C H A P T E R 4 1
?The kernel of all jealousy is lack of love.?
I nervously fiddled with my fingers until Heather put a hand on mine to stop it.
"Hey, don't worry. Rachael's fashion show is the most awaited event here so the media is more concerned about covering all her creations. They won't even notice you're here." She reassured me again.
"Okay," I said and then let out a sneeze.
Heather frowned. "God knows where you and Ethan went gallivanting about in the city. You both have a cold now."
I looked over at Ethan who was sat in the first row with a handkerchief pressed to his nose. I suppressed the small laugh that was threatening to come out. "Sorry," I said as my eyes watered because I was going to sneeze but then it didn't happen.
We were seated on the sides, in the third row because we didn't want to drag much attention to us.
Any minute now, the show will start and we'll see Rachael's talent displayed before us in the form of her self designed clothing.
Right after the show, Rachael will officially inaugurate her own line of clothing here in Paris by the name of R??SON.
Then she will go on an inauguration spree to open up stores in different countries.
So she was going to be very busy for the next month, possibly even two. I was very happy for her.
The lights dimmed around the audience and all that we could see was the brightly lit up stage. Music started playing and within a a few minutes, we saw the models start to walk out one by one with their outfits.
Rachael's brand mainly dealt with evening gowns and those designed by her has got to be the best evening gown one could ever see.
Some were poufy like the ones in those princess movies I used to watch when I was little, others were sparkly. The models walked confidently and gracefully carried their outfits well with them.
The gowns were mainly of soft colors like light blue and baby pink. Some of them revealed a lot of skin but it looked good.
After about an hour, the show finally ended with an extremely beautiful model, Audrey who was Antonio's girlfriend, wearing the most beautiful gown of the entire event.
Behind her, all the models who had previously cat walked, walked out one after the other and posed for the cameras for a few seconds before turning around and exiting from the other side.
The last one to exit was Audrey who was wearing the most beautiful gown.
A few seconds after her exit, Rachael dressed in a simple knee length black dress walked half of the ramp. We clapped for her and could see the huge smile on her face. She was nervous, I could tell. I wanted to tell her that she did amazing and all of her dresses were lovely.
She turned and walked back. Just after she was out of sight, Robert, her husband stood up from his seat, with Rebecca in his arms.
"Come on, let's go see her backstage," Heather said, standing up too. I nodded and she led me backstage where we found Rachael crying with Robert trying to comfort her.
At first I was confused as to why she was crying.
If she thought the show wasn't good, she was absolutely wrong.
But once I saw her face, I relaxed and chuckled at her.
She was crying tears of joy. She was smiling widely with tears leaking out of her eyes uncontrollably.
How she managed to do that was beyond me.
The rest of the family gathered around and congratulated her. Charlotte hugged her and told her to stop crying although I saw her own eyes brimming with tears. She kept on telling her how she was so proud of her.
After their gooey show of emotion, we returned back to the hotel to get ready for her launch party.
It was around six and when we reached the venue. For most of the part, we just talked to people and enjoyed cocktails and mocktails while Rachael got flooded with people expressing their congratulations and best wishes for her.
Then she finally opened up her first brand store by cutting the ribbon. We all had a look around the store. It was a huge store of five floors. It was spacious and decorated with elegant furniture and posters of her best works on the walls. Half of the walls were floor length mirrors.
It was a little after eight that we had dinner.
This was my last day in Paris. We were going to fly back home next morning. It was time to go back to daily routine. It was funny how my daily routine now consisted of living in a huge mansion with plenty of food and clothing and anything I wished to have at my beck and call.
There was also college. I would be starting my online courses and lectures from the next day.
I knew I needed to buck up and start working hard on finishing college.
Currently I was in second year and after two more years of college I'd graduate.
Hopefully, this thing would end by then and then I could go back to my old life, as monotone and saddening it sounded, I knew I had to go someday.
I would try for major hospitals and hopefully would get hired with a good salary and then it would put an end to my worries.
I would have to quit my job as a waitress by then but I'd still visit the old café and Mrs. Odin every now and then because they were my second home and I couldn't abandon them.
Over the course of the time that I had worked there, I had grown a lot close to Mrs. Odin.
"Hey, what are you daydreaming about?" Amelia asked, waving a hand in front of my face.
I realized I had been deep in thought for a long time, thinking about the near future.
I shook my head at her. "Nothing."
"I'm going back to the hotel as I'm tired. Want to come with me?"
"Sure, let me grab Olivia. I'm sure she wants to go too."
The three of us returned back to the hotel and into our rooms after telling the others that we were leaving. We congratulated Rachael again on her success before leaving.
When I woke up, I found Plowy nestled near me under the covers. I stroked him a little and he stirred a bit in his sleep.
I was in my room but I had no idea how I got there. I just remembered being on the flight back home and getting into the car after we had landed. I must have dozed off during the car ride.
