AUTHOR'S POV

Caden's apartment,
08:34 am

" I'll hunt you". Scott warned.

" Come on dude it's just a sandwich". Elijah gave him a boring look.

" That's not just a sandwich. That's an extra cheese sandwich with roasted chicken breast, tomato, Onion, and mornay sauce under it. Russian bread that been freaking fried in butter by me". Scott held his breath pointing his index finger at himself. " By Scott Watson". He breathed out showing his big ocean blue eyes. " There's no way I'm gonna even let you touch it".

Elijah who was frozen all this time listening to the boy yelling at him shifted the plate back towards him. " You scared me". Elijah said dramatically.

" Even stray dogs don't fight like you two". Caden's voice pulled both of their attention towards his shirtless body who was searching for something in the refrigerator.

" You were home?". Scott's eyebrows crashed also Elijah gazed up at Caden.

Caden hmmed in response bending a little to grab a water bottle from the refrigerator.

" Where's Elly then? Couch is empty". Scott asked.

" She's sleeping in my room". Caden answered shortly not making eye contact with the boys.

" Still!". Elijah's said suspiciously.

" She has caught a cold because of the sudden change of season. She wasn't able to sleep properly last night so...". Caden found Elijah staring at the visible mark on his neck. He palmed the area and rubbed it awkwardly. "S-so I was -".

" Warming her ". Elijah spoke showing a poker face.

" Ah... yeah I-I was Ummm... I'm hungry". Caden stuttered badly under their gaze.

He grabbed the sandwich from the plate and went back to the room again, chewing Scott's double cheese sandwich without his permission.

" He looks freshly f*cked". Elijah muttered following Caden through his eagle eyes.

He peeked inside Caden's room from the kitchen as Caden opened it to get inside. He saw Grace sitting up wearing Caden's white shirt. Her face got all red when her eyes found Caden entering. " Good morning". With Caden's greeting the door closed.

Elijah didn't believe his eyes at first but it was too obvious.

Soon Caden came out wearing his gym outfit. Elijah was sitting on the living room's couch waiting for Caden. " What's going on?". Elijah's voice stopped Caden near the door.

He turned to see Elijah who stood up and faced Caden. " I'm sorry?". He raised an eyebrow.

Elijah's jaw clenched looking at Caden being all saint. " Oh come the f*ck on Caden. You aren't that innocent, not I a fool". Elijah gritted his teeth.

Caden's eyebrows crashed together. " What are you trying to say, Elijah?". Caden asked.

" Oh ". Elijah scoffed. " I forgot. Our Caden always needs explanation in crystal clear words". Elijah stood in front of Caden and spoke. " What's going on between you and Grace?". Elijah asked directly.

" Grace". Both of their heads snapped towards the door where standing Grace with confused yet suspicious expressions. " Who's Grace?". She asked.

" Ask your boyfriend". Elijah taunts shooting a glare at Caden before leaving the apartment and closing the door alarm open.

Caden closed his eyes shut for a second before meeting Grace's innocent eyes. " Who is Grace? What was Elijah saying? What's going on Caden?". Grace showered him with back-to-back questions stepping toward him.

" I'm late for the gym. Don't forget to take your medicines ". Saying that Caden left the apartment before she could approach him.

Grace stood there staring at the door. " Breakfast's ready". She heard Scott's loud voice from the kitchen. She went there to see Scott preparing the dining table.

" Scott". She called standing behind him. He hmmed in response.

" Who's Grace?". Scott's head snapped towards Grace at her question.

" G-Ga- Gra-". Scott stuttered.

" Yes, Scott. Grace". Grace crossed her arms on her chest.

Scott let out a nervous chuckle. " She's... Ummmm... G-Grace is... She's my aunt. Yeah my aunt lives nearby -".

" You are lying". Grace sat on the chair next to the dining table with an urge to cry. " Three of you are lying".

Scott's eyes soften as he witnessed her pouty face. He pulled out a chair from under the table and sat in front of her. He brought his shaky hand closer to her face and wiped her fresh tear using his thumb.

" Elly, please don't cry". Scott tilted his head. She lifted her eyes that had shimmering tears in them. He felt himself getting lost in her large and shiny orbs.

" You all are hiding something from me". She said and rested her hand on his pulling him back from his dreamland. " Scott, I want to know-".

Grace got cut off as Scott's mobile started ringing. He glanced at the mobile then again at Grace. " She's nothing important. You don't have to worry about it, okay?". Scott said getting her nodding head in response before getting inside his hacking room to attend the call.

Grace gazed down at the fresh breakfast and her medicines but didn't care to eat any of them.

She sensed that they are hiding something from her. She was about to get inside her room but she heard someone knocking. Scott was busy in his hacking room with his headphone covering his ears so she decided to open the door.

Opening the door she found a parcel on the doorstep along with its bill stuck on it saying the bill is already paid.

Knowing the parcel is for Scott as she reminded Caden two days ago that he has promised Scott to buy a shirt for him.

She silently entered Elijah and Scott's shared bedroom for the first time to place the box as a surprise for Scott in the closet. She was about to close the door but her eyes found what they shouldn't.

A file labelled with the name Grace.

Finding this name no more negligible, she picked the file up in her hands. Her eyebrows crashed together as she opened the file only to find her photograph, her medical documents, and her mental health medication recommended by the doctors. Everything about her.

She again closed the file to recheck the name but again found her real name without her knowing.

" Why is this under someone else's name?". She mumbled to herself running her fingers over the label of her name.

" AT LEAST I DON'T SLEEP WITH EVERY WOMAN I MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH, LIKE YOU".

