It might sound ridiculous to some, but I spent my entire evening trying to catch a glimpse of the elusive Volkners. To my surprise, none of them were in sight. I knew what Maria looked like, but I had no idea about Royce's appearance.

But my curiosity got the best of me.

I began to observe the security personnel. They all appeared ordinary, but upon closer inspection, I noticed something peculiar. Each of them had a prosthetic right hand cleverly concealed under their coats, and their real right hand was inside their gun holsters. The prosthetic hands looked incredibly realistic. Additionally, most of these guards wore dark glasses, even indoors. Strangely, none of them had earpieces, yet they seemed to communicate seamlessly with each other.

These guards moved like shadows, blending into the background. If you did not pay close attention, you might not notice them. But I could not help but notice them.

And they noticed me noticing them.

I was taken aback when all of them suddenly turned their attention toward me. It felt like they were silently urging me to look at them, but instead, they all offered a subtle bow, just slightly lowering their heads.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable with their humble gestures, I decided to retreat to my room. Dante's mother had invited me for lunch, and I thought it would be a good idea to bring Julia along.

Lunch was a pleasant affair, filled with laughter and casual conversation. I learned that Julia had always been a single mother, never having married Mila's biological father. It was clear that Julia was well-loved by Dante's family, and I soon discovered the reason behind my invitation to this family gathering.

Julia mentioned to all that I had met Maria earlier in the day, and Dante seemed quite excited by this revelation.

"Cousin Maria! She came and talked to you? Oh, you are lucky, girl," Dante exclaimed with enthusiasm.

I was surprised by the familial connection. "Wait, she's your cousin?"

Dante clarified, "Well, not exactly. She's my cousin twice removed. My mother is her mother's cousin, and so on."

I was intrigued and asked, "Does she visit here often?"

"Oh, no. Nowadays she is too busy with all her business stuff! She often comes here whenever she is in Italy. We always have a big get-together in her momma's home whenever she visits. Did I ever tell you she gave me this restaurant when I started 10 years ago?"

I slapped my head, that's why Luca could bring food from here. This place already had Volkner security clearance.

"What did you talk to her?" Dante asked me again.

"Nothing, she just told me how pretty I looked," I explained.

Julia said something to him in Italian, Dante was so shocked that he covered his widened mouth with his palm and exchanged an astonished yet joyful look with Julia.

"What's going on?" I demanded to know.

They both quickly responded in unison, "Nothing!"

Our conversation was interrupted by Dante's mother, who presented me with a bracelet made from white moonstone beads.

"Oh, it's beautiful Nonna! Thank you!" I hugged her. She hugged me back and ended her hug with two sloppy kisses on my cheeks. It was a goodbye gift from her.

"Stay well, Cara Mia." Dante bid me goodbye, "Until we meet again, soon." He winked at me.

"I am not coming back to Italy until I learn the language. I hate the cryptic things that all of you hide from me." I admitted.

"Learn German as well, I heard they speak German in Switzerland." Dante mocked me.

"What?" I was confused. "Okay, what's going on? Why should I learn German? What's in Switzerland?" I felt both Dante and Julia cooking some mischief behind my back.

"Nothing, he is just messing up with you. It's April Fool's Day isn't it?" Julia tried to cover up for him and pushed me to the entrance.

Dante bid goodbye to me. I was already missing his humor and his cooking.

I couldn't wait to come back here, among these people.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

That night, I had dinner at Julia's place with Mila after spending hours at local pubs and street vendors. From the hotel, I brought their gifts with me. What we had was a simple dinner, but it was warm and cozy. Her place was within walking distance from the hotel, so Maria offered to walk there with me.

The April breeze was warm and lovely, which made my heart ache. I would be leaving tomorrow, and I knew I was going to miss this place – the city lights, the aroma of their food, and these people meant a lot to me.

