As soon as I finished the last page of the first book of Crescent City, the bakery called to let me know that my cake was ready. My heart still yearned for the second novel, so I grabbed the sequel, Crescent City 2 from my bag and took it with me to dinner.
My dinner reservation was set for 9:30 PM at the most expensive restaurant in the hotel, named Oasis of Caelus, a three Michelin-starred chain restaurant in all Caelus chains. I decided to pamper myself with luxury on my birthday, despite my budget concerns. Oasis was renowned for its extravagant food, far exceeding what I would typically spend. This hotel did not allow outside guests to dine there, and even if it did, the local dining scene in Como offered more budget-friendly options than Caelus's in-house restaurants.
The restaurant was situated on the top floor of the palace, spanning the entire upper level of the building. One side of the restaurant abutted the rocky hill behind the establishment. Half of the restaurant was sheltered beneath the hotel's roof, while the other half opened onto a patio. The vast sky stretched above us, illuminated by the brilliant moonlight, casting its glow over the entire floor. The sound of small waves lapping against the lake's edge and the distant hills completed this surreal tableau, making it almost unbelievable that such a view could exist.
No painter could ever hope to capture such a magnificent scene. A few other patrons were seated across from me in complete darkness. The restaurant manager had graciously arranged for me to have a seat by the railing, blessing me with the perfect view. A few lights above my table twinkled softly, it was the fairy lights, dangling over my head in criss-cross patterns. The fairy lights were unnecessary as the whole area was already illuminated with moonlight.
I placed my order, selecting bruschetta with the freshest mozzarella and a delightful Caprese salad as my appetizers. For the main course, I chose Como's local bread, accompanied by butter mixed with white caviar and a delectable risotto paired with Persico fish fillet and crispy fish skin. As much as I adored veal, I was already quite full.
"Would you like to order some fresh gelato, madam?" the waiter asked after I finished my last bite of risotto.
"No, I have an order for a cake from the bakery. Will you check whether it arrived or not?" I asked him.
"Sure, do you want me to bring it up to you if it is here?" he asked.
I nodded in agreement. Although I had brought my book with me, the idea of reading a Sarah J. Maas novel in the soft moonlight, while undoubtedly romantic, seemed impractical. I didn't want to strain my eyes in the darkness.
While waiting for my cake, I indulged in the breathtaking sights around me. At that moment, I forgot who I was and where I came from. Lake Como was enchanting, living up to every bit of its hype. I believe that everyone should experience this place at least once in their lives.
Then, an eerie sensation washed over me, as if someone were watching me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end in anticipation.
I scanned my surroundings, but no one appeared to be paying any attention to me. All those men, seated far away, were engaged in their chitchats. Maybe, I was being overly cautious lately.
"Madam, your cake," the waiter announced, setting a plate before me. The plate had a one-pound cake, flavored with blueberry and white chocolate, adorned with lemon verbena-infused mascarpone cream cheese buttercream.
I thanked him, and he left me to savor my cake. Maybe he wondered how someone as petite as me could consume this entire dessert, but if he knew me better, he'd understand that I had the appetite of a voracious eater. I took a moment to admire the cake, which bore the words "Happy Birthday, Kay" in purple against the backdrop of the white cream.
No one ever called me Kay; sometimes, I called myself that.
Glancing around, I confirmed that no one was watching. Quietly, I retrieved a candle from my purse and placed it on the cake. Then, I attempted to light it with a lighter, but the gentle breeze kept blowing off the flame.
I tried my best a few times. It did not work. I laughed at myself. It was so embarrassing. Thank God nobody was watching me.
Just as the wind threatened to blow out the candle once more, I took a deep breath and extinguished it before the wind could do anything.
I closed my eyes for a moment and made a wish.
My wish was simple: I wanted to experience love, the kind of love I had always offered to myself and others. But now, I yearned to be loved in return. After all, I had spent 30 years alone. It was time to change that.
Before cutting the cake, I decided to take some pictures of it. When I finally reached for the knife, I realized I had intended to devour the entire cake, just as I typically did when I purchased one from a shop and consumed it alone on my bed, often without even bothering with utensils.
However, today was different. I opted for a fork instead to cut it, and the fork went through the cake like softened butter. I took my first bite, and a symphony of flavors enveloped my senses as I almost moaned at the flavor. The robust white chocolate and the perfectly balanced aroma of blueberries tantalized my taste buds. The flavors in question were enhanced by a delicate touch of lemon verbena. The baker at the hotel had wisely incorporated my suggestion, adding a touch of vanilla to the moist sponge cake to temper the scent of the eggs.
This was undoubtedly the most exquisite thing I had ever tasted in my life. At first, I had planned on devouring the entire cake alone, driven by my insatiable appetite. However, I decided to save half of it for my unconventional yet cherished circle of new friends—Luca, Julia, and Dante.
