The moment I opened my eyes, I recalled exactly what had happened before I drifted off. 

I remembered the projectile vomiting, the excruciating migraine that felt like a relentless hammering, and the three Volkner siblings quarreling in my bedroom.

But I woke up as if I never had a physical illness before.

The daylight, pouring in through the opened curtains, almost blinded me. I noticed a well dressed nurse seated in front of me on a sofa, her eyes were oddly fixed on me, which sent a shiver down my spine.

"How are you feeling, doctor?" She asked in a bird-like voice.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts, feeling surprisingly relaxed, as if I had never been in pain. 

"What's the time?" I inquired. She checked her wristwatch and replied, 

"Almost past 12 pm."

"Hmm. Did you give me a beta-blocker injection to reduce my migraine?" I asked her calmly. 

Her eyes widened as she responded, "Yes."

"You should know the contraindications of administering a beta blocker to a patient who had fainted after vomiting. It can be very dangerous," I sternly told the nurse, and her face turned pale.

"I often have vasovagal syncope. I wouldn't suggest this to anyone without knowing their full medical history. And I don't think the Volkners know the extent of my physical conditions," I added.

"I... I'm sorry, doctor. You were in so much pain. It was the only remedy that came to mind. Other doctors were busy, and Mr. Ralf had a heart attack last night when you were vomiting. So no doctors were available to attend to your emergency," she explained.

My heart sank with her revelation. I didn't realize when I stood up and rushed to the door, but the nurse stopped me.

"Mr. Ralf has been taken to the hospital. It was a non-ST elevation MI, and he is doing fine now. Just under observation," she informed me, trying to calm me down. I rushed to the main foyer and bumped into Nas.

"Are you alright?" Nas, who strangely smelled like Rhys, asked.

 "Where is Ralf?" I urgently inquired.

"He's fine. I just came from the hospital. How's your headache?" Nas asked, diverting the conversation.

"Take rest. Rhys is worried about you. He said he would leave for London tonight," Nas informed me.

I was shocked to hear this; I had no idea he would want to leave so early.

"He told me that we could leave anytime," I informed Nas.

"He has a very important business meeting in London tomorrow. He has to leave either tonight or early tomorrow morning," Nas explained.

I nodded in understanding, feeling torn between concern for Ralf and the abrupt change in Rhys's plans. Ralf's condition worried me from inside, compelling me to insist that Nas take me to the hospital. However, Nas adamantly refused my request.

This pissed me off. I rushed back to my suite and called Nina, who agreed to go with me. After a quick shower and change of clothes, we embarked on our swift visit to the hospital.

I hadn't been paying much attention during the ride, but as Nina and I stepped out of our usual Rolls Royce, my jaw dropped in astonishment.

"Is this a hospital?" I blurted out to Nina, who shrugged nonchalantly.

I had never seen a hospital like this in my entire life. It resembled more of a luxurious hotel than a medical facility. Strolling towards the cardiology department, I couldn't help but ask, 

"How much do they pay the doctors?" The ambiance was so luxurious and unexpected that I couldn't fathom it. Nina laughed at my incredulity. 

"Why do you want to work here?" she teased.

"I mean... look at this place," I exclaimed, still flabbergasted. Nina continued to laugh, and we entered a space. Nina opened the double doors, revealing a room filled with people, and there lay Ralf on his bed, as if he were on vacation.

"Kay, why did you come? You should have taken rest," Maria commented. Royce stood behind her, accompanied by Rya, her husband Frank, and, surprising enough, Fred. There was no sign of Rhys or the rest of the kids. I smiled dryly at them and said, 

"I was worried about Ralf." I couldn't hide the guilt in my voice. Over the past week, I had supplied Ralf with numerous sweet items; it might have spiked his blood sugar.

"I'm fine!" Ralf reassured me, opening his arms for a hug, which I eagerly accepted. His weak, fragile embrace made me realize how little control I had over my emotions. A few tears escaped, but I quickly brushed them away before anyone could notice.

The doctors arrived to check Ralf's vitals, and Maria introduced me as Rhys's girlfriend. They became agitated upon hearing this, scrutinizing every clinical detail of Ralf's condition. I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, reminded of my own days in medical school when presenting a case to professors felt equally daunting.

Pretending to listen intently, my clinical experience assured me that there was nothing to worry about with Ralf; he would recover soon. I checked his diabetes, relieved to find it within the normal range. However, given Ralf's recent 87th birthday celebration, it was evident he needed to be cautious about his health.

Mid-conversation, Marco whispered in my ear, "We need to return. Rhys wants to talk to you."

Before I could respond, Maria commanded, "Go. We'll return to the palace within an hour. Ralf can rest there."