"I'm going to miss you, Julia," I admitted. Making friends had always been a challenge for me, but here, forming friendships had been the easiest thing I had ever done.

"You can always come here. Just give me a call, and I will talk to the booking manager," she reassured me with a soft tone. The April breeze tousled her brown hair, making it shimmer in the streetlights behind her.

"This place is too expensive for me," I confessed.

Julia turned to me, took both of my hands in hers, and suggested, "Let's say a little prayer, shall we?" Mischievousness danced in her voice, and we both chuckled.

"Dear Lord of heaven and earth..." Julia began, "... bless my sweet, kind friend with a rich husband."

My laughter echoed through the empty streets as I couldn't contain it. "Or bless me with a sugar daddy who will pay my bills and give me a set of new titties," I added, causing Julia to laugh heartily.

"No, seriously, Cara Mia, I want you to have a nice, good husband who will take you to every place you ever want to visit or fulfill your every little wish... That's what I meant by a rich husband, rich with a big heart!" Julia clarified.

"I don't care about money, Julia," I replied, my tone turning serious. "Money ruined my life..." I paused, "... I want love. Real, true love. Like you see in the movies, like you read in books. I want that. I want it so badly..."

My voice broke, and a few tears spilled from my eyes. "But no man will love me, no man can love me. I am not worthy of anyone's love," I confessed, my tears flowing freely now. I wiped them away with my palms.

"Why?" Julia whispered, sensing the pain in my voice.

With a deep breath, I decided to be open and honest with her. I trusted her deeply, and my gut told me she was someone I could confide in.

"I was molested.... assaulted.... raped from age 8 to age 16. For 8 years. By few men. Powerful men, rich men...My family, my own father let this happen to me......"

I declared with a shaken voice. A volcano of tears was about to erupt.

My shaky voice was horrific enough that Julia covered her ears, her body jolting back a few steps; her eyes seemed as if they wanted to come out of their sockets, welling up with tears.

"I don't like it when a man tries to touch me with lust... or even when anyone touches me. I hate it... My body feels like it starts to burn wherever they touch..."

Little Kaya started wailing inside of me, and Julia began to pant, tears welling up on her lower eyelid. I realized why she was covering her ears; Mila was also 16. I knew she must have been imagining Mila in my state. Julia was a single mother of a beautiful daughter, whom she worried about all the time.

She came to me and hugged me tightly, pressing my head into her arms. She started to shake and cry with me. And I did not know when I started to wail in her arms. Her hug was so warm that it melted the glass wall between me and Little Kaya.

Little Kaya was comfortable in her warm arms, filled with love.

I had no idea how much time had passed while I hugged her. Julia lifted my head, wiped my tears, and then cupped my face. I was full of wailing. The empty streets echoed my soul-crushing wails.

"I am so sorry, baby. I am so sorry for you..." She could only speak through her tears, still hugging me tightly, occasionally wiping my tears.

"Promise me, don't tell anyone," I begged her. Julia did not reply. She kept wiping my tears with her kind palms.

"Please," I begged. She looked away from me.

"Please don't tell anyone," I begged again.

"It's not your fault." She begged back at me, looking straight back at my soul.

"Doesn't matter, please don't tell anyone." I held her hands. She brought them up, kissed them, and nodded slightly. Then she wiped her tears.

We stayed silent for, God knows, how long. Julia kept me wrapped in her arms. I was resting my head on one of her shoulders.

"I'm so proud of you, Kaya."

As if she read my whole story in just one sentence. I smiled at her. I knew she thought she had guessed my life.

"I am proud of myself too, Julia." I agreed.

Though I told her one part of my secret traumatic past, I hid another bigger, deadlier secret from her. The secret that made me proud of myself. That was the foundation of my own identity.

But nobody knows it. Only I and God knew my little secret, which I was not going to tell Julia or anyone else.

Julia smiled back at me with teary eyes.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

When we reached the hotel entrance, I asked Julia,

"Why did you befriend me?"

