"Mom, Dad, please tell me that you guys are kidding…"
Nathaniel's face goes from confused to disappointed to angry at the news that his beloved sister is at Forgotten Hollow, participating in House Cents's party.
"You both let her go? With him? That Caleb Vatore bastard?" he exclaims loudly "That is the guy who broke her heart, he broke her heart!"
"Nathaniel, we can hear you just fine, you do not have to yell at us." Rosalina sighs, still focusing on her mixed batter "And Caleb came here asking for permission to bring Primrose with him, so we said yes."
The blonde is surprised again when he hears this, that man came here to ask for permission. Caleb Vatore, the vampire lord, came here to ask permission…
"That is not the point! She is digging her own grave, Mom. And you aren't saying anything." he tousles his hair, unable to comprehend what his mom is saying "We have to bring her back…"
Rosalina's hand chops her son on the back of his head, sighing in disapproval. While she is pleased to see the protective side of Nathaniel when it comes to his older sister, what he is doing is causing more harm than good. As Primrose's brother, he should have known how stubborn she is when she makes up her mind.
Stubborn as a mule, the young mage will fight for her ideal and what she believes in, an idealistic yet troublesome little girl…
"And Dad accepted this?" the blond continues to press on the topic "I can see Primrose persuading you, but Dad as well? He is not supposed to agree to this…"
"Do you even listen to what I say, Nat? Caleb came here to ask for permission, they had a talk and Primrose was there as well."
"And let me guess, she tried to reason with him that this is for the better good?"
Rosalina slaps her forehead exaggeratedly, how many times does she need to sigh in order for Nathaniel to understand that his parents have gone through all the downsides of Primrose's decision before giving her the green light? Her son is so blinded by the idea that his sibling needs all the protection she can get that he completely forgets about how Primrose is the older sister and that she is an adult deciding for herself.
But he defends himself. It is not Primrose or her wish to go to the party, Caleb Vatore is the problem. He can not accept anyone who is her old flame, let alone that person hurt his sister deeply. Primrose may be kind enough to accept Caleb back into her life, but to Nathaniel, that man is only taking advantage of her romantic nature and kindness. She is too naïve to see through Caleb's evil deeds. She may think that the vampire lord has changed, but in reality, it is she who tries to romanticize her life, thinking that it is going to end happily like how she writes her novels.
"Nathaniel, you're thinking too much!" Rosalina scolds him "Do you think that your sister, Primrose Emberlynn, is a mere child who can not see through someone's ill intention?"
"She is if she keeps going out with Caleb Vatore, Mom!"
"That is her choice, either she will be happy with it or she will regret it. You can not decide for her life just because you think that he is a bad person." sighing many times today, his mother pats him on the back "Trust her, Nat. She is wiser than you make her seem to be…"
Nathaniel tries to retort but finds himself unable to reason with his mother. Even Edward, his father, approves or at least, allows Primrose to do her thing. The blond wants to protect his sister from all the possible threats at all costs, but it proves to be a difficult task…
"I'm going home…"
"You're not eating dinner?"
"I'm not hungry."
With that, he gathers his belongings and leaves his parents' home. Edward walks out of his office looking at the closed door then turns his attention to the sighing Rosalina. She has tried her best to explain to Nathaniel their decision and now, it is falling on the blond's shoulder to decide whether or not to accept Caleb Vatore. By the scope of things, it seems like he is still having a hard time trying to process Primrose's decision.
"He will be fine." Edward comes up to his wife, kissing her forehead as a reassurance "Give him some time and he will open up to Caleb Vatore…"
"I hope so too. But…" looking at her husband with longing eyes, she asks "Are we doing the right thing, Edward? Letting Primrose into that world, even now, I still find myself wondering if I can make things different…"
"We let her know what dangers she would be facing if she chose to be by his side, and she agrees to all of it. Now, our job is to sit back and believe that she makes the right decision." soothing his wife with kind words, he continues "Primrose is strong, honey. She will be able to handle all the obstacles that stand in her way. Besides, you prepared her too, did you not? Giving your family's weapon to Marlin and Lumera so they can give it to her…"
Rosalina's eyes widen a bit at her husband's words. How did he know…?
