Fate in Captivity

Chapter 20- His Contentment

(Julius)

 I can't stop smiling from ear to ear as I leave her apartment building. My feet were walking out but my mind kept on thinking about her, what is she doing now that I left? Is she also feeling the same way I have right now? My heart feels so full and contented, how I wished that everyday would always be the same, if that would happen, I can really die in peace. I left the building and started walking on the sidewalk, this is the first time I kept on looking people's face, monitoring their reactions, checking if someone is currently happy as I am. If not, I want to boasts to all of them that I feel so happy tonight. My hands were excitedly swaying as I walked towards the taxi cab terminal, I saw the long line of passengers that are waiting for their turn as the cabs continuously lines up for a ride. Looking at my front, it was still I think five to seven people before my turn and I am not complaining, I don't want to go home, this night is too short for the next day to come. 

Looking again at the other people in this place, some are looking through their mobile phones and some are talking with someone, but there is no one as idle as I am. I feel so great, I feel like I am floating in a cloud nine, this is the first time I felt something like this and I won't exchange anything just for this huge feeling. 

"You must be happy, lad." I looked back and I saw an old woman standing behind me. I smiled at her and just nods. 

"It is really good to be young." she continued. 

"You are still young, ma'am." I said to her and she chuckles. 

"You sure is a smooth talker. You should say that to your mom." she said to me. 

"I always tell her those things." I answered and her smile became huge as earlier. 

"Then she must have save the whole country in her past life." she jokingly said and I laughed. 

"You are very much flattering me, ma'am." I said to her and she suddenly looked in front of me. I also looked and realized that there is no other people in front of me and it is now my turn for a ride. 

"Nice meeting you, lad." she said and I just smiled before I get in the car. 

"Royal Estates, please." I said to the driver and the cab started to drive out of the terminal. 

After minutes of driving, I arrived at my apartment and entered the building with too much excitement, looks like I would have some trouble to sleeping later. I get in the elevator and I saw Ken, I don't know here he been but I don't care, I am happy tonight. 

"Aren't you too happy, brother?" Ken suddenly talked to me, since I was in a very good mood, I smiled at him and patted his shoulder. 

"Happiness is what you should go for, bro." I said to him as his older brother and I saw him scoffed.

"Don't act like everything is now done." he firmly said to me and I chuckles. I don't know why I find him adorable, with all those glare and firm voice? He looked like a younger brother to me. 

"Don't act like mature, Ken. Everything has its own sequence." I said and the door of the elevator opened. I extended my hand like I am letting him go first, this floor is where his apartment located, while me is at the top, living at the penthouse of this building. 

He get out and I just playfully waved at him before the doors closes. I just chuckles when I remembered how his face turned out when I said that, he must be pressured, his mom might kept on telling him to get close or even seduce Aubrey. I don't suspect or just assumed everything, I just happened to personally heard it last time at the comfort room. I heard him talking to his mom and he told his mom what happened during the whole day at Aubrey's office, they must have been threatened by my existence- because I know that the one who got Aubrey would fully inherit the company. I don't directly tell this to Aubrey but I guess she now got the idea about it, I don't want her to think that I am only approaching her because of our family matters. 

I get off the elevator and quickly entered my apartment and lie down on my bed and did not notice that time passed by and it is already the next day. 

I got up from the loud sound of alarm clock, I don't know where it came from but I heard something is ringing next to my ears. I extended my hand and kept on reaching for that thing, until my hand felt a phone under the pillow. I turned it off and continue sleeping, until I felt that something is strange. I opened my eyes and I am now in a different room. I quickly get up and I saw that I am still wearing the same clothes I had yesterday. I looked around and I recognized that interior of it, I sighed in relief as I realized that I am in my room but in my parents' house. But how did I end up here?

I walked towards the door and turned the doorknob, but it is locked. Are they pranking me or what? I continuously knocked on the door, or should I say I was about to destroy it down. 

"Can you stop being noisy? It is still early in the morning!" I heard someone yelled and I know it is my stepmother. 

"Let me get out of here!" I yelled back on her but she is not opening the door.

"If you are the older brother, please act as one. How could you bully your younger brother?" stepmother said and I think back what in the hell did I do. 

"Is this because Aubrey might choose me in the end? Are you that scared to lose?" I said to her and the door suddenly opened, it was so loud that I made a step backwards to have some distance. 

"Lose? Me? I don't raise my son to be a loser. Don't act like a winner, Julius." she firmly said to me. 

"I might not be the winner but I am happy, how about you? Are you happy?" I asked to her and she did not answer me immediately. She just scoffed in disbelief and walked towards me. 

