The Wheel Of Fortune

After freshening up, I decided to approach Nadya with some deliberation. I have still not decided whether I should discuss the dream I saw or not but I figured it out while talking to her. In the early afternoon, I locate Nadya sitting on the window seat with folded legs. I knock on the opened door to draw her attention.

“Come in, come in.” She answers without looking up, concentrating on painting her nails. As soon as I walk up to her, she pats the space opposite her, “Sit, I was going to find you. Do you know how to apply nail polish?”

“Huh?” I look up after mirroring her position, opposite her. “Uhm..No”

“No problem, you will learn it. Help me apply it on my right hand, I can’t do it on my own, try to apply it as cleanly as possible.” She pushes the nail paint to me and puts her right hand on my lap. It takes me a few seconds to comprehend what she wants me to do and take her hand while looking at her.

“How did you do your right rand before you came here?” It takes me a few strokes to get a hang of it. It is much easier than I thought.

“My mother did it for me most of the time, you remember I lived with my parents, right? My brother or my friends would help the rest of the time. Going to a nail salon would usually cost a lot so I would do it at home every three or four months.”

“You are close to your mother?”

I would not push further if she doesn’t want to answer but today's dream did kind of made me curious.

“Somewhat. I am closest to my brother, I have been taking care of him since the earliest I can remember. Our personalities are opposite when we are outside but we are close and he shares with me most of his things.” She chuckles as she continues, “We always share everything equally. If he brought something, he would save my share if I am not there with him so he could give it to me later.”

I peek at her smile before looking back down.

By now, I can clearly figure out she is closest to her younger brother. She talks about her brother and Misha the most but I haven’t heard much about her parents, she usually avoids talking about them. I am not sure she does it unconsciously or deliberately but I am more leaning toward the former.

Since she is not talking about it there is no need to pursue it, there will be a lot of time in the future. I get to another major topic I wanted to talk to her about.

“About the picture you talked to me about. I asked someone to check it for me but there is no enchantment on it...but I can tell you another thing, the information has been kept under grasp for half a year, only Members of the Council know about this.”

“What is it? Are you sure you can tell me something like that?” She asks curiously.

“Are you going to tell others?”

“No.”

“Exactly, how would they know I have told you if you don't tell them? Anyway, back to the topic, that picture has been recently spotted near many crime scenes in the last 6 months. The Investigation team is trying to figure out the relationship between the two. But what you told me... it’s my first time hearing about such an incident. The cases have been on the rise recently but strangely, middle-level tuhu are appearing lesser than before.”

“Oh, at least I know I was not imagining things. I was thinking I am going crazy” She releases a sigh of relief and pulls her hand back to inspect.

I search her face for a moment and clear my throat before continuing, “And....there is a banquet at the palace on my birthday. I wanted you to accompany me. Will that be alright?” It would be best that I introduce her to others than the other way around if someday they decided to approach her.

“On your birthday?”

“Yeah.”

The sudden silence forces me to look up at her to find her examining her nails absentmindedly, “Nadya, are you not coming?”

She blinks,“Huh....ah, no, I mean yes, I will go with you. At what time do I have to go? Will Finlay go with us?”

“No, Finlay does not want to go. We will go together. I will prepare everything, just be ready by 7 pm.”

“Sure, I will wait for you.”

VALENCIA DIAZ’S POV

“It looks sexy. You should go with it.” Gloria comments as I straighten the straps of the black mini dress. I glance at her through the mirror. When she sees me looking at her, she gives me a thumbs-up before going back to caressing Milo, who is lying comfortably in her lap.

“It is...but don’t you think I have gained weight in the last week?” I put my hands on my stomach. I look kind of fat in it.

“Let’s settle on the red backless dress.” I turn around and finalize, it perfectly hides my fat.

"What? Why? It looks fantastic on you and are you going to wear that little dress in cold weather? It will be colder by the 25th. You will freeze to death if you go out without a coat. Do you want to go on a date that much?"

“A little lesson for you to learn. Little sacrifices are necessary for fashion,” I say and run my hand through my hair.

Meow

“See, he agrees. Who doesn’t like dressing up?”

“I do rather be comfortable than be fashionable. And I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to go on this date.” She mummers and walks out of the room.

I follow her out of the room and slump down on the sofa.

Gloria picks up the newly arrived flowers from the table and starts arranging them. At the same time, Milo walks away from Gloria’s side and jumps on the single sofa recliner before curling in the middle to take a nap.

