C H A P T E R 2 0
?Before you start a war, you better know what you're fighting for.?
"I want to show you something today," Rachael stated, barging into my room and catching me off guard as I was slipping into a shirt.
"What?" I asked, pushing the shirt down and looking at her.
"You'll get to know. Just dress up as soon as you can and we'll get going in a few minutes. There's probably going to be some media out there where I'm taking you because some idiot accidentally leaked out the information that I'm going to be present there today," Rachael huffed, rolling her eyes.
"Um...I don't think that's a good idea. I mean...I'm not used to getting exposed to the media...I-I..." I trailed off for lack of words to explain my situation.
Rachael rose a perfect eyebrow at me. "What? What do you mean you're not used to it?"
Realizing my slip up, I bit down on my tongue harshly and quickly amended my statement. "I-I mean after such a long gap...I'm not ready to face them."
Rachael looked sympathetically at me. "I understand but don't worry, I got it covered. I promise no one will get any pictures of you. Just dress up and I'll be waiting downstairs."
"Can Olivia tag along too. I promise she won't be any trouble." I asked because really if she wouldn't be there with me, I'd totally blow our cover.
Rachael looked hesitant. "Juliet, what I'm going to show you is something that shouldn't get out there, at least until it's not revealed by myself. Are you sure I can trust Olivia with this?"
"Yes, of course. She wouldn't tell a soul."
"Okay. Bring her along."
"One more thing. How am I supposed to dress up? I don't know where we're going."
"Hmm." She said, stepping closer and making her way to the closet. She rummaged through it for about a minutes before she pulled out a black and white stripped halter dress.
"It's simple yet perfect for this occasion. Tell Olivia to dress similarly."
"Okay."
Thirty minutes later we were all seated in our respective cars and were driven wherever Rachael wanted to take us.
It felt like a long time until we finally pulled into a parking lot who's entrance was crowded by paparazzi. Good thing I had sunglasses on. This was going to take some getting used to.
I looked up and saw we were outside of a building which had 'R??SON' written in big, black and bold letters.
We quickly made our way inside so no one would be able to snap pictures of us. I was being particularly careful about concealing my face.
Once inside, I took in my surroundings. We were in a brightly lit and spacious office which had a long hallway with several rooms, or were they studios?
A friendly looking receptionist greeted us all at the entrance before we were pulled into one of the studios. All around were mannequins assembled in an orderly fashion on a high level stage. I gaped in fascination at the clothing draped over them.
"Do you like them?" Rachael asked, sounding oddly nervous.
"These are so beautiful." I said, not able to form words that would accurately describe the clothes and everything in there.
"This will be my first show. And you're the first person in our family who's getting to see this. I haven't even let mother and father see them."
I turned and met her eyes. "Your first show? You've designed these yourself?" I asked, purely awestruck at how someone could be so talented.
She merely nodded. "It will be showcased at the Paris Fashion Week sometime next month. We're all going to fly there and see my creations come to life."
"That's amazing, Rachael. I can't wait to see how it turns out."
"I'm a little nervous, even if the show is weeks away," Rachael admitted.
"You're the greatest designer on the face of the earth! I'm sure you'll rock it out there!" I smiled genuinely at her because I did know that she would be amazing.
I didn't know where this was coming from but I seemed to get a boost of confidence myself.
I was trying to fit in. And as much as I hated to admit it, I was actually liking it here a lot more than I should.
Of course I wouldn't admit that to Olivia.
For all I knew, she'd somehow convince me to live here forever. And that wasn't going to happen.
Even though I had met Rachael just yesterday, it felt like I knew her for quite some time. And I loved her little bundle of joy, Rebecca who we had left behind in the mansion because she was still asleep.
We browsed through the dresses for about an hour with Rachael showing me all of them and me complimenting them all. We all went out for some coffee afterwards. Thank God the paparazzi weren't lingering around anymore.
After we returned home, we went to our respective rooms to change into something comfortable.
When I made my way downstairs, everyone was missing from the house.
A maid informed me that they were all out at the poolside.
So I made my way there and found Rachael on one of the poolside benches reading a magazine and in a bikini.
There was no doubt she was born to be a model.
She would've done great in that field. She was like a Greek goddess come to Earth to grace us poor souls with her beautiful presence.
"Juliet, come on here." Olivia beckoned for me and I stepped closer. "Join us."
"Um...okay. I'll be right back." I said, seeing as she was in a bikini too.
I quickly went back and changed into a yellow bikini. When I reached back there, I saw that Ethan and Antonio had also decided to join us. I groaned. Why did he always have to be there?
Olivia and Rachael were engaged in an animated conversation and I instantly knew it was about dresses and makeup. Rebecca was in the pool with Ethan and Antonio and wearing her own Spongebob swimsuit.
