Devil’s Dinner

Episode 02 Ray of Hope

хᴀɴᴅᴇʀ

Another marriage? She’s got to be kidding me! I can never forgive her for leading Dara to her death,my second bride.

She is my childhood lover and a family friend but mother never liked her because she felt threatened with Dara knowing too much about the family.

That particular night, I knew she met with Mrs.Grimes last before finding her dead in the swimming pool.

I remember strictly warning her against the room upstairs and befriending princess Vivian, a vixen who is out for revenge.

Seeing my horse feeding well, my anger deserted me and I took him out to the open field.

ʀᴏʏᴀʟ ᴘᴀʟᴀᴄᴇ

Ancient drawings and antiques beautifies the palace but its modern look is clearly visible with imported furnitures and maids dressed in office clothings.

Princess Vivian lives here all alone and together with the Grimes manage the affairs of the royal family.

She is a very pretty lady with vibrant look and infectious behavior, well that’s the outside of her that she shows to people but behind that mask is a very intelligent woman with ambitions.

ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇss ᴠɪᴠɪᴀɴ

I am princess Vivian, the only true heir of the royal family, living with dreams and ambitions I’ve always desired for massive power and the throne but unfortunately there is the king’s relatives, the Grimes.

Mr.Grime is a very greedy man right from his youthful days but my father has always been honest and kind to others, what has his good behavior gotten him anyway? Just a throne with no power to act on his own.

I grew up to recognize my father’s fear for the Grimes and that hurts me to the bone because the more I grow, the more helpless I find him becoming.

Finally they got a chance with his sudden illness and they tried to kill him with poison.

The king survived but the Grimes got their hands on him again, considering how much I love my dear father and would not want him dead so I made a deal with the Grimes which I don’t want to mention for now and in return I just have to obey their biddings and let them oversee the royal affairs with me.

I have no choice since I’m a female successor and have no right to the throne but I know soon enough they will come up with a plan to snatch the throne from me which I will never allow.

I must rule my father’s throne myself and I’m ready to give it my all, I just need to investigate the deaths of their brides, get my hands on some evidence and find where they have kept my father.

ɴᴇᴡ ʏᴏʀᴋ

A knock came on the door of Ashley’s apartment and when she opened up, three hefty looking men appear in her sight and she flinched thinking they are armed robbers that have come to rob her so she tried to shut the door back on them but one of the men pushed the door open.

“Don’t you dare come forward, I will call the police right away” she said swaying her hands up and down.

“Are you Miss Ashley? Ashley White!”

“Yes,so?” She replied.

Kayla heard the noise and she came out to the sitting room,on sighting her sister on the floor looking so scared and with three hefty looking men she gasped and could not move.

“It’s okay Ma’am, we are here based on Mr.Grimes order” one of the men said.

“Mr.Grimes? And am I suppose to know him?” She said.

“Yes you should Ma’am, the Grimes in charge of the royal affairs... He wants you back home”

“ What? The Grimes? Now I think that the royal stuff rings a bell, they are friends with my parents before they passed away” she said and then Kayla ran to her side.

“That’s good, here is a letter for you” one of the guards said and hand over a letter to her.

Ashley unwrapped the letter and read the content.

“We are so sorry to have reach out late to you and we offer our sincere condolence. your father must have explained a deal between him and the late king so we want you back home so we can arrange your marriage with Xander Grimes,since the king has no heir but has chosen Xander for you instead. We promise to take care of you and your little sister, you have endured so much my dear,you can come home now.

ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀɪᴍᴇs

The letter is hand written and that melt Ashley’s heart that she burst into tears that finally someone came looking for her.

ᴀsʜʟᴇʏ

I am so happy right now, just when I thought there is no one left to care for us here and back home but the Grimes decided to help us.

They are such nice people but the marriage aspect is the only part I think I might have a problem with.

I should get married to Xander? We don’t even talk to each other despite the fact that we went to the same high school. He is pompous and so full of himself, I don’t even have any feelings for him and now I’m getting married to him?

I tilted my head only to see Kayla smiling upon reading the letter, she is so happy and I can’t use my personal reasons to spoil her happiness. I don’t mind sacrificing my life to give my younger sister a life, she is just 16 and just starting her life.

She hug me so tight and I wrap my hands round her body patting her to stop crying already.

“You will be the richest model ever” I said to her and I hear her soft cry turns to a giggle.

“When do we leave?”I said to the men.

“Right away ma’am, there’s a personal plane that belongs to the royal family so we are going back on that” he said to me.

