CHAPTER 43: WHO WAS THAT

Braelyn’s POV

"Ma’am..." A distant voice called out to me

"Ma’am.." someone tapped my shoulders. My eyes popped open to meet a strange pair of brown eyes. She smiled at me

"Sorry for startling you, but we have already landed." The air hostess explained with the most polite smile she could muster. I nodded at her, my eyes darted around the empty plane

"I can’t believe I slept through the flight ", I grumbled, rubbing my eyes. After the funeral, I decided to go ahead to get a short breather. Raphael will be returning on a later date after Amelia is cleared from the hospital.

I made my way out of the plane, it was pretty early in the morning when the plane arrived. My mind drifted to that dream. Why was I dreaming of that day now?

I didn’t want to be reminded of our past. He has already ruined all those memories. The airport was bustling, and my eyes darted around the crowd, trying to find a familiar figure as I left the terminal.

My phone buzzed with a notification,

Genny: Where are you? Your flight landed ages ago

I smiled once I saw Genny’s message. I quickly sent a reply.

Lynn: I was asleep. (Laughing emoji)

She quickly replied

Genny: (laughing emoji) × 2

Lynn: Where are you? There is no sign of any annoying brunette.

I snickered after the message.

Genny: (rolling eyes emoji) I am waiting at the VIP waiting area.

After reading her text I immediately located the VIP area.

Walking through the zone filled with people dressed in expensive suits and designers Genevieve stood out like a sore thumb. Artists always have the weirdest sense of fashion but praise the Lord she dresses like an average human today

She was wearing a simple dress layered with a long coat. Genevieve didn’t sense when I stepped in she was too focused on her screen.

"Are those your latest works?" I asked, stealing a sneak peek at her screen. She was scrolling through photographs, I think, that were from her latest shoot.

"Braelyn!" She gasped, her head bobbed up, surprised.

"Don’t sneak up on me like that." She theatrically placed her hand on her chest, exaggerating her action. Typical Genevieve, she should have become an actress instead of a photographer.

"I have been standing here for ages and you didn’t notice." I pouted before narrowing my eyes. "What happened to my welcome back hug? So much for being besties."

"Oh my baby," she whined then pulled me into a hug. She was pretty tall, almost 6 feet, and her hands wrapped around me. "Come to mamma. You have been through a lot."

I laughed lightly but ended up hugging her. I needed this. Genevieve broke the hug, her hand reached out from my luggage as she ushered me out of the waiting area.

"We have a lot to talk about concerning that cheating bastard." She said, my lips pursed, I didn’t want to ruin my day thinking about Raphael, but Genevieve would not let me take a break until she got the full gist.

"Girl do I have a story for you." I sighed.

She reached out for my hand. "Don’t worry, I’m here for you, and if you want to run away, I don’t mind squeezing extra cash from my mum to help you." I knew she meant her words.

I nodded, running away sounded fun but I wasn’t going to let them off that easily. Running away now would be completely pathetic...

"I’m glad I still have you." I chimed

******

Genevieve had gotten us reservations at a nearby hotel to catch up and have some girl time. I told Genevieve what I could over breakfast pancakes and her face turned into so many expressions it was comical to watch.

"Wait, hold on, " she raised her hand, stopping me mid-sentence.

"Let me get this right. Sweet Raphael turned out to be the devil in disguise and has probably been having an affair with Amelia, his childhood best friend, who is like a sister to him," she drawled at the end.

"Yep, that’s it." I sighed before taking a sip of my drink.

"I always knew she was trouble." She hissed. Although Raphael and I had been arranged since childhood we didn’t grow up together.

Amelia was Raphael’s childhood friend, and he knew her all the way to college when they both had to travel abroad for university. They reunited 2 years ago when she returned to the country. I didn’t think much about it then but Genevieve had always been suspicious of the perfect childhood bestie

Sadly she was right.

"Tell me about it, and now it will just be made more complicated. Because of that adulterous pair, I can’t throw away everything." I hissed

"That’s bad, but six years is still pretty far, and there is no chance you can have Raphael’s baby." It felt like Genevieve was more frustrated than I was.

Genevieve’s phone suddenly started to ring. Her brows twitched, "I have to pick this excuse me." She said, Her back soon retreated through the exit.

Genevieve took longer than I expected, my eyes started to lazily dart around the restaurant.

"What was taking her so long?" I grumbled under my breath. My eyes flickered towards the entrance..

A familiar figure stepped in with a host of bodyguards and another face I recognised from TV. Erica was a rich heiress who was a popular top chef.

Erica’s appearance wasn’t what caught my attention, but the man beside her. Lucien

My brows furrowed, was that really Lucien? It was the same height, same eyes and similar face but there was something different about him.

Lucien always had this mischievous, arrogant air around him, but this man was more domineering and cold. It felt like Raphael being trapped behind Lucien’s face that’s what I will describe him as.

The host approached them and he stopped for a moment. He seemed to have sensed my gaze and glanced in my direction. It was a fleeting look; there wasn’t a hint of recognition in his gaze, as if we were complete strangers.

"Mr Orlov and Miss Marino please this way." The host ushered them. He nodded and followed after the host. Erica didn’t leave immediately, her eyes lingered in my direction for a while before she walked away like I was air.

"Mr Orlov," I muttered. Was that really Lucien because I was more than certain Lucien’s surname

was Volkov. Now my curiosity was piqued.

Who was that?