"I know you love her a lot, honey. And you want to do everything you can to support her. You see yourself in her, just like how I see myself in Caleb Vatore…" holding his wife in a tight, loving embrace, Edward smiles "They are just like us years ago…"
Rosalina nods, agreeing to his observation. They were the same as the young Primrose and Caleb Vatore, fighting for what they called love. Edward sacrificed his future for her, giving up his inheritance position to his brother in order to secure their future. There are times when she thinks about how different they would be if the older blond gave up on them, on their love for each other. But Edward always reassures her that he has never once regretted his decision, just like how Caleb is with Primrose.
"You're right." grazing her lips on his, she smiles "They are just like us, after all…"
Ember stares at the tall skyscraper in front of her with mixed feelings. Never in her life would she think that she was here, in front of what her parents called their precious fortune, the building of the Feng family.
Nathaniel has called her and asked if she is okay, knowing that she comes here following her parents' request. He wishes to come with her but he needs to take care of Primrose's matter first. Her emerald eyes shine a light of fondness as she reads the message, her boyfriend's caring words of how he will wait at their home and make her favorite dish for dinner warms her heart. At least someone cares about her enough to do such a lovely thing…
"Do you have an appointment?"
"Yes, the name is Ember Feng." she nods at the receptionist.
"Ms. Feng, I-I'm sorry, I…"
But Ember shakes her head, kindly telling her that it is okay, she rarely comes here so it is normal for everyone not to notice her. She then walks to the elevator and gets in, pushing the floor number so that she can arrive at her parent's luxurious penthouse that is on the top of this skyscraper. While she is not eager to meet her parents, Ember is looking forward to meeting her twin brother, Emerald, again.
Hailing from the Feng family, Ember is the eldest daughter of Victor and Lily Feng. Their impressive empire in the business and political world has earned them great influence over the city of San Myshuno for years, with Victor being the mayor and Lily's expanding power in the housing market. However, despite their career achievements, Victor and Lily are workaholics who believe that if they can't buy it with money, buy it with more money. They who believe in the power of money are also the ones who raise Ember and Emerald in a household with no parental love.
When she was little, along with her brother, they were known to be the little prince and princess of the Feng empire, referring to their parents' career success. However, despite their well-financed upbringing, Ember and Emerald never once feel like they are the children of the Fengs and instead, become pawns to further their parents' careers.
Emerald, being the son of the family, is catered to everything from start to finish. His life is planned from a young age to inherit his family fortune, so Victor and Lily do everything they can to prepare him for his bright future. They put him in strict training that focuses on accomplishment and financial success, grooming him to become their successor. Emerald never has a normal childhood like his peers and is forced into the position of the golden child of the family. He is expected to follow in their footsteps and continue the family legacy.
Ember, however, receives the other end of the same stick, she is ignored by her parents. Victor and Lily invested little time or effort in her upbringing, believing that their focus should be solely on their son, the future heir of the Feng empire. Her childhood is nothing but being neglected by her parents and listening to singing praises of how impressive Emerald's achievements are. No matter how much she tries, Ember is always the black sheep of the family, the one who will later carry her husband's last name after she gets married.
Ember and Emerald, two sides of the same coin, learn from a very young age that they have no one to rely on but their connections. Despite the different upbringings, their relationship stayed strong throughout those years, even when Ember moved out of her childhood home.
But now, here she is, standing in front of the big, lavished entry, wondering if she should just leave instead. Ember never wants to come back here, but her parents insist, telling her that they have a surprise for her. Whatever this surprise might be, she doesn't want to accept it.
"Hey sis!" Emerald opens the door and embraces his sister in a warm hug "Nat is not with you today?"
"He has a family quarrel with his sister. You know how protective he is when it comes to Primrose." Ember giggles, returning the hug with open arms "Where are Mother and Father?"
"In their office, they are eager to see you, or at least that is what they say." the young man sighs "Eager…"
"I see, I'll meet them right away. The sooner I do it, the sooner I get to go home. Nathaniel promises me my favorite dinner tonight."
Emerald nods his head, standing aside so his sister can get in. When his parents announce that Ember is coming to visit, he has a bad feeling about this. He doesn't know why, but this uneasiness keeps rising until he sees his sister at the front door. What are Victor and Lily planning? He wants to know.
Their parents rarely speak about Ember, and the number of times he even hears her name coming out of their mouths can be counted on the fingers of one hand. But today, they are surprisingly gracious to prepare dinner and invite her to join them.
"Ember, before you go in there, there is something I want you to know."
"What is it?" her ears perk up at her brother's words.
"Be careful. I don't know what they are planning, but you should stay on guard." Emerald sighs as if he is trying to prepare for the worst.
