*****
All of you who are reviewing are awesome. It's all so encouraging. So, as
per to the capita of requests that I had made being met, here's the next
chapter. I hope y'all like it. Again, I must mention that S.M characters
are not mine, but this story is mine.
In addition, as a note to all the readers, I love that I have inspired such
a story.
But please keep in mind the five-review rule, lol. Also, some have said
that there are spelling errors. I haven't found any except for perhaps the
names and then things that Rini says, please keep in mind that everything
that comes with Rini's speech is intentional. New Zealand to her is New
Zeeland. But if there are any spelling mistakes, my bad. And please be
gentle on my grammar. I'm still working on my own formatting. I know I
sometimes can get carried away with commas, but the story is very readable
as you all can tell. Besides all that, thank you all for the reviews, and
here is the next chapter. Enjoy!!!!
*****
"Ms. Tsukino, it's just an astounding sale," one of her sale representatives said in awe.
Serena smiled back her laughter. "Trust me Mrs. Jensen, this is nothing much compared to the prices that go with some of the pieces I sell in the States."
Mrs. Jensen looked over the sketch. "I guess I can understand the five figure price. That necklace is absolutely stunning. I'd almost expect to see a queen to wear that."
Serena laughed. "Maybe. Now, I want to check over the store status with the manager."
"Mr. Bruett is in the back, he just got back from his lunch."
Serena nodded her thanks, and made her way to the back office. He greeted her through his astounded shock.
"I didn't think I'd ever meet you Ms. Tsukino. When the store opened, Jamie Styles took care of all that was required."
Serena shrugged. "I have to go to all my stores. But as I am stationed here in Japan now, this is going to be more my home base."
He stared at her.
"Consider it a good thing Mr. Bruett. This store is going to have the most call intake for the time being. I think I'm going to need a few more people on staff, and have to set up a few more offices," she informed him.
"Whatever you wish," he said.
With that said, Serena went over the store figures and made calls to her director, Jamie, and then bid everyone in the store farewell after praising all their hard work.
The rain was coming down hard, which made Serena curse as she held her jacket above her head, trying to keep from getting soaked. She was only two blocks from her store, running for the bank just down the block, when she collided with a person.
"Oof," she said as she hit the ground on her butt. The end result was a soaked pair of tight jeans.
"So sorry miss," a masculine voice said. He offered her his hand, which she took to stand up.
She went about trying to straighten herself out.
"Really am sorry about that. Are you alright?" he asked her.
She nodded as she checked over herself. When she looked up to look the guy in the face, her mouth dropped open in shock.
He seemed to freeze on the spot as he looked at her in return. "Serena?"
Finally getting some feeling back in her body, she managed to squeak out, "Darien?"
Darien looked wild. "Unbelievable," he muttered.
"What?" she asked, even though she knew, as the torrential rain pouring down on them was soaking them. "What is so unbelievable?"
"Seeing you here. This is bloody unreal!! Is this some kind of joke?" Darien asked as he looked up at the cloudy sky. "Are you testing me?"
Serena frowned at him. "Gee, sorry I ever set foot on earth," she said, trying to step past him.
"Where are you going?" he asked her.
"I have a very important stop to make... plus, I want to get out of the rain, if you haven't noticed we're both soaked to the skin."
Darien frowned then. "Alright, come on," he said, taking her hand and leading them into the café just behind them.
"What are you doing?" she protested.
"I'm not letting you go so easy. You left over five years ago with hardly any explanation, you're not going to do it a second time."
"Sure I am," she said trying to pull herself away. "I have something that I really have to take care of."
"I'm sure it can wait five minutes Serena."
She sighed. "Alright, but what are you expecting me to say."
He just stared at her then. He felt like he was in a dream. He had been caught out in the rain while he had been on his way over to his girlfriend, Heidi Beryl's apartment. He had wanted to break up with her, and now, he wanted to do it more then ever.
He had never forgotten Serena in the time that she had been gone. In fact, it felt like she never left him, the way that she and the memories that he held dear in his heart haunted him.