As I neared them, I heard the two discussing whether girls make good makeup artists or boys do.
"Girls of course." I interrupted them. "They are far more talented and have a good sense of style where women are concerned.
And plus, it's not like men apply makeup like women so women know what looks good on a certain face type better than men.
But then, experience and expertise only comes with learning.
So we can't really judge based on gender.
But still, if I have to choose, I'll say women do it better. "
"Excuse me?" Ethan said from the pool. I turned to look at him.
"It doesn't matter if women wear makeup more often.
You can't say that women are better at it just because of that.
Guys can actually do it the best because they're less prone to commit mistakes.
I've seen some women who've been terrible makeup artists. "
"You did not just indirectly state that only girls make mistakes and fail! Guys are no better."
"I never said that."
"Well, you implied it."
"You want to test who's better at it?"
"Let's do it."
"Just not in the field of makeup. How about another game of pool volleyball? But this time, it's us who's going to win." Ethan declared as he motioned towards him and Antonio.
"You really are a little overconfident, aren't you?"
"I'm just telling you what's eventually going to happen, sweetheart."
"I'd like to see your face when you'll lose again."
"Yeah, and that's going to happen in another parallel dimension."
"Or not."
"Guys, just shut up. Honestly, once you two start, you never stop!" Olivia exclaimed. "I'm tired of this."
"Are they usually like this with each other? Oh, who am I kidding? They were always like this with each other," Rachael rolled her eyes. "I've got used to it. Didn't think some time apart would've resulted in a change because there clearly wasn't."
"So girls, you two up for a game of pool volleyball?" I questioned.
"Again?" Olivia groaned.
"Yeah, you two are definitely on my team."
I didn't even know why he tried to challenge me into something. If he just wanted to embarrass himself, he was more than welcome to come to me for it.
Everyone knew who was going to be the winner. I even thought I saw him biting down on his nails a few times because even he knew where the game was going.
We won, obviously.
And I took great pleasure in throwing his overconfidence before the game back at his face. What I deeply regretted was not taking a picture of his face after he lost.
"Dude, this is all your fault. If you would've just stopped ogling Juliet for a second and concentrated on the stupid game, we would've actually won.
And stop staring at her shamelessly in front of everyone, will you?
It's disgusting." Antonio shuddered. "I'm her brother right here and I'm supposed to be protective.
I'll even throw a punch your way for some extra effect. "
Ethan rolled his eyes. "You can't blame me. I actually can't stop staring at someone looking that hideous in a bikini. That's not something you get to see everyday!"
I raised an eyebrow at him. "You aren't a sight for sore eyes either, sore loser."
"You must be really blind then. And do not call me a sore loser. I'm anything but that. And besides it wasn't a fair match. Your team had three players whereas there were only two of us."
"Really? Well, I think it was fair seeing as you were looking like you weren't going for stop playing unfairly anytime soon."
"Whatever. I've got better and more important things to do than be with you losers." It seemed like his go to comeback when he lost something to me was telling us that he got something important to do.
"If I distinctly remember the outcome of the game, it's you who's the loser, along with Antonio."
Ethan just glared at me before Antonio decided to speak up.
"What are you going to do now?" Antonio asked Ethan.
"There are some people I'm supposed to meet today. I've invited them over. So I'm just going to take a shower. They'll be here in around half an hour. We need to discuss about the new bunch of restaurants that were recently opened in Latvia and Netherlands."
"Okay."
Ethan left but not before throwing a glare in my direction whereas I just smirked at him in return to annoy him.
Ten more minutes and that was all it took for me to get bored easily. I thought back to yesterday morning and how Ethan had woken us up with that horrendous music as a way to get back at me.
This was a perfect opportunity for a revenge. I was sure Ethan would still be in the shower and I hoped he would be in there for a while.
"I'm just going to go to the bathroom." I announced but seeing as no one had paid any attention to me and were still busy playing in the pool, I slipped out of there quickly.
I sprinted upstairs to where Ethan's room was, unfortunately opposite to mine. Once I got there, I pressed an ear to the door so I could hear sounds that would tell me he had already finished showering. There were none so I knew he was still in the shower.
I grabbed the door handle and slowly turned it to unlock, silently thanking that it wasn't locked or else I would've had to go to the kitchen and search what key it was to Ethan's room in the key rack and by then he would've surely gotten out of shower.
I cautiously entered the room, careful to not make any noise that would alert him of my presence.
It seemed as if all the things in the universe were in my favor as I saw a fresh set of business clothes laying on his bed.
His closet door was ajar and to my extreme luck, the closet door key was in the keyhole.
I made my way towards it and closed the closet door.
With the key in my hand, I looked around for a place to keep it in.
