Chapter 1.27: The Gold & Red Part 2

Instantly, Leila’s nose was overwhelmed with the smell of frosting. It made her chest hurt from how strong it was. It filled the entrance of the shop with a sweet fragrance that matched its walls. They had been painted a sugary sweet pink color, and the carpet was a fluffy texture. Her boots sunk into the ground as she walked and she looked around. There weren't any servers nearby or a hostess. The only thing in the small room was a large, circular desk.

She walked over to the desk and saw a bell. It was shaped like a small macaron and felt soft when she pushed its top. The bell rang throughout the room and echoed off its walls loudly. The teenager could hear the guests in the dining area whispering. She wondered if they recognized her when she came in. Someone touched her shoulder, and she turned to meet their gaze. It was the sandy-haired guard from before who looked uneasy.

Leila played with her hair as she spoke. "Are you alright? Is the smell too strong for you?" She found it becoming nauseating as they stood waiting.

The blonde shook his head. "That's not it." He looked past the desk where they'd sit down. "It's the people who are in there that are bothering me."

"I understand your hesitancy, but I'll take care of it. If anyone speaks out of turn, I'll shut them up." The green-eyed woman tried to reassure him. If things got rough, she had no problem throwing hands.

He looked at her with an emotion she couldn't recognize. He moved the hair she had been touching off of her shoulder gently. The gesture confused her, and she found herself curious about his identity. He was too affectionate as an employee of her father.

"I don't need the boss' daughter getting in trouble on our watch." They both looked to the side, hearing someone's footsteps. His voice became softer to avoid being overheard. "These people have changed, Cleo."

The teenager opened her mouth to ask what he meant, but she quickly shut it once she saw the hostess arrive. She was an older woman, possibly in her late thirties, who wore a white uniform. She looked as if she had seen a ghost, her mouth agape. The two women's eyes met, and she shivered. Leila couldn't tell if she was scared because of who she was or of the fact she was just there. Either way, she was growing bored with people becoming sniveling cowards in her presence. It took the fun out of being here.

She looked the woman over and watched her step back. Slowly, she walked to the front of the desk and smiled. The smile was fake, but it fooled the woman enough that she stopped shaking. The teenager took her time before speaking. If she came off annoyed, the woman might run off and get a manager. She needed to sound and look utterly harmless.

"My name is Cleo. I used to come here often as a child and decided to visit while I was in the area." Leila said while reaching into her petticoat pocket. The woman let out a sigh of relief when she saw it was money in her hand.

In her palm, the teen held gold and silver coins. She held them out for the woman to see clearly. "Is this enough for a group of six? I'll be paying for everyone."

From behind, she heard one of the guards remark how she had a week's worth of their pay. Money was something the teenager had infinite access to. Most were unaware of Cleo's emergency bank account. The hostess counted the coins silently before freezing. She moved to look behind the noblewoman and at the guards. Only now did she realize there were others with the girl. She scrunched up her nose in displeasure and tensed up as she responded.

"I'm sorry, but we have only a table for two open." Leila knew this was a lie. Outside, she had seen enough seats for thirty people to dine. "I'm sorry. Would you like a carryout order instead?"

Humming for a bit, the teen tapped a finger on her chin. She leaned forward to get in the woman's face. "Did your boss tell you to say that?"

"No?" The response was hesitant as the woman realized the situation she was in.

Tap. "Are you sure about that?" Tap. Tap.

The woman gulped, shifting uncomfortably. "I sincerely apologize that there are only two free seats." She anxiously grabbed at the desk, paling.

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Leila moved closer, her breath hitting the woman's skin as she spoke once more. "Are you sure that's the truth? Wouldn't you like to check first?"

"I…" The older woman's eyes flew from the desk to her stay at her feet. She bit her bottom lip and stained her teeth with lipstick as she struggled.

