Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh.
"Talk"
'Thoughts'
Flashback/Dream
...
Tea Gardner's Secret Love Affair Revealed
The charming, sexy, and talented Tea Gardner has eluded curious fans for far too long about her relationships. Though she has entertained some tabloid covers with a few scandals, none have been confirmed to be true. Questions have been raised many times as to why she hasn't been involved in a serious relationship. Many have even speculated that she has been enjoying a secret relationship. Whether that is true or false still remains a question.
But Domino Entertainment has been able to discover something that no one else knows. Yes. Domino Entertainment has found the answer to the question of the decade. Domino Entertainment has found out about Tea Gardner's secret love affair.
An anonymous source, claiming to be very close to the subject i.e. Tea Gardner, has revealed some very interesting information. There is no doubt that Tea's friendship with Mokuba Kaiba shocked everyone who knew either of them, which would be about half of the world. By the looks of their relationship, many among us have assumed that there is more to it then plain friendship. Well, the anonymous source claims that there is, indeed, more than friendship between them.
It can't merely be a coincidence that Mokuba Kaiba has been single for a long period of time as well. He too, much like Tea, has been linked to a few through scandals, but he has denied every one of them. So isn't it possible that the two "friends" were actually dating secretly, thus not wanting to start any relationship, fake they may be? The source suggest so, and the facts seem to support that.
According to our informer, Tea and Mokuba Kaiba are together. The only reason they haven't made it public is due to the age difference between them. Tea is older than Mokuba, by 5 years to be exact. Though the two don't seem to mind the age difference, their friends and family members think otherwise. It is no secret that Seto Kaiba and Mokuba Kaiba have not been on speaking terms for a few years now. No one knows the reason why the two drifted apart, when they used to be practically inseparable. The source claims that Tea Gardner was the reason. Seto Kaiba, being the strict, cautious, and concerned parental figure in Mokuba's life, was less than thrilled upon learning of his brother's relationship with Tea. He immediately asked his brother to break up with the actress, but drunk with young love, Mokuba refused. This led to a huge disagreement between the two brothers, and brought them to the state they are at today.
But the source claims age difference wasn't the only reason Seto Kaiba was less than thrilled to see his brother with Tea. The reason was very personal, and up until today, hasn't even crossed the minds of anyone who possess the ability to think. The reason you ask? Tea's attraction to the older Kaiba.
Yes, it seems unrealistic, shocking, downright a lie, but it is quite true, according to the source. Tea Gardner did live in Domino for 17 years, and did see the rise of the prodigy that is Seto Kaiba. And like every teenage girl, she developed a crush on the attractive businessman. The source states that she tried to get his attention numerous times, failing miserably each time. She even went so far as to confront him and make her feelings known, but Seto Kaiba's refusal left her heartbroken. Tea was crushed when she found out about Seto Kaiba's relationship with Serenity Wheeler, now his girlfriend of four years, so she left Domino. Little did she know that Seto Kaiba's refusal would turn out to be beneficial for her, and bring her unimaginable popularity and success. But did it bring her a cure for her heartache?
The source claims the answer is 'No'. Tea is still in love with the older Kaiba the same way she loved him years ago. Then why is she dating the younger Kaiba you ask? Maybe for revenge? Maybe to show the older Kaiba what he has missed? Maybe to show him what he lost? Once again, the answer is no. The source claims that she is doing it to get to the older one.
Everyone knows that even though Mokuba does not hold his brother in high regard today, Seto feels the opposite. He is still fiercely protective of his younger brother, and loves him like a son. No one is closer to Seto than Mokuba, and is the best and the easiest way to get to him. And that's why Tea is using him. She is using him as a stepping-stone to get to the main goal, the business tycoon, the one and only Seto Kaiba. The source claims that it is the whole reason behind her visit to the city, her happy relationship with Mokuba, and her agreement to advertise Kaiba Corp's latest product, Duel Disk VX.
As interesting as the story may sound, Domino Entertainment does not claim it to be true or false. Domino Entertainment can't verify the alleged closeness of the source to Tea or Mokuba, or the information given by the source. But we can safely assume that not everything written above is a lie. Among the many theories lies the truth. And it is up to our readers to identify for themselves the facts from lies.
Kaiba Corp. seemed to be buzzing more than usual with life and noise, much to Seto's distaste. Everyone was dressed in his or her best clothes, waiting for the diva to arrive. They held posters tucked under their arms, cameras in their nervous hands, and autograph books in their pockets and purses. The whole building was in a state of chaos and disorder because of her arrival. Seto still found himself shocked and amazed at the amount of success and popularity she had achieved in four short years.
