His Heartthrob

Chapter Eight

Back to present**

The room was bathed in the soft glow of the moon, casting long shadows across the floor. Axel, gaze was fixed on the sleeping figure of nineteen-year-old River. Her face still had that rounded shape.

The years had changed them both, but something of the girl he'd known remained.

She wouldn't remember him. And he liked it that way. The past, the alley, the shared meals, the seashells – it was a lifetime ago.

And, it was better that way. Better that she remembered him only as a forgotten friend from a forgotten time. His life was too messed up for her to get involved.

He reached out, gently pulling the blanket higher, tucking it around her shoulders.

He watched the rise and fall of her chest

Finally, he turned away, walking out of the room.

**Morning**

As the sunlight streamed softly through the curtains River stirred softly in her room.

She stared around her in confusion.

“That last thing I remember is sleeping on the chair. Did I sleepwalk?”

She rubbed her eyes and yawned.

She threw the bed cover away, slipped her legs into her flip-flops and walked to the bathroom.

After a quick shower, she checked the time. She had lectures by 9.

I can't believe I overslept.

The house was quiet meaning the boys weren't yet awake.

She made her way to the kitchen and decided to make pancakes, the scent of butter and syrup soon filled the air.

She carried it to the dinner area and began to eat.

Soon, footsteps echoed down the stairs; Carl sauntered down, yawning widely as he rubbed his eyes. His messy hair stuck up in all directions giving him a funny appearance.

He paused and sniffed the air.

“Is that pancakes!?”

Noah pushed him aside from behind.

“Move sleepy head, we all know who makes breakfast here”

He grinned at River as he stepped into the room.

“Morning, beautiful!”

River smiled back. Just then Carl nonchalantly kicked Noah on the butt.

Noah threw him a glare before chasing him, and the two of them ran around like children playing tag.

River laughed.

Just then Carl reappeared.

“ I'm coming for your pancakes, River!”

He lunged towards the plates, but River quickly slid them out of his reach.

“No way! You always take my food! Find your own!”

“I'm just helping you to watch your weight for the drama. Aren't you a bit ungrateful? You wouldn't want to get fat again, would you?” Carl said

River's cheeks flushed in irritation; she jumped up from her chair and pursued him.

“Carl, that is not actually funny!” She shrieked while Carl laughed.

“It wasn't meant to be!” Carl said back with a laugh.

River picked up the pillow she saw on the chair and hurled it at him. Carl immediately dodged, and the figure flew, hitting a figure on the stairs and dropping to the ground.

River's eyes widened when she saw who it was.

She, now standing on the chair with a pillow, quickly dropped it and jumped down,n, feeling embarrassed.

Axel just stood there on the stairs glaring at them.

He folded his arms across his chest and took a deep breath to steady himself.

“Would you two quiet down! Does this place look like a playground?”

He took the nearby pillow and tossed it sharply at Carl who caught it with a grunt.

“We obviously, disturbed his sleep!” He said to River.

He didn't look like he had a good night's sleep; his eyes were reddish! River muttered.

Carl, still holding the pillow, slowly lowered it, casting quick glances between River and Axel, unsure of what to say.

“Actually we were just… uh, being lively!” Carl said and River secretly pinched him.

Before Carl could mutter more of an excuse, Axel simply rolled his eyes and turned his back, heading towards him with a nonchalant wave of dismissal.

As he disappeared into the kitchen, River let out a sigh half relieved the moment had passed and half flustered by Axel's presence.

Minutes later, River finished her food and walked into the kitchen to do the dishes.

The kitchen was bathed in the soft morning light. Axel pulled out a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

His hair, which was still tousled from sleep, somehow managed to look both effortlessly sexy and cute. He took a long, slow drink, his gaze distant, lost in thought.

River entered the kitchen, her movements hesitant. She was reaching for a pack of condensed milk, her cheeks still flushed with a lingering embarrassment from the previous day's kiss. As she turned, she bumped into Axel, the impact sending a jolt through her.

"Oh! Sorry," she blurted out, her voice barely above a whisper. She quickly averted her gaze, eager to escape the awkward encounter. She was already halfway to the door when Axel's voice, cold and devoid of emotion, stopped her.

"It was nothing."

River paused, her back to him, her heart skipping a beat. "Huh?" she managed to stammer, her voice barely audible.

Axel set the water bottle down on the counter, the sound echoing in the sudden silence. "What happened... Last time" he clarified, his tone as flat as the surface he was looking at. "It was just about the drama. Nothing more."