She flinched as she suddenly heard Caden's loud voice. The voices of footsteps got louder. Her panicked mind lead her to step inside the closet.

The timing of Grace closing the closet door and them entering the room matched well.

" THAT'S THE PROBLEM CADEN". Elijah growled back and closed the door slammed shut. " THAT'S THE F*CKING PROBLEM. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO F*CK HER WHEN THERE'S A PLENTY OF Sl*TS?".

Caden remained silent and froze. Grace's already raced-up heartbeat increased more knowing they are talking about her.

Elijah sighed heavily and tightly grabbed Caden's head using both of his palms. " It should be her falling for you, not you for her. We had brought her here for a reason. You were doing great. We have crossed the wide sea to meet our Vi. We are at the shore now. Don't get distracted by her. My plane worked. King has personally announced a reward to hand this girl back. Just a few more days and our Vi will be with us. Our Vi Caden. Don't forget... She, not our Elly, she's King's Grace. We are sending her where she belongs, to get Vi back. There's nothing wrong with it. Except for what you did last night. I only told you to show affection so she won't find out the truth but what you did was not you. You should have controlled yourself. She'll surely regret last night after getting her memories back. She was a virgin. Dignity means something".

Grace covered her mouth tightly hearing Elijah. Her body started shivering. She got showered in her sweat finding herself getting betrayed.

They lied. Lied, lied, and lied. Each word was a lie including her name.

The way Elijah addressed her stabbed her heart. That girl. She's nothing to them. Just a currency to get their Vi back.

She waited for Caden to at least speak. She wanted it to be another nightmare but sadly it wasn't. The reality she got to face was crueler than those nightmares.

" Meet me on the rooftop after dinner. We'll discuss the plan". Elijah said walking towards the closet. " I'm going to take a bath". Saying that Elijah slide the closet door aside but luckily Grace was at another side.

She held her breath hearing the bathroom door's closing sound as well as Caden's footstep sound going away.

She immediately came outside the closet after making sure there wasn't anyone. The file was still in her hands. She entered Caden's bedroom and quickly hide it under the mattress before rushing toward the kitchen.

" YO". She flinched at a little sound that Scott made because of the horror she was feeling inside. " Are you alright?". Scott asked looking down at her colorless face.

She nodded right away. Scott hand her a glass of water and made her sit on the chair for dinner

Soon Caden and Elijah joined them but none of them had any appetite except for Scott.

Grace gazed up to see the trio. The absolute strangers who claimed to be her friend and Caden even as her boyfriend. She looked at each of them feeling filthey.

Elijah and Caden excused themselves to go on the rooftop for further planning and Scott went to sleep. Taking it as a chance Grace quietly went inside Caden's room and started throwing her belongings in a bag. She didn't forget to take that file too.

She slide the wardrobe door and opened Caden's locker. There were many bundles of notes, she took two of them and threw them in her bag before zipping them up.

She jumped suddenly and turned as she heard the door clicking sound.

Caden walked in tiredly palming his neck but his expression turned into a puzzled one when he found Grace standing in his wardrobe with wide eyes.

" Elly?". He started to walk towards her. " What are you doing there?". He asked.

Grace immediately pushed the bag aside using his leg and quickly took some steps forward. " I-I was so-searching- searching fo-for my... clutch". She stuttered swelling her saliva.

" Ah... Maybe you dropped it outside the mall last night ". Caden said standing in front of her. She nodded and forced herself to smile, looking at the bag with the corner of her eyes.

" Elly". Caden called brushing her cheek with her knuckle. She clenched her dress in her fist and closed her eyes tightly shut. It was hard to breathe in front of the person now, she was seeing her future a few hours ago.

She felt his hands resting on her shoulders which made her turn around. She kept her eyes closed. Caden's fingers removed her hair from her back and rested it on her left shoulder smoothly.

When a pair of cold lips came in contact with her nap, a part of her past flashed in front of her eyes. ' Indeed a queen'. She heard that deep voice again and she knew that when she'll open her eyes... there will be a shiny diamond necklace on her neck.

That's what happened. She slowly parted her eyelids to see her reflection in the mirror in front of her along with the necklace. She gazed up to see Caden standing behind her looking at her reflection.

" You are lodged in my heart. The small key is lost. You must stay forever". Caden said in her ear making Grace turn to face him.

" Sometimes the people you want as part of your story are only meant to be a chapter". Grace said with a straight face.

" What do you mean by that?". Caden sensed that something was up.

" I asked you something in the morning. You didn't bother to answer". She was about to pass by him but he caught her wrist.

" Are you mad at me?". He asked.

" I don't want to lie". She replied.

" Elly, look... Grace isn't someone yo-".

" I don't care". Grace released her wrist from his grip and got inside her blanket.

Caden sighed heavily and went behind her. Her back was facing him but she felt the mattress digging as he placed his knee on it to climb on the bed.

" Turn off the lights before leaving the room". Grace's voice froze him before he could lay beside her.

Soon the lights turned off and she heard the click sound of the door, indicating that he left the room.

She immediately got up and went inside the closet to grab her bag. She wore a black hoodie paired with black jeans and waited for the time to pass.

Picking up her bag and mobile she wore the strap over her shoulder and took a deep breath before opening the door.

The apartment was deadly silent. She carefully closed the door behind her and made her way toward the living room.

She looked behind to see as Elijah's room's door was open ajar. But she continued to step forward with pressed feet.

Suddenly she gasped and covered her mouth with both of her palms as she bumped into someone.

" Elly?".

• Let's be real, love isn't real.

Chapter published on: 23 June 2022