Chapter 3

Vexon

Five years had passed and my training was finally complete but I didn’t want to go home. I wanted to go and search for that girl, however, my brother was adamant that I came home when we spoke over the phone.

“I don’t want to hear another word, Vexon. There is no way my brother won’t be attending my wedding. So you will bring your stubborn ass here tomorrow morning, and that is that!” he snapped into the phone before the line went dead.

Dumbfounded, I stared down at my phone. Kendrik hadn’t even allowed me to get a word in and just went off. Snapping that he wouldn’t get married unless I attended his wedding – the demand was childish yet I couldn’t decline it.

My training however had changed me entirely.

I heaved a sigh and called out for one of my most trusted men, “Mane!”

“Yes, boss?” he responded, barging into my room.

“We’re leaving early in the morning. Make preparations.” There was no doubt in my mind that if I arrived late, it would turn into my funeral instead of Kendrik’s wedding.

“As you say, boss.”

He left to go make the arrangements, while I opened a few buttons on my shirt, turned on the air conditioner, and laid down on the bed. I glanced to my left, only to find Mane peeping through the door like a creep.

I arched an eyebrow at him.

Noticing my stare, he cleared his throat. “Boss, I have a question,” he spoke up, as I motioned for him to carry on. “Since we’re leaving, do you still think of your love boss lady? I mean, it wasn’t just a crush, you do still remember her, right?” he said, slightly stumbling over his words.

When I nodded, he grinned and closed the door as he left, finally leaving me alone. Closing my eyes, I couldn’t help but smile as her angelic face popped back into my head. It happened every time and yet I couldn’t get enough of it.

Her helping the old man... playing with the kids... her bubbly appearance... I remembered everything. The vivid images of her never faded from my memory.

She was such a pure soul with a heart of gold. She was kind, generous, charming, and filled with innocence, care, and affection. She was everything a guy could wish for. And yes, I still remembered her.

Throughout these past five years of hellish and gruesome training, there wasn’t a single day that I didn’t remember her. Every day, I thought about her, her lips, her voice, her vibrant personality – all, before sleep finally took me away.

I just wished that without having to follow her like a creep, that on that day I had manned up and chosen to speak to her. Even if it was just to get her name, for now, I didn’t even know what that was. I mean, I knew absolutely nothing about her, but there was no doubt in my mind that I loved her.

I was in love with her, and it wasn’t a mere crush. I had spent five years, treasuring her in my heart. So, I could spend my whole life with her. I know that now. Mane had even said that if I still remembered her now, it had to be love.

What else could it then be?

I guess it was high time, I left this place and went back home. And if she was meant for me, we will meet again.

***

Ruby

“There are so many preparations left to do. Lord! I’m going to die,” I exclaimed in exasperation, as I flopped onto my bed for a minute. After all, I had to get a little rest.

Wedding preparations were not something pleasant, especially when the wedding was tomorrow, and I was in charge of the arrangements. Moreover, I had an annoying sister, who was getting cold feet before her wedding, torturing me in every possible way.

“Ruby! I can’t find my heels,” Pearl shrieked.

“Give me a minute, Pearly. I am human, and I need to catch a breather!” I shouted back, frustration clear in my voice, but she seemed to ignore me.

“But I need them now!”

I rolled my eyes and got up from my bed before going in search of her heels in mom’s closet where I found them.

Thank You, Lord.

Walking into Pearl’s room, I found her nervously standing in front of the mirror once again, as she checked her face.

“Get over it already. No pimple is gonna pop up on your gorgeous face,” I sighed, placing her heels on the dressing table. Her whole room was a mess right now, and the only vacant spot at the moment was her dressing table.

“But what if I get one? There’s no guarantee,” she cried while I looked at her with a blank stare. The tension was written all over her face before I kissed her forehead and smiled.

“You won’t. Trust me, beloved sister. You’ll be the most beautiful bride ever with the perfect wedding ceremony. After all, I arranged everything.” I pulled up my imaginary collar, to show off how proud I was, which earned me a laugh.

“You are impossible, Ruby. That’s why I love you.” She hugged me tightly. “I’ll miss you a lot.”

“I’ll not miss you. Once you leave, your whole closet, room, and everything will be mine. Hell yes!” I pretended, trying not to let my sadness affect her big day tomorrow as it made her whine.

