MS REGINA JUNE

DRAPETOMANIA

"She was incandescently beautiful, and beauty was the least of her." - Atticus.

                                                                                - CHAPTER 4 -

( 7 YEARS LATER..)

I woke up to the bright and glistening sun rays seeping through the blinds hung on the glass window opposite my warm and soft queen size bed. I get up groaning and rubbing my eye lids hesitantly to get rid of the last resort of sleep.

It's been seven  years , seven years since I've left Xeus. Seven years since I've seen him. I did get to know that he had indeed organized a search party for Ares and I, But I made no attempts to meet him. Gradually, he called it off. The only question which lingers in my mind is, why ....why would he organize a search party in the first place...after all, he made no attempts to meet up with me or to stop the divorce. In fact, he was the one who signed away Ares and gave me his permanent custody.

It has also been five years since I've changed my entire identity, I'm no longer Hera Adams or Hera Knight. I am known as Regina June across the globe and am the youngest woman under the age of 30 to have the net worth of 450 million dollars. When I left, I sold all the shares I got as the divorce settlement and established a book publishing company. We deal with reading, editing, and publishing. What began with a small printing and publishing house soon spread all over the world and became , "JUNE PRINTING AND PUBLISHING CO."

Despite having a world wide established company, I have successfully managed to keep my son and I away from the public eye. I haven't participated in a single face to face interview till date, well , That's going to change today. I have finally decided to show the world my 'face' , because frankly, I was just tired of reading headlines like, 'THE MYSTERY RUNNER OF JUNE PRINTING & PUBLISHING CO SCORES BIG BY PUBLISHING THE VERY AWAITED THIRD INSTALLMENT OF 'LOVE AND FOUND' BY AUTHOR IRIS PARKER.'

So , I decided why not put an end to all of this and come out of my shell. Because after all, My pathetic excuse of parents and my cheater of a husband deserve to know that I am doing just fine without them by my side.

After laying on my warm and fuzzy bed for another fifteen minutes whilst contemplating my current life, I decide to get up and freshen up myself.

Twenty minutes of shower and an entire eternity of digging through my master closet for my favourite lavender coloured sundress , I finally make my way towards Ares' bedroom and gently knock on it. After knocking on it for another two minutes, I decide to open the door. The door opens with a soft creaking noise and I tiptoe my way towards his bed. I slowly take the sheet off of his body and start tickling him.

"Wake up the tickling monster is here!" I yell as I tickle my son causing him to jolt awake and roll on the bed while crackling and laughing clutching his stomach.

"Mommmy no stooooppp!!" He whines between his boyish giggles.

"Only if you promise to give mommy a kiss!" I bargain with a huge grin on my face.

"Alright, Alright! I will give you a kiss, Mommy!" He says.

I let go off and he gently places a soft kiss on my forehead after composing himself.

"How about you go and freshen up whilst I appear for this little interview I have got scheduled downstairs, yes?" I ask .

"Okay, Mommy. But, why do you have the interviewers here?" He asks furrowing his eyebrows, something which Xeus used to do when interrogating someone or voicing his doubts. Everyday, I get to see the resemblance the two share, but despite all the similarities I do know that I won't ever let Ares become a monster like his father. I shake off all these thoughts and smile at him and answer, "That's because my office has a bit of renovation issue, Honey bee. And since, I have been working from home, I have decided to have the interview here. I'll be done by the time you freshen up."

"Oh, alright mommy." He says and gets off the bed and goes to the bathroom.

A soft knock is placed on the door. 

''Come in." I say.

"The reporter Miss Savannah Grey and her assistant Mr. Maximillian Normann are here, Regina, I have asked them to wait in the living hall and already offered them breakfast which they declined, I've served them some coffee. They're waiting for you." Martha, My head maid says.

"Good morning , Martha. Yes, I will be down shortly. Meanwhile, Can you please look after Ares?" I ask her, to which she smilingly nods.

I thank her and ascend downstairs to the living hall to find Miss Grey and her Assistant Mr. Normann occupying one of the couches engrossed in sipping their coffee.

I clear my throat in order to get their attention which works, I smile as I introduce myself and shake their hands and ask them to commence the interview to which they gladly agree.

Mr. Normann or Max , that's what he prefers to be called sets the camera and sets it in motion and Savannah begins asking me the questions.

After a series of questions regarding my success and my business, she asks me about my life at home.

"So. I have heard that you're a single mother?" She prods.

"Yes. I am, I have a seven year old son, Mars June. And he is charming young boy." I answer with a small smile.

"What about his father?" she pries further.

"He is out of the picture, I have no contact with his father whatsoever." I answer with my lips pressed into a thin line.

She nods and questions again, "Miss June there have been rumors that you have been seeing Typhon Black for a while now, is it true? Is he going to be your date for the annual new years Charity which will be held here in Asia this year?"

I chuckle nervously and answer with a soft blush, "Yes, I have been dating Mr. Black for almost  half a year now and Yes, he is going to be my date."

"So, are there any chances of wedding bells in the future?" She teases whilst wriggling her eyebrows which makes me laugh.

"I don't know what the future holds for us, but Yes, I do think that Typhon and I belong together and he is really good with Mars, I won't mind being married to him." I answer honestly.

After a couple of questions more, we decide to end the interview, they wish me goodbye and I wish them luck and softly close the door and make my way to the kitchen where I see My son Ares, sitting on the counter top munching on a granola bar.

A soft smile graces my face as I look at my little guardian Angel and think about what is going to happen when the interview makes it to the news all over the world and what's going to happen when Xeus watches it, But for now, I decide to spend some quality time with Ares before immersing myself in loads of paperwork, hoping that when tomorrow comes, everything will go fine.