"This is Lietenant Eva—Where are you going A-rin?"
Even before the chairman could finish a sentence, Zeirin walked out. She made sure to offer a respectful bow before going out of the door.
She hadn't slept a wink last night. The ride from the pacific island back to this city took several hours and she was a picky sleeper. To make up for the time she lost sleeping, she decided to head straight home. But she was just about to exit the IAC building when a black car stopped in front of the entrance. The doors opened and a familiar face greeted her with a smile.
Zeirin wanted to appreciate a familiar face she hadn't seen in a long time. But at the same time, she knew where this smile would cause her to frown sooner or later.
"Miss Lynn," Butler Stand greeted her. "We've been waiting for your arrival. The madame summons you home." Butler Stan opened the car door and ushered her inside. "Please."
Zeirin sighed. How could Old Wang possibly not suppress the news of her arrival? Just a day of peace would have been great.
After an hour of travel, the cityscape was slowly replaced with tall fences, clean pavements, the birds were singing overhead, and well-landscaped mansions miles apart from each other. A few more minutes and they reached the most exclusive lot on the most expensive neighborhood on the city.
The car stopped after a long stretch of driveway, circling into a huge water fountain and stopping at the doors of a huge mansion. Maids lined up at the staircase, perpendicular to the huge columns. Above the stairs, a beautiful woman was waving her arms, a luxurious handkerchief waving in the air.
"A-rin, ah!" The woman ran down the stairs, her two maids trailing behind her. "My daughter is at home at last!"
She screamed as if she wanted all her neighbors to know. That wouldn't work. Her nearest neighbor was several miles away.
"Tone it down, Mom," Zeirin said. Not even a second later, she was squeezed into a tight hug.
Madame Lynn, still looking young despite being twice Zeirin's age, wiped some happy tears in her eyes with her silk handkerchief before pulling out of their hug. Immediately, she ushered Zeiren inside their home.
"I contacted Chen the moment I heard the news of your return," her mom said. "We've had everything prepared. All your favorites!" She happily exclaimed.
But Zeirin wasn't really in a festive mode. In fact, she made some mental notes of persecuting the chairman for "the news" of her arrival being so widely spread.
She was barely forcing a smile on her lips, ready to retire into her own bedroom, until she reached the dining room. There in the long table, a feast awaited her. Instantly, a smile, a genuine smile, finally appeared on her lips.
They, indeed, prepared a feast. Everything, every single dish she dreamt of during her stay into the mountains, everything lay in front of her. Finally within reach. That was the only downside to living in the mountains. She had to force herself to go vegetarian, obviously because every fauna in that mountain was an endangered species. She couldn't possible hunt a wild boar just to satisfy her cravings for some barbecue, could she?
Mathilda pulled her seat, and she sat down, counting all the food, listing which one goes first. The sweet and sour turkey, the peking duck, the Darlington's Supreme Pizza Cheese Crust, the Korean Pork Barbecue still grilling at the center table, the steak prepared by the world's best Michelin chef which always been her favorite food.
Taking notice of her appetite, the madam smiled. She still knew her baby girl best.
"I'm so glad you enjoyed everything, Miss Lynn," Chef Gigi said after the meal had been consumed like an avalanche. The chef, or course, had to make his own introduction.
Zeirin smiled. "Thank you for the feast, Chef Gigi."
There were some small talks, and some fine words thrown. Zeirin meant every word. The food was delicious and she was thankful having tha world's best chef cater her wants upon her arrival.
Her mom helped her out.
"Now, it's time for some tea!" She squeeled. "I miss having tea with my precious daughter.
"Alright. Thank's mom, I'll see you later." Zeirin said and finally went up to her bedroom.
Once she was inside her bedroom, she immediately lay on her bed. There was no need to digest everything. She was more than sure her stomach wouldn't be upset. For minutes, she stared at the ceiling, and without her knowing, she fell asleep.
Zeirin was woken up by the sound of the door opening, and then suddenly closing. A loud set of footsteps approached her bed and before she knew it, she felt her world shake as her sudden visitor jumped into her bed.
"Zeirin Lynn!" her visitor smaked her thighs.
:"Aww," she complained. "What's wrong with you? This is how you greet me."
"How dare you walk out of my father's office!" The girl said.
Zeirin rolled her eyes.
Kneeled by her feet on the bed, a pouty woman sat. She sat there with her shoulders crossed, pouting like a small child. They were the same age, just not mentally.
"What was I supposed to do? Nothing sounded good for all of that."
You didn't even listen to my father's proposal. He went home crying, begging me to beg you to reconsider.
Zeirin rolled her eyes.
"You already know why I'd refuse. I don't want to go back into that country again. I may never get to return."
Jiji shook her head while waving a finger to Zeirin, telling her she was wrong.
"How do you know you'll get stuck in there?" she said. "If you perform well enough, you might become their Crown Prince's princess. And hey, once once you become queen, then, just seduce him into reopening their country. Or letting you go out for visits."
Zeirin shook her head, and face palmed. "You really are a child, a useless prick gulllible. That is more than impossible.
But consider this," Gigi said.
"That's just your fantasies."
"Worst thing that could happen?" she said. "I get trapped into some marriage again, I refuse, and boom. My head's off. I get burried separarely.
"That's not true."
"Come on, now." Sheila said. "It's not that terrible."
She pulled out her phone, scrolled through some stuff and shoved it at Zeirin's face. "Look!"
Zeirin came face to face with several photos of a handsome man, clad in the royal attire of Gaya, adorned with various riches only the few, the most elite, could probably have access to. She didn't need to guess who the young man was. She'd seen him once, and never dreamt of seeing him twice.
"What?"
"He's handsome!" Sheila said. "Don't you wanna, at least, give him a chance?" Sheila hit the bed, as if acting out of frustration. "Girl? You can live everyone else's dreams. And yet, you're refusing to?!"
Zeirin wanted to hit Sheila.
"Then why don't you volunteer for the mission," Zeirin said. "If you want this opportunity so bad, I don't think you father will deprive you of those opportunities you spoke of.
Sheila pouted. "I already suggested that," She sighed. "He said I was retarted.
Zeirin rolled her eyes.
"So there's really no convincing you?"
Zeirin simply glared at her. Sheila put two hands in front of her, "Alright, alright. I get it. I already knew I wouldn't convince you into it."
Zeirin headed to the bathroom, and once she came back, Sheila was already laying flat on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Aren't you gonna leave yet?"
"Hey!" she pouted once again, throwing a pillow at Zeirin, which she dodged rather easily.
"Of course I'm staying for the party."
The word party immediately set off some warning inside Zeirin's brain.
"What party?"
"Huh? What do you mean what party?" Sheila grinned. "Your homecoming party of course. Everyone is invited."
"What?"
Zeirin wanted to go back into the mountains. If she had wings, she would have flown herself already.
Not a second more, without giving her any more time to comprehend what was happening, the doors opened. Several maid came in, pushing trolleys of jewelries, make up, racks of clothes.
Urgh.
This is the exact reason why Zeirin didn't want to go home. Her mother always goes to extreme extent to make her wanna run.
"Miss Zeirin," the head maid, Sasha, greeted her with a bow. Behind her, a majestic man stood straight. "This is Jeffrey, and he will be glaming you up for tonight's party."
Zeirin wanted to refute. She wanted to just run away. But she knew well enough, this was not the right time. There were better opportunities so she nodded her head and submit to her mother's shenanigans.