She gave me a meaningful look.

"I've been employed by this company for the last 20 years to ensure that guests feel like they've known me for ages, even if we've never met before. And I'm really good at it. It's my job to make you feel at home. That's why I'm not just a girl who sits at the reception; I'm also the operational Manager of this hotel. I train people from different hotels in different countries to be like me in their jobs at Caelus. I didn't befriend you; you befriended me, befriended us......"

I was shocked to hear this. Julia continued,

".... You have no idea how fucking kind you are."

I didn't know how to respond.

"Promise me something, Kaya......" Julia took one of my hands and pressed it against her chest, where our hearts were.

".......Promise me that you'll always remain like this. You'll never lose your radiance. Promise me." She insisted firmly. I looked down at our feet and nodded in agreement. I would keep that promise for the rest of my life.

".........Promise me you'll allow love into your life, please. Promise me that you'll let love heal you." She pleaded with me.

"I am healed," I asserted.

"No, you are not.I am a mother, I can see through you, I can see your wounds, I know how badly hurt you are Cara Mia." She spoke. Tears started to cascade from my eyes again.

Mother.

Nobody has ever tried to be my mother.

"I don't trust men in the matter of love. Everything is lust to them." I added.

"You don't have to trust every single man out there- just trust one, that's enough. Let your 6th sense guide you. All you need to do is to trust one good man, that's it......" She demanded, begged me.

"......Please." She begged again.

"I'll try," I replied.

"Good girl." She replied. And kissed my hand. And then she let me go.

"See you tomorrow." I bid her farewell.

She smiled back at me with teary eyes. I knew she kept looking at me until I reached the main entrance of the lobby which was behind their roundabout driveway.

--------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, I came up with a plan before saying goodbye to the hotel. My flight was at 3 p.m., and check-out time was at 11 a.m.

As I thought about how to navigate the hotel's check-out policy, it felt like I was cooking up a little scheme. I called Julia, my go-to person, to check if Volkners would let me stay a bit later.

Much to my surprise, Julia delivered the news that left me flabbergasted. Volkners, it seemed, had not only granted me an extension but had also given me carte blanche to linger in the lap of luxury for as long as I pleased. I couldn't resist picturing myself skillfully evading the stern hotel security, who would surely be poised to usher me out precisely at noon. Instead, I envisioned confidently strolling around the grounds, proudly displaying my "special guest" status, much to the hotel staff's confusion.

With a playful sparkle in my eye and a mischievous grin, I decided to leave Volkners a note, thanking them for their generosity, which would both entertain and also confuse them a bit.

"To,

Mr. Royce Volkner and Mrs. Maria Volkner,

Greetings!

Thank you for your wonderful hospitality. I wish I could have stayed any longer, but your hotel was too expensive for peasants like me. I am just an employee of the British Government's NHS Trust who earns less than 50k+ per year. So, I would not have had the opportunity to enjoy all the fun I had staying in your old wedding venue if one of its rooms was not going at a discount. I was lucky. I thank God for it.

Anyways,

I hope you will give away more discounts on your rooms so non-millionaires like me can get a taste of luxury. I wish to visit your other chain hotels in different countries, and I know I am going to love them as much as I love this place. You have the best hotel staff and the best food I have ever seen anywhere in my little life of traveling.

And Mrs. Maria, it was so nice meeting you. You are the prettiest woman I have ever seen. I was blown away by your graciousness. I will always remember our meeting.

I wish both of you nothing but a long life that is full of joy, happiness, and lots of unruly adventures.

Cheers!

Dr. Kaya Rashidi.

Julia started to laugh so hard that she teared up when I showed her the note.

"Oh God, Maria will die laughing when she reads this." She exclaimed.

I laughed at her, then she added.

"...but this hotel does not belong to them. I mean, technically, it is part of the Volkner empire, they are not operating it."

What?