"Money makes me happy. Of course, I don't expect you to understand as you live rich since the day you were born." she said to me and I just laughs. So loud that she looked at me in anger and confused. 

"I don't choose to be rich and I don't need to be one." I answered to her and she chuckles. 

"I don't want to hear those words to a rich man like you. You don't know what it feels like to be poor, and you don't know what it feels like to be small." she finally said and closed the door again. Before she locked it, I gathered all my energy forcedly opened the door, too strong that the doorknob was broken. 

"I know how it feels to be small and I won't get back on that. Tell to that nosy kid of yours, stop seducing Aubrey, he won't get her like that." I firmly said and left the house. I looked at my phone and I am already late for work. I tried calling Aubrey but she is not answering, looks like she was busy with the event. 

I run towards the huge highway and trying to grab some cab to ride in but looks like this hour of the day is the busiest one, no one would ever stop in front of me to give me a ride, they were all occupied by some people who are also on their way to work. Even if I knew that I am already late, I still went home just to change my clothes before I went to work. 

I entered the building and directly went to Aubrey's office. I noticed that the place is very quiet, thing that is unusual with the kind of atmosphere here. I entered the room and no one is here, the place is empty as well as the outdoor table of Aly, she is not here. I went to the halls here but still empty and in silent. I now decided to call Aly, the one person who can help me.

"Hello?" she said upon answering. 

"Aly! Where is everybody?" I asked to her as soon as she greeted. 

"Haven't you heard? The event suddenly became today and Aubrey kept on calling you since early in the morning!" Aly exclaimed to me and I panicked. 

"What?! I did not know, something came up so I did not answer it." I said to her. 

"You have to go here asap. I'll send you the address." she said and ended the call. After that a notification of message showed on my screen so I quickly get out and grabbed a taxi once again. I really regretted not using my car right now, who cares if they would see an intern driving a sports car when you cannot arrive at the event on time? tsk.

I arrived at the hall and I noticed that Aubrey really made everything according to the idea and plan I gave to her that day. For the hall that we saw yesterday and even the design I drew for the runway. I feel proud and at the same time disappointed for not being with her the whole event. I saw people from the hall are now leaving one by one. Aubrey is at the doorway and she was greeting the people who attended the event. I just stood from a distance and saw how she smiled and show respect to each people, she just looked amazing in my eyes. 

She suddenly looked towards my side and I was surprised, I was about to leave and walk away when I saw her smile. 

"Julius!" she called with her sweet voice. I looked at her and she is calling me with her hand. I guess I don't have any choice but to went towards her. 

"This is Julius, the son of the president of the brand." she introduces me to those people. 

"Really? Your design is really great! I guess this would now be my favorite brand." a woman in her forties told me and I just smiled widely.

"That is great, you would definitely looked like a model on those." I said to her and she laughed. 

"You are a funny one, I should have a coffee with your mother. She is very lucky to have you." she said to me and I remembered the old woman at the terminal last night. I looked at her and she winked at me and smiled. I just scoffed in laughter and nodded at her. 

"I know, she must be happy." I jokingly said and the other women who is with her are also laughing. 

"I should go, Aubrey, you better hold him tight." she said to Aubrey and Aubrey just laughed while nodding. 

After the whole greetings and talking to different kinds of people. We went inside the empty hall and I saw her sat down to one of the seats there. She looked very tried and exhausted, I can't say anything to her, any comfort or just a joke to let her calm. 

"Why did you arrived just now?" I was surprised when she asked me and at the same looked at me. I stood in front of her with my hands clasp, even if we owned the brand, I am still an intern under her, she is my boss. 

"Something happened." I mumbled. 

"What is that something happened?" She asked. 

"Bro! When did you came?" I looked at the side and I saw Ken smiling wide at me, instead of my hands became polite, my fists were shaking in anger. 

"Ken, thank you for your assist, you can now go." Aubrey said to him. 

"No, I should drive you home, you are tired from the whole event." that jerk Ken just said those words to her. 

"No, Julius is here. I can go with him." Aubrey said and my fist automatically calmed down. I looked at her and she seems serious about it. 

"But--"

"It is really okay, you can go." Aubrey insists so Ken don't have the choice but to leave. When we saw that Ken left the hall I saw Aubrey looking at me. 

"Let's go." she suddenly said. 

"Where are we going?" I asked in confused. 

"Meet your mother and my grandmother." she nonchalantly said and grabbed her bag. 

"Who- Oh shoot! That woman earlier is your grandmother?!" I exclaimed and she chuckles. 

"Yeah, they were waiting for us at the café." she said and I smiled,.

I am really contented with what we have right now. 

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