He sighed and hastily walked towards his office, wanting to get away from all her admirers. Once inside his office, he took a deep breath and sat in his large leather chair. His gaze flickered to the single drawer that remained locked at all times whether he was in the office or not, the drawer that only he had the key for, the key that he kept with him at all times. He was tempted to open it, just to stare at it for a few moments before she arrived, but decided against it. It would do him no good, not with her to come before him in a few minutes. He sighed and closed his eyes.
She had changed.
Sure people changed over time, but Seto believed that the nature of a person could never change. Deep inside, the person remained true to his or her core. Tea, too, had completely changed her personality from being the sweet, shy, innocent, conservative, and kind-hearted person to a confident, strong, bold, and sexy vixen. But one question lingered in his mind. Was this change permanent or just like his theory, his belief, she was the same person deep inside?
His eyes roamed across the room, finally resting on the open page of Domino Entertainment. He had never bothered with such garbage before, but this particular article had caught his eye. He picked it up and scanned it quickly with weary eyes. He had a pretty good idea who the "source" was. His concern lay in the information presented regarding his and Mokuba's relationship, and it's connection to Tea. Even though the person writing this probably gathered selective points to make a juicy story, there was no denying that it did contain some truth. Their relationship had suffered a great deal due to his breakup with Tea. But that was the least of his worries.
She is using him as a stepping-stone to get to the main goal, the business tycoon, the one and only Seto Kaiba.
His gut twisted as he read the statement again. That couldn't possibly be true. Tea wasn't like that. She would never stoop to such low levels.
But she had changed. He didn't know this new Tea. This was a whole new person with a completely different attitude. What if her values were different as well? What if she really was using Mokuba to get to him? What if she was using Mokuba to hurt him? What if she was planning to hurt Mokuba knowing that would hurt him the most?
No. She wasn't like that. She was an honorable person. She loved Mokuba. She would never hurt him.
But mental anguish and the desire for revenge could drastically change a person, him being the prime example. And if there was one thing he was sure of, it was the fire of anger and revenge that he had seen lit in her eyes.
Tea is still in love with the older Kaiba the same way she loved him years ago.
How he desperately wished for it to be true. How he desperately wanted it to be true among all the other rubbish, but he feared it was farthest from the truth. He had seen it in her eyes. Her eyes had always been uniquely expressive, and with his analyzing skills, he could always read her like a book. Sadly, her eyes still remained as expressive as ever, but now they expressed dislike, anger, and dare he say… hate. He cringed inwardly.
Hate. It was a powerful word, at the same level as love. Surely she wouldn't feel such a strong negative emotion towards him… would she? He hated this. Never in his life had he felt so unsure, and never had he felt such insecurity.
Shuffling footsteps outside his room halted his thinking process, bringing him to the sudden realization that she must have arrived. As if the hurrying footsteps towards the elevator weren't enough, excited voice echoed through the rapidly becoming silent hallways. Another sigh escaped his lips. He wondered if he should go down now and rain on everyone's parade, or wait it out? Taking a deep breath, he got up. It was time to confront Tea Gardner.
As usual, people around her screamed and cheered, and as practiced, she smiled and waved. Just an ordinary day in the life of the movie star Tea Gardner, but quite a special day in the life of ordinary Domino girl Tea Gardner. Today was the day she was getting acknowledgement from the Kaiba Corp. staff. The staff that worked under the infamous Seto Kaiba not only respected her more than their boss, but wasn't afraid to risk their job to act unprofessionally in her presence. And this made her feel… good. It made her feel extremely good. She glowed in pride as men around her moved at her command, getting her a comfy chair to sit in, a coffee to drink, and a variety of baked goods when she expressed her misfortune of missing breakfast.
"Tea, Tea, I'm from Domino Entertainment, one question please?" Though various reporters had managed to sneak into Kaiba Corp. lobby despite the best efforts of security, Tea only acknowledged one.
"Oh hi." She said with an amused smile, staring at the young female reporter. "How are you?" The girl seemed baffled at such a cheery response.
"I'm fine." She finally said. "Would you be so kind to answer a few questions?"
"After your oh-so-interesting article about me," Tea said in sugary sweet voice, much like the donut she was eating, causing the reporter to flush in embarrassment, "of course."
"Well, since you have read the article we published about you, what are your comments on that? Would you like to say anything to deny or confirm?" The room grew eerily silent, clearly indicating that almost everyone in the room awaited her answer. She let out a small chuckle.
"Yes. I read the article. It was very interesting. Kudos to the person who came up with that story. Highly creative, but as with almost all of your juicy tabloid stories, completely untrue." Her tone changed from playful to strict. "Mokuba is nothing more than a good friend. We have been friends for years and over the passage of time, the friendship has only strengthened, not changed into romantic interest. I won't deny that I love Mokuba, but I love him as a younger brother. And having tabloids say such nasty things about our relationship is vulgar." Everyone decided to voice their opinions at that point, shouting against the media and applauding Tea. The reporter flushed further, but recovered immediately, asking another question.