River nodded slowly, her fingers tracing the edge of the condensed milk packet.

"Right," she replied.

She turned and walked out of the kitchen, her footsteps echoing in the now-empty space.

But as she stepped out of the house, her expression shifted.

Her carefully constructed mask of composure crumbled, revealing a mix of emotions that warred within her.

Confusion, a flicker of disappointment, and a surprising, unwelcome spark of… something else. She bit her lip, her gaze fixed on some distant point, the taste of the kiss still lingering in her memory.

**HOUSE OF GLITZ.**

Lady Gina sat on her chair receiving a call; a lady sat opposite her, waiting for her to end the call.

The call lasted for about 20 minutes.

Lady Gina didn't bother glancing at the lady; she just sat there behaving like she didn't exist.

When the call finally ended, Lorraine heaved a sigh of relief.

Lady Gina dropped her phone with her red-manicured hands.

“So to what do I owe this visit, Lorraine!”

“I just want to apologize, it was a mistake, I promise!”

“Forgiveness is not my thing! Bad-mouthing me is not a mistake! Did you think I'm daft!”

Lorraine shivered.

“ How the mighty have fallen! No, you weren't even mighty in the first place.”

Lorraine's face burned in humiliation,

“Please Lady Gina, I will do anything to make it right!”

Lady Gina raised a brow. “Anything?”

Lorraine nodded like an agama lizard. “Yes, anything, please just don't ruin me!”

Lady Gina's smile grew wider as she smirked.

“I will forgive you Lorraine, But I'll be withdrawing my shares from your company, And I have already informed the clients that you've agreed to give them two of your companies as an apology”

Madame Lorraine's eyes widened in horror. Sweat broke through her forehead.

Isn't that the same thing as going broke?

“But… but that will bankrupt me!”

Lady Gina glared at her “Do I look like a give a f**k?”

“I'm done with you Lorraine, out of my sight!”

Lorraine fell to her knees begging shamelessly. “Please, Lady Gina, have mercy! Don't do this to me!”

Lady Gina's expression didn't change.

“You would have thought of that when you crossed me, Lorraine. Now disappear.”

Lorraine stumbled out, her pride was shattered.

“Ha! two companies gone! Just like that, what was I thinking!”

“I can't believe I'm broke”

A few minutes later, she arrived at her mansion.

She stepped out of her car lost in thought, slammed it shut and walked inside.

Her daughter Tiffany lounged on the couch surrounded by maids attending to her manicures and pedicures.

“Mom, look at the necklace I bought online!” Tiffany said showing her phone to Lorraine

“You did what?” Lorraine snapped.

She got the phone in her eyes widened at the price tag.

“Good heavens! Tiffany, we can't afford this!” She snapped angrily.

Tiffany, shocked by her mother's sudden outburst, asked, “Why?”

“What did you mean, Mom? Last time, you said I should get it if I liked it!”

“And now. I'm telling you not to get it again because we are broke!”

“What!” Tiffany snapped rudely.

“What do you mean we are broke?”

Her twin brother asked from the stairs

“Yes, darlings! So, Tiffany, you’ll Cancel that order because we're broke!”

Tiffany's anger boiled up “I really want this necklace! And you keep saying we are broke, how did we suddenly turn broke!”

“Lady Gina withdrew her shares from my company.

I lost two of my company!” Tiffany's eyes widened.

“I'm not even sure of how you will pay the maids this month! So some of them will just be sacked!”

The maids' eyes widened as they heard her; even the twins' eyes went wide.

“Then what will happen to my going to Montana College, Mom? Even you said I should go there!”

You’ll shove that into the toilet. We'll just look for a low-budget college for you!”

Tiffany's face went wild, “Mom, tell me you are joking!”

“A low-budget college!” She scoffed.

Madame Lorraine wasn't even listening to her anymore.

She plunged down into the Sofa

“Thank heavens I stopped her from ordering that necklace, else we would have gone extra broke. Two companies lost! Even after kneeling to beg her.

Lady Gina is just a devil”

Tiffany walked to her mom and grabbed her arm, “Mom are you even listening to me? I'm talking to you.”

Lorraine pushed Tiffany away and she landed her butt on the floor.

“Mom!” She shrieked in shock.

Lorraine took her bag and headed upstairs.

“If you still want to go to Montana College, you can actually be a scholarship student.”

Kent helped his sister up as they stared at their mother shocked.

“My life is ruined!” Tiffany said, as tears spilled from her eyes.