Ember stares at her younger twin, smiling at his kind and tender gesture. Ruffling his raven hair, she nods her head, letting him know that no matter what scheme their parents are plotting, she will not fall for that.
They both walk into the office, where she is greeted by her mom's surprising hug and her dad's warm smile. Yet despite the lighthearted words and kind hellos, the ominous air is noticeable. Victor pulls out a document file in his drawer and lays it on the desk, motioning Ember to come and read it. Something about her inheritance of their beach mansion Tartosa and the key to the place.
"Uhm, what is this?" she baffles at the content "Why is my name on this property?"
"My dear, it is for you." Lily smiles "And your future husband."
"Future husband? Nathaniel and I are not ready for that yet, but thank you for your concerns."
"Oh nonsense, why do we talk about him? We're talking about your fiance."
Ember and Emerald become alert at the announcement, especially the older twin, she has not received any news about her being engaged to someone. Victor asks her to read the next document on the file and her face grows paler when she sees the picture of the man, this is someone she knows.
"He is a handsome man, right?" Lily is too excited and her smile grows wider "This is Don Lothario, he is the son of my business partner. They express to form a stronger alliance and nothing is stronger than a marriage, right dear?"
"Of course, Lily. This is a great opportunity for Ember to finally settle down. On top of that, the Lothario family has a strong connection to many politicians, it will benefit all of us."
She stares blankly at them, unable to progress their words. Even with her in the room, all her parents can think about is to further their career by selling her as a bride to another family.
"This is wrong! You never tell us about this and she is in a relationship with Nathaniel. You can not just stride in and force her into a marriage like this. And with Don Lothario?" Emerald almost can not hold back his voice, he is angry at the revelation "This is Don Lothario, a controversial man, a cheater with many mistresses. Why do you think it is a good idea to give my sister to a bastard like him?"
"Emerald, watch your words. Don Lothario may be a controversial figure, but you have to look at the bigger picture. With his family on our side, the Feng family will only grow stronger." Lily scolds her son "Ember will have a lavishing life of a queen. Don't you want her to live in fortune?"
But Emerald is not convinced, telling his mother that this union will only serve Ember the shorter end of the stick. His family is already rich enough that the fortunes their parents have can serve the Feng family for many generations, they don't need more money.
"You are too naïve, Emerald. I thought that we raise you better than this. Besides, we raised Ember with this lavishing lifestyle, she should be grateful for everything that she has until now. This marriage is the smallest act of gratitude she can give us." Victor says, earning him a shock reaction from the siblings "That Nathaniel kid and his family won't help you, Ember. We're only looking out for you and securing your future."
"Securing my future? Being grateful? You both know how you treated me when I was young. There was no love, only expectation. And now, you want me to marry this bastard of a man?" Ember grips the document tightly in her hands, she is visibly upset at her father's words "Never!"
"Such an imbecile way of thinking. If you can not secure your future, at least let us help you decide on that." her father scoffs "Besides, he only has a few flings here and there. What man doesn't enjoy beautiful women surrounding him?"
Emerald is furious at how Victor tries to light up the subject of Don Lothario's infidelity nature and Ember is disturbed at what he just said. They don't care about her future or happiness at all, they only eye on what fortune this marriage arrangement is giving them. It is twisted and sickening, she can not help but want to vomit.
"I will not accept this marriage. I don't need this house." setting down the paperwork, she fixes the bag on her shoulders "If there is anyone I want to be with for the rest of my life, it is Nathaniel. I am not your little doll that you can put me wherever you want."
Victor and Lily look at each other. They know that Ember will never accept this type of arrangement, but they want it. Don Lothario may be a controversial man but he is still a bachelor, they know that he will settle down and become a faithful man to his family after marriage. On top of that, his family serves as an anchor to further their success in the business and politics world.
That is the most important part…
What Ember is doing is sabotaging their career and her brother's future. If they can not secure this marriage, then it will be game over for all of them.
"Selfish little girl, you don't think about your brother at all?" Lily voices her anger "Your sacrifice is little compared to what we have done for you. Be grateful and accept this proposal!"
"She doesn't need to accept it. I won't allow it, Mother!"
"Quiet, Emerald! We do not teach you to talk back to the elders." her voice becomes louder, the ugly frustration appears on her face "We agree with the wedding, and the date is also decided already, all Ember has to do is to move back here."
"You can not decide my life like that. If you want him so much, find another bride for him! I do not consent to any of this." Ember yells back at her mother, angry tears streaming down her eyes. Emerald is by her side, providing her with all the support she needs.