"But what about Seto Kaiba?" The silence that followed this was deathly. She was sure she could hear the people around her trembling with anticipation. She smirked and glanced around the room, her eyes finally landing on icy orbs staring back at her.
"I assure you, I have no feelings, whatsoever, for Seto Kaiba."
His heart sank to the pit of his stomach as the words escaped her lips. There. She had said it. She had confirmed his worst fears. She didn't harbor any feelings for him. She didn't love him. She had moved on.
Suddenly, anger began pulsing in his veins. So what if she didn't have any feelings for him. Why did he care? He didn't harbor any feelings for her either. After all, it was why he had left her.
Eyes still locked with Tea, he stepped out of the shadows and spoke in a booming voice.
"What is going on here?" Immediately, the crowd began dissipating, though half heartedly, shooting her fleeting glances.
"Who let the reporters in?" Seto bellowed at his security. "I specifically said I didn't want them anywhere near Kaiba Corp. Get them out." The reporters didn't need the bulky men of Kaiba's security team to show them the door. Seto's booming voice had them running through the door before anyone could blink. With the pest problem under control, Seto turned to Tea, eyes so hard they could drill a hole through the toughest of metals. Instead of flinching or withdrawing her gaze, she stared back with same intensity.
"Let's go." Seto said in a strained voice. Tea gathered her stuff with elegance and followed him to the elevator. No words were exchanged between the exes. Tea continued sipping her coffee and Seto continued glaring into thin air. The elevator doors closed and suddenly, the small space seemed to feel even smaller. The tension seemed to have shrunk the space. Seto studied her from the corner of his eyes.
"I see you've debased yourself to manipulating people." He said dryly. Her gaze did not flicker, even for a nanosecond, as she replied in a biting tone.
"But I'm still not on the same level of lowliness as you yet. Because then, I'd have to master lying, deceiving, cheating, and back stabbing."
"Tea-." Seto immediately turned to face her, but was interrupted by the "ding" of the elevator. The doors slid open and in came Shinn Hariguka.
Seto grudgingly withdrew from her small frame, shooting Shinn a nasty glare.
"Am I interrupting something?" Shinn asked in a confused voice. Seto sneered and turned his face away, not willing to even acknowledge the question. Tea, however, smiled and shook her head.
"Oh nothing. Mr. Kaiba was just explaining to me the principles by which he leads he life and this company." Tea said, waving her hand dismissively. Seto stiffened besides her.
"Mr. Kaiba is quite charismatic." Shinn said and Tea smiled even more.
"I agree. I hope I'm not too late for the meeting."
"Not at all. Actually, I'm glad I found you here. I was about to send someone to rescue you from the crazy mob downstairs." Shinn said good-naturedly, and a smile appeared on Tea's face.
"I didn't mind being mobbed." Shinn chuckled lightly. The elevator "dinged" again and they stepped out.
"Okay Miss Tea, we have everything ready." Shinn spoke in a professional tone. "We will start with the photo shoot for the magazine ads and billboard posters. And then, later we can shoot the commercial."
"Sounds good." Tea said and followed the two men into a huge room that looked very much like a studio. Cameras had been set up, lights were shinning, and people were buzzing about, fussing over equipment. Upon her entrance, they all crowded her.
"Leave her alone." The loud voice belonging to Mokuba caused them to reluctantly pull away, giving her room to breathe. She smiled and hugged the teen, careless of Seto's jealous glare and the whispers circulating around the room at her action.
"I just saw your outfit. You're going to look so amazing." Mokuba said in an excited voice.
"It better not be too revealing. Stan's on my case and I don't want to annoy him any more." Tea said and Mokuba chuckled.
"Don't worry. I was the censor. I made sure it wasn't Mai or Serenity like." Both shared a laugh at that. Shinn approached them.
"Miss Tea, we need you to get ready for the photo shoot." She nodded her head and followed a crew member into a small room. She came out 30 minutes later, dressed, her make-up and hair done. Everyone's jaws hit the floor.
She wore a tube top that came up to her midriff, accenting her perfectly sculpted torso. It was metallic silver in color. She wore similar colored short shorts that drew attention to her long and perfect legs. A sleeveless trench coat adorned with silver buttons, metallic blue in color, finished her look. It came up to her mid-thighs and gave a sense of power and confidence.
"Well?" Tea said with a blush, wanting to get them out of their trance.
"I think we better warn the hospitals. There are going to be a lot of accidents on the road with your picture on a billboard." Mokuba said with a wink. Others were quick to voice their agreement, commenting her.
"Okay people, enough gaping. Let's get working." Shinn said with a clap of his hands, and immediately, people began doing what they had been doing. A man in his mid thirties came forth, identifying himself as the photographer. He motioned for her to stand before a plain background and adjusted his camera. On his instructions, Tea began posing for the ads.