I checked my phone, not a single wish on my birthday from anyone I knew, and it was almost 11 p.m.
Being one of the loneliest humans on earth, my heart ached with pain. Perhaps my grave will be adorned with roses from friends, or maybe even from my estranged family.....
But, I wanted roses now. Bright red blooming roses.Only for myself.
I brushed aside my self-deprecating thoughts and called the waiter over again. I asked him to carefully pack the remaining cake for me to take back to my room. I intended to store it in the fridge for later. After settling the bill with him, I made my way to the nearby jetty, which had piqued my interest a couple of hours ago.
I have celebrated my 30th birthday. What now?
__________________________________________
Sitting on the stony railings at the corner of the jetty, I felt an overwhelming urge to jump into the water—an inexplicable desire for self-destruction, to kill myself!
Not because I wanted to end my life, but because I wanted to know who would mourn for me.
As I looked into the water, I suddenly heard laughter, which startled me. An elderly couple approached the jetty, and the woman noticed my expression and my dangerous position. She gasped and walked closer to me, leaving her companion at the edge. She gently took hold of my hand.
"Pretty Girl. Don't even think of doing it," she implored, sensing the overwhelming despair that had momentarily consumed me.
Is she Mrs. Volkner? Whoever she might be, she looked old and wise.
"What happened?" the old man asked us from a distance.
"Honey, just leave us for a minute." She begged. They are not Volkners; they were Americans. Her accent gave it away.
"Listen, I would tell you something that may sound very silly, but since you are the same age as my grandchild, I would say the same thing to them as I am saying this to you....." She continued to speak to me, her voice shaking. "I don't know what is killing you from inside; trust me, there was a time when I was in your place. I wanted to die, but now......" She looked at him,
".....nothing in this world is more important to me than to live, for him...but Lord wants me to be with him. I may not have much time now to here left...." She sighed.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Cancer! 4th stage. No point in Chemo. My whole body is in excruciating pain now. Before we start palliative therapy, Ron wanted me to bring me to where we met first." She explained, holding my hand, and looking at them.
Her throat bobbed as it was compressing my gut-wrenching emotions, and she looked at me,
"I pray that you get all the happiness on this earth, pretty girl! Just don't kill yourself..... Or ever think of it... Have patience... wait for a miracle, just like me. I know I am leaving this earth so soon but still, I am hoping for a miracle, for my Ron....." She begged me, holding my hand tightly.
Ron looked at her from a distance, he tried to read her expressions.
"How long have you been with him?" I asked.
"52 years!" she laughed. "Even eternity was not enough to be with him." She ended.
I was speechless and had no idea what to say or not.
"Go to your room, have a warm shower, and tomorrow we will eat together at breakfast if God wills. Then, I will hear your story, I'll tell you mine if you want to." She patted one of my cheeks with her hand. I obliged her like a good girl and came back to my room. She escorted me to the second floor.
After I came to my room, I changed my dress and fell asleep. I made up my mind that I was not going to meet this couple ever again.
The love between them was too depressing for me to deal with.
52 years! Nobody even loved me for 52 seconds! And these lucky women are happy and surrounded by their husbands and families for 52 years! 52!
"Even eternity was not enough to be with him......"
Eternity...this word kept ringing in my ear till I fell asleep.
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The next morning, I woke up with the determination to have breakfast and embark on a boat ride. Rising at 8 a.m., I took a refreshing shower and selected a knee-length, deep blue shirt dress for the day. It was a comfortable and airy choice, ideal for a boat excursion. I completed my outfit with brown gladiator-style sandals.
Upon arriving at the breakfast buffet, I noticed a delightful change in the menu, there were numerous Middle Eastern dishes available.
"Why changed the Mediterranean foods?" I asked one of the waiters.
"Our chairman loves Middle Eastern cuisine, as he is here, our chefs decided to honor him."
It was foolish of me to assume these offerings were solely for special occasions; I had momentarily forgotten that the hotel owners were present, and these were the privileges of the wealthy.
For breakfast, I indulged in an Arabian Mezze platter and a generous serving of Shakshuka. I realized that the breakfast had left me quite satisfied, and I contemplated whether to skip lunch or have a light snack around 4 p.m. I often skipped lunch, especially on days when I worked in a hospital environment, sometimes finding it hard to eat after surgeries.
Feeling both content and full, I knew my boat ride was scheduled for 11 a.m. I decided to return to my room to retrieve the cake for Luca and Julia. Later in the evening, I planned to take a cake to Dante's place, hoping he might serve me something to eat. I also had some shopping to do for myself.
Julia has not started her shift yet. So I left a note on her table to call me when she arrived. I was sure that she was used to having these cakes regularly. But I want to feed her. Food had always been my love language. I loved feeding people that I truly cared about.
