Chapter 89 - Tangerine

"He...Hey, why are you presuming things about me? I...I am all fine... Why would I be lonely? I have tons of maidens to play around with... Why are you making things on your own?" Grumbling in a perplexed low pitch, he stared sharply into her eyes.

"No, I am not assuming things on my own." Smiling with a tender eloquence, she took the last sip from the can and stood up from the bench turning towards him.

"You know Mr. Czar, it's okay to be true with your emotions. We all face cruel stuff in life, but we can't run away from the pain we are feeling inside. It's okay to be true to yourself. You don't need to pretend fine always, because someday someone will look through your pain distinctly. You won't be able to hide anymore." 

She was standing straight under the radiant sun, holding a soothing grimace towards him while conveying her heartfelt words. In that tender atmosphere holding the warm smile, she looked like an ethereal angel descended from heaven in his eyes. Somehow his voice choked inside and unable to utter a single word, he continued staring at her profound wide eyes.

Slowly, Eva zipped open her handbag that she was carrying along and took a small tangerine out of it. Grinning softly, she handed it straight in his arm which indeed startled him furthermore.

"My mom used to say, whenever we have too many things running on our mind, we should focus on peeling and eating a tangerine as...it will keep our minds involved, even if it's for a brief moment. Also, tangerine is my favorite fruit. Umm, I am just suggesting you do it. But, believe me, it works." 

Swirling his pupils wider, looking utterly amazed he gently grabbed it from her hand and continue staring at the fruit making a perplexing face. It seemed as if he was wondering about certain things inside but kept his silence before her.

"Also, you don't need to follow me around anymore Mr. Czar, I am all fine too. You should take care of yourself a bit more too. See you later." Slightly bowing her head, Eva murmured to him in an amiable complexion and turned behind heading straight outside the park alone. Czar stayed still on the bench, all numb and frigid looking at the tangerine she left him behind. Slowly he raised his chin and gawked at all the way she was walking along and took out a deep huff of breath.

(FLASHBACK)

...

"Mom, you are back?" 

Holding a warm broad smile on his face, Czar of around 6 years old dashed running towards the door as Madonna, his mother and a beautiful young woman with an angelic expression on her grimace, tried to walk inside opening the doorknob. As little Czar rushed closer to her, spreading her arms wider she pulled him tighter inside her warm embrace. 

"My baby, did you miss mom already?" Patting his small head tenderly, she murmured.

"Yes, I was feeling lonely without you, mom. You were gone for a long time today..." Czar was pouting his face while snuggling in her warmth.

"I am sorry my child, it took me a bit more time today. But mom has brought your favorite beef today. I will cook your favorite meal!"

"Really?"

Czar almost jumped in joy, putting a small peck on her puffy cheeks and grinning widely. "We will have beef today, mom?" He sounded too excited about it.

"Of course," she seemed much happier to see her son laughing and jumping at her answer. "I have also brought bacon for you, Czar. Don't worry, mom will raise you as a stronger person, just like your alpha brother." She caressed his head softly, with her wide tender eyes gleaming in bliss.

Czar continued staring at her eyes momentarily with his small curious gaze and all of a sudden his wide smile tainted a bit. "But mom... They...They don't seem to like us...especially... They are cold towards us--"

"It's not like that, Czar." Immediately she interrupted and pulled him back into her embrace, putting a small kiss on his forehead. "You are the son of our alpha. No matter what others say, but your father will never be able to abandon you, my child. And believe me, you aren't less in any aspect than your alpha brother just because you are a beta. Don't worry Czar, mom will be always together by your side so that you won't feel lonely anymore on your own. I will raise you as my strongest child." She was comforting his worried soul hugging her tighter in her warmth. 

Soothed in her embrace, he seemed much relieved and firmly nodded his head chuckling in joy. Soon she moved a few inches away from him and groped a large bag placed near her. Softly she pulled a tangerine out of the bag and handed it to his tiny arms.

"Look honey, mom has also brought your favorite tangerines. I know how much you love them so I searched around everywhere to grab some fresh tangerines for you. These are sweeter just like my sweet child."

"Yaay! Tangerine! I love you, mom." Grabbing it from her hand quickly enough, he put a cheerful peck on her cheeks and placed his tiny arms around her shoulder, snuggling closer to her.

"Awww, I love you too my Czar," smiling happily she further reciprocated caressing his small back shoulder.

"Don't worry, mom will always bring your favorite tangerines for you." 

...

A drop of warm tears carrying the heavyweight of concealed emotions dripped down on the tangerine while Czar was staring at it, lowering his head down. His heart was throbbing in pain and raising his grimace above at the sky, he muttered on his own.

"It's...It's been so long since I ever had a tangerine... I...I just don't get it... How can she rip open my old wounds so easily? Why...Why does she feel so warm..." Peeling it gently and putting a slice of the fruit in his mouth, a warm smile appeared on his face unknowingly with a tinge of profound sadness inside his eyes.

"It's sweet...It's as sweet as the ones you brought for me, mom... It's too sweet that my heart is aching again...Shit..." Trying hard to control his tears biting his lips, he murmured on his own with warm tears rolling down his cheeks.

...

"Clara, I am telling you, I am all fine. I will start looking for some other jobs starting tomorrow. Don't you worry too much about me?" 

"Cut it out! I know you are not fine. Please stop lying straight on my face."

Frowning her eyebrows, she reciprocated quickly at Eva stomping her feet in anger and frustration. Both of them were talking to each other outside Clara's working place from where she sneaked out to meet her for a while as she was too worried about her interviews. But though she was claiming to be all fine, she could clearly understand that all those rejections the whole day must have badly tormented her from inside. 

"Clara, you should go back to work now. I will meet you later. Besides, I don't want to bother you outside your workplace." Glancing around the premises once, she mumbled in a low voice tapping her forearm.

"But, Eva... How can I not be worried..."

"I should better get going now. I will call you later, okay?" Responding to her instantly in a warm voice, she turned behind and continued walking out of the premises leaving her behind with a perturbed heart. 

"Fine, my ass! I know you are not fine at all! Ahh, I wish I could do at least something to ease your pain..."

Sulking with a concerned gaze, she turned back with a heavy sigh to head straight inside her office. But all of a sudden her feet halted stiffly with the horrifying sight before him.

At a convenient distance from her, Czar was standing straight folding his arms within the arm notch and glaring at her viciously. As soon as their eyes met, perplexed in fear she retreated a step back and immediately tried to escape from his sight.

But as soon as she tried to run out, Czar dashed closer and groped her arm to stop her from fleeing away from him.

Glaring his eyeballs wider in a dark gaze, he whispered to her from behind, "You... You are a beta too... Aren't you?" 

"What? What are you talking about?" Mumbling in a fearful voice, she tried to free her hands from his grasp.

"Don't you dare lie to me! What are you thinking of fooling around?

You... You are a beta too... Aren't you?" 

____________________________

***As I promised, a new mystery twist was included in my story and hence I infer that Volume 1 is concluded successfully.

So, from now on it will be beginning of Volume 2 which will infer many more twists ahead :* :*

Please keep supporting :*