“Okay, let me pack my stuffs, just 10 minutes please” I said but he stopped me and...

“Mr.Grimes said not to come with anything from here, you are allowed to only pick some important stuffs” the leader said to me.

“What? Then what is going to happen to our luggage here?” I questioned feeling surprised at such an order.

“We will take care of that for you later”

I stood up and hold my sister’s hand as we followed the three men down the building.

One of the men opened the car and we entered as we drove to the airport.

ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀɪᴍᴇs

Ashley and Kayla arrived at the Grimes mansion and they were welcomed by Mrs.Grimes personally.

ᴀsʜʟᴇʏ

It’s been a while since I’ve seen that woman, as usual she is looking so strict and younger I bet she’s the type that cares about her look.

She welcomed me with a smile and I returned the same feeling to her.

She walked up to Kayla and caress her face but my sister shifted away from her which I don’t seem to understand.

Mrs.Grimes smiles softly before returning to her previous position.

“You must be tired, go and eat first then we are going to talk” she said to me and I nodded without saying anything.

The mansion is so big and gracious that I almost got lost in my thought.

Soon, we arrived at a big dinning with lots of delicacies and different side dishes. This is paradise I must admit!

ᴋᴀʏʟᴀ

I was so happy hearing that my sister is going to get married into a royal family because I’m sure she is never going to face hard times nor suffer again in her entire life.

I want the best for her, she has always been busy watching out for me so she did not have time to date any guy but on reading the letter I felt so happy.

The case changed entirely when I saw that woman Mrs.Grimes, I don’t know why my heart beats so fast on sighting her and when she touched my face I froze with fear as if I’ve had bad past with her.

I don’t know what it is but it refuses to come clear in my head.

Watching Sis eating so much and peacefully, I smiled at her and starts with the side dishes too.

After eating to our satisfaction, I was taken to a very big bedroom, i bet it is three times of my bedroom at New York where sis and I stayed.

The color is all pink,with stuffed teddy bear on my bed and that’s not all, I marveled at the shoe rack and I ran to check where my clothes are only to see new clothes hanged everywhere in my closet. I was beaming with happiness then my eyes caught a school uniform and I chuckled.

“They have found a school for me already “ I said to myself as I put the uniform on my body checking the mirror how it would look like if I put it on.

....................

Ashley was taken to the Grimes garden where Mr and Mrs. Grimes are waiting.

She bowed and said her greetings before she was asked to sit with them.

“You’ve been through a lot but don’t worry, you will be okay now” Mrs.Grimes said assuredly.

“Thanks so much for your love, you decided to take I and my sister in even after our parents death, I will forever be grateful for that” she said with a somber look.

“Xander will soon be back, I hope you guys get along well” Mr.Grimes said.

“But... does he know about this?” I asked.

“It doesn’t matter my dear, I know it won’t be easy but you should try your best to tolerate and understand him.” Mrs.Grimes said.

“That is the only way you can repay us and take care of your little sister, by getting married to him no matter what” Mr.Grimes said with a desperate voice.

I wasn’t allowed to say anything when Mrs.Grimes offered to show me my room.

ɴɪɢʜᴛ

Xander is back home with Michael and they both chuckled as they walked inside the house.

“Oh no buddy, I think I forgot your violin in the car” Michael said scratching his hair.

“I miss playing my Violin that’s why I bought a new one so get back and get it for me” Xander said and then proceed to his room without waiting for Michael.

ᴍɪᴄʜᴀᴇʟ

I decided to go back and get Xander’s Violin, he likes to boss me around and he never really appreciates me.

I feel bad as if my friendship is just one sided, he doesn’t even know my birthday despite being together for so long.

Then the thought of Dara’s death hit me and I got so angry with Xander.

Dara is our friend but my own girlfriend, Xander snatched her away from me because he’s got royal blood flowing through his veins while I’m just an orphan. Hearing that directly from Dara was hurtful but I still loved her so much... although after their wedding we started having an affair but one night I received a call from the Grimes, only to find Dara drowned in the swimming pool and Xander sitting on the floor beside the pool. I had no idea what happened that night and when I asked him, he refused to disclose the incident to me. I’m sure he caused her death, when he can’t protect her why trying to keep her.

I wiped the tears forming in my eyes and picked the Violin then made for the house.

On my way I bumped into a girl but not just any girl, it is as if I’ve never seen someone so beautiful as her, it hurt to admit she’s got great beauty than Dara. She muttered a sorry and hurried away from my sight, I watch as her golden hair danced upon her shoulder and what a shape she’s got.

“Could she be one of the maids?”