“May you get married to a mafioso!” She cursed me because marrying a mafioso was definitely something horrifying and a curse for everyone. And it was the last thing I wanted to do.

I grabbed an emoticon pillow and threw it at her face. “Take that back!”

She stuck out her tongue at me. “No, no!”

“Please, Pearly. Take that back!” I shouted and threw another emoticon pillow at her.

“Stop throwing pillows!”

“Emoticon pillows!” I corrected her, hitting her face with the third one.

“Now, I won’t take it back at all!” she shrieked, as she picked up the pillows and started throwing them back at me. “Take this!”

We both had a pillow fight until we were sufficiently tired and laid down on the messy bed, staring at the ceiling.

“Pearly?” I spoke after a minute of silence.

“Hmm?”

“What if I really do marry a mafioso?” I asked as a shiver ran down my spine at the mention of the mafia. The thought was terrifying, ever since I learned about the mafia, I prayed to the Almighty each day; that He would not allow me to get married to a mafioso. I would rather die single than let that happen.

But what if the thing I fear the most really happens?

“Shrug that thought off, Ruby,” Pearl mumbled, breaking me from my trance as she took hold of my hand. “You’ll never get married to a bad person, trust me on that.”

I rolled my eyes, pushing her hand away. “You always do that! Why do you say ‘bad person’ instead of saying ‘mafioso’? It would give me some satisfaction then,” I groaned.

Whenever she says ‘bad person’, I feel like there’s still scope for a mafioso to marry me.

“Honey, we don’t know what the future holds for us. Pearl is being practical here,” mom announced all of a sudden, as she came and sat on the bed with us.

“But, Mom. I’ll never marry a mafioso. I pray for this every day. God will hear my prayers, right?” I asked, hoping that they would agree with me and that God would hear my prayers and not do me an injustice.

“Remember, both of you,” mom said, looking at us. “Whatever God does, it’s for the best.” We nodded, understanding her words.

The Almighty will do good by us, always. I know. But please, no forced marriage, especially not to a mafioso.

I didn’t realize when or how I had fallen asleep during our conversation. Only that it was peaceful until morning came, which brought on the hysterics and became pretty hectic as the day went on.

“Ruby!”

I rushed to Pearl’s room, leaving my lipstick on the dressing table, and grabbed the edges of my gown.

“What?!” I snapped as I entered.

She sat on her bed with a sad expression on her face, looking as if she would burst into tears at any moment. “I forgot to press my reception dress,” she mumbled.

“What the fudge? You could’ve told me at the reception, you know? Also, didn’t I tell you to give it to the dry cleaners?” I asked.

“I forgot,” she said sadly.

My blood boiled as I stared down at her, I couldn’t believe it. “How could you forget that?” I asked, on the verge of scolding her just as my gray orbs met with her watery ones.

With a sigh, I walked closer to her.

“Hey, stop crying. It’ll ruin your makeup and my efforts. Don’t worry, I’ll press the clothes now and give it to you,” I assured her, rubbing her cheeks with the back of my hand, a soft smile playing on my lips.

With Pearl sorted, I headed to the laundry room, near the washroom. Taking the iron from its place, I started to press my sister’s purple gown for the reception.

The feeling of someone watching me crept up my spine, as I turned to look at the door, only to find no-one there. “Too much stress and not enough sleep has made me crazy,” I muttered under my breath, as I continued to press Pearl’s dress.

I felt that feeling again and turned once more but found no-one again. “What’s happening to me? Please don’t let it be Sergio, I seriously don’t have time to deal with him right now,” I grumbled.

“Boss? How long will you keep watching her?” I heard a strong voice ask and my stomach plummeted in fear.

Looking to the door once again, this time I found two men staring back at me. One of them had their eyes trained on me as if I were some delicacy, his blue eyes transfixed upon me while the other looked to the man whom I guess he addressed as ‘boss’.

The blue-eyed man looked very handsome, dressed in a tux, with his brown hair looking messy. He looked hot. Damn!

Dear Lord, stop admiring him, Ruby!

“Boss, she is staring back at us,” the man let out as he tried to drag the blue-eyed man away, as he continued to stare at me. Switching off the iron, I decided to approach them.

“Excuse me? Are you lost?” I questioned him, but his eyes didn’t leave mine.