Seto stood in a corner, pretending to watch the happenings with a critical eye. But his mind was focused on Tea.
Mokuba had told the truth when he said he was the censor for the outfit. But even he didn't know that Seto was the designer of the outfit. He had chosen the colors, and presented the idea of a trench coat. His inspiration had come from the blue eyes white dragon which was composed of identical colors. Plus, from his past experience, he knew what colors suited her. The idea of a trench coat was something personal from their past.
(Flashback)
"Where are we going?" Tea asked curiously as she glanced around. She had been enjoying her evening date with the Kaiba brothers when the older one had stolen her from the younger one, claiming to show her something. Now, Seto was leading her up a winding staircase situated in the part of a mansion she had never seen before.
"You'll see." He said coyly. She let out a loud breath of frustration but continued to follow him. They ended up before a small metal door. Seto opened the door and Tea felt a gust of fresh air hit her face. They were on the roof of the Kaiba mansion.
"Wow." Tea said as she glanced around. " I never knew there was a way to the roof."
"We use this route when we need to use the copter from here." Seto said, pointing to the giant machine carrying Kaiba Corp's emblem. "I sometimes come here for fresh air and to escape the hectic mess my life is." Tea nodded her head. Her eyes fell on a small blanket that was placed on the floor.
"You planned this?" She asked in surprise. He smirked and began walking towards the blanket. She joined him and they sat down. Tea wrapped her arms around him in a gentle hug.
"It's so calm and serene up here." She closed her eyes and listened to the quiet hum of the cool wind.
"Open your eyes." She heard Seto whisper in her ear. "I want you to see something." She did as told and followed his arm pointing to the sky. Up there, a million stars greeted her. Her face broke in a huge grin.
"They look so beautiful." Then a sly grin took over her features and she turned to face him. "Seto, I didn't know you were such a romantic softy at heart." He smirked and placed a small kiss on her lips.
"Only for you." She blushed as he kissed her again, pushing her down on the blanket and climbing on top of hers. They finally parted lips, and Seto rested his forehead against hers, staring at her with a smile.
"Did you ever think this would happen?" She asked, her finger tracing the side of his face in a loving manner.
"What?" He asked, turning his head to kiss her hand.
"Me and you, together. Did you ever think we would be romantically involved?" Seto let out a small chuckle.
"Honestly, no. I never thought you'd be here, lying under me, letting me touch you and kiss you." She blushed at his words. "I always thought you'd end up with Yugi. But I won't say I never wished it." Her eyes widened at his confession and he planted another small kiss on her lips. " I was attracted to you, but because of the hostility between us, I believed there was no room for anything else to exist. I guess I was wrong." She smiled and took the initiative to kiss him this time. They had been together for a grand total of three weeks and slowly, she felt that she was getting to know the real Seto Kaiba.
"Did you?" Seto tossed the question back at her.
"No. But I was attracted to you too, since the day you stepped into our classroom." She admitted with a blush and he smirked.
"I never knew you crushed on me for so long." He said slyly and she huffed.
"I didn't crush on you. I admitted you were handsome and talented and smart." His smirked widened at her words, but she continued. "And rude and mean and arrogant and a jerk." He actually let out a small laugh at that.
"You left out rich and powerful."
"I didn't care much about those attributes." She replied honestly. "Plus your other less charming qualities seemed to overshadow them." Seto leaned into her more, pressing his body firmly atop hers and whispered.
"What do you think now?" She stared into his arctic blue eyes that were emitting warmth for her, and said.
"Now I know that you are a very kind and caring person. You are sweet, considerate, and selfless. And you are incredibly romantic and ridiculously sexy." As soon as she had finished, Seto smashed his lips against hers, immediately demanding access to her mouth. She was slightly taken back at his aggressiveness but responded quickly, parting her lips for his invading tongue. Seto groaned in satisfaction as his tongue swept the insides of her mouth, reveling in the sweet taste that was unique to her. They finally pulled apart, both gasping desperately for breath.
"And what did you think about that?" Seto asked her with a smirk, his chest heaving above hers.
"Wow. Just… wow." She said with a blush, not knowing what else to say. Her mind was still buzzing with the pleasure from the mind-boggling kiss. Seto laughed and moved off her.
"Don't look so sad." Seto teased, noticing the look of slight disappointment on her face. "We'll get plenty of chances to do that, and a lot more." He said suggestively. "Let's just enjoy the view for now." He turned his head to look at the sky. She followed suit, watching the many stars twinkle.
"They look so beautiful." She said, snuggling into his side. "I never bothered to pay attention to them before."