Finding no other place, I just kept it in the top drawer on the nightstand.
There was a boatload of money in there. Atop the nightstand was his phone and three car keys.
There stood a picture frame of Ethan with a woman and a man on his side who looked quite old. They were most probably his parents.
I took the clothes he was to wear. I'd have to hide them somewhere. I slapped a hand to my head. I was so stupid. I could've just shoved them into his closet and locked it so I wouldn't have to worry about it now.
There was nothing I could do now. He would soon get out of shower. Tucking the clothes under my arm, I left his room and made my downstairs. I didn't want to hide them anywhere near me although he'd know either way.
"Juliet?" Someone said behind me and I yelped, not aware that someone was there.
It was just Olivia. "Hey."
"What's that you're carrying?" She eyed the clothes.
"Um...hide this!" I threw them at her. She barely caught it and when she examined it, she knew right away who it belonged to.
"This is Ethan's, isn't it?" She asked before tossing it right back at me. "Why are you giving this to me?"
"I don't know. Just hide it," I said, throwing it back at her.
"No! I don't want to get into whatever you two have it going," She tossed them back into my face.
"You will hide it! If you love me," I threw it back at her and she did the same.
"I do, but I love myself more. So no, I won't."
"Yes, you will," The clothes flew at her again.
"No!" Back to me.
"Yes!" Back at her.
"No!" Back to me.
"Yes!" Back at her.
"No! I say no!" Back to me.
"Yes!" I tossed it back at her.
"It isn't really up to you," She said, smiling sweetly as she ducked and the suit flew right over her and out the open window behind her.
"Holy crap, Olivia!" I exclaimed. "What did you do?"
"Hey! I wasn't even involved in this."
We stuck our heads out the window. There was a gardener watering the beautiful plants down there and we saw him just as he pulled the suit down from where it landed on his head. He looked up but we stumbled back before he could see us.
"I'm out of here. I don't know anything about this," Olivia threw her hands up in the air and left before I could say anything to her.
I shrugged and left for my room because that seemed like safe territory.
Barely five minutes after I entered my room, the door swung open to reveal a towel clad and clearly pissed off Ethan.
"Look, I'm in no mood to play your games right now so I suggest you give me my clothes back. It'd be better for the both of us," Ethan gritted out as he stood stiff at the doorframe.
"What're you talking about? I don't know anything," I said, looking innocently at him but a small smile that escaped me betrayed my words.
"Yeah. You're absolutely right. You really don't know anything. You're this dumb little b-" I raised an eyebrow at him, daring him to continue, "-woman I've ever met."
"Get out."
"Not until you give me back my clothes."
"I said I don't have it."
"Stop lying. We both know you do. So give it back. And the closet key too. I can't believe you locked my closet."
"What if I don't?"
"You won't like it," he said, stepping close.
"Stay away." I warned. "Look, I don't have it, okay? So leave me alone."
"Give them back to me," Ethan whispered lowly as he moved closer to me.
"No, I won't!" I said, running toward him and ducking under his arm as he tried to catch me.
I ran out of the room and didn't expect he would follow me. But he did and the moment I caught sight of him, I sprinted downstairs with him hot on my heels.
He was gaining on me and I was pushing myself to run faster. I turned a corner and burst into a room who's door was thankfully not closed.
I skidded to a stop as I saw that the room was full of young as well as old men dressed in professional business attire.
The people stopped talking when they saw me enter rather hastily and I stared back. I felt my cheeks burn hot with embarrassment. The room had gone completely silent.
"Um...I'm sorry," I muttered as I started backing out of the room.
Suddenly, someone slammed hard into me from behind and I was lurched forward. I stumbled and fell down from the impact and a heavy weight fell over me.
I heard Ethan groan on top of me as he shifted and I felt his warm breath hit the back of my ear.
"Move," I croaked out, barely able to breathe as he was still on top of me, squishing me with his weight.
I felt the weight disappear and I released a breath.
"Holy shit!" I heard Ethan exclaim and I turned to look at him.
My eyes widened and my mouth hung open. I screamed as Ethan stood there in front of me in all his naked glory with his...thing right in front of my eyes. I was scarred for life.
He was frozen in shock and made no move to cover himself but I was quick to react. In a lightening movement, I picked the towel and wrapped my arms around his waist in an attempt to shield his private part with the towel.
He still didn't move so I pushed him back and we exited out of the room.
He was now properly covered but the damage was already done. My eyes needed tons of holy water for me to get the image out of my head.
I heard whispers and throat clearing from the room and felt bad for Ethan. Unexpectedly my little prank had gone too far and Ethan was going to be traumatized by this for a long time.
I was going to die of mortification and I wasn't even the one who's towel slipped off their waist.