A Dance Of Crowns & Thrones | Book I

Chapter 123 | (Night) The Simple Life ❤️

After arriving home that morning, Eko quickly showered and flopped onto her dormitory bed, planning for just a brief nap. Instead, she slept for several hours. When she awoke, she was in a mad dash, sifting through her wardrobe for clothes that still bore their price tags until she unearthed the perfect plum dress.

Her boyfriend had just barely edged out a win in their recent bet, and Eko was keen on making him regret his victory. In a fluid movement, she tore off the $1,200 price tag from the dress's hem and matched it with white Valentino shoes she had spotted on sale just yesterday morning. She finished her ensemble with a few low-key pieces of jewelry that her boyfriend seemed not impressed with when he got the notification on his account of the amount from her shopping trip.

The ban on using his black credit card was now unequivocally clear following their talk. What exactly shocked him more remained a bit murky—was it the hefty price of the shoes, or that the jewelry alone had cost more than all her other purchases combined?

That's how their playful competition had taken off and quickly escalated, as was typical between them. Now, Eko faced the dreaded task of begging. She detested begging—it signified defeat—and she knew Matthew, ever eager to outdo her, would delight in her concession. Tonight, after their dinner, she anticipated the sort of 'punishment' he would find fitting. Although she wasn't particularly averse to this kind of punishment, the inclusion of begging annoyed her, a sentiment she noticed he shared.

As she zipped up her plum dress and spun around, Eko's thoughts continued to drift back to that conversation, for while Matthew had sat there being poked and prodded by Mya for his final medical check, she had also casual dismissed his concerns about maxing out his credit cards, which looking back at it now was not been well received. He had ample funds, her mind mused, and such financial setbacks were hardly catastrophic. 

That response hadn't been what he wanted to hear, and as his witty remarks came back to her, she realized how grateful she was that his playful humor had survived their recent trials. After everything they'd been through, it was a small miracle their relationship hadn't crumbled under the pressure, if anything despite the challenges, their connection grew. 

Brushing aside the memory with a subtle smile, Eko focused on the here and now. Dressed to the nines, her curls falling gracefully down her back, she spotted Madison sitting silently on the bed, her face etched with melancholy. Since their intense encounter involving Creon, Madison had become withdrawn, rarely speaking. Yet, this morning had offered a hint of hope—Madison had softly draped a blanket over her as she drifted into sleep, a tender gesture that spoke volumes in their quiet world.

Seeing Madison's downcast look, Eko decided to extend an olive branch. "Everything okay?" as she tried to read her cousin's mood.

"Why are you dressing like that for him?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake." Eko rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips and holding back a sharp retort. "I'll be home really late, so..." she tried to steer the conversation towards civility.

"I don't care, Sera," Madison replied dismissively. "Go sleep in his bed like some whore."

Eko's mouth dropped open. "Wow, okay." She blinked and shook her head. "We're going there are we, getting all high and might, thinking you have the audacity to call me a whore!"

"You're boring me with your childish antics," Madison's gaze pierced Eko. "You can leave now," she added, waving her off.

Eko shook her head, her once-happy demeanor now clouded by Madison's mood. She grabbed her golden clutch from the bed, her temper rising. "We're talking tomorrow morning, you and I. Your childish behavior ends now."