"The best is always before our eyes. We just never pay attention." Seto said. Tea stared at him for a while before turning back to star gazing. A blast of cold wind hit her legs and she shivered slightly. If she had known that she would be up on the roof at night, she would have bothered to wear pants and a full sleeved shirt, not a mini skirt and a tank top. Seto noticed her discomfort and took his trench coat off, placing it gently on her.
"Seto?" She gave him a questioning look. He shrugged his shoulders and said.
"I don't need it. But if you don't take it, you'll get a cold and the mutt will accuse me of trying to kill you." She giggled and squeezed his torso in a crushing hug.
"Thanks so much." She wrapped it tightly around her body and smiled broadly. "See, I knew you were kind and caring." He just shrugged his shoulders and looked up at the sky.
"Seto, do you star-gaze often?" She inquired curiously.
"No." He replied. "Only when it's needed."
"Needed?" She asked in confusion. He seemed hesitant to answer, but gave in after a while.
"I star-gaze when I'm away on business. The stars remind me of home." She stared at him in wonderment. "They remind me of the mischievous twinkle in Mokuba's eyes when he's up to something. And recently, they seem to remind me of the way your eyes light up when you smile." She flushed at his confession. "They make me feel at ease, like I'm where I belong." Silence followed his confession during which Seto wondered if he should have divulged that information to her, while she just stared at him.
"You always surprise me with everything you say and everything you do." Tea said in a soft voice. "I feel like I'm meeting you for the first time." He chuckled, and she continued. "I used to have the same thinking during Duelist Kingdom and Battle City. Every night, I'd stare at the stars and wish everything would be okay. The stars used to calm me down. I don't know how, but every time I looked at them, I felt calm and relaxed. I felt like there was still time for us to make things right. They used to give me hope and strength. That's how I made it through the horrors of Duelist Kingdom and rare hunters." Seto smiled at her and glanced around, his eyes landing on a horde of clouds approaching them. He knew it wouldn't be long before they would hide the stars from their vision.
"Come on, let's go downstairs." He said with a frown. "It's getting late." They got up, collected the blanket, and proceeded downstairs. "I'll take you home." Seto offered and held out his hand. She placed her hand in his, but he shot her an exasperated look.
"Tea, I want my coat." She quickly wrapped her arms tightly around her and the coat, refusing to give it to him.
"I'm keeping it as a souvenir from this amazing date."
"You can't wear it. People will start ridiculous stories about your affair with me." Seto said in frustration. "And I don't want to deal with all that."
"I won't wear it outside." She assured him.
"Then why keep it?" He inquired.
"Because I want to." She said stubbornly and he sighed in defeat. "But when we tell everyone about us, I'm going to wear it all the time." Seto wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"Then I'd want you to wear it to tell everyone that you belong to me. That you are mine." She shuddered against him and he had half the mind to drag her to his bedroom and make her do more than just shudder. But instead, he led her out of the mansion and into his car so he could take her home.
(End flashback)
It was his one possession that she loved to wear, and tease him about. It was the one thing he used to wrap her in during cold nights when they ventured to the roof to spend nights gazing at the stars. It was the only thing he owned that she had actually asked to have. It was what connected them when he was away on business trips, for she claimed to feel his presence in that piece of material. It was something he was recognized by, his trademark outfit, his trademark look. And now, after four long years, she wore it. She wore a trench coat and damn it all, she looked sexy. Never in his life had he seen a woman look so sexy, so seductive, so powerful.
But most importantly, she looked like a Kaiba. He wondered what people would think, what the tabloids would assume when they saw her wearing the colors of his favorite monster and his signature trench coat. He knew papers would be covered with stories of their secret romance, but he knew deep down inside, he wanted it. He wanted them to bring up that topic, hoping against all see-able odds that it would remind her of their beautiful relationship. That it would wake up her suppressed emotions.
"Beautiful." He heard the photographer whisper and Seto silently agreed with him. No doubt she was beautiful. She was very beautiful indeed.
"So damn sexy." The photographer whispered again, but in a heated tone. Seto's eyebrows furrowed in distaste. That wasn't very professional. Suspicion grew in his mind and he approached the man who was still engrossed in capturing Tea's beauty pictures.
"Move. I want to see what you've gotten so far." Seto said in a rough voice. The man's face went pale.
"But it's not finished yet. It's best that I edit the pictures first." He stammered.
"No. I want to see them now." Seto said, anger replacing suspicion. Everyone, including Tea and Mokuba, was now watching the pair in confusion.
"But sir-." The man tried again, but Seto grabbed him by the collar and threw him away.
"Mr. Kaiba." Many said in shock as they helped the man up. Seto ignored their pitiful objections and began scrolling through the pictures that had been taken. As more and more pictures passed his eye, his blood boiled in anger. Besides a few decent pictures, every other picture was of Tea's chest, pelvis, and legs.