Victor watches the mother-daughter quarrel in front of him, tapping his pen lightly on the fancy wooden surface of his desk. He will make Ember accept this proposal at all costs.
"You don't want to test my patience, Ember. Do you even think what would happen to your little boyfriend?" his voice is cold and malicious "Listen to us Ember, or he will pay the price."
Ember stares at her father in disbelief, he is now bringing Nathaniel into this, threatening his safety. But she is smarter than this, knowing that her parents will not lay their hands on anyone as it can be detrimental to their public image. However, that vile look in his eyes speaks differently…
"Don't bring Nathaniel into this. I will not accept this marriage and that is my final decision!"
With that, she leaves the office, followed by Emerald who is also upset about the conversation. Lily and Victor look at each other, a knowing smile forming on their face. They will make sure this marriage is happening, no matter what…
"Ember! You're back early…"
Her boyfriend's beaming smile is everything she needs right now and Ember immediately embraces Nathaniel, seeking solace in his warm body. The blond blinks at her, surprised at her affectionate hug before turning off the stove to return the favor.
"What's wrong?" he asks, voice filled with worries "Something bad happened?"
"No, I just miss you, that's all…"
She can not let him know about the engagement nor want to talk about it, she is too overwhelmed with emotions right now. Maybe a different conversation will help her ease her mind, maybe she should ask about Primrose's situation, which might help. Ember always enjoys occupying her mind when she is stressed.
"How is Primrose doing?"
Nathaniel's frustrated face is the answer she needs. He talks about how she is now attending the party in Forgotten Hollow, how dangerous it can be, and just how naïve she is for trusting Caleb Vatore. Ember listens to his complaints, wondering to herself how and why his sister chooses to give that man a chance when he hurt her before.
Primrose, despite her small stature may suggest, is very emotionally mature. Maybe it is because she is a writer who uses her words to capture the heart of the mass, but she is very in tune with the matter of the heart. She also stays true to herself and is vocal about how she feels, especially when Nathaniel is speaking up about her reunion with Caleb Vatore.
While Ember knows about the magical background of her boyfriend and his family, she finds it funny that they can just blend in with normal humans as if they are the same. On top of that, Nathaniel rarely shows his power, which sometimes makes Ember forget that he is a magic user hailing from the prestigious Emberlynn family. And now, Primrose is associated with an old flame who is also a vampire, she wonders how the dynamic will work between them.
"I just can't comprehend the idea of Primrose and that man together, she is digging her own grave now." sighing in exaggeration, Nathaniel speaks up.
"But Nat, how do you know that she is hurting herself?" she turns to him "You never know the reason why she chooses to do so, do you?"
"What reason there is to know? He is an old flame that hurt her in the past. She has been through enough, I don't want her to be with someone who just ends up leaving her again."
Ember smiles, Nathaniel is very protective of his sister. It has always been his nature to be protective, whether it is her or Primrose. While it can be endearing to see how much he cares for his sister's future, that overbearing can sometimes bring more trouble than good. While Ember rarely speaks up about his family matters, she feels like he just needs a push in order to realize that Caleb Vatore is truly remorse for his past actions and ready to commit to Primrose.
"Maybe he has his reason, something that he can not speak to her. Maybe leaving her is his only option at the time, for his and her sake as well…"
For some reason, Ember feels like she is talking about herself and her situation. If her parents want to put Nathaniel in danger, she will do everything to protect him, even if it means…
"Why are you talking like you are going to leave?"
His question catches her off guard as she turns to him, emerald eyes widen at his words. Nathaniel is wearing a complex face, he is thinking about his sister and how he should talk her out of this, but he is also concerned about what Ember is saying. The blond doesn't know why but it feels like his girlfriend is slowly slipping away from him.
"Did something happen? You know you can talk to me, right?"
Smiling fondly at his concerns, Ember caresses his face before peaking at his lips, telling him that she is just speaking her mind about Primrose's situation, nothing more. Nathaniel is skeptical of her answer but decides to drop the topic. It's already late and his girlfriend still has not had anything in her stomach. He has promised her favorite dish, so he better get on with it.
"I love you."
"I love you too, Nathaniel."
Eyeing his back as he walks back into the kitchen, Ember can not help but feel uneasy about their future that has yet to come. But right now, this peaceful moment that they share, she wishes nothing more than to extend this, from now to forever…