Veils Of Illusion

“Okay, Your Majesty, I’ll be there on time,” Chris said, holding his phone in his left hand while his right hand carried some documents. “I’m serious, Christopher Alexander Campbell,” his mother, Bianca, warned sternly. “Mum, I promise I can't miss it,” he replied, smiling as he handed the documents to one of his assistants. The assistant nodded and walked away, leaving the other three behind. “Alright, Mum, let me finish this, and I’ll get home quickly,” they both agreed before ending the call. Today was his engagement to his childhood best friend, a day that was very important for both him and his family. Chris wasn’t just anyone; he was a prince of the Eges’ Kingdom. However, due to his free and open personality, people often struggled to grasp his true identity. He turned around to quickly review the new documents and frowned at what he saw. “The two of you can go now; just do a little more touch-up, and it will be perfect,” he dismissed them and turned his attention to the remaining personal assistant. “Sam, where did you get these ideas?” Sam swallowed and adjusted his glasses. “M-my wife helped with some ideas, but I—” Chris gave him a big smile and pinched his cheek. “It’s fantastic; yours is perfect.” The poor guy blushed at the compliment, touching his cheeks as he looked up at Chris. “Come on, sir, I'm not a baby,” he mumbled, still with red cheeks. Chris laughed and handed him the documents. “Keep it safe. I dismissed the others because of it; I don’t want anyone feeling bad for any reason.” His tone shifted to that of a businessman. Sam nodded in understanding, feeling satisfied that he had achieved his goal. Looking up at his boss, Chris gently tapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t disappoint me. I hope this is your original work.” Seeing the man who had changed his life, Sam took a deep breath and removed his glasses. “I wouldn’t do anything to hurt or disappoint you. After everything you’ve done for me, the least I can do is try not to let you down.” Chris nodded and walked away. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number as he entered his office. On the third ring, the person on the other end picked up. “Hello, sunshine,” Chris said, a huge smile spreading across his face as the person on the other end responded with equal enthusiasm. Meanwhile, on the other side of town, a beautifully decorated kitchen had turned into chaos just hours earlier. The countertops were covered in flour, and pans clattered loudly as Ella desperately tried to salvage the cake she was baking. Don’t get it wrong; she knew how to bake, but the pressure was overwhelming today. “Oh my God! Why can’t we have some peace this early in the morning?” her mother, Isabella, groaned, massaging her temples as she surveyed the messy scene her daughter had created. With glaring eyes, she looked at Ella. “Briella Jayson Francisco,” her voice was firm and filled with warning. Ella turned... “AAAAHHHHHH, Mom?” Ella exclaimed, her hand pressed to her chest in panic. “What is this mess, young lady?” Isabella walked in, narrowing her eyes at her daughter. “Please don’t scare me like that again; my fragile heart won’t be able to bear it.” Ella took deep breaths to calm her racing heart. “Don’t be so dramatic,” Isabella said, rolling her eyes as she grabbed an apple from the counter. “This is a face mask.” She pointed to her face and took a bite of the apple. “You'd better clean this mess up because I won’t fall for your tricks.” Isabella tossed the apple towards her and walked out of the kitchen. Ella giggled at her mother's antics; they both acted more like siblings. “Clean your face; you have flour all over it!” her mom called from the living room. Ella picked up her phone to check her reflection and burst into laughter when she saw that her face was almost entirely covered in flour. Just then, her phone rang, interrupting her concentration. She sighed jokingly and answered, “Do you always have to ruin the moment?” She carefully adjusted her AirPods before continuing with the baking. “I just missed you,” Chris said, twirling a pen between his fingers. “Oh? I don’t believe that,” Ella replied with a smile as she mixed the dough. Their banter continued, filled with teasing and laughter, as if the world outside didn’t exist. “You’re coming on time, right?” Ella asked more seriously. “I just got off the phone with my mother, and you know her,” he replied. Ella giggled, understanding that joking with “the queen” was not advisable. “Alright, I love you,” she said, doing a happy dance with her apron trailing behind her. “No, I love you more,” Chris teased. “I have to be on my way. See you at the party!” He swung his legs off the table and rushed out. “Okay, babe, see you!” Ella said as she hung up the call and sighed. She managed to clean up the mess while they were on the call; the last thing she needed was to leave the cake in the oven unattended. “Mom, can you watch the oven for me?” Ella asked as she carefully hung the apron in its original place, leaving the kitchen door open for easy access. “Okay, baby,” her mom replied from the living room. “Thanks, Mom!” With urgency, Ella slammed the door and hurried to the bathroom. She couldn’t bear to be late; today was very special for her. She and her childhood best friend were about to become life partners