There was something in her voice that unsettled me, though I couldn't quite place it. It was clear they didn't want Ralf to stay outside their residence. Obliging her command, I left the hospital with Marco and Nina.

I had to pack my stuff.

_________________________________________________________________________

Rya and her husband, Frank, left in the evening. If Rita had witnessed the length of Rya's hug, she might have been utterly shocked. When I was first introduced to the extended family, little did I know that I would become a fan of Rya and her two kids, Emilie and Emil. Rya's son, Fred, remained distant and avoided any interaction with me, while Frank seemed to move around like a ghost on the run. Emilie, on the other hand, was sweet enough to braid a bracelet for me with intricate gold trinkets, declaring it her friendship bracelet. She explained that she gave it to almost everyone around her, and as her new friend, I was allowed to wear one. I took it and let her tie it around my hand.

Jas, about to depart for his home with Rita, promised to keep in touch as he pursued his dream of designing the robot of his dreams. Before Emilie, Emil, and Jas left, we shared a four-person bear hug, a symbol of our newfound friendship. From a distance, I could sense Fred's envy at our unusual age-gap comradeship.

Well, its not my fault if somebody decides to act like a whiny bitch and stays within.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, it was time for Rhys and me to depart for London, accompanied by Mark and Nas.

Maria pulled me into a tight hug as the butlers carried my luggage out of the elusive Volkner Chateau.

"Call me whenever Rhys misbehaves. I raised him to be a man," she whispered into my ear, her fragrant blond locks brushing against my face, leaving behind the scent of roses.

"Or, just give me permission to chop his head off." I replied to her like an entitled brat.

In return, Maria gave me that same radiant smile I first witnessed on the day we met in Italy—a beautiful expression of gratitude.

"Take care of yourself, Kay. Thank you for being here on our birthday, being a part of our family," Royce expressed as he stood beside Maria.

"Let me know about Grandpa's updates," I added, expressing my concern for Ralf.

"And let me know if Rhys crosses any borders," Royce added, a hint of disappointment in his voice. Maria, playfully holding her husband's arm, chimed in, "She may chop his head off."

Marco, standing behind me, couldn't help but laugh. "Kay, you should write a book on how to threaten people in 101 ways. It will be a best seller."

Our collective laughter echoed through the air. Marco signaled that it was time to depart. Nina was already waiting in the Rolls Royce, the same vehicle that had been at my disposal since my arrival in France. Nina needed to return to her apartment to work on her designs before the arrival of next summer.

As I bid farewell to everyone and climbed into the vehicle, the Rolls Royce slowly left the Volkner palace behind. Glancing back, I saw Maria and Royce standing on the porch of their chateau. Though their facial expressions were unreadable from a distance, I knew they were happy. Happy because I had willingly played my part in their intricate game.

The playtime was over, and the real challenge awaited. Now its my time to figure out what the fuck was going on behind my back. 

Once I returned, I had to figure out what's happening with me, and I have 1 month left to figure it out. 

_________________________________________________________________________

Marco escorted Nas and me to the private airport, where I first saw Rhys, a.k.a. Sameer, disembark from the Volkner airplane. Marco inadvertently informed me that the aircraft belonged to Rhys, as the Volkners were the largest stockholders of Boeing. It was evident that Rhys would enjoy a large carrier, leaving a significant carbon footprint on Earth. 

As I pondered over these thoughts, I realized how angry I had become, which only fueled my frustration.

Ironically, I encountered zero hassle with my immigration process. A Volkner security officer approached us and collected our passports. I was taken aback to see that Marco and Nas had black passports, while I was left with the old, worn, crusty green Bangladeshi passport. Within minutes, the man returned our passports as we waited in one of the most luxurious waiting rooms I could ever imagine, declaring that we were ready to board the flight.

Our Rolls Royce transported us to the aircraft, which was as grand as I remembered from that night. The stars of the Volkner crest were illuminated, signaling who was onboard the plane.

"If security is such a concern, why is the star sign shining like a lighthouse on the plane?" I asked Marco as we ascended the stairs and entered.

"So that people know who's on the plane and how not to fucking piss off the passengers," Rhys remarked from one of the seats inside. He had papers in his hands, with his laptop open and reading glasses resting on his nose.

Having been on various first-class flights before, I thought I knew luxury, but this was on a whole different level. The interior resembled more of an upscale office space, complete with multiple meeting areas. It was also apparent that the plane was two-storied.

"What if your enemies shoot down the plane?" I asked Rhys, walking over to him. He looked dashing with his stubble and reading glasses. Memories of the day we first kissed, and I saw him descending the stairs, flooded my mind.

