Heartbroken

“Where are you going to, Miss?” one of the men at the gate asked Aurelia.

“I am going out.”

“We would have to follow you then.”

Aurelia leaned back, a bit taken aback by the response.

“Follow me? I can go out myself.”

“This is the boss’s orders and we have to follow it. You cannot go out without at least two guards.”

Aurelia scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“I am just going to call him.” She reached into her black bag and brought out her phone and that was when it dawned on her that she did not even have his contact on her phone.

“Do you have his contact?” she asked the guard.

“A mere guard like me cannot possess the contact of the boss, but you can get it from the head of guards.”

Aurelia could not help but be surprised at how much Lucian was being revered like he was a god.

“Alright.”

The head of guards was already walking toward the both of them.

“Hello.”

“Can I please have Lucian’s contact?”

“Sure,” the man replied and Aurelia handed her phone over to him.

He inputted Lucian’s contact in it and gave the phone back to Aurelia.

“Thank you,” Aurelia whispered and dialed the contact, but Lucian was not picking up.

She grumbled, walking a few steps away from the stiff-looking guards.

She dialed his contact again and this time he picked up at the second ring.

“Hello, Princess,” his voice came from the other line.

“I am about to go out now and I am being told by your men that I can’t leave without guards. Why is that?”

“Your brother asked me to keep you safe. I can’t keep you safe if you are out of my sight.”

“I am fine, Lucian. Nothing is going to happen to me out there, so keep your men to yourself.”

“Where are you off to then?” Lucian questioned.

“To see my boyfriend and privacy would be needed,” she replied, and the line went silent for the next couple seconds.

“Lucian?” she had to call his name to make sure he was still on the line.

“My men would follow you and that is final,” his voice was harsh.

“Lucian! I—”

“You either stay back home or let my men follow you, Princess.”

Aurelia was about to argue with him but the call ended with a beep. She looked at the screen of her phone, annoyed and pissed off.

She glanced at her wristwatch. It was past 2pm and the surprise she had prepared for Charles was ready at the restaurant.

They were going to dine there and then she would lead him to the hotel she had decorated and she would give him her first time with loads of other gifts.

“Would you like to stay back?” the man asked and Aurelia dropped her phone back into her bag and forced out a smile.

“Just two guards.”

“Sure, ma’am.”

The head of guards selected two men and Aurelia could not help but sigh as one of them pulled the door of a black car open for her.

She had not intended to even take any of Lucian’s cars out, but it was obvious that she did not have a choice now.

She stepped into the back seat of the car and the two guards got into another car behind her.

“Oh, so it’s actually two guards and a driver,” she forced out a smile to keep her fury in check.

“Where to, Miss Aurelia?”

“Ravenna Restaurant.”

The drive began immediately and Aurelia looked out of the window, wondering if this was how she was going to live her life now—overprotected by her brother’s friend.

The ride was smooth and quick and in no time, Aurelia was walking into Ravenna Restaurant, her head slightly bowed in a way that had her hair partly covering her face.

She felt embarrassed, having two men behind her. She looked around the restaurant and smiled a bit when she saw Charles.

She walked over to him and kissed his cheek.

“Happy birthday, Charles.”

“Thank you, Aurelia.” Charles looked at the two men behind her.

“Who are they?”

One of them pulled out a seat for Aurelia and she sat down before trying to explain the situation to Charles.

“I am really sorry, but you know how my brother can be and he would support his friend doing this…” Aurelia looked at the two guards.

“Can you go sit at the other side? It’s really uncomfortable talking with you guys staring.”

“We are sorry, Miss Aurelia, but we have to be close to you at all times.”

Aurelia wanted to scream her lungs out but she decided to stay calm and use another method.

“Would you like it if I call Lucian and tell him that you two are making me uncomfortable?” she asked, and the look of fear flashed across the faces of the previously expressionless guards.

They sure feared their boss.

“We will only be a few tables away.” The two guards walked off to another table and Aurelia breathed out in relief.

She turned to face Charles with an apologetic look on her face.

“I am really sorry, Charles. I did not mean for this to happen on your birthday.”

Charles forced out a smile.

“It’s alright, I guess?” He shrugged.

“I have something for you but let’s eat first, okay?” Aurelia was about to raise her hand to call out to the waiter but Charles reached forward, held her hand and brought it down.

“Whatever you have to give to me, Aurelia. I think you should keep it.”

Aurelia’s brows arched.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean maybe we… maybe we should end things and be friends?”

Aurelia’s face went pale. A breakup? She most certainly did not see that coming, and the thoughts of it broke her heart.

“I don’t want you to be broken, Aurelia. I just think that a relationship would not work for us. Friendship will be better, don’t you think?”

“No… no,” Aurelia whispered the words.

“No, Charles!” Her voice raised slightly and the two guards immediately hurried over to her.

“Is he making you uncomfortable?”

“You are! You are making me uncomfortable!” Aurelia yelled at the guards and turned back to Charles.

“I have been wanting to tell you this for weeks, Aurelia. I figured out you are not ready for a relationship yet. Your brother is all over you, shielding you every single time. I barely even have a place in your life and now? Your brother’s friend too?”

“You are not ready to have a relationship, Aurelia.” Charles stood up from the chair but Aurelia was quick to grab him by his arm.

“Please, Charles. I will do anything, just don’t break up with me. I will break free from my brother’s grip. Please don’t break up with me,” she pleaded with him with teary eyes but Charles simply shook his head.

“This is the best decision for us. I hope you find someone who can deal with what I have had to deal with these past years.” He took gentle hold of her hand and shook it off his arm.

Aurelia felt a few tears roll down her cheeks as she watched the only boyfriend she had ever had walk out of the restaurant, out of her life.

She was hurt, sad, and at the same time angry. This was Marcus’s fault! She was not a little girl to be protected and maybe she could show him how grown she was… how much of a ‘bad girl’ she could be.