Chapter Four

Ethan threw his car keys at his mother's driver immediately he stepped out of his car and slammed the door.

"I want you to take it to a car wash, have them clean the whole interior and make it look like I've never driven it." He said to Alex.

"Yes sir."

"Let them take their time but not my money. I have at least ten thousand in the glove compartment. I would very much not like to send someone to jail." Ethan rumbled.

"Er... Why don't you remove it sir?"

Ethan eyed him balefully causing the man to take a step back and mutter an apology before he did as Alex suggested and threw the money at him.

"What should I do with it sir?" Alex's eyes widened.

"I don't know! It's yours if you want it." Ethan walked to the front door. "I want it back before tomorrow."

"Yes sir." Alex got into the car, started it and wondered why it smelled like sex then shook his head and drove off.

Ethan opened the door, walked in and shut it behind him then ran up the stairs to his room to take a shower and met his stepfather coming out of his mother's bedroom at two pm. It was unlike Eugene to be at home by this time but he didn't give a flying fuck about anything right now.

"Oh Ethan, you're back." Eugene Davis smiled. "How was school?"

Ethan ignored the man and stormed to his room. He'd initially disagreed with his mother about her marriage to someone like Eugene Davis but when he realized that the man actually made her happy and doted on her, he finally relented. The only thing he wouldn't accept was for Eugene to think he could also act like a father to him.

He slammed his bedroom door behind him with enough force to rattle the windows and toed off his shoes, kicking them every which way then he quickly undressed and went to his bathroom to take a shower.

He came out of his bathroom ten minutes later dripping water all over the carpet because he was too angry to dry himself off and walked to his closet for fresh clothes. He yanked on a pair of sweatpants and nothing else and marched back into his room only to collapse on the sofa in front of his bed with a sigh.

He picked up the TV remote and turned the TV on, muted it and reached over to press a button on the intercom.

"Yes, young master?" The housekeeper's voice answered.

"I need two bottles of Heineken beer brought to my room and small chops." He said.

"Right away sir."

Not up to five minutes later, a knock sounded on his door, he called the person to come in and a maid came in with a tray containing his drinks and the snacks he'd ordered for. She set it on the table in front of him, curtsied and hurried out.

Ethan uncorked the bottle, took a large thirsty swig of his beer and poked a sausage roll with a toothpick and threw it into his mouth. 

Whenever he indulged in angry sex with Darina, he always ended up coming home to relax and watch muted television then he'd fall asleep and the dreams would start. She was like a bug he couldn't squash and it annoyed him to no end.

He flipped through the channels on TV, left it on a news channel and continued eating and drinking. Halfway through his second beer, he began to feel sleepy and rested his head back and before he knew it, he slept off. The beer bottle slipped from his hand and fell to the carpet and the contents spilled but he was no longer in the present.

~~~~~~

Prince Yul crouched down in front of the sacred river where he'd been joined together with the beautiful princess and washed his hands as he waited for his bride to join him. 

He'd sent word to his father through one of his warriors about his victory and sudden marriage to the princess of Zazu. He knew his father would blow his top off when he heard that but he was tired of the rift between the kingdoms. 

They couldn't trade or join in festivities that other kingdoms celebrated every year and that was seriously taking a toll on both kingdoms as the rain goddess had decided to punish them for their unforgiving hearts and it was as the priestess said - only their union would bring the kingdoms together.

"My lord." A voice said. "Your bride is here."

"Leave us." He said, remaining in his crouched position.

"I could drive a blade through your heart where you sit." Azuka told him. 

"Then do it. I'm unarmed." He rose and turned to face her. His breath hitched in his throat when he realized she was looking even more beautiful than before. The black charcoal-like mascara brought out the brown of her eyes and made them look gorgeous.

"But I won't." She said. "For I have accepted my fate as your wife and future Queen. I wouldn't be the one to undo what has been foretold even before we were born."

"Then come to me, my bride and let me love you, for I have waited so long for this day to come." He held out his hand. "I promise to love you forever until death do us part."

Azuka went to him and placed her hand in his. "You're my present and future and I promise to love you forever even in death and in the afterlife."

Yul pulled his bride close, framed her lovely face in his hands and kissed her. He worshipped her lips, savored it like he would a sweet fruit and just when they were getting into it, he felt a searing pain in his side as a sharp blade was thrust into his side.

"Yul!" Azuka cried out but her cries were muffled as a big hand clasped over her mouth and she was held hostage. "No! let me go!"

"You think you can steal my woman and go Scot free? You lie!" A gruff voice whispered in his ear as the blade was pulled out and thrust in again multiple times.

Yul was too weak to fight back but he never took his eyes off his bride as he sank to his knees.

"Forever." He breathed and fell with a thud to the floor.

Azuka struggled against her abductor as tears filled her eyes and she stared at the lifeless body of her new husband then she glared murderously at the culprit who was wearing a mask.

"Only cowards hide their faces!" She growled when her abductor finally removed his hand from her mouth. "Show yourself!"

"He doesn't deserve you." Yul's killer said in a very deep voice. "I do."

"Then show me your face if you deserve me." She spat."

"There's no need for that. Run away with me princess." He said moving closer to her. "Choose me and you live or choose him and you die."

"I choose him a hundred percent." She replied. "I choose him forever and forever."

"Then so be it. We'll meet in the afterlife." He thrust the blade into her stomach then kissed her as she gasped. He did it a second time and kissed her again before he pulled back and revealed himself.

"Doz... Dozie." She fell to the floor and with her little strength, crawled over to meet Yul and rested her head on his chest. "Why?" Blood sputtered from her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks. 

"If I can't have you then neither can he." Dozie told her. 

"Forever." She whispered, placing her hand on Yul's chest then took her last breath.

~~~~~

"Ethan!" A voice called out from a distance. "Ethan! Wake up!" 

Ethan jerked awake and shot up from the sofa disoriented. "Azu." He whispered slumping to the floor beside the sofa still not noticing his mother. "Azu."

Eileen slapped Ethan's face and the sting brought him back to his senses.

"Ow! Mom! What the hell?" He glowered at her.

"You've been asleep for seven hours!" Eileen shouted. "The maid said you were talking in your sleep."

Ethan turned to look at the floor to ceiling windows and his eyes widened.

"It's night?!" He exclaimed, shooting to his feet.

"Yes it's night Ethan. Past dinner time." Eileen replied. "What are you not telling me that I should know about Ethan?"

"Like what?" His brows furrowed.

"I don't know! Who is Azu for starters?!" She flared up, throwing her hands up. "Who is... Zaz or something!"

Ethan looked down at his feet. "There's nothing for you to know Mom. I'm fine."

"No you're not! This is not the first time a maid has seen you like this. I'm worried Davi." She frowned. "Do I need to call Dr Yurivna again?"

Ethan glared at his mother. "I'm not having one of those episodes." He snapped. "What I want and need is to be left alone in peace!" He stalked over to the french doors, pulled them open and stepped out into the warm night.