He set down his paper and flashed me a smile. "Then they'll suffer the consequences of their actions."

Motioning for me to sit in front of him, I approached and settled into a sofa-chair hybrid equipped with a seatbelt.

"Aren't you afraid of dying?" I inquired, meeting Rhys's gaze.

"Do you think I am?" he countered. I wasn't sure how to respond, but my attention was drawn to the papers on Rhys's desk.

Blackwater Inc. The name was evident on the paper.

"Don't tell me you own Blackwater Inc.," I remarked with such hatred, noting his raised eyebrow.

"What's wrong with owning Blackwater?" he responded casually.

"It's the world's largest private investment company," I pointed out. Rhys smiled at my observation.

"Yes, I'm aware. Why don't you Google who owns it?" he suggested, handing me his phone. I was incredulous as I searched on his device and saw the familiar Volkner emblem beneath the official website, albeit in a small size that only someone familiar with Volkner would recognize.

"Have you seen Volkner Corp's V  logo anywhere?" Rhys inquired, to which I shook my head.

"My dad funded this company when it first started, almost 30 years ago. Now, it's mine. We run everything under its banner, not under Volker Corp."

"You run this! But everyone hates Blackwater! You seize people's assets against their wishes!" I exclaimed as Nas and Marco sat nearby.

"What happens when you mix truth with lies?" Marco asked me, earning an irritated look from me.

"It becomes a lie," Rhys replied, adding, "The problem of Blackwater is too huge to explain to someone as stubborn as you. But, I would be thankful if you could give me an opportunity to explain what actually happens in this company. Then, you can judge."

He smiled to reassure me. Despite Rhys giving me mixed information about his drama in the past, my intuition told me to trust him.

As the plane took off, when we were in the sky, a hostess served everyone sparkling champagne, but handed me a diet cola.

Nas chuckled and spilled his champagne, giving a dirty look to Rhys. "You have the privacy of upstairs. Let this poor lady have some wine."

Rhys rolled his eyes and flipped Nas off. "What's upstairs?" I asked Nas with confusion. Nas contained his laughter.

"It's Rhys's arrangement to join the Mile High Club." Nas said, followed by a wink.

Marco pressed his lips together to contain himself. I didn't understand at first what Nas meant, but when I grasped it, I turned red. If it were someone else, I might have fought with Nas, but I knew I was blushing. Involuntarily, my eyes fell on Rhys, who was looking at me as if he had never seen me before.

"Shut up!" Marco yelled at Nas while he was laughing himself, but Nas continued to laugh hysterically.

Deciding to ignore these three idiots, I walked to the bar at the back of the plane. When the servers handed us drinks, they casually mentioned that snacks were available in the bar. My first thoughts were to have something since I had forgotten to have lunch.

The waitress brought me a Tuna Tramezzino.

I had my first tuna tramezzino when I first reached Italy for my birthday.

All the memories rushed to me—how I met the Volkners, Julia, being stalked by Volkners, the excitement of meeting Maria, and meeting Sameer. But I had to admit that the things I had learned in the last four months were unbeatable by anything else.

The whole thing was a mess—a beautiful mess, indeed. It was a mess because of some insecurity Rhys possessed in his mind. He was too shy to meet me in person in Italy, to give me his real identity in Paris, and surely to provide details about Anubiah and the rest of the mess he was involved in. But I deserved to know everything since he had entangled me in his mess.

Amidst all this mess, my love for Sameer was lost, lost in the silent darkness. I wish I never figured out who he was. I wished Maria was just Maria Volkner, aka the Hawk, to me, someone I could fangirl from a distance. But Maria had become someone I would protect without hesitation, knowing well that she could kill anyone with just one hand. I looked forward to enjoying Royce's silliness, knowing that a lot of things happened in this world because Royce wanted them to happen. I wouldn't find peace even in my sleep, knowing that Ralf could die at any time. Ralf was so similar to my Nana, the best thing that ever happened to me in my life. My dad couldn't do anything while Nana was alive, and when he died, my dad made sure my life was a living hell.

Ralf was like my Nana reincarnated; he even talked like him.

If my Nana had met Ralf, they would have become best friends. 

Oh, how beautiful it would have been!

"Are you alright?" 

A soft, velvety purr, like that of a lover, floated from the void. I felt Rhys's heavy hand on my shoulder. Before he could see, I wiped away my tears and turned to him, noticing his eyes drenched in guilt and sadness, which shattered my heart. He sat beside me on the bar stool and asked the bartender for a drink. She served him and walked away.

Rhys's hand rested on mine, and I had never felt more seen and safe.

