Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2 

ELLE 

I press the green button not caring at all to look at the caller ID. 

"Hello, Elle?" 

Good heavens should I have to hear that voice early in the morning? Not to mention that it has been five years since I heard about him. FIVE FUCKING YEARS! 

"Luke," I regarded him in a small voice, my blood momentarily running cold as I sat up from my bed. I run my hands over my face to stop myself from lashing out on him. "What made you call just now?" 

"Oh, geez thanks...you answered the first ring. Uhm-I just want to say... I mean, I ask to-" 

"Just say it, Luke." I sigh, exasperated that he have to call this early just because of something he wanted to ask of me. He doesn't even confirm that we are really siblings! He didn't even attend my wedding... 

Which made me quite curious about this call. 

"Luke....are you still there? HELLO?" I ask after a moment of silence. 

"Yes, of course. Uhm, you see...I've got some proposals to make for you. I just wanted to ask if..." 

"Luke, tell me why you called. I will be starting on my new painting later this morning and you've waken me early enough to drain my energy. It's three o' clock in the morning, Luke. For Christ sake stop being insane here..." I kick the blankets off before standing up, feeling alone because Gabe is not here. He was off to Singapore yesterday and will return tonight. 

"Elle, I'm so sorry but please. I don't know what to do, okay? I'm stuck here...please help me," I can almost see his puppy face drawn all over his cranium; Green eyes shining all too brightly as he pout. 

"Okay, Luke." I sigh again turning to my side to stare at Jacob, sleeping peacefully down on his father's side of the bed. I know this little tyke missed his father so much as I do. "First of all, tell me how I will help you...for some reason, I don't know what all this is about? C'mon blurt it out now, stop wasting my time." 

"Well, the truth is that I just return here in London yesterday when-" 

"Yesterday? I thought you came back there, five years ago? You told me-" 

"I lied, yes. I lied because of the reason that I wanted to get away from you as soon as possible. I'm quite embarrassed on how I acted around you a few years ago. I'm very persistent on making you my girl, but it turns out that you were my long lost sister. I thought then, from the moment I stepped down from the plane my karma started. When I arrived on my apartment a mysterious man called out to me, telling me that I'm the lost heir of the throne--" 

"The lost heir? You....A royalty? Whoa, that's news to me. So, does it mean that I am some kind of a princess too?" I strut back to my bed and plop on it. Someone should wonk this lad on the head right now. "And, what happen next?" 

Oh...this boy, I just miss talking to him that I don't care if he is talking senseless. Now that I know that he's my brother, I can't wish but to have him right beside me. I would to hear him telling me about his crazy adventures. 

I yank the blanket close to me before I pulled my son near, listening to Luke. There was a moment of silence before I heard Luke sucking a deep breath. "Then I was brought to the castle, met the king himself as he lay on the bed. He said that he's been waiting for me for so long. He've searched for you and me but came out empty handed. He told me that I should accept the position as the next king as soon as possible so I agreed. His assistant presented me the papers..." He exhaled before continuing, "And I signed them without reading, which is not so wise for me." 

"How so?" I turn against the dark only to face my bedside table, looking at the lamp that stood in the middle of it. " I didn't read the most important thing, Elle. I should have considered rereading it before I signed." I heard him exhale again before he continued. 

"Look. The thing is I need you to pretend as my bride. Besides you are my sister. No one will ever wonder if we broke up because I finally knew that we are related by blood. In that case, you can be free together with your son. Once I'm king, I can keep you away from Gabe and even win the sole consent you requested, I-" 

"Luke," 

"We can win this. You and my nephew can finally be free from him. You can-" 

"Luke..." 

"Let me finish! Elle, You can marry another man, a much better man. I can even present you to one of the duke or much better a king from the East. I can even-" 

"LUKE!" 

The other line went silent as I struggled to oppose his idea of marrying me. "Luke, you know and I know now, that you are my brother. Don't you think they know that already,? Plus, it would be so complicated for me to pretend as your bride. 