after 20 years of friendship. “Mum, hurry up! We have to be on time!” Ella called out to her mother while carefully balancing the cake in her other hand. Her silky brunette hair flowed behind her, and the silver dress complemented her chocolate skin beautifully. “Relax, princess. We still have time,” her father, Martin, winked at her as he checked his watch. Ella narrowed her eyes playfully at him. “Dad, you didn’t!” Martin gave her an evil smirk, and she giggled as she gave him a high-five. He had deliberately given them the wrong time to ensure they would leave on schedule. “I had to do it; otherwise, we would have arrived an hour late.” Ella nodded, smiling as she spotted her mother rushing toward the car with her hair still in curls. Her purple dress clung to her body, highlighting her beauty. Ella smirked and turned to look at her dad, who was transfixed. “Dad?” she teased, but he was too focused on his wife. “So beautiful,” he murmured. Ella snapped her fingers in front of him, and he sighed before turning to her. “Let me admire my wife,” he said, rolling his eyes, and hurried outside to open the door for Isabella. “Thanks, honey,” Isabella said, giving him a quick peck. Ella squealed in mock disgust. “Eww, you guys still kiss?” Isabella smirked at her daughter as she got into the car and started retouching her makeup. “Okay, let’s go!” she said innocently, tugging on her husband’s sleeve. “You look stunning, my love,” Martin complimented as he pulled out of the driveway. Ella opened the gate using the remote control. Isabella blushed slightly at her husband’s praise. While he often complimented her, doing so in front of their daughter made her feel a little shy. “You still have the curls in your hair,” Martin said, suppressing a chuckle as he pointed it out. Isabella gasped and threw him a playful glare. “I’ll take them out when we get the chance,” she said. They shared their moments. Laughting and remembering Ella’s childhood and love life. Ella sighed as she looked at her parents and how they are so much in love. They had a tough start. Her grandparents hated the relationship between her parents and had asked them to break it off, but they chose love and cut ties with their family. It sometimes saddened her that she had to grow up with her parents alone, and sometimes she wished that her grandparents could spoil her with gifts and treat her like a princess. But life doesn't always give you what you want. They played music to pass the time, as for Ella she couldn't wait to see him. They stepped out of the car and made their way toward the entrance. “Wow, Ella, you look elegant as always!” the Queen called out, her arms wide open. Her eyes lit up with pure affection upon seeing Ella. Ella handed the cake to her mother and rushed toward the queen. “I missed you, Mum!” she said, blushing as she hugged the woman who was like a second mother to her. “Look at you, glowing!” Bianca exclaimed, pulling away to double-check Ella’s appearance. “Thank you, but you’re no exception,” Ella replied, stepping aside as she heard her mother squeal. “Oh, Isabella, how much I've missed you!” Bianca exclaimed as she embraced her best friend in a tight hug, one that spoke of years of shared memories. Martin gently pulled his daughter along as he searched for his best friend. “Meet me inside, honey,” he told his wife, who was busy chatting with the queen. “Come on, Dad!” Ella said excitedly, tugging on his arm as they headed inside. Her mother and the queen followed close behind, still engaged in conversation. Martin made his way toward the private office to look for his friend. Meanwhile, Ella kept glancing around—not because of the decoration, but in search of someone special. Her eyes darted nervously, catching the queen's attention. “He’ll be here soon,” the queen said, her voice teasing yet affectionate. Ella blushed, covering her face with her hands, which made Isabella and Bianca laugh at her embarrassment. “Speaking of the devil, there he is!” Ella immediately turned as her mother’s voice rang out. Her heart raced at the sight of him, laughing with a group of guests. He had always been her peace amid the storm, her best friend through thick and thin. The bond they shared was unbreakable, built on trust and friendship. “Finally!” With determination and excitement, she rushed toward him, her gown sweeping gracefully across the floor. “Of course, I wouldn't miss this day for anything,” Evan replied, chuckling, his eyes twinkling as he held her closer. Ella's eyes shimmered with affection as she pulled away from the hug to look him in the eye. “I wasn't worried for a second,” she teased, even though she had counted the hours until he arrived. “You look incredible,” he said sincerely, making her blush deeper than she had earlier from the queen’s teasing. He traced his thumb gently across her cheek, feeling her flushed skin. “I missed you,” Ella smiled lovingly at him, her voice barely audible above the surrounding chaos. Evan smiled and rested his forehead against hers. “I miss you more, baby girl,” he said, his words sending a wave of warmth through her—something she had longed for during their time apart. They stood in each other's embrace, trying to make up for the days they had been apart. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Chris and Clara still lost in their world.