But seeing her in the flesh was throwing him through a loop. He felt like he just entered a dream, when really it was like coming out of the lonely nightmare that he had been suffering. Yet, he still felt her betrayal strong in his heart as he looked into her beautiful blue cerulean eyes.
"Darien?" she asked, waving a hand in front of his face. "Are you alright?" she asked him.
"I'm fine," he said, snapping out of his lost and confused thoughts. He sighed as he led her to one of the booths.
After coffee was ordered, Darien looked at her. "You look good."
"Thanks," she muttered. "You too." And she meant it too. Five years had turned the guy that had been on the brink of manhood into a man, a very handsome and ragingly virile man. His shoulders were broad, and his face was marked as a distinguished man, while his eyes—his gorgeous murky blue eyes, held his only link to his soul.
"So?" he asked her.
"So what?"
He sighed in annoyance. "Serena, you left me with very little to go on, except for telling me you had to leave."
"I did have to leave, I didn't have a choice."
"What do you mean?" he said, frowning.
"There's no way that you would understand."
"Try me."
"Darien, what would be the point? Like you said, I left over five years ago."
He let out a frustrated groan. "So, you're going to still stick with that story of that you just had to go?"
She looked away, staring out the window at the heavy rain. She knew that if she continued to look at him, into his gorgeous blue eyes, she'd just tell him everything. And she was partly afraid that he would just get up and leave—leave her like she left him, but this time by choice.
"Serena, don't you think I deserve to know why the woman I loved, the woman I planned to marry, just left me, without as much as a reason of why—I mean you didn't even contact me afterwards."
She felt the tears come, and a tear slid down her cheek. "Darien, you have to believe that I never wanted to hurt you, but I was young and I was scared."
"Scared of what, loving me? Marrying me? Or just being with me?" he asked stonily.
She looked at him then. "Is that what you think? You think I didn't love you, and was scared to commit to you?"
"I don't know what to think. All you told me was that you had to go. You were going to pack up and go, and by doing that you broke my heart into a million pieces."
A few more tears slid down her cheek. "Don't try to understand something you know nothing about."
"Then let me know. Let me know why you got scared and ran off."
"I left because my father forced me to go."
Darien just stared at her. "What?" he asked eventually.
"I said my father forced me to go."
"I got that part. I meant why, why did he force you to go?"
She wiped away the tears that had streaked down her cheek. "What reason do I really need? He found me an embarrassment, and he cut me off. He threatened to have me run out of town if I didn't just leave quietly."
Darien just stared at her.
Serena was amazed that she was telling him everything, everything accept for the one crucial part—Rini. But then, she had always been able to talk to Darien. He was her one true love, and he had been her entire world.
The waitress came with their drinks and set them before them.
"Why didn't you come to me?" he asked her in a distant voice. "I would have done anything to help you."
She sighed sadly, "Don't I know it."
"Then why didn't you come to me?" he asked her, his eyes looking at her sadly.
She swallowed nervously as she felt him searching her soul with his wrongfully betrayed eyes. "Because I was young and scared. And I felt like I had no choice."
"At the risk of repeating myself, but why?" he asked her.
She sighed as she mustered all the strength she could to tell him the complete truth. Just as she opened her mouth a flash went off.
"Darien, smile for the camera," a voice chirped.
"So, is this mistress? Or is she the one you've been seeing?" another voice shot at him.
Darien's face hardened as the flashes continued. He rose to his feet, dropping a wad of cash on the table, and grabbed Serena's arm, and hurried them out of there.
Damn, Darien thought. He wanted to kill the reporters. He usually did, but more so today. Just when Serena looked like she was going to tell him why she really left him, they had to show up.
The reporters followed them, but Darien was able to get a cab while the heavy rain soaked them again.
As Serena was getting in the cab, Darien caught her eye just as he signaled for his own cab. "Don't think we're through here. There's more to all of this, and I'm going to find out."
"Fine," she spat out. "Then come to the party that my family and I are throwing this Friday. It's at the Crystal Tower. Everyone is going to be there."