After showering and changing into comfortable clothes, I made my way down. It was awfully quiet downstairs and there was no one in sight. It was just seven in the morning and nobody came down for breakfast before eight.
But I was hungry so I entered the kitchen to find Keith hunched over a plate, no doubt making breakfast for us all. The other cooks around him were also engaged in making different dishes.
"Hey, good morning, Keith," I greeted him. Keith stopped his work and turned around with a smile.
"Good morning, did you sleep well?"
"Yeah, I could use some more sleep though, but right now I'm hungry. Is breakfast ready?"
"Almost."
"Okay, well I'm going to go sit at the table. Do you mind bringing breakfast for me there?"
"Not at all. You go sit, I'll be there shortly." He picked up his pace and was doing things faster than when I got here.
"Thank you and take your time."
I exited the kitchen, only to meet Ethan at the end of the staircase. He looked like he had just taken a shower and looked all ready for work. I rolled my eyes. I swear that guy was married to his work.
"What are you doing up so early?" He asked, looking surprised. This was the first time in a while that I had woken up at seven, otherwise it would always be at nine.
"I was just hungry so I woke up and decided to have breakfast early."
He nodded. "Let's have breakfast together."
"Okay, Keith is almost done making breakfast." I informed him, gesturing to the table for us to take seats
He sighed. "Not here then."
"What?"
"Let's go somewhere else for breakfast." His features brightened at his own suggestion.
"Why? Keith will be here any minute with the food. I don't want to go anywhere."
"Oh, who cares about Keith and his stupid food. I know this amazing breakfast place, let's go there. I'm sure you'll love the food there."
"No thanks. I love Keith's food so you can go where ever you want to go alone."
He grumbled something under his breath. At that exact moment, I saw Keith emerge from the kitchen with a tray full of delicious looking food.
"Breakfast's ready," he said cheerfully.
"We are going out for breakfast," Ethan said shortly, grabbing my hand.
I opened my mouth to protest but he had already started walking, pulling me with him.
I looked back to see Keith's face fall from disappointment. He wasn't looking at me, but at the tray in his hand.
I felt bad for him. I could see he had worked hard on that dish and I didn't want to make him sad.
By now we were outside. Ethan had his car in front of us and he opened the door for me.
"That was so rude back there. Keith looked so sad that we weren't going to eat his food." I condemned.
"I could care less about him."
"And I could care less about you. I'm going back in. I don't want to go with you."
I turned to leave but he grabbed my hand again.
"Don't go to him."
"You don't tell me what to do."
"I know. You can come later and eat his food."
I looked at him. Why was he being a jerk today? That day in Paris was perfect. I thought that finally he would start being his true self. I knew that being a jerk was not his true self so why did he go back to being that?
"Please," he said. I was taken aback. Please? He was saying please to me?
"Okay," I said, figuring that there wouldn't be another time where he would say please to me. "Fine, whatever."
He smiled and gestured for me to get into the car. He shut the door for me once I was in and jogged around the car to get into the driver's seat.
We pulled up in front of a tiny café about an hour later.
It was that long of a ride. All the way from the mansion, my stomach was grumbling like crazy and I was whining about how much I had to wait until I could finally get some food in my system.
It would've been so much better if I had just stayed and ate Keith's food.
When I looked up at the café, it wasn't just any café, but the one I worked in.
"No!"
Ethan looked startled. "What happened?"
"Not here. Just take me somewhere else."
"Why? The food's good here."
"How would you know? You've never visited this place."
"How would you know that I haven't visited before?" He was smirking.
Because I've worked here for a long time and I never saw you.
"Uh...your first choice wouldn't be this café."
"It is now. Come on, it isn't that bad. I'm sure you'll love it here. There aren't any other good places around anyway."
I reluctantly got out of the car and looked at the familiar décor of the café.
I hoped Mrs. Odin wasn't in the café right now. I hoped Nick, the guy I was acquainted with here didn't have his shift right now. I hoped the girls who replaced us for a while would be working right now.
Ethan opened the door for me and with slow steps I entered the café.
I just stood there, taking it all in. It hadn't changed at all.
It was still the same café with a homey feel.
A smile automatically found its way to my lips and I could see Ethan watching me from the corner of my eyes.
I cleared my throat and dropped the curvature that the ends of my lips made involuntarily.
Ethan put a hand on my lower back and guided me to a corner table. There weren't many people in the café as it was just a little after eight and still early.
To my great horror, I saw Mrs. Odin sat at the counter with the morning paper in hand and her head buried in it.
Soon enough, Nick emerged from the kitchen and made our way towards us. When he glanced at me, he looked a little confused as if he wasn't sure if it really was me. I looked away.
"Uh, what can I get you two?" He asked. I was well aware of his eyes on me.
Ethan cleared his throat and placed his order. I knew the menu by heart but I still hid behind it and gave my order, not really paying attention to what I said.
"I'd appreciate it if you stopped staring at her." Ethan sounded annoyed.