“Which flowers are those?” This is my first time seeing them. She usually goes for roses or lilies.

“Blue Orchids, it represents beauty and spirituality.” She puts the arranged flowers in the vases before turning back to the conversation, “Knowing how Kaira is, the date would be not worthy of your time at all. Valencia, please think again. I don’t even know why you talk to someone like her.”

“Come on, Gloria, I have told you should not judge a book by its cover. She does have a bad reputation but there is a reason behind all her actions, you don’t know her difficulties. I can relate to her and I don’t want to make her feel bad after she had arranged a date for me.”

“What difficulties?” She asks and sits opposite me after grabbing a packet of chips from the kitchen.

“I can’t tell you. I promised her...but I pity her. She is just like me.” Whenever I see her, her false front makes me remember my past. Sometimes changing yourself and putting on a fake front is the best option for yourself and for others.

“But still, are you sure about this? I don’t trust her.” She passes the packet to me after munching a few more. “I don’t know what happened with her but if there is a chance I will try to get to know her.”

“I want to go. My ex-boyfriend was a piece of shit, I don’t want him to think I am not dating anyone because of him and I want to move on. Kiara gave me chance so why should I waste it. Just wait for me to find ‘the one’ for me, I can feel that day is not far away.”

NADYA SHARMA’S POV

I look at myself through the mirror. The black dress is strapless with a sweetheart neck that flows till it touches the floor, fitted enough to show my curves but still making it comfortable. And the slit on the side gives me enough room to move my legs. While checking myself out, my eyes stop at the neckline with pondering.

The neckline has a cut in between which is giving a glimpse of my cleavage. Unfortunately, I have never worn a strapless dress or a dress with such a deep cut before...but there is a first for everything so let’s give it a try. My parents never allowed me to wear strapless dresses so I am not used to it. I straighten my hair with a straightener and apply red lipstick.

I tuck my hair behind my ear and reach for the diamond earning that Ryou gave me last night. After looking at myself one last time, I put on my black heels and stand up with some discomfort. I am having a feeling that I am going to have many bristles by the end of this day.

Knock

“Nadya, are you ready?”

As I walk out of the closet, the door to my room opens, and Ryou steps in and pauses mid-step. I notice he has worn a black two-piece suit with a white shirt underneath, without a tie or bow. His eyes spot me and he looks at me up and down a few times before stopping at my face. He doesn’t even blink as he gazes at my face.

I raise my hand and wave at him. “Ryou.”

He snaps out of the trance, blinks, and looks away. Seeing that he is listening now, I ask the question I have been for, “So, how do I look?” I make a full turn to let him see the back and put my hand on my hip and wait for his answer with expectant eyes.

A gentleman should know how to answer this question.

“...It looks good on you.”

My smile slips away at his answer. Good? Only good? I press my lips in a thin line.

"Only good? You should say I look beautiful,” I tell him the same thing I always say to my brother. No wonder he doesn’t have a girlfriend.

He shoots me a glance like he can’t believe what he is hearing, “Beautiful? If you know you look beautiful, why are you asking me?”

“Of course to feel good about myself. I know I am beautiful but I need compliments sometimes too.”

He looks up at the ceiling and shakes his head before going out of the room.

"Where are you going? Ryou, Ryou, listen to me.” He still hasn't complimented me.

I quickly grab my clutch from the table and follow him to his room. While entering his room, I catch sight of him going through his watch collection in the closet. “I want to borrow one of your black blazers.”

I walk past him to the blazer section in the closet. With some search, I manage to find a blazer that fits my dress and drape it on my shoulders. By the time, we enter the palace, it is already 7 pm. I watch the palace adorned in lights with a mesmerizing gaze through the glass. The whole garden on both sides of the road is decorated in yellow lights while the palace has a white glow. He lives in such a beautiful place.

It amazes me to think this whole event is organized just for one person.

Ryou parks the car and gets off, but, as I am getting off, I notice him walking to my side. He opens the door for me and extends his hand. I look back at his face before hesitantly putting my hand in his and he helps me out of the car. He changes his personality so quickly.

We mix in the crowd of people in party dresses, near the entrance while Ryou guides me to the banquet hall.

We stop right before the stairway leading down to the hall. The guards near the door bow as soon as they spot Ryou near the door. They move to open the door but Ryou stops them before turning to me. He lets go of my hand and offers me his arm with a smile. I look down at his arm.

“Together?”

Slowly, I shoot back a smile and loop my arm around his, “Together.” I whisper.