"Fuck." Seto screamed in anger, and threw the camera on the carpeted floor. Around him, people flinched in fear. Seething, Seto advanced towards the photographer who, sensing Seto's murderous intentions, resorted to begging.
"I'm sorry Mr. Kaiba. I didn't mean—ugh." A groan finished his sentence because Seto had punched him square in the jaw.
"Mr. Kaiba." Shinn gasped in shock as he ran towards the enraged man. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to kill this bastard." Seto yelled in rage, violently punching the now bleeding man. "And I'll fire anyone who comes near me." His threat worked effectively to ward off anyone who had plans to stop him, so he continued to vent off his anger. Behind him, Shinn continued to plead for him to stop.
Tea and Mokuba watched the ordeal take place in shock. Seto had his back to them so they couldn't exactly see what was happening, but Seto's movements, his grunts, and the man's painful screams were enough to give them a good idea if not a clear picture. Neither had ever seen Seto act like this before. Tea glanced at Mokuba to see if he was going to take any action to stop his brother. Finding him frozen on spot, she knew it was up to her to take matters into her own hands. She took a hesitant step towards the enraged male.
"Kaiba, stop it." She said, hoping it would be enough to get him to stop, yet knowing that it won't. Her eyes caught a red spot on the floor, a spot that was steadily increasing. She panicked realizing it was blood. She increased her pace, almost running towards the two, and almost let out a small scream at the sight that greeted her. The man's face was barely recognizable, being swollen with bruises and covered with blood that seeped from his forehead, mouth, and nose. His clothes were rumpled and bloody.
"Kaiba stop it this instant." Tea screamed at him, but he either didn't listen or decided to ignore it. He raised a bloody fist again and punched the man across the jaw. When he raised his arm to hit again, Tea quickly grabbed it, holding it tightly against her body to stop it from causing any more harm.
"Kaiba stop. He'd die if you keep beating him like this." She yelled in desperation, but Seto didn't obey. He violently struggled against her hold to free his arm and hit again.
"You could be in serious trouble. You can go to jail. Be reasonable." She pleaded.
"Reasonable?" Seto screamed, almost knocking her off her feet in shock and fear. "I am being reasonable. This bastard deserves to be killed. And I'll kill him." He struggled to free his arm again. Tea's body jerked forward at the impact of his strength, but she refused to let go.
"No. Don't do it. Stop." She begged him, but his mind was clouded with rage. He was venting out his frustrations on this poor man and no one would be able to stop him. He managed to free his arm and raised it above his head, ready to punch the man again.
"SETO." Tea screamed in absolute desperation, not knowing what else to do. His arm froze in mid air, his breath coming out raggedly. With a loud grunt, he threw the man on the floor and got up. His eyes locked with Tea's fearful ones for a moment before he retired to the corner where he had originally stood. Many people quickly went to the beaten photographer, trying to desperately to stop his bleeding and calling the emergency services. Shinn went to Seto.
"Mr. Kaiba, with all due respect, have you lost your mind? Why did you attack him?"
"He deserved it, and a lot more." Seto said through clenched teeth. "Just look at the pictures." Mokuba and Shinn quickly went to the digital camera and browsed through the pictures, their looks of curiosity turning into disgust and anger. Mokuba took a threatening step towards the now unconscious man, but Shinn held his arm.
"He's already in too much pain." Mokuba glared at the photographer before grabbing the camera.
"I'm deleting these to make sure they don't turn up on the internet tomorrow." Mokuba said and Shinn nodded his head.
"Please come with me. We need to help him." Mokuba turned to find Tea walking towards Seto. He contemplated on what to do before following Shinn.
Tea approached Seto, carefully and hesitantly. Her eyes swept over his slouched figure and she knew he was fatigued. She glanced at his hands that were covered in blood, the photographer's blood. She went for her bag and took out a napkin.
"Here." She said, offering the napkin to Seto. He stared at her in surprise and took it mutely, using it to clean his hands. She patiently watched him clean his one hand and proceed to the other. But soon, his first hand was supporting red color again. It hadn't all been the photographer's blood. Some of it had been his as well.
"You're hurt." She gasped and quickly went to her bag where she always kept a small first-aid kit. She brought it to Seto and sat on the floor beside him, slightly standing on her knees. Very gently, she took his hand in hers and cleaned the blood and the wound before wrapping the bandage around it. All the while, Seto only watched her.
"Why did you do it?" She asked, having finished with one hand and proceeding to hold the other.
"He was taking advantage of you." Seto replied in a gruff voice. "He was molesting you." His hand tightened in a fist within her small one. "He was treating you like an object."
"And how is that different than how you made me feel?" She asked in a curt voice, causing him to stiffen.
"Tea, I-." He began speaking but she cut him off.