"I'm sorry but she looks familiar. Wait, Julie? Is that you?" Nick asked and I felt my heart skip a beat.
At that point of time, I knew I was done for. I was so scared that my hands started shaking. I placed the menu on the table and hid my hands below the table.
There was nothing I could do now. The beans would be spilt anytime soon.
"Hey, Nick." I gave him a nervous smile.
"Wait, you really are Julie?" He looked pleasantly surprised. "Wow."
"You two know each other?" Ethan asked but no one paid attention to him.
"Yeah, it's me." I confirmed, trying to tell him with my eyes to not say anything more. I failed.
"Wow, you look different. You look really beautiful."
"Don't call her beautiful!" Ethan was again ignored as Nick called for Mrs. Odin.
"It's Julie," he announced to her and she jumped down from the counter and ran towards us as fast as her seventy something legs could carry her.
"Oh dear, it really is Julie."
"Hey, Mrs. Odin."
"How do you know these people?" Ethan asked but I found it hard to hear him over Mrs. Odin's cries of happiness.
"Where on earth have you been? Where's Olivia?"
"She didn't come with me. Mrs. Odin, please I'll tell you everything later," I gave her a look that said for her to not question me any further. She was confused but she complied nonetheless and ordered Nick to bring in our orders. At she wasn't as dense as Nick.
Once they left, I noticed Ethan was eyeing my suspiciously. I had no other alternative. I had to tell him the truth.
"Hi," I said nervously.
"How do these people know you?"
"I used to work in this café."
Ethan looked surprised. "You did? Oh, right I remember you telling that you worked in a café."
"What do you mean?"
"Didn't you tell everyone that you worked in a café to support yourself for the time you ran away?"
I opened my mouth to deny it. Ethan thought that I, as Juliet used to work in this café, not I as in myself, as Julie.
This was perfect. He didn't know that I was Julie and not Juliet. He saved me from telling the truth.
"Right," I said.
"Hold up, why do they call you Julie?"
"Well, I-I couldn't reveal my real name. What if they had recognized me?"
"Oh, but Julie is too close to Juliet. You should've said some other name."
"It doesn't matter now. I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back."
Ethan nodded and I got up and walked towards the bathroom. When I was sure that Ethan wasn't looking, I quickly changed my path and went into the kitchen which was separated from the café by a wall.
Mrs. Odin was there, waiting for me.
"You better start talking."
"This is really complicated," I said and Nick began eavesdropping on us while preparing our orders.
I quickly explained everything to her and by the end of it, she had a disapproving look on her face.
"This is wrong," she said simply. Nick looked shocked and couldn't believe something like that had happened to us.
"I know but it's not like I have a choice."
"True, but have you ever thought what you'll do once you get caught?"
"I'll most probably just run off with Olivia and come back here." I said quietly, running my fingers over the familiar utensils.
Mrs. Odin sighed.
"What about college? You can't miss it just because of this." Nick asked.
"I know. I've got it covered. Heather helped me."
He nodded. "How nice."
"I'm going to go now or he's going to wonder where I am."
"Who is he anyway?" Mrs. Odin asked, leaning away so that she can catch a glimpse of him through the door.
"Son of one of the family friends of the Jenson's."
"Oh, does he know?"
"No."
"Stay safe and you will return will Olivia, right?"
"Yes, right after this ends."
Mrs. Odin nodded.
I quickly made my way back to Ethan who had been checking his phone.
Behind me, Nick immediately came up with our food. He placed our orders down on the table.
I thought he was going to leave but he unexpectedly leaned down and places his mouth near my ear. I froze and Ethan's jaw fell.
"Hey, what're you doing? Get away from her," He said.
Nick ignored him. "I just wanted to see if he likes you. He was being pretty annoying when I was looking at you. See how easily this riles him up?" He whispered in my ear, making sure he doesn't get to hear any of this.
"What the hell. Get off of her, you bastard." Ethan stood up, about to reach for Nick's collar.
"He so likes you," He said before he was pulled away from me by Ethan.
I pulled him back down and whispered in his ear. "He doesn't. Shut up."
Nick smirked at me whereas Ethan looked as if he was about to punch him.
"What was he telling you? Huh? I bet he was giving you his number. Don't call him. Just forget his number. He's no good for you."
"Let's just eat."
"I'm serious."
We ate our breakfast silently, well at least I did. Ethan was too busy glaring holes into Nick for no reason. I bet he didn't even know what he was eating.
After we were done, Nick came up with the bill and conspicuously slipped a piece of paper into my hands. This didn't go unnoticed by Ethan and before I could even take a look at it, it was snatched from my hands and torn to little pieces and thrown into a nearby dustbin before I could even blink.
"Let's go, shall we?" He asked as if he didn't just do what he did.
I rolled my eyes at him. "Fine."
I glanced in Nick's direction and he had a knowing smirk on his lips. I rolled my eyes at him.