"Royce and Maria do not run Volkner hotels? Isn't Royce the chairman?"

Julia shook her head. Laughing. We were lounging in my room.

"Royce is the chairman of Volkner Enterprise, and his son Rhys is fully responsible for operating this Hotel chain, he got the ownership three years ago," Julia explained.

Ah, I see. I eagerly took the paper from her hand, ready to make my dramatic mark on it

To,

Mr. Rhys Volkner, Hon'ble Chairman

Greetings!

Thank you for your wonderful hospitality. I wish I could have stayed any longer, but your hotel was too expensive for peasants like me. I am just an employee of the British Government's NHS Trust who earns less than 50k+ per year. So, I would not have had the opportunity to enjoy all the fun I had staying at your parents' wedding venue if one of its rooms was not going at a discount. I was lucky. I thank God for it.

Anyways,

I hope you will give away more discounts on your rooms so non-millionaires like me can get a taste of luxury. I wish to visit your other chain hotels in different countries, and I know I am going to love them as much as I love this place. You have the best hotel staff and the best food I have ever seen anywhere in my little life of traveling.

And Mrs. Maria, to your mother, please convey my message—it was so nice meeting you. You are the prettiest woman I have ever seen. I was blown away by your graciousness. I will always remember our meeting.

I wish all 3 of you nothing but a long life that is full of joy, happiness, and lots of unruly adventures.

Cheers!

Dr. Kaya Rashidi.

I handed the edited note to Julia. She lost it again. I have never seen a grown woman laugh like this.

"I will piss in my pants!" Julia yelled at me while laughing.

"Is Mr. Rhys here?" I asked Julia. She stopped laughing and looked at me with her big googly eyes.

"Do you want to meet him?"

"Does he want to meet me?"

"Why don't you figure it out by yourself?"

She asked. I shrugged. My guess was right, the chairman was a kid in question.

"How old is he?" I asked.

"36, maybe," Julia replied with awe.

"Eh?!? 36?" I was livid,

"Julia, I thought he was 16!" I started to laugh maniacally before I could even finish talking.

Julia looked horrified, "What?" I could only bob my head as I could not stop laughing. I saw her dial someone on her phone, and she was disappointed when she heard something from the other side.

"Rhys is not here. He went to Milan this morning." She spoke. Followed by a "Shit!" she mumbled under her breath.

So, Julia wanted me to meet Rhys. Cool. She was determined to set me up with one of her rich acquaintances. Nice one, Julia.

"Give him my note, please." I requested.

"I will. I'm sure he will frame it and put it on his wall," she exclaimed while grinning to herself.

"Wait, what? Why would he do that?" I asked now that Rhys had the hold of my curiosity.

"He is a bit crazy sometimes...So, anything crazy will attract his attention......" Julia explained,

".... I wish I could tell you more." She added.

I laughed at her. Dante had sent me his lasagna, which would be my lunch before I left this place. Julia told the restaurant manager to serve me at the lakeside patios, where there are gazebos for eating outside.

When I sat down at the Gazebo, aimlessly after finishing my lunch, I looked at the palace for the last time I left it.

https://youtu.be/4tGA_QI2rDM

On the 3rd floor, there was a large balcony that wrapped around the entire floor. On that balcony stood a figure dressed in a baby blue wraparound sleeveless dress, holding a cosmopolitan, sipping it occasionally. She wore sunglasses, but when she saw me, she lowered her glasses and raised her Cosmopolitan in a toast to me.

It was Maria,the Volkner Matriarch. There were no guards around her. She looked like a diva, standing all alone with her grace.

I raised my Coke can in response to her toast. Julia sat beside me, equally in awe.

"Will she come down and talk to me?" I whispered to Julia. The more I saw Maria, the more I was captivated by her charm.

"You should be thankful that you even got to look at her. Some people would die for a glance at Maria Volkner herself; she's that iconic, a legend, a myth!" Julia whispered back at me. Perhaps Maria heard us, as she responded with a pearly white smile.