"No, Elle. Please, there will be no complication, I promise. I can make us a contract and have my lawyers protect us on what the future will bring," He took a deep breath before continuing, "Elle, I know this is a lot for me to ask you but my life is at risk. It's a life and death situation, Elle. I don't have anyone to turn to, but you. You are the only woman that I know who would help me unto this. Please, Elle...I don't know what to do. Please-I--" 

"Stop it, Luke." I whispered in a stern voice, continuing, "I don't want this, okay? My life was ruined but it's now perfect! I'm struggling to do everything I can to preserve it. Me and Gabe have settled our differences and we are together now. It has been five years. And you, where are you when I needed you the most? You told ne you will never leave me but as soon as you realize that I'm your lost sister, you left" I wiped the tears on the side of my face and continue, not wanting another word from him. "I'm pretty sure you can find someone who could pretend with you, Luke. I'm far too much from being your bride because nobody can deny that we are siblings. We look almost the same!" I ended the call before I got out of the bed. 

"If only a shower can solve this things..." 

• 

I stared back at the phone. It's been two weeks since Luke called. Two weeks since we talk about his impending marriage that he plans to do with me. 

Which won't happen, ever. 

But what worries me is his words. The life and death situation he's talking about. I'm worried that he's already out cold, dead. It seems that he really got his karma. He's gotten into too much trouble for not telling me the truth. 

He does knew all along that I was his sister, yet he did not inform me. Then why would I help him if he's like this? 

That old chimp of a liar! 

I took my phone out of my bag and punch the dials, hearing a groan from the other side of the line, "Hello?" 

"Neo! Are you free?" 

"Hmmpph-er- Oh, why?" I can hear her shuffling before a loud thud made me jump. 

Looks like someone fell out of the bed. 

"Neo, are you okay?" I can almost imagine her nod, her bed hair bouncing off her head as she pull on the sheets, "Yep, I'm completely- aaaaggghhhh!" 

"Neo! Goodness, I shouldn't have called you this early..." I glance at the clock which shows five thirty-seven am and sigh, "But I do really need you right at this moment." 

"You mean, now?" She emphasized the word 'now' before I heard more scuffling. 

"Uh, I hope so. But can you make it here in fifteen minutes?" 

More shuffling and a thud on the other line continue as I waited for her response. "Sure, sis. Oh, I'll just, uh-take a shower? And hey, expect me to be there soon!" She promised, ending the call. 

I look down at my son and smiled down at him, "Here, my prince..." I pulled him up from his father's side of the bed and tuck him down on my hips, "You've grown so fast, my little prince. C'mon let's make you breakfast." I carried him out of the room and together we descend down the stairs and to the kitchen as Jacob rubbed on his eyes. "Mama, do I have to go to school today?" 

I lower him down on his chair as I answered, "It's Saturday baby, no school. Though you have to go to Grandma, you'll help her with the flowers, right?" He just nodded at me, his curls glinting as the suns rays caught it. I remember those days when he is still a baby, biting his rubber spoon before waving it on the air. 

I put the blue pancake on his plate, making some whooshing sounds and earning a giggle from this eat-play-poop-play-sleep machine. 

I was surprised when a hand suddenly snatch the plate from my hands, making me turn around only to face the feminine version of my loving husband, "Neo, give it ba-" 

It was too late for me to pull the plate from her grasp, nor to stop her hand shoving a spoonful of pancake on my son's mouth, "Neo...." I groan, slouching down the chair beside her and my son, "Do you really have to do that everytime I feed him?" I pouted, leaning on the table as I watch her feed my son. 

"Indeed, I should." I watch them as they eat together before Neo snap a finger in front of my face. "You know what?" She turn towards me and frown, "Why don't you do me a favor and get me his chocolate drink..." I glared at her, earning a slap on my shoulder. 

"Go get it!" She playfully push me again making me stumble as I rush on the kitchen. I snatch the bottle off the fridge, stomping loudly as I walk back. 

"Catch!" I scream, sending the bottle up on the air. 

