The Beauty And The Heist

Chapter-25

That delicate moment I'd shared with Adrian didn't last. He was still an annoying, arrogant prick. And I was still the wonderful bitch I was. But I definitely felt significantly more at ease around him.

We might have been...friends even.

But I doubt he would last in frienzone for long with those looks.

Anyways, the manor was extravagant. Wooden floors covered in Persian carpet, high ceilings and golden chandeliers. Beautiful paintings decorated the walls, each more beautiful than the other. A stone fireplace dominated the room, with the DeLuca family crest above. My room was equally opulent but I'm tired as fuck so I'll leave the description for later. It was across the library and had a canopy bed! I fell on it face first and within five seconds of hitting the soft mattress, I was dead to the world.

✴✴✴

The next morning I woke up with the sunrise. Everybody else was asleep. I walked down the mahogany stairs silently, the room was bathed in a faint golden light.

Music.

Someone was singing.

I followed the voice outside the manor and to a small orchard. Carelia DeLuca was tending to her plants and singing to herself. A golden retriever sat by her side. For some reason I felt as if I were intruding.

I stepped back.

"Chevron, cara, won't you join me?" She called. Her faint accent was significantly heavier.

I walked towards her, barefoot on the soft green grass that glittered in the golden light with diamond-like dewdrops.

She was standing in the middle of a clearing. Within seconds I was out of the web-like shadow of the tall trees in the dawn and was cocooned in warm, golden sunlight.

Carelia looked at me and smiled.

"Help me pick out some lemongrass, we have a party today." She said with a smile that I remembered my mother having. It instantly put me at ease. The dog came and sniffed me. I ran my fingers through its golden fur.

"That's H2SO4. Our family pet." She said.

"That's an...unusual name."

"We bought him during Adrian's exams. He was so focused on his studies that he named him whatever he could think of before returning to his books."

I laughed loudly and Carelia smiled.

"He can't stay away from him now."

I smiled and joined her, picking out the lemongrass and keeping them in the wicker basket she gave me.

"My Adrian has taken a liking to you,"she laughed," I better get to know you."

"Well, Adrian has an interesting way of showing it."

She smiled knowingly. "If he gives you his attention, he likes you. Most of the time he thinks people aren't worth his attention."

"We fight a lot."

"And I'm glad. As a child, he never even used to fight. He would just remain in his shell." She said rather guiltily.

Because his father was an abusive asshole and you let it happen.

She looked at me sadly, "I eavesdropped on your conversation yesterday."

I tried not to let my irritation show.

"Please don't be mad at me. It had been so long since Adrian has been so close to anyone, I don't want to make an enemy of my son's only friend."

"He has friends."