The exiled Rose

There he was, Finnegan Bortelli, CEO of Bortelli International, standing at my door asking me if I dared to threaten him. His smug face just irritated me. Garnet, Finnegan’s head of security, stood in between us like I was actually going to harm his precious boss. “Say it one more time princess!” Finnegan screamed across the boardroom. “I said,” I straightened up. “Your company will seize to exist come tomorrow if you do not take this deal.” I pushed the documents in front of me towards Finnegan. I stared at him trying to read anything from his facial ticks. But, nothing moved from his scowled look. Garnet whispered something to Finnegan before slowly moving out of his way. Finnegan readjusted his jacket before reaching for the files on the table. The documents laid out between both of us were ownership documents. I invited him to our company to buy his shares to his family's business. My father was the biggest marketing firm in the United States, and he wanted Bortelli International under his belt. Before today, I had no idea about the company or Finnegan, but when my father wants something he gets it. “Tell your father that I will not sell my company to him, not today, not ever.” He threw the files back on the table before storming out the door. Garnet followed him down the hall to the elevator. I sighed as I pressed the intercom button on the phone. “Marcy, let the front door know that Mr. Bortelli is on his way down.” “Yes ma’am” Marcy answered and hung up. I gathered the files on the table and made my way to my office. I ran different scenarios through my head as I prepared for my unwanted call to my father. This was the first time I could not close on a deal and I definitely didn’t know how he was going to react to the news. I slowly closed my door and walked to the window. I glanced at the city below and wished I could disappear down those streets. It would be better than having to call my father. My name is Alyra Rose Calmatra, daughter of the royal crowned king DelMartin Calmatra and Lady Gallantina Calmatra of Highland Valley of the elves in the immortal realm. Unfortunately, at the moment I am not in the immortal realm. I am stuck in the mortal world living out an exile sentence. Three life cycles in this world in order to be welcomed back into my own world. I am currently in the middle of my final life cycle, and I am exhausted. After being banished to this world due to disobeying my father, I can say that I have learned my lesson. When an elf is banished to the mortal world, they lose their powers and the ability to sense other worldly beings. But, my father allowed me to keep my alluring aura to help me through my life cycles. I am able to convince people to do anything I want with just my scent. Weak people, that is of course. That is why, in all of my cycles, I have been on top of a business empire and have made my mortal families very rich and comfortable. In my first life cycle, I was born a man with two siblings and one mother. I lived until I was eighty years old and died of natural causes. Then my second life cycle I was born a female and was an only child of two lovely gay men. They rose to the top of the clothing business after I graduated from college. We lived in Montreal and lived like royalty until I was killed at only forty for my phone and knock off Gucci earrings. And now this life cycle, my final one. I am currently a “closer” for my father, the head of the Simon Marketing group, and in this life I am known as Vanessa Simon. I can remember every cycle as I go through them and what seems like a long time here, it’s only a few years in the immortal worlds. I haven’t talked to my parents this entire time, but there are times I think I can feel them in the air as if they were checking on me. With my aura scent, I have made it very easy to get everything I need or wanted until now. This was the first time I have had to meet with a client more than two times to get them to sign over their companies. Silly mortals see my looks and smell my scent and are completely in awe. But not Finnegan. I thought something was wrong the first time we met and now that we pissed each other off for the second time, I am wondering if he too is immortal. Even though I know who I am outside this world, I must keep up with my life in the mortal world without letting anyone know who I am. That is one of three golden rules while in banishment. Along with no contact from anyone in the immortal world, we are not allowed to have children in the mortal world. A half-mortal child is forbidden in the immortal realms and, in doing so, seals our fate of staying in the mortal world with whatever life cycle we are on. Meaning our immortality is stripped from us for bringing a life into this world. I think that has been the hardest part of being here. We are able to fall in love, get married, have any romantic relationships we want, but heavens above, we have a child. In the immortal realms, elves are allowed to mate with any species but a mortal one. That is the upmost forbidden rule, at least in the elven kingdom. And the reason I am stuck in this body at the moment. We are able to cross realms as long as we stick to immortal mates. Unfortunately, I fell in love with a human man. A beautiful, kind, and unapologetic human being. We kept our love a secret for as long as we could until I became with child. The moment my father found out, I was banished to three life cycles of my mates. And Killian was executed for tampering with royal elven blood. The moment I was banished here, I lost my child. The only piece I had left of Killian. I’ve had over a hundred and forty human years to think about forgiving my father for what he did. And as this life gets closer and closer to the end, I don’t know if I have forgiven him or my mother. She sat there still on that thrown while he gave the command to end not just Killian’s life but the life of my baby. I was still staring down at the New York streets when the phone rang. I jumped a little as I reached for the intercom button. “Yes.” “Miss Simon, your father is on line one.” Marcy said frantically. “Thank you, Marcy put him through.” I cleared my throat.