Darien looked as though he were going to question her but with the reporters behind him; he didn't have the chance to.
"I'll be there."
"Good, see you then."
He grinned at her, and then closed the door.
Serena sighed as the cab left him standing there at the curb. "Oh lord," she said, putting her head in her hands. "What do I do now?" she asked.
But no matter what, at least she was closer to telling Darien. And she had only three days left until she would see him again. Oh, it was going to be torture.
"Ms. Tsukino, it's just an astounding sale," one of her sale representatives said in awe.
Serena smiled back her laughter. "Trust me Mrs. Jensen, this is nothing much compared to the prices that go with some of the pieces I sell in the States."
Mrs. Jensen looked over the sketch. "I guess I can understand the five figure price. That necklace is absolutely stunning. I'd almost expect to see a queen to wear that."
Serena laughed. "Maybe. Now, I want to check over the store status with the manager."
"Mr. Bruett is in the back, he just got back from his lunch."
Serena nodded her thanks, and made her way to the back office. He greeted her through his astounded shock.
"I didn't think I'd ever meet you Ms. Tsukino. When the store opened, Jamie Styles took care of all that was required."
Serena shrugged. "I have to go to all my stores. But as I am stationed here in Japan now, this is going to be more my home base."
He stared at her.
"Consider it a good thing Mr. Bruett. This store is going to have the most call intake for the time being. I think I'm going to need a few more people on staff, and have to set up a few more offices," she informed him.
"Whatever you wish," he said.
With that said, Serena went over the store figures and made calls to her director, Jamie, and then bid everyone in the store farewell after praising all their hard work.
The rain was coming down hard, which made Serena curse as she held her jacket above her head, trying to keep from getting soaked. She was only two blocks from her store, running for the bank just down the block, when she collided with a person.
"Oof," she said as she hit the ground on her butt. The end result was a soaked pair of tight jeans.
"So sorry miss," a masculine voice said. He offered her his hand, which she took to stand up.
She went about trying to straighten herself out.
"Really am sorry about that. Are you alright?" he asked her.
She nodded as she checked over herself. When she looked up to look the guy in the face, her mouth dropped open in shock.
He seemed to freeze on the spot as he looked at her in return. "Serena?"
Finally getting some feeling back in her body, she managed to squeak out, "Darien?"
Darien looked wild. "Unbelievable," he muttered.
"What?" she asked, even though she knew, as the torrential rain pouring down on them was soaking them. "What is so unbelievable?"
"Seeing you here. This is bloody unreal!! Is this some kind of joke?" Darien asked as he looked up at the cloudy sky. "Are you testing me?"
Serena frowned at him. "Gee, sorry I ever set foot on earth," she said, trying to step past him.
"Where are you going?" he asked her.
"I have a very important stop to make... plus, I want to get out of the rain, if you haven't noticed we're both soaked to the skin."
Darien frowned then. "Alright, come on," he said, taking her hand and leading them into the café just behind them.
"What are you doing?" she protested.
"I'm not letting you go so easy. You left over five years ago with hardly any explanation, you're not going to do it a second time."
"Sure I am," she said trying to pull herself away. "I have something that I really have to take care of."
"I'm sure it can wait five minutes Serena."
She sighed. "Alright, but what are you expecting me to say."
He just stared at her then. He felt like he was in a dream. He had been caught out in the rain while he had been on his way over to his girlfriend, Heidi Beryl's apartment. He had wanted to break up with her, and now, he wanted to do it more then ever.
He had never forgotten Serena in the time that she had been gone. In fact, it felt like she never left him, the way that she and the memories that he held dear in his heart haunted him.
But seeing her in the flesh was throwing him through a loop. He felt like he just entered a dream, when really it was like coming out of the lonely nightmare that he had been suffering. Yet, he still felt her betrayal strong in his heart as he looked into her beautiful blue cerulean eyes.
"Darien?" she asked, waving a hand in front of his face. "Are you alright?" she asked him.
"I'm fine," he said, snapping out of his lost and confused thoughts. He sighed as he led her to one of the booths.