The teenager sighed and looked to the side briefly. Leila forced the hostess to look upward, her hand shooting right out and grabbing the woman's chin. Her long nails dug into her skin and caused it to become red, but didn't draw blood. The woman let out a small squeal as her eyes widened in fear. Behind the teenager, she could hear the guards becoming uneasy. It wasn't their job to insert morals into how she lived her life day to day. Their purpose is to protect her from harm and outside influences. She could slap the woman across the face, spit on her body, and they'd stay still.

"ah…he..lp!" The woman clawed at the hand desperately. She was crying from how much it hurt.

"You have no respect for your betters." The teenager tightened her grip to stop the woman from screaming. "You know, as a noble lady, I can have my men cut your tongue out for that."

"Ngh…no…no!" The hostess struggled to talk as the younger woman glared at her. The gaze was heated and the woman's voice became weak. "Please!"

"What? Would you prefer I have them burst into the dining room and beat your gossiping coworker's heads in?" The woman looked terrified that she had been found out. Guilt and panic clouded her mind.

Leila looked to see how the blonde man standing next to her was reacting. He looked surprised by her outburst, but kept his mouth firmly shut. His arms were crossed over his chest as he sat and watched. She didn't know how he would react when she let the woman go. But she didn't think about it too much. Whatever consequences came from this would be worth it. All she wanted was a nice meal, and instead, she was lied to by some cow.

"I'm going to let you go just once and we'll leave this place since we aren't welcome. However, I'm going to make sure my associates know the truth. That you people don't have any care for women like me."

By now, the hostess's face had gone from pale to bright red. Her tiny body was shaking so hard that the bangles and necklaces she wore made a ruckus. The teenager pushed the woman. She let her go without a second thought and walked away. She didn't bother to see if the woman was alright, all she heard was her heavy breathing. As the hostess hyperventilated, Leila put her hand on the shoulder of the man beside her. The two shared a look, and it felt like ice had washed over her body. The way he looked at her made her feel weird. She pushed herself away and gave him a disdainful glance.

"What's wrong?" The blonde asked though they both knew what she was about to say.

"You three, watch this cow while your leader and I speak in private." She looked at the other guards, who nodded and surrounded the panicked woman.

The two walked out, and she shut the door silently. The rain has stopped, but the air was wet with its growing humidity. Leila looked directly at the man, who blankly gazed back. Her cold green eyes burned into the man's chest as she started to speak. She wanted to know who he truly was and why he misbehaved. There was no memory of Cleo befriending an older blonde boy as a child. And she had no recollection of the family working with golden-eyed foreigners. This man was a mystery.

"I'm going to ask this once, and you better listen. Who the hell are you, and why are you acting as if we know each other intimately?" Leila asked and watched the man let out a small chuckle.

"I guess ten years makes a difference." He moved his right hand through his long hair carelessly. "I didn't mean to misbehave. I apologize."

"I appreciate the apology, but who are you? Ten years ago, I would have been a child. And you look much older than me." She tried to sound confident, but inwardly she was panicking. Who was this man?

He sighed. "My name is Ezekiel. Before your sister died, I was close to her. I never intended to hide my identity. I assumed you just didn't care about me anymore."

It took everything in her power not to collapse. The teenager didn't know what to say. No matter how hard she searched, she found no memory of him. Cleo's sister was a character never explored much in the books. She had been dead for so long that the family barely spoke of her. All she knew as a reader was the girl died a tragic death. She spent her last moments in agony after a deal went wrong. The girl's body was never found whole, and Cleo's brothers all felt immense guilt. Truly, to meet someone unknown to the book was frightening.

"I tried to speak at her funeral, but your brothers turned me away. I was only able to get in contact with you today without the boss's influence." The man looked like he was about to cry.

Cleo's body was already tearing up without Leila realizing it. In the real world, the teenager had never experienced genuine loss. She never felt this level of pain before. Her body remembered what had happened and had a reaction to him that sickened her. She was lost on what to do. No amount of book knowledge could be used against him. He was something she didn't know how to beat. Leila let herself fall.

"I don't know you." She whispered and saw the instant shocked expression on the man's face.

"We knew each other for so long." His face contorted as she watched her family's training kick in. His emotions were buried, and he shuttered. "I apologize. Let's just forget this happened, okay?"