Then I noticed something as Maria's arm was exposed. She was athletic, more muscular than the average person, but not overly masculine. I could see the definition of muscles in her exposed arms.

"Why is she without guards?" I whispered again.

"Honey, she doesn't need guards. She is the guard," Julia replied. I smiled back at her in response. My guess was right, once again. Maria didn't need her security guard's approval for anything; she was the head of her own security.

She was lethal. Her entire aura radiated that. She had that look that suggested she could kill mercilessly and effortlessly. She knew it, everyone around her knew it. I knew it. She had that smug but humble expression on her face that was so intoxicating yet poisonous. She knew people feared her, revered her, and respected her. Maria once told me that after marrying Royce, she took over most of the Volkner business ventures, and a few extremely powerful men would quiver in their pants when they heard her name. She was so influential in the world of business and money that she was literally known as the "Hawk who could see through people's skin."

Maria Volkner, the Volkner Matriarch. The powerhouse of the world's most elite family.

Seeing her standing so casually on her balcony, I felt so lucky. It was as if I were blessed with the view of Christ himself. I realized I wanted to be like her.... Not rich or infamous, but the aura she posed, the personality she adorned, the lethality she wore like a crown on her head—I wanted to have them all in me.

Someday.

---------------------------------------------------------------

When I sat in Luca's car, Julia came to bid me farewell.

"Give me a call when you visit London next month. You are going to stay at my place. No excuses." I told her.

"I'll miss you Cara Mia, stay safe." Julia laughed with a tint of sadness in her voice.

"I'll miss you, too! Call me whenever you see another discount." I begged.

"If you're smart enough, if you let your heart guide you, you will be staying in this place for free next time." Julia winked at me with the biggest smile she could ever produce and tapped on the bonnet. It was a signal to Luca to drive.

"Ciao Kaya!" Julia yelled from behind.

Before I could ask her anything, Luca drove away, destined for the airport. The journey would take approximately 1.5 hours.

Upon my arrival at the airport, I was met with a delightful surprise. The airline had upgraded me to business class. The airport staff greeted me in the first-class lobby and offered their apologies, explaining that they had wanted to upgrade me to first-class, but all those seats were already booked. How could I possibly convey that I felt incredibly fortunate to have a business-class seat?

Although I didn't have much time to enjoy the meal in the first-class lounge, everything proceeded seamlessly. The airport staff attended to all the necessary formalities efficiently, treating me like royalty.

I couldn't help but feel overjoyed. The two-hour flight from Milan to London turned out to be an exquisite experience. The airline had somehow discerned my passion for food and ensured that I could have anything my heart desired from their first-class menu.

Anything at all.

As my plane gracefully touched down on the runway at London's Heathrow Airport, my heart stirred with mixed emotions. London, a city I had often felt ambivalent about, greeted me with its signature drizzle, casting a romantic yet melancholic aura over the landscape.

Before I could rise from my plush seat, a courteous flight attendant approached me with a warm smile. In her soft-spoken tone, she informed me that a complimentary ride home had been arranged for my convenience. A rush of gratitude washed over me, and I could not help but feel that fate was smiling upon me.

To my utter amazement, the usually tedious airport rituals seemed to unfold effortlessly. The security check was swift and uneventful, while the immigration process, known for its lengthy queues and stern officials, proved surprisingly smooth on this occasion. My luggage, an ever-present source of concern, emerged from the conveyor belt unscathed, and to my delight, the airport staff went the extra mile to personally deliver it to me.

Business class not only elevated my in-flight experience but also transformed the entire journey into a seamless and luxurious affair. I made a silent promise to myself that, in the future, I would always opt for this elevated mode of travel.

Feeling truly blessed, I was headed to my apartment within an hour of landing in London, where the gentle raindrops added a touch of enchantment to the city's timeless, monotonous charm.