After coffee was ordered, Darien looked at her. "You look good."
"Thanks," she muttered. "You too." And she meant it too. Five years had turned the guy that had been on the brink of manhood into a man, a very handsome and ragingly virile man. His shoulders were broad, and his face was marked as a distinguished man, while his eyes—his gorgeous murky blue eyes, held his only link to his soul.
"So?" he asked her.
"So what?"
He sighed in annoyance. "Serena, you left me with very little to go on, except for telling me you had to leave."
"I did have to leave, I didn't have a choice."
"What do you mean?" he said, frowning.
"There's no way that you would understand."
"Try me."
"Darien, what would be the point? Like you said, I left over five years ago."
He let out a frustrated groan. "So, you're going to still stick with that story of that you just had to go?"
She looked away, staring out the window at the heavy rain. She knew that if she continued to look at him, into his gorgeous blue eyes, she'd just tell him everything. And she was partly afraid that he would just get up and leave—leave her like she left him, but this time by choice.
"Serena, don't you think I deserve to know why the woman I loved, the woman I planned to marry, just left me, without as much as a reason of why—I mean you didn't even contact me afterwards."
She felt the tears come, and a tear slid down her cheek. "Darien, you have to believe that I never wanted to hurt you, but I was young and I was scared."
"Scared of what, loving me? Marrying me? Or just being with me?" he asked stonily.
She looked at him then. "Is that what you think? You think I didn't love you, and was scared to commit to you?"
"I don't know what to think. All you told me was that you had to go. You were going to pack up and go, and by doing that you broke my heart into a million pieces."
A few more tears slid down her cheek. "Don't try to understand something you know nothing about."
"Then let me know. Let me know why you got scared and ran off."
"I left because my father forced me to go."
Darien just stared at her. "What?" he asked eventually.
"I said my father forced me to go."
"I got that part. I meant why, why did he force you to go?"
She wiped away the tears that had streaked down her cheek. "What reason do I really need? He found me an embarrassment, and he cut me off. He threatened to have me run out of town if I didn't just leave quietly."
Darien just stared at her.
Serena was amazed that she was telling him everything, everything accept for the one crucial part—Rini. But then, she had always been able to talk to Darien. He was her one true love, and he had been her entire world.
The waitress came with their drinks and set them before them.
"Why didn't you come to me?" he asked her in a distant voice. "I would have done anything to help you."
She sighed sadly, "Don't I know it."
"Then why didn't you come to me?" he asked her, his eyes looking at her sadly.
She swallowed nervously as she felt him searching her soul with his wrongfully betrayed eyes. "Because I was young and scared. And I felt like I had no choice."
"At the risk of repeating myself, but why?" he asked her.
She sighed as she mustered all the strength she could to tell him the complete truth. Just as she opened her mouth a flash went off.
"Darien, smile for the camera," a voice chirped.
"So, is this mistress? Or is she the one you've been seeing?" another voice shot at him.
Darien's face hardened as the flashes continued. He rose to his feet, dropping a wad of cash on the table, and grabbed Serena's arm, and hurried them out of there.
Damn, Darien thought. He wanted to kill the reporters. He usually did, but more so today. Just when Serena looked like she was going to tell him why she really left him, they had to show up.
The reporters followed them, but Darien was able to get a cab while the heavy rain soaked them again.
As Serena was getting in the cab, Darien caught her eye just as he signaled for his own cab. "Don't think we're through here. There's more to all of this, and I'm going to find out."
"Fine," she spat out. "Then come to the party that my family and I are throwing this Friday. It's at the Crystal Tower. Everyone is going to be there."
Darien looked as though he were going to question her but with the reporters behind him; he didn't have the chance to.
"I'll be there."
"Good, see you then."
He grinned at her, and then closed the door.
Serena sighed as the cab left him standing there at the curb. "Oh lord," she said, putting her head in her hands. "What do I do now?" she asked.
But no matter what, at least she was closer to telling Darien. And she had only three days left until she would see him again. Oh, it was going to be torture.