As I entered the wide corridor leading to my room, I noticed a cleaner leaving the hallway on the second floor. I approached him and asked, "Did you clean room 105?"
"Yes, Signora," he replied with a warm smile.
I expressed my gratitude with a smile and a nod before entering my room. Upon opening the door, I was immediately greeted by a powerful scent of roses that filled the air.
In front of the sofa, adjacent to the bed, there was a center table covered with books—approximately 30 of them.
Additionally, numerous red fucking rose bouquets adorned the wall-mounted table, just beside the large screen TV.
The room was awash with the fresh, intoxicating fragrance of red roses, and my heart sank.
With cautious steps, I approached the stack of books and noticed a folded note casually placed among them.
"To Kaya...."It read on the top page. I unfolded the paper.
"Happy 30th Birthday, Kaya.
May All the Stars shine brighter for you
May All the stars wrap their beauty around you.....
Wishing you a blessed, happy life....."
WHAT.
THE.
FUCK.
That was all I could mutter under my breath.
Did Julia prank me? Or did the Bakery manager tell her that it was my birthday? Who did it? Luca did it? I do not remember telling Luca!
Who the Fuck knew here that yesterday was my birthday!
I stormed into the bakery manager's office with the card clutched tightly in my hand. He had been on the phone, but he quickly hung up when he saw me. Without any pleasantries, I slapped the card onto his desk and demanded answers.
"Did you send those gifts and flowers to my room?" I asked furiously. He looked at the card, read it, and looked at me with fear for his life,
"Signora, no! I don't even know your name!" He panted with unfathomable worry.
"Speak. The. Truth." I hissed at him.
"Signora, no! Please believe me I didn't do anything. Besides I have a wife and kids at home....Why would I send a guest flowers to ruin my life?" He begged me. If I filed a complaint against him he might lose his job.
There was something so feckless in his voice that made me believe in him. I left his room to go to Julia. She was being cute and nice to all the guests. She looked at me, my furious expression and a worried look graced her face.
"What happened?" she almost whispered.
"Did you send me this?" I slammed the card in front of her. She gave me a confused look and looked at the card,
"It's your Birthday?" a smile touched her worried face.
"It was yesterday!" I spoke, "Come to my room, NOW!" I demanded.
She did not protest at all and followed me to my room.
Upon entering it, she furrowed her brows when her eyes fell on the flowers and the books. She slowly walked toward the books and looked at them, gently stroking all of their covers.
"He gave you romance novels... Kaya." She commented with amusement.
"I have not told a soul here in Italy that it was my birthday," I explained.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded to know.
"I wanted to stay alone on my birthday." I tried to explain, "Besides, I have cake for you." I brought out a piece from my mini fridge and served one piece to Julia.
Julia's eyes were wide with astonishment and confusion as she took a look at the cake, and without waiting for further conversation, she grabbed the plate from my hand and began to savor the cake with the fork I had provided.
I continued to press for answers while she ate. "Who could have done this? Any idea?" I demanded, my frustration still bubbling beneath the surface.
Julia paused for a moment, her focus momentarily shifting from the cake to my question.
"Not an outsider; it's impossible," she responded. "This part of the lake and everything around here belong to the Volkner Group. They don't allow outsiders except for boarders and employees. This entire place is heavily guarded. Why else would these rich billionaires rent this place for such low prices, considering how wealthy they are? The level of security this hotel provides is beyond imagination. The Volkners are renowned for their security and legal weapon production businesses. Outsiders can't just waltz in here."
Her explanation made sense, and I nodded in agreement.
"So, who could it be, then?" I asked, frustration still evident in my voice.
"Someone who's already here," Julia muttered to herself, lost in thought. Then, as if a lightbulb had switched on in her mind, she turned her attention back to me. "Other than you, who has been to your room?" she inquired, her curiosity piqued.
I remembered. A cleaner came to my room this morning.
"A guy came to clean my room!" I almost yelled.
"I'll check the CCTV footage," Julia mumbled while finishing her cake and getting up.
"Do you think somebody sends gifts through any employee?"
"It may have been possible a few days ago, not today. Not now. The Volkner family members are here on the premises. Even a plane does not fly above their heads without a permit, they are that powerful. And you think somebody has the power to smuggle 30 romance books and 100 roses to your room on your birthday without Volkners' security clearance? Girl, have you seen how many guards are in the area with guns? This place is safer than the White House now!" Julia yelled at me.
Julia's vehement explanation about the hotel's security left me astounded. Comparing it to the White House only emphasized the gravity of the situation. The Volkner Group's presence and their stringent security measures made it nearly inconceivable that someone could sneak 30 romance novels and 100 roses into my room without detection.