The warmth of his touch melted my heart. I wanted to cry out loud, to express how much I hated every second of my childhood, but I didn't. He mustn't know what happened to me, or he would ridicule me like everyone else.

And, I just hoped Julia kept her mouth shut.

"Why were you crying?" he asked with so much empathy that, for a moment, I would have forgiven him for his wrongdoings.

"I just miss Ralf," I admitted.

"We can always come back. You can come back. This plane will be at your disposal anytime you want," he spoke softly. But I began to giggle in frustration. Just three weeks ago, I was struggling with rent, and now he was offering me the use of his plane to fly anywhere I wanted!

"What?" He looked confused at my laughter, and I had to control myself.

"What's your plan in London?" I asked him.

"I have a very important meeting tomorrow with the Crown Prince of UAE," he admitted while taking a small sip of wine. Then he added something that made me burst into laughter.

"I...I might have to stay at your place."

My erratic laughter drew Marco and Nas's attention. Nas peeked from the front cabin to see us, then quickly withdrew. Rhys was visibly upset.

"You'll have to sleep on the couch," I said through my laughter, unable to comprehend that I was making the heir of the richest business empire sleep on the couch.

Rhys looked uncomfortable. He quickly downed the rest of his wine.

_______________________________________________________________________-

"Where is the toilet?" Rhys asked, sitting on one of the couches in my living space, where he would spend the night. I had two couches, adjacent to the common dining and kitchen area, with only my bedroom separated from the rest.

Rhys appeared very uncomfortable. I signaled him towards the bathroom and handed him a towel. Our bags were left in the living room by his people, and Rhys, courteous enough, had taken my bags to my room while he settled on the couch with his.

With Marco and Nas having left for their respective places after we arrived at Heathrow, we were alone for the night. I served dinner, and Rhys joined me after his shower. He looked tired and disappointed with the meal, though the dishes were tasty and visibly expensive.

"You cooked all these?" he asked, confusion evident as I served him.

"No, your assistant brought all these," I replied. He nodded silently, and we proceeded to have a very awkward dinner.

"When is your office tomorrow?" he asked while eating.

"8 am, why?"

"When will you wake up?"

"I always wake up at 4 am when I am working," I replied with a cocky grin.

"I go for a run at 4 am. Then gym for two hours," Rhys commented.

"Good, then you have to run to the gym because my area gym is not opulent enough for your taste," I sneered at him. Rhys sighed in response.

"Can we talk about Blackwater?" Rhys asked me, resembling a child demanding something from their mother.

"No," I replied with a stern voice, frustrated beyond imagination, contemplating how I would manage my office the next day and planning my conversation with my seniors.

After dinner, I washed our dishes, and Rhys went back to his couch, sitting there like a potato. I started to regret hurting him like this; I knew he was uncomfortable in my space. However, he needed to learn some manners before I could forgive him.

"How's your therapy going?" I asked him.

"Good. I am learning a lot."

"Now that you are in London, when will you see your therapist?"

"I flew him to London," he replied nonchalantly. I turned back to him.

"What? Why? What about his other patients?"

"Why? Because I can. And I am his only patient," Rhys replied with pride.

I was in disbelief. 

"Cocky bastard!" 

I mumbled under my breath, loud enough for him to hear. He smiled at me heavenly, his hair moist and not as fluffy as always, wearing a black T-shirt and shorts for sleep. And I graciously provided him with some of my pillows. As I went to turn off the lights, he yelled at me.

"Don't turn them off!"

I stumbled back, unwillingly turning to him, waiting for an explanation.

"I...I can't sleep when the lights are off. Just keep one on, please," Rhys begged, a hidden vulnerability in his voice.

Without saying anything, I left for the shower. Memories of the night when I wanted him not to turn off the lights at the Caelus apartment flashed before my eyes.

I had my reasons for hating darkness. Anytime I slept before getting raped, the lights were switched off. So I always hated the darkness, which is why I never turn off the lights anywhere I go, or anytime I sleep.

But what happened to Rhys? 

When I walked out of the shower, Rhys was already asleep, curled up in the fetal position on my couch. The couch was smaller than him. I observed that Rhys was only 6 feet tall, but his broad shoulders made him appear larger.

He looked so peaceful, sleeping like an innocent child. Seeing his sleeping face melted my heart.

I quietly returned to my room and retrieved a soft sofa throw, covering him gently with it. 

Was I being too cruel to him?

Or should I stay stern in my position as a ruthless lover and teach him valuable lessons that he should learn about how to behave around me?

I turned to him before leaving for my room. His sleepy face melted me again.

Only if he knew how much I loved him, how much I had fallen for him every seconds since I know him.