’ role to be a spendthrift, and mostly, spend the man’s
money. So, why not? He had the money to thank her for the pleasure she gave
anyway, not stingy the least. He liked giving and, she didn’t mind helping him spend!
She activated the transparent blue board and looked at the
jewelry in the image in front of her. It was the necklace she was supposed to be given. Those diamonds really were magnificent,
she had to admit, still, she didn’t understand why he gave that as a parting
gift. What was he doing giving people diamond as a breakup gift, wasn’t diamond
supposed to define eternity, wasn’t it used to define the everlasting in a
relationship?
With a sigh, she got up, cleared the table and headed to the bathroom. The place had his scent still. She smiled and took the still wet soap he used... then directly put it in the trash bin. Her smile didn't leave her lips at all.
Just a couple more months and she would be finished with this first world. She was becoming tired of it.
Though accustomed to act already, she was but a human. At times like these when she reminisced the reason she was here, her mood would go south.
Forced to marry an old man, forced to seek his favor so that those close to her would have a somewhat good life, those things she grew to accept. Hadn't she adapted quite well? Didn't she become the most favored one? Though she died as she did, didn't she drag most of them to death with her?
So what?
What did it serve in the end? Her brothers and sisters were still dead, her friends were still dead and her family was still as disgusting as ever, living happily ever. She really wished she could go back this very instant if only to drive a knife in someone's throat.
Breathing hard, she tried to calm down. Being hasty wasn't good.
She had thought of breaking up with Alexandros many times now but didn't dare to do so, in case it changed what it shouldn't.
The necklace was indecently pricy. She could buy it herself with her self made money, but facts were that he had to be the one to buy it, she could try using his money but that wouldn't be the same as him given her. In those circumstances, she didn’t dare break up now, after all, who knew if he had given this necklace on a spur of moment thing, having caught sight of it while passing by a store at the same time he was thinking of breaking up. Maybe, for now, he didn’t even see it yet, didn't know of its existence. She could only endure. He had to meet with Emilia first and the moment he would think of marrying her, he would clean himself of his mistress or his plaything or whatever it was that he thought of her. Thus, for now, she could only ensure to replicate the circumstances surrounding that and complete her part well.
There were certain flexibility and almost no constraint in the task she was given. She had tested things these last years. She was to be an actress, but once she also started modeling, no warning appeared from the board which meant that it was a safe action. It was said to marry one of her co-workers then divorce, however, there was no stated limit to the marriage. Things could thus be filled as she wished. So long as it didn't precise she could do as she wished.
Though she wished to eagerly go back, Amandine also kind of wished she could stay long enough to assist the drama that was going to be the businessman's love story. She could use the free entertainment. It was seriously silly.
This world's other child of fate was Emilia. Emilia Armstrong, twenty-four years
old. At the start, she had been going out with Raphael, aged twenty and they were planning for a
wedding. Thus, they sailed to Greece to meet with his family. At the very least,
that was the family’s understanding of it. The truth was, that relationship was
fake. Raphael was tired of his mother's matchmaking and simply wanted to put a stop to it. Actually, he also had someone he loved that was supposed to come home with him, but he got ditched and in the end, refusing to go home only to hear more of his parents' nagging, could only think of this strategy. Emilia and he were just
friends that met through some circumstances and since Raphael once helped
Emilia, she was ready to do the same when his lover ditched him.
After the initial reticence of the family, everything started going well, maybe too well. Emilia won the heart of the Andreou matriarch. It wasn't something easy to achieve, thus, willing or not, the rest of the family could only follow her lead and extend their hand, ready to accept the foreigner as one of their own now.
Things escalated from there, going out of hands more than both Emilia and Raphael could imagine. The fake engagement ceremony turned into a real wedding ceremony!
The only
skeptical person was the older cousin. He glanced at Emilia once and felt that
he understood the type of woman she was: a gold digger and a perfect liar. After catching Emilia's call with her brother, talking about returning home, he was convinced of the fact. After all, she
was planning to return on the time set for the wedding.
Thus,
Alexandros thought he had to protect his cousin. He tried using words. It
didn’t work. He tried to trap her and in the end, began to be openly hostile to
her. Seeing this peculiar behavior, the family started to speculate if, in the
end, he didn’t fall in love with the woman, and, hating that she wasn’t his,
started to pick on her instead. Hearing his respected grandmother's words, he
actually latched on it and said it was that. With a half baked plan in mind,
Alexandros gave his all to seduce that future cousin in law of his and in a matter of
weeks, Emilia was completely bewitched. After all, she was very much single and the man wasn't half ugly or less gentlemanly. Thus, she easily fell for his trap and he was able to get words of love from her and how she was going to leave his cousin for him.
Before this, Alexandros had arranged for the timing to be perfect so that his younger cousin could chance upon them. Only, the
intended listener was here but so was his grandmother. In front of the old woman with frail health, he could only be quiet as she reprimanded them both and forced the two of them to marry. Thus, the bridegroom changed but the bride stayed the same.
Until their
wedding and in front of everyone, he played the role of the besotted fool but for Emilia, he tore down that facade during their wedding night. He didn’t step into the
room at all and didn’t return the night. Coming back the morning of the next
day, he suddenly wasn’t interested in her anymore, he, who previously couldn’t go
a day without coming closer. That was when she confronted him and was shocked upon hearing his condemnations and the long list of misunderstandings. The fool thought he was protecting his cousin from a gold
digger. Pissed, she refused to clarify and instead, said that one day he would deeply
regret.
Amandine had to
smile when she read this part the first time. Wasn’t this woman too much of a martyr fanatic? She could have clarified things here but instead, choose to let it continue. And
so it continued.