I believed her.
"Let me investigate. Don't tell anyone anything....." Julia demanded,
"... and I am mad at you, for not telling me it was your birthday." She faked a wave of anger on her beautiful face and left the room.
I shut the door behind her and looked at the flowers.
Little Kaya spoke in my mind with her high childish voice,
"Remember yesterday how you were yearning for red Roses? Maybe God listened to you finally and sent you flowers..."
I wanted to laugh at this, but I could not.
The fear of being stalked attacked my mind as if an impending doom would end my life.
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As I prepared to go to Dante's place, the unsettling feeling of being watched still lingered in the back of my mind. Julia's visit earlier had temporarily put my concerns at ease, but the mystery of the unexpected gifts and roses remained unsolved.
I had canceled my boat ride appointment, my emotions a turbulent mix of anger, fear, and frustration at the unknown person's audacity. They seemed to anticipate me being charmed and swept off my feet by their unconventional gesture...
Julia knocked on my door at 7 p.m., and I welcomed her in. I had called Luca to pick me up, and I'd also invited his wife for dinner. The prospect of spending time with them provided some comfort amid the strangeness of recent events.
"Looking pretty, as usual, Kaya." Julia complimented me.
"Have dinner with me at Dante's," I asked her while putting a gold earring on.
"My Mila's finals will start tomorrow, I have to go back."
"Mila?" I asked.
"Yeah, my only daughter. She will be in class 11 next year," Julia explained. But her face had a guilty expression. I read them like an open book and asked her,
"You already figured out who it was," I whispered as I concluded.
She could not hold her eye contact with me and started to look here and there for an excuse.
"He had no idea it would spook you like that. And you would be this angry......" Julia tried her best as the devil's advocate.
"Who is he?" I demanded.
"He had no malicious intention, he just saw you celebrating your birthday all alone last night so...."
So, my gut feeling was right, somebody did stalk me last night at the restaurant.
"Is he one of your billionaire friends?" I asked with disgust in my voice. Do I look like a potential sugar baby who was looking for investors to make her tits so big that they would float the fucking Titanic? I mean, if someone wants to have the biggest jiggly tits, cool, they can have it. Their body, their choices. But did I ever exude the energy that I wanted a sugar daddy? Did I ever look like I was financially incapable of fulfilling my own dreams??
My GOD! The AUDACITY of some idiots!!
Her forehead furrowed, "I'm asking for your forgiveness on his behalf, and no, he is not a billionaire."
"Good!" I exclaimed. I took all the books and told her,
"Return it to your friend and tell him to stop doing creepy ass shit on me ever again! And I have already read all of them."
30 books were too heavy for her to hold properly.
"Are you sure you want to return these gifts? If I were you I would have kept it....." Julia tried to convince me.
"Who is he?" I demanded.
"He begged me not to tell you. After seeing how furious you became...." Julia was trying very hard to stop a burst of laughter.
My head exploded with anger. I could feel the blood boiling under my skin. But I calmed myself and asked, "Why?" I was sure Julia heard my blood-boiling anger in my voice.
"He told me that you kind of scared him off." Julia started to laugh hysterically.
I was both taken aback and strangely pleased by this revelation. Finally, someone had seen through my exterior. But why would anyone be scared of me? What had I done to inspire fear? Julia struggled to maintain her composure as she attempted to balance the stack of books and make her way out of my room.
"I had no idea he could be scared of anything, let alone of you." She kept talking to herself and got into the hallway.
"Wait!" I yelled at her. She turned to me.
"Tell your rich guy friend to stop fucking with me by any means. I will not tolerate his absurdity in any way," I demanded of her. She replied with a smile.
"Cara Mia," Julia said. "I'll make sure he stays away from you as long as you are here."
Then she walked away to the hallway, where a lift opened for her. I slammed the door shut behind her.
I had not seen one single male boarder here in this hotel who was below 45 years of age, and the youngest dude I had seen was kissing another man. He was the gayest gay of all the gays that could be gay. And the rest of them were crusty-ass, old billionaires. There was a lady I saw in dining who had a younger man with her, maybe it was her son, her lover; I did not care.
At that point, I was sure that there were not any employees who would have the audacity to give me those gifts. The day when Bianca gave me massages, she reminded me a few times not to tell anyone that Julia gave me this spa session as a gift because it was against their hotel policy.
My deduction led me to believe it must have been one of those eccentric wealthy men who assumed I would be captivated by their considerate gifts. They had evidently noticed me reading and thought I would be blown away by their gifts of smutty romantic books with red fucking flowers!
The more I was thinking, the more I was getting furious. If I could ever figure out who the fuck sent me those books, I would have ripped their heart away from their bodies and shoved it up to their arse.
I decided to throw away the roses from my balconies.