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87.
Dimitri opened the door but used his body to block his mother’s view of the house. He was going to let her in, but he wanted to give Ayesha time to prepare herself. It was the first time she would meet his mother. With how they broke up, he knew she could feel nervous. But, as surprising as the coincidence was, it was also a good opportunity for his mother to finally meet her without throwing a dinner.
Ayesha may not know it, but this was saving her the awkwardness.
“Morning, Mom.”
“Hello, sweetie.”
“What brings you by?”
“I went to the store today to oversee the newcomers. Some good things are going on the shelf today. I just stopped by to say hello since I was going through your area.”
He nodded and stepped back. He knew when her eyes fell on Ayesha, but he casually said, “Come on in.”
His mother looked at him, but she didn’t stare for long. She slipped past him
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Ayesha rushed out of the forest, scrambling to a stop by a gleaming Dimitri to catch her breath. “Fair and square, huh?”“Your legs are much longer than mine.”“All I hear are excuses.”He handed her
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Dimitri noticed Ayesha’s car pulling into his parent’s lot before he got in the house. He smiled as he watched her quickly check herself in the mirror and run her hands through her hair. She waved at him when she was done, then grabbed her purse to get out of the car.He walked to her and took her hand, and she kissed him. “Good evening.”“Evening, sweetheart.” He looked her over, taking in her dress and heels. “You look stunning.”“Thank you.” She patted her hair and adjusted the band. “Did you just get in?”“Yeah. We are early.”“Your mom said six.”“Yes, and dinner is usually six thirty. You’d be hanging around in the parlour with us till then.”“Oh.”“Come on. It's tradition. You'll love it.”His sisters were waiting when he got into the house. Vienna was the first to step forward
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Under the scorching heat, Ayesha stood beneath the umbrella of one of the stalls inside the marketplace. She examined the oranges, squeezing them to check if they were ripe enough and filled with water. She missed having a cold glass of freshly squeezed orange juice in the morning."That would be 10 pounds." The store owner spoke while packing the fruits she selected away."Thanks."She walked to the parking lot, hoisting one bag over her shoulder as she held the other against her hip. She had spent the entire afternoon shopping for groceries for her new apartment. After moving in the day before, there was nothing more than the bare necessities in the fridge. Water, butter and some eggs.The apartment needed to feel more like home. The fridge needed fresh fruits, vegetables, bread, onions, and garlic. She had gotten enough for the day. It was a start. Now, the fridge would look vibrant and alive. Maybe later in the evening, she'd find a store to buy nicknacks to decorate the shelves an
An Unroyal Alliance 2.
Dimitri walked into his parents’ mansion. He stripped out of his jacket and handed it to the maid who stood by the door. When she offered to inform his mom that he had arrived, he promptly stopped her. His flight had landed in Watford the previous night. After an eight-hour flight, he opted to sleep in a hotel for the night. As soon as he woke up, he prepared everything he needed and left for the family home. He had been away for seven years. It was not his intention to be away that long. One thing led to another, and he got too busy for his usual travels home. A lot had changed since the last time he visited. It didn’t surprise him much. His mother liked to remodel the house, once in a while. This time, she didn't only change the furniture but also the paint. Their mansion used to be red. It was blue now. The glasses for the windows were no longer plain but etched with flowery patterns. Fracturing the lights that broke through and giving off colour in a few places. Dimitri raised
An Unroyal Alliance 3.
Dimitri steered the car into the driveway of the apartment complex. It was still early in the evening. After a whole day had passed, he made some time to drive out and return Ayesha's bag to her. He had looked into it to find a way to identify her and was lucky enough to find her ID. Dimitri was sure it would make finding her easier. He parked in a decent spot. He got down from the car, holding her bag at his side. “Good evening.” He greeted the man at the desk. “I am looking for someone who lives in this building. Ayesha Hansley. Average height, shoulder-length dark hair, tanned, has an accent. I believe she shares the apartment with someone.” He searched for the details on his computer. “Yes, she is a resident here. Are you family?” “No. We met sometime back, but she left some personal items with me. I want to return them to her.” “Can I see some ID, please?” Dimitri reached into his pocket to dig out his wallet. He handed over his driver's license. “Alright. I’ll call and see
An Unroyal Alliance 4.
The water was cold, and her teeth chattered violently while she tried to swim to a safe place. Blood leaked out of her arm into the surrounding water. Her body couldn't take it anymore, but she needed to survive. She couldn't see anyone else in the water. Hopefully, no one followed her in. But she couldn't be sure of that. She swam and swam until strength left her. Her muscles grew sore, the pain in her arm became unsupportable, and the blood loss made her faint. The sky grew darker, and soon she couldn't move anymore. Her body sunk beneath the surface, and the weight of the bag pulled her under. Ayesha woke up from her nightmare to the sound of Joseph bustling around the apartment. Her eyes searched for the clock. When she got out of bed, she walked out of her dark room and into the lit living room."Joseph, what are you doing?""Did you forget? I am working a party tonight. The one I told you about, in the big house up in High Elm Lane?""Right. Sorry, my sleepy brain isn't cooper
An Unroyal Alliance 5.
The party started winding down around one, and by two, it was over. Guests trickled out of the house in small numbers, saying their goodbyes and complimenting his mother on the party. Dimitri left his sisters and Sofia conversing by the fire and went to look for his mother. He found her speaking with the staff they hired and stood by the door, watching until she was done. One by one, the workers began to leave, returning inside to finish the work that was left. Dimitri stepped aside to let them pass and walked over to the counter. “The party was lovely, mother.” She basked in the praise, smiling at him. “I am glad you liked it. As soon as this place is cleared, we can all get some sleep. I can’t believe it went on for as long as it did.”“You underestimate the power of gossip and alcohol. It’s typically what people go to parties for. At least, I think it is.”“It most certainly is not.His younger sister walked into the kitchen, waving her phone in the air. “Mom, I am taking Holla
An Unroyal Alliance 6.
Note to self. If you stopped practising a skill for more than a few years, there is a good chance you could forget the basics. Ayesha’s fingers were muddied by wet clay. She had started her pottery class a week before. At first, she went out to buy a wheel, intending to practise in her apartment to kill time. After three failed attempts and a mess to clean up, she decided it was best to sign up for a class. She found a few cheap classes online, then settled for the one that best suited her. An hour thirty minutes a day for three days a week. She enjoyed her classes, but everything was more difficult than when she was a kid. Her teacher Daniela was also the owner of a well-known pottery shop called Made for Homes. The class was held in a spacious room behind the store. It held fifteen students at a time. The pottery wheels for students were arranged in front of the teachers. Ayesha sat in the middle, looking on as Daniela demonstrated how to centre for the umpteenth time. When the c
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