Chapter 18 - Pictorial 1

Andromeda is sitting on the floor mat as she hugged herself, she thought of those happy memories that turns into tragic. The party. They are all wild and free. She drink a lot and accept whatever those girl friends of Zachary give to her. She is getting drunk until it happens…

She shudders as it rewind on her mind. Blood. Drinks. Men. Women. She rose her hand. It was shaking. There—she can see the blood but, there's no blood in reality. It was all in her memories. She clenches her fist and cry silently as she feel the pain inside her. Taking away the life of her soul.

She sniffled and wipe away her snots and then take a deep breath. She wipe away the tears that keep rolling down her cheeks.

"It's not going to happen again." She stood and strode to the balcony. She hold on the parapet with exhales. She look up the bright sky and then down to the ground. Fifteen feet from the balcony to the ground. She won't die there. Maybe just broken bones but if her face falls first—no she don't want that. Not her pretty face.

A hug stopped her from what she was thinking. His smell lightened the mood. Yet it made her weak.

"What are you thinking?" He asked and shoved his face in the crook of her neck. "I am here now. I won't leave."

Hearing it gave her hope. But she's terrified. She don't want to get her hopes high. She will fall hard if she trust him again and love him high again.

They stay like that for a moment and let him comfort himself while she's also taking a little comfort from her. In her life never did she seek comfort to anyone but him. Her grandfather taught her not to get comforts and to face it all.

"Let's eat, mom is downstairs and grandpa want you to be healthy." He reach his stomach and asked. "Is it true? That you can't have a baby anymore?"

"Yes." She answered like it was a normal question.

Zachary is disappointed as he hugged her tightly. He shoved back his face in her neck. They stay like that for more moment and then he bring her downstairs. The maids are welcoming her bringing her warm soup and then foods that her body needed.

"Eat a lot, Andy. We have lots of things to do before the wedding." Angela said as she put food on her plate. "Everyone are excited. Your mom and Kathleen even insisted on peeking on your gown."

"They wanted to see it so that they can ruin it." Andromeda said bluntly. Angela pressed her lips from the awkward atmosphere, but it seemed that it was never awkward to Andromeda.

"What else do you want to handle, Andro?" Zach asked and reach the table napkin and wipe the side of his lips. "Wedding dress, invitation, cater?"

"Just the wedding dress. Nothing else." She said softly.

"Mom, you hear it. You can all do whatever you want for the wedding. Leave the wedding dress alone."

"Okay." Angela said and walk around to her father in law and help him with the food.

Andromeda watch Angela take care of everything. Back then, she was doing the same thing to Zach.

"Andy, you don't mind if I choose the template for your wedding? I just found something beautiful and would be perfect and it even smell good." She said excitedly.

"Okay." She mutter. Her phone started ringing and when she saw Andel's name she immediately excuse herself and took the call away from them.

Andel is Andromeda's cousin. The first son of his Uncle Edmond before he remarried. He's working to some tycoon as a cover up and working with her cousin Sabrina, granddaughter of her Uncle Grandpa Ezekiel.

"Yes?"

"I heard that you got into an accident and haven't died yet." Andel said bluntly like it was normal to say.

"Uhuh."

"Well, Grandpa warns me. Every people who are eyeing the throne wanted your head."

"Then, they should come and get the crown." She said with a smirked.

"Does that stir you up? You aren't going to kill yourself again?" Andel asked from the other line and she didn't answer him. "Hey, I was just kidding. Okay, so if Zachary hurt you—again. Just call me. I will have a nice chat with him on how to finish his life. Or maybe I could ask Sabrina on how to torture him. She never run out of ways to torture bad people."

"Okay. I must go. There are lots of arrangements." She hang up and went upstairs to take a warm shower. She sigh in relief as she stay in the bathtub and then thought of few memories. Happy memories when there was him and her. She make few phone calls to settle things and relax a bit.

She finally leave the bathtub took the oversize robe and put it on, then reach the towel to wipe her hair. She open the door, stepping out from the bathroom while wiping her hair. Her eyes

Zachary was standing beside the table and he pick a glass saucer and a warm water. He strode to her.

"Drink this."

"I'm fine. I don't need medicine." She turn back from him and went to his walk-in closet and found nothing to wear.

A knock on the door interrupts them and she strode to the door to open it. The maid lifted the bag that she request.

"Your driver is waiting outside, Ma'am."

"Thank you." She went back to his walk-in closet and dressed up. She keep ignoring him until they reach the main door of the house.

"Where are you going?"

"I have stuff to do."

"We have a pictorial at three." He said. She glance at her wrist watch.

"I'll be in the venue at three." She said. He hold his wrist.

"You aren't fine at all." He insisted.

"How can you say that?" She asked. He scooped her face.

"Rest for a while. Then we will go to the venue together." He said softly to convince her.

She put down his hand and turn back from him.

"I wanted to be far away from you if possible."

Hearing it from her own mouth feels like he's been stabbed ten times.

"You really hate me?"

"I do hate you." She said then turn to him. "I just wished that I died that night. So I wouldn't be hurting like this."

She leave him gaping from what she said. She don't want to see his expression anymore, so she turn back and get into the car and the car drove off.