Empty Space

SOMETIMES TRUTH REALLY HURTS

Rhianne’s P.O.V.

“Dean you are... you are crazy..” She never thought that there will be a day that they will come to this point of the situation. 

Dean shamelessly flaunting their relationship, if there is any. However, this makes her heart moved. 

Unconsciously her hand move and put the bracelet on his wrist. Her eyes widened and her body felt warm as he hugged her. 

“I found you at last.” He whispered in her ears. Dean moves swiftly as they walk out through the stage living everyone behind.

Ten minutes later...

Her eyes are fixed on the bracelet seeing nothing as the situation sinks into her pretty head.

“That... that is... that was five hundred thousand dollars.” She stared at the bracelet on her wrist. She stands up and held Dean's hand.

“We have to go back and give the bracelet back.”

“Why?” She felt her blood just rise through her head when she heard 

what Dean said.

“The price of this bracelet is quite not right.”

“That’s true,” Dean said.

“So let’s go back.”

“It is worth more than that.” She stops, “Dean you are crazy..”

“That’s five hundred thousand dollars, it’s not even in peso. You are nuts if you will make it slide!”

“I found you and this.” He raised his wrist wearing the bracelet.

 “That means we can start again. Even if it is a million-dollar I can afford it.” 

“Don’t flaunt your money on me!” He held her two hands and look at her with his serious face.

“I am sorry for losing it. I swear that I will treasure it for the rest of my life and I will never lose it again. You even made this for us.” She doesn’t know how to react to that situation. 

She felt awkward because somehow she also felt guilty about it. Now she understands his situation in the past. 

There is also something that is bothering her though her heart moved by his action at the auction event earlier. 

She still doesn’t know what push this man in front of her to do such a crazy act. 

She had known him to be calm and calculative in his action. He will think twice, no many times before he acts but this. This is not him at all.

“Why did you do that?”

“What?” She quite hates him when he is acting innocent like that. It is adorably cute. She showed her bracelet along with her wrist.

“Why did you put the bracelet on me in front of many people?”

“Ohh that?” he said while scratching his nape.

“That is for them to know that you are already taken.” Did he just put a mark on her?

“What?” She just whispered while he frowned.

“Didn’t you know that you gained a lot of admirers? Do you think I will sit still while you are being snatched away in front of my eyes?” 

“You don’t have to do that. I don’t care about them.” He smiled and felt satisfied when he heard what she said.

“I also wanted to tell the whole world that Rhianne Condes aka Levie is mine, in case you hide again, I will know already where you are. After all, you gained popularity.” She just gripped her hand tight. She knew it. He did think it thoroughly.

“But I am sorry that I did not tell you that I lost the bracelet.” The guilt is visible all over his face.

“You don’t have to say sorry”

“It is not even your fault anyway..” She just whispered not intending to 

make him hear it.

 “Are you saying something?” She started to walk away.

“No, I guess I have to leave.”

“Wait..”

“What?”

“Do you forgive me?”

“Forgive you for what?”

“For asking you about the cool off.” She couldn’t help to raise her eyebrow. That one thing she always forgot. 

“I already said that I understand you.” She saw pain run through his face.

“Don’t say that, it is unforgivable, you even left me.” She felt the guilt spread through her vein. How can she tell him that it is not even his fault?

 “I am sorry Dean..” She patted his shoulder.

“I am sorry for leaving you behind without even saying anything. I guess it is the best thing I can do.”   

Dean’s P.O.V.

“The best?, Leaving me behind is the best thing you can do?” Confusion is running through his mind until it was replaced by hurt and anger at what he heard.

“How? How is hurting me and making me miserable becomes the best you can do?” Guilt is visible on her face. She couldn’t even look at him.

“There you are.” Rhianne looks at Aurora, while he still looking at Rhianne. She can’t run away this time. She has to tell him as to why she said that.

“Dean you have to go back now, you have an urgent meeting.”  

“I am in the middle of the super urgent meeting.” He said to Aurora.

“I really didn’t care about your personal affair, but this is urgent. It happens that the meeting is all about you. I tried to help you earlier but you really dig your grave dipper.” He tried to protest but Rhianne held his hand.

“Dean, I will answer all your questions next time, but now I really think you have to go with her.” With her saying that even if he is quite angry and confused. He can’t say no to her.

“I will see you soon and don’t ever hide from me.” She just nodded and he walked away half-hearted with Aurora.

In the meeting...

The door open wide and he was welcomed by the questioning eyes of his co-judges. He just smiled at them and comfortably took his chair.

“Well, did you know that there is a man who carelessly bid half a million in the auction earlier?”

“Yes, we just earned money for charity and a token for every participant. Isn’t that nice?”

“Thanks to him, the Solros Competition will be in headline news tomorrow. We don’t even need to spare money for publicity.” They are speaking as if he is not in the room.

“However, you Mr. Dean must know the consequences of what you’ve done.” He just nodded to what Mr. Dante said.

“Ok, let’s just make it formal. Mr. Dean, you will be declined as a judge of Solros competition 2020. You don’t have any power and influence to whatever the outcome or decision of the judges concerning the future event of the competition.”

“I will. There is only one question I would like to ask?”

“Sure”

“Where did you find the bracelet?”

“Mr. Lillan took it to Ms. Levie’s apartment. We are informed about the cursed tale place upon the bracelet. Now, I am more than curious of the story behind that bracelet.” Mr. Dante said with his eye go brow up and down. He didn’t say anything about the bracelet.

 He just stands up and bid his farewell to them. He walked with no direction. He just wanted to breathe fresh air and think about how the bracelet ended on Rhianne's hand. 

Why she didn’t even say anything to him. Looking back then, he acted like a fool, feeling guilty. He is going to turn left when he heard a familiar voice causing him to stop.

Rhianne’s P.O.V. 

During the three years of her life pursuing her career she felt empowered that gives her confidence.

That somehow she has the power to control her own life, that she can do something to protect what is important to her but seeing Aurora in front of her and thinking about the auction event proved her wrong. 

In just one snap that event shattered before her eyes. 

“You never fail to amaze me.” It was Aurora.

“I don’t know what you are saying,” Rhianne said in a low voice.

“I clearly remember that I throw that bracelet in the trash bin.”

“I just retrieve what is mine.”

“And used it here?. Didn’t you know what you have done?”

“I did not know that they will take the bracelet. I gave them different 

jewel for the auction.” She tried to insist.

“Then and now, you still do things that drag him down.” She wanted to deny it, even if it is a lie. 

“That is not true.” Even, if it is too painful enough to be a lie.

“Half a million is gone in thin air, being declined as a judge in Solros competition and this incident will shake his influence and power in YZ Empire. Not to mention about father and son relationship.” She exhaled deeply. 

Every word of her is like a dagger that stabs her heart and the painful part is she can’t defend herself just like before. She is useless.

“Do you realize that there are a lot of things Dean will lose now than in the past?”

“I....” she stuttered and tried to fix her word, but no word comes out.

“That’s enough!.” Aurora and I look at the owner of that voice. 

“When it rains it really pours.” She thought as she looked at Mr. Ernido, father of Dean.

“Mr. Ernido...”

A/N

Hi po...

Thank you for reading this far. I hope you are enjoying the story.