I closed my eyes and blink only to find the bottle now stuck on Jacob's mouth. He pulled at it and drank so loudly before opening his mouth again for another spoonful. He is acting like a baby again. Oh these girl! She loves to spoil him... 

"Cool...What happen to your catch-that-thing phobia?" I blurted out as I watch her feed him. 

"I've got that in control for now at least. So, tell me..." Neo spoke as she finish up Jacob's breakfast with a quick much on the pancakes. 

"What?" I ask, trying to beat around the bush. 

"Why did you call me here in the first place? Oh c'mon, Elle. I've known you long enough to know when you wanted to avoid topics you don't want to discuss." She carried a happy Jacob on the living room as I follow them. She switch the TV on and transfer the channel to Disney. Jacob settled comfortably on the floor as Neola stared at me. 

"Now, talk." I took a deep breath and stared at her. 

"Luke called me..." I watch Neo as she paled and stood there with her eyes wide as saucer. It took her a while to recover and just nod "That's surprising, isn't it?" I say , sitting on the rocking chair as I wait for her to recover. 

"But it's been--" She counted her fingers and frown at me, "Five years and he called you just now? What I don't understand here is, why would he call you all of a sudden? The reason must be very special. Does he want you back in his life?" She squinted her eyes as she lean down, "Is he, already...pregnant?" 

"What?" I almost got a whiplash if I didn't control the angle my head was turning to. "He's my brother, crazy. How could you even say that he's pregnant? He's a man..." 

"Chill, I just wanted to lighten up the mood by joking." She raise her hands on top of her head and smile, "Now, continue..." 

"So, the call happened two weeks ago and," Her eyes grew wide again as she mouthed 'continue'. "He told me that he just returned to London that day; Then he began telling me that he's related, I mean both of us...me and Luke, is related to the royal family and that he's the heir to the throne. Knowing that, the king required him to sign some papers and told him that he needs to marry in order for him to gain the position. Luke doesn't have a girlfriend or some woman in particular to turn to, so he concluded on just taking me as his bride but ," I sighed, "I love your brother. I am married to him and we have a son. Even if it is just pretending, I can't just do it. " 

I took a deep breath and stared at her, "I don't want another complication in our life." 

"So, what are you going to do now?" I turn to my side, avoiding her gaze as I bit my lip. I don't have any plan B. I mean how could I plan if I don't know- 

"Wait," I was interrupted when she suddenly stood in front of me, "He doesn't have a girlfriend?" 

"Like I said, he offered that he would give me a large amount of money if I pretended as his bride. I will marry him and together we would win the consent over my son. The thing is he doesn't even know yet that me and Gabriel are now back together and is living our life like a normal couple". I look at Neo as she stares down on the floor, her brows furrowing as she turned her bright blue eyes on me. She sigh, running her hands on her curls. "There is really no hope for your brother going back here, right? He will have responsibility now." 

I sigh, as I turn towards the direction of my son, "I guess so. Sometimes I still miss him. You know like, realizing what he'd done to us, especially on behalf of my son. He saved us. I'm ready to sacrifice myself if only that would mean that my son will live peacefully," I turn to her and hold her hand, "But how about your brother? Gabe's the best thing that happen to me Neo...I can't let him suffer because I agreed to help my brother. Gabe is both the worst and the best. I won't risk to do anything and destroy what we have." I sigh, giving her hand a tight squeeze before letting go. 

"You know what?" I suddenly contemplated on asking her a very important question instead of going back my past. She stares at me and furrowed her brows once again as I spoke, "I'm going to Paris next weekend because I need to attend a very grand exhibit. I want you to come with me, because.." I look down at my son and back to her, "I can't leave him here. We can also go on a tour around. And maybe, just maybe," I snuggled close to her and grab her arm, " you can find your pair on the city of love...and poof! You have your happy ever after!" She wince at how shrill my voice was. 

She looks at me and exhaled, "Now you're playing cupid. You got me there...God! You really know how to convince me, huh?" She smiled, making me jump up and down. "I'd love to go with you..." 

"Thank you!" I pulled her in a tight hug. 

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