When I watched Rya get on that plane in New York, we both knew that it would be the last time we saw each other.
Part of me believed that one day, our paths would cross again, but fate would not have it.
Quinn and I tried to keep in contact but Eden started to struggle and he was facing bankruptcy without Rya's help and the stress forced us apart. He told me that him and Rya were trying to have some sort of relationship but it ended the only way it could.
They lasted six months.
I remember seeing the article. I was sitting in a cafe in Rome taking reference pictures when I saw 'Guerreiro morta' in a headline of the newspaper on the table.
I didnt have a great knowledge of Italian but I knew enough for it to pique my interest.
So I googled her name.
Rya Guerreiro dies in Blaze of Glory
It took me 15 minutes to be able to read the rest of the article because my hands were shaking so much. But it only got worse the more I read.
Last night, emergency services responded to the report of a building on fire in Torstone. When they arrived, they found that the building was Eden, a local flower shop owned by Quinn Prescott, boyfriend of notorious 'Koroleva' Rya Flynn (better known as Rya Guerreiro). It is believed that the building was set alight by Guerreiro's husband, Kaden Flynn after he discovered of Guerreiro and Prescott's affair. The couple were trapped inside the burning building and were confirmed deceased on the scene.
The article went on to explain how Kaden most likely inherited the Guerreiro legacy due to the death of his wife.
It's been 6 years since that article was published. 6 years since I returned home to watch two of my best friends be buried. Rya was buried beside her uncles, which is what she would have wanted. I spoke to Bella briefly at the service but she was a shell of herself. Viktor didnt talk to anyone, he just drank.
They left the country with Lisa and Patrick soon after and no one has heard from any of them since. I tried to find them for a while, but they were gone.
"What's up, Kira?" A voice startles me and I jump. I turn and see the man who made my dreams come true. Leon Franklin, the man who organised the most beautiful art gallery I've ever seen.
I look around at my art plastering the walls of a gorgeous Greek villa and it doesnt feel real. "Nothing, I just cant believe this is happening."
He chuckles, "Its happening and it's amazing. You're amazing."
I smile at him and he nudges my arm. "We got a few sales today. That woman over there loves your stuff and she is loaded."
"Always a good thing," I laugh as I follow his gaze to a woman with a cloud of an afro floating around the room gazing at my work. "Do you think she'd like to be my muse?" I ask. Shes beautiful and theres something ethereal about how she holds herself.
Leon chokes, "She'd love that. Go! Quickly, ask her!"
I chuckle and head over to the beautiful woman. She grins as she sees me and my heart flutters just a little.
Oh fuck, here we go again.
"Hi, you must be the artist who created all of this," she says and her voice is like a melody.
I smile and nod, "I am. I'm sorry if this is forward but I would love the opportunity to paint you and would be entirely grateful if you would be my muse some time."
Her cheeks blush slightly and she gasps, "Are you sure? I've been a fan of your art for a few years now. It would be amazing to be a part of that."
I grin in delight, "Well then, it's a date." My smile drops as I realise what I said, "Erm, I mean a plan, not a date, unless... no ignore me. Sorry, I think it's the sun?"
She giggles and my heart melts, "A date sounds lovely. Maybe somewhere with less sun?". She reaches forward and takes my hand, writing her number and Elena on the back of it.
"Sorry to break up this beautiful moment but, Kira, can I talk to you?" Leon says. I glare at him but he doesnt go away so I excuse myself from Elena and follow after him.
"What?" I snap once we're out of earshot.
He looks nervous and holds a small piece of white card in his hands. "This just got handed in," he says and passes it to me. I turn it over and see perfect calligraphy on the back with an address and 8pm.
"I googled it and it's a villa at the top of a hill. I asked around about who lives there but nobody knows," He says, "Should I phone the police?"
I shake my head, "No, I'm going. It cant be anything worse than I've experienced before."
****
At 8pm sharp, my taxi pulls up in front of the villa. It's still somewhat light outside so the beautiful gardens are lit up and I can see the blooms in all their glory.
I get out and walk up to the door but hesitate before knocking.
Is this how I die?
I hear a car engine behind me and I turn to see another taxi pulling up. I wait to see who gets out, my heart stopping in fear.
"Are you ready to die then?" A Scottish voice says and I realise that they're not talking to me. Whoever it is hasnt even realised I'm here.
"Dont be so dramatic," another voice says and I watch as a blond man and a man with dark hair climbs out of the taxi.
"Matt? Adrik?" I say incredulously as I recognise the two men.
"Kira?" Matt says. "Oh yeah. We're definitely dying."
I hold up the piece of card and Adrik holds up a similar one. "Creepy or what?"
They walk up and stand beside me, "See when I married rich, I expected a few weird things but this is straight up spooky," Matt jokes.
Adril rolls his eyes, "Technically you didnt marry rich because we got rich after you married me. And this is definitely your fault that we got invited to this murder party."
"We? You are rich. I am the trophy husband who sits in the house and looks good doing it," Matt winks at Adrik. "By the way, Leslie next door is incredibly jealous that you get all this," he adds on at the end, gesturing to his body.
"Fuck, I've missed you guys. But I'm still a little bitter that you got rich for skills you used to try and leak my search history. I still want that money back," I laugh as I watch them, "and I'm really sorry I couldn't make it to the wedding. I just couldnt get the flights."
Adrik chuckles with me, "Dont worry about it, just make sure you make it to the next anniversary party. Matt likes to make a big deal at every opportunity so I can only imagine what it's going to be this year."
"That's if any of us makes it to the next one considering we're all about to be murdered," Matt adds. "Has anyone knocked?"
I dont answer and he rolls his eyes at me, "Move, I'll do it then."
The knocks echo slightly and the door opens almost immediately. Theres silence as we recognise the owner of the villa.
"Hey..." Rya says almost awkwardly as she stands there.
My mouth drops open as I take in her appearance. "You... you were dead. But now..."
Matt cuts me off, "Pregnant?!"
I look down at where Rya's hands are cradling a very rounded stomach.
She grins and steps back, "Come in. I have a lot to explain."
We walk into the villa and she shuts the door behind us. I spin and grab ahold of her, pulling her in for a hug and holding her tight.
She hugs me back just as tightly and I feel wet tears drip down my cheeks. "What the fuck?" I ask as I pull away.
"Are they here yet?" Someone shouts and I turn to see Quinn standing at the bottom of a staircase, "Oh."
I run across the room and jump at him, "You arseholes!" I shout but I cant stop smiling.
"Ok, that was deserved," Quinn laughs as he hugs me back, "But I promise we can explain."
"Please start talking," Matt says, his face still displaying his obvious shock.
Rya takes his hand and we all follow them outside onto the balcony where there's a group of people already there. Two men are hugging while a woman sobs uncontrollably, grabbing onto another man. An elderly couple watch on also crying but of joy.
"You've got to be kidding me," Matt says and I gasp as I realise who it is.
Bella, Viktor, Lisa, Patrick, Artie and Switch are all standing here. They're all still alive.
"Why the FUCK