"I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear anything you have to say." Her eyes remained fixed on his hands as she spoke. Her hands trembled slightly as she tightly wrapped the bandages around his palms and knuckles. "I know what you are trying to do, and… I don't need you to protect me." This part she whispered as she stood up. Her eyes met his, fiery blue against arctic. "I don't need you." With that, she turned away from him and walked towards Shinn.
"I think there is no point for me to stay here anymore." She said in a professional tone. "Let me know when you have another photographer available." Shinn nodded, apologizing repeatedly for this mishap. Tea nodded her head and followed Mokuba out of the room. Seto just watched her disappear from his line of sight.
I don't need you.
Her words stung him like a thousand poisoned needles. But there was nothing he could do about the pain or the situation.
The room was stuffed with people of all kinds, mingling and chattering amongst themselves excitedly. In a corner, Seto sat, face betraying the storm that raged in his mind. Besides him sat his "friends" who looked just as tense as him, and his "girlfriend" who was quite angry.
"Where is that bitch?" Serenity said through clenched teeth. And Seto wondered the same thing. Tomorrow was the launching of Duel Disk VX. A huge party was thrown and everyone who was someone in the business industry was invited. But the star of the campaign, the person who more than half of the guests came to see was nowhere to be seen.
"She's probably trying to be fashionably late." Mai said with a roll of her eyes and turned to Seto. "Now if you had me in the campaign, I wouldn't have wasted your time like this." She pointed out. Seto only grunted, not paying heed to a word that came out of her mouth. His concentration was focused on Tea and their situation.
The day she left, he had come to the realization that she had meant more to him that he had previously imagined. The guilt clawed at his heart every time he thought about her. In the beginning, he had placed the blame on Mokuba, identifying him as the reason for the bothersome feeling. How he now regretted those times he had cursed her to hell and beyond for destroying his life. How he regretted wishing her ill fate, pain, and misery every moment of her life. Of course then he had blamed Tea for his ruined relationship with his little brother. But even then, the news of her disappearance had rendered him senseless. Like a panicked child lost in a crowd, he wanted to look for her, scream for her, and find her, but like a caged tiger, he felt trapped within the walls of his pride and ego. They barricaded the only way his heart had chosen to find happiness.
Days passed and Mokuba continued the process of ignoring his only living blood relative. But weeks passed, months turned into years and neither a word from Tea, nor a sign. She had disappeared off the face of the earth. Nightmares plagued his nights, while memories haunted his days. He felt he was in hell. In desperation, he turned to Serenity, his choice, to find comfort and peace. But the only thing he found out was how big a mistake he had made in choosing her over Tea. Serenity was no better than a whore who only knew how to use her body to get what she wanted. Alas, it wasn't enough to grant him peace and a good night's sleep.
For the past four years, he had lived in regret, wishing he could go back in time and fix what he had wronged. He breathed anger and hatred for Tea for rendering him so weak, so needy, so helpless, so pathetic. Yet at the same time, his heart yearned to hold her in his arms, touch her, kiss her, and sleep peacefully in her embrace. His eyes thirsted to catch a glimpse of her smiling face. His ears longed to hear her melodious laugh. He was so desperate that he was willing to throw aside his pride and beg her for forgiveness. But forgiveness never came easy.
I don't need you, she had said, but he was just realizing how much he needed her. He knew that deep down inside, she felt for him. Her heart had poured out her locked feelings when he had defended her honor. The way she had tended to his wounds so tenderly spoke volumes of her feelings, no matter how much she denied them. And that gave him hope. She was angry, no doubt, but she possessed a kind heart, and he planned to use it to get through to her. He would break through her denial and make her his.
The excitement in the room suddenly went up many notches and he knew she had arrived. And soon enough, his eyes rested on her petite figure. Clad in a midnight blue gown that accented her every curve, she looked heavenly. The gown was strapless and did well to showcase her shoulders. The material was silky and soft looking, drawing attention to her creamy skin that lay underneath. A beautiful sapphire necklace adorned her neck, drawing the eyes to her chest and neck, but keeping it focused on it as well. She walked on Mokuba's arm, smiling and waving at the crowd. She passed their table without so much as a glance. All the while, his eyes remaining focused on her. She seated on a table besides theirs and began a small conversation with the people that surrounded her table.
"Ladies and gentleman, may I have your attention please?" Shinn spoke over the microphone, halting eager guests from harassing Tea any further. "As you all know very well, Kaiba Corp. is launching its newest product in the line of dueling technology, the Duel Disk VX." He paused and people clapped politely. Shinn continued speaking, but Seto was focused on the beauty sitting not too far away from him.
His eyes caressed her silky soft hair, his fingers tingling with the memory of the feel. He gazed at her swan like neck, replaying the many times he had had the pleasure to kiss the sensitive skin there. Her chest had grown, and was enough to turn any man a lusting beast. Her waist remained as small as he remembered, petite and delicate. And those legs went on forever. She had definitely grown into a beautiful woman and he longed to tell her that.
"And the star of our campaign is none other than the world famous Tea Gardner." Shinn's voice boomed over the crowd and deafening applause followed. Beside him, Serenity and Mai muttered under their breaths, jealousy radiating off them.
"And now, I'd like to show you the commercial that will be aired tomorrow morning." Shinn said and pressed a button on a remote before getting off the stage. Every eye in the room was focused on a giant screen, including Seto's. Though he had seen the ad many times before, he couldn't help but want to watch it again.
The commercial began with Tea standing in the middle of a horde of reporters all asking her various questions. She wore the white outfit with the blue trench coat.
'What is your favorite color? What is your favorite food? What do you like to do in your spare time? What is the one thing you enjoy the most?'
Tea gave a dazzling smile before walking away from the men and into a different frame depicting a living room. She let out a deep breath and slumped on a couch.
"Being a celebrity isn't easy." She said and sat up straight. "It's very hard to guard your secrets." Her smile turned sultry as she leaned forward in a sexy manner. All men seemed to shift in their seats.
"Want to know my guilty pleasure?" Her voice dropped another octave, barely above a heated whisper, and the men unconsciously leaned forward, not wanting to miss a letter. "I like to have company in the bath tub." The pulse of every male in the room quickened as the next frame slid in to cover half of the screen. The new frame showed a bathroom. Tea sat in a bathtub filled with lather that covered most of her body aside from the face, neck, shoulders, and the swell of her breasts. In her hands, she held a toy boat and a yellow rubber duck.
"Amused much?" The first Tea said with a smile as the frame slid to the left and out of sight, and the room filled with light chuckles. Her expression turned sultry again as she spoke.
"But now, I can have the company of masculine, hot men without getting a scandal smeared all over the tabloids… with the new Duel Disk VX." The second frame consisting of her in a tub slid in again, now showing the duel disk resting on the edge of the tub and two handsome looking holograms battling on the edge of the tub. The first Tea took the new duel disk out and wore it on her arm as the second frame slid out of sight again.
"This new model is the latest in duel disk technology and one of a kind. It not only gives clear, and more realistic holograms, but it allows you to adjust the size of the holograms to your liking. So whether you are having fun." The second frame slid in, one warrior tossing the other in the tub as Tea pulled her legs to her chest and said. "Hey hey, out of the water and no peeking." The crowd chuckled again as the frame slid out again.
"Or just kicking some serious butt." The first Tea continued speaking, motioning to a TV behind her that was replaying her duel with Mai, currently on the part with Mai on the floor, defeated and exposed. "Duel Disk VX is the one for you." Her voice carried a tone of excitement as she spoke the next lines. "And it's in stores now. So what are you waiting for? Get off the couch, get the Duel Disk VX now, and get your game on." She ended with a strong pose, emanating confidence, and power, the duel disk displayed before prominently her stomach. The frame froze, indicating the end of the ad and people rose to their feet, clapping thunderously. Seto smiled in satisfaction. The ad was quite interesting and satisfactory. It used many factors upon which the ad industry relied, including celebrity fame, humor, and sex appeal. And from the response he was getting, the choices he had made were perfect.
Before he could gloat to himself, people surrounded him, congratulating him on producing such a brilliant product and an even better advertisement. He turned his head to find Tea in a similar situation. A smile finally graced his features. The congratulations drawled out for a while, more and more people surrounding Tea to comment on her performance. Finally, the crowd dispersed thanks to Mokuba's efforts. Seto took this opportunity to approach her.
"Te—Miss Gardner, congratulations." He said in a professional tone, trying his best to keep his face and eyes to remain straight. She turned to face him with a small polite smile.
"You deserve all the praises Mr. Kaiba. I just did as I was told." Her unaffected attitude tore him apart. Did she not feel any kind of emotion when he came near her, or was she just good at shielding it from his prying eyes?
"Come on Tea, let's dance." Mokuba said, and grabbed her hand, talking her away from Seto, who watched with a look of longing in his eyes.
"Wow Tea, I'm really impressed." Mokuba said, holding her waist in his hand as he spun her around the dance floor. She beamed and answered.
"Thanks. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be."
"Well, I'm still very impressed and proud. You did great." Tea smiled and rested her head against his chest.
"I'm really thankful for all your help and support Mokuba. I hope you know that." Mokuba kissed the top of her head.
"I'm glad to be there for you. I love you." Tea wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled happily. They continued to move around to the music, ignorant to all the whispers and stares they were receiving. Suddenly, a smooth masculine voice broke them apart.
"Mind if I cut in?" The two slowly moved apart. Tea's eyes rested on the man who had interrupted them, and immediately her eyes lit up in joy. She threw her arms around him and squealed in excitement.
"Alistair."
...
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