She was the Emerald Palace heiress, shining bright in the sky. She had the world at her feet, but not a soul by her side.
Her mother was a rose, sweet and thorny in her love. Her father was a star, gone too soon from above.
Her stepfather was a snak...
He enters his thrashed-out apartment at 10 o'clock on the weekend. He throws the car keys on the side table, which looks like an empty car collection. He's used to coming home to no one from his early teenage years.
Used to not having anyone care for him except his puppy, Mickey who practically jumps to him at the sound of his Chelsea boots. He pats his head with a sigh.
'Hey buddy, don't tell me I forgot to feed you again this morning.' He gives out a soft bark but still jumps around him.
'Man, something really got into me. Wait just a minute.' He sprints off to the kitchen and grabs the dog's bowl, pours food in it, and opens his fridge full of convenience store frozen meals.
He takes two rice bowls and heats them before heading back to the living room and puts the food bowl in front of his puppy and turns on the TV.
'Lee Kyu Jin is on another hunger strike! Assemblyman Lee sympathizes with the poor!' He changes the channel in a split second.
'Bullshit. I don't understand how people can stoop so low for money. Do you?' Mickey just tilts his head with a confused expression as he chuckles.
'You are too innocent to face these.' It is usual for him to talk to his puppy. Life was meaningless to him when he had to cry himself to sleep every night since the day his one and only family left him.
It was Christmas eve. Unlike all the other years, that year was colder. He sat in front of the large screen TV that had Home Alone playing on it as one of the maids brought him a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. Soon he saw his brother and dad entering the mansion with sparkly gift bags. He excitedly ran up to them.
'Why would you go Christmas shopping without me? And my present?' His curious eyes glistened with sorrow. It wasn't like the other years when the three of them would go shopping together. And surprisingly he didn't receive any presents that year. Later when they sat for dinner, their father spoke up,
'Listen, children. I have made a very important decision in my life. I'm getting married!'
'Does that mean we get a mom?'
'Can she make me waffles? Will she help me with my studies? Will she play with me?' The younger one burst into thousands of questions interrupting the older one.
'Look Min Hyuk, some people aren't worthy enough to deserve certain things. That's how the world is, son. Unlike your brother, I don't think you have what it takes to impress the richest lady in Seoul, my fiancée.' Hearing his father's words, he felt darkness cloud his emotions.
'But father-'
'No buts. I do everything just so I can give you two a decent life and is that how you are gonna pay me back?!' Both of them stayed silent throughout dinner.
He went to bed early as he couldn't fight back the urge to sob. Tears of agony left his eyes as he felt a hand on his shoulder.
'I'm sorry for you. He shouldn't have talked to you like that. He's our dad after-'
'I don't need your stupid sympathy. I don't need any of you!'
'Fine!'
And the next day he was all alone in a new apartment with their chef. As he is still his legal guardian, he sends him money. He always blamed the Ashtons for his current outcome. His bubbly personality did a 180 turn as he was downhearted all the time.
He thought that only if his dad didn't like that woman. He questions his twisted thoughts about Elvira and her mom since they started dating. He wanted to apologize for a long time and he decides today was the day he'll do it as he receives a text.
'Are you busy?' Guilt rises up in him because of continuing a fake relationship.
The conception of him ruining Elvira's high school years makes him feel like nothing less than a murderer. He feels horrendous for making Elvira's life miserable because of his nonsensical dad. He leaves his apartment as Elvira told him to and heads towards the Emerald Palace.
He walks into the swimming pool and looks around for her. After five minutes of searching, he notices something sparkly. He sprints to the other side of the pool as the image in front makes him awestruck.
Elvira's porcelain skin with a pink undertone has turned into a bluish tone, her helpless body at the edge of the pool. He leaps into the pool without a second thought and quickly gets on land, wrapping her around two towels. His shaky hands go into his pocket and get his phone out as he fails to turn it on.
'Fuck...' He frantically looks for anything before running out to the reception and calling the emergency line.
'Please make it quick. Elvira's life is in danger!' Min Seok just enters the lobby as he sees his brother making a fuss in drenched clothes.
'What's wrong?' He asks one of the guards.
'Sir, Ms. Ashton is unconscious near the pool. We have called the ambulance and it's on its way.' He rushes to the swimming pool and sits beside her, taking her cold hands in his as he checks her heartbeat. The beats are very slow.
'Who told you to be here all by yourself? Please El... you have to stay strong...'
The next minutes go by in a blur, as the peace of Emerald Palace turns into a panicked one. Most residents including Elvira's friends gather around as Elvira lies on the ambulance stretcher.
Min Seok grabs a towel and pats it over Min Hyuk's shoulder as both of them leave for the hospital alongside the ambulance. It's the first time in eight years Min Seok has shown any sign of affection towards Min Hyuk.
With all the chaos going on, Serena sits in her office room, all excited that she will go home early.
Meanwhile, as the doctors hurry Elvira to the examination room, both brothers stay in the waiting lounge. Minseok paces back and forth the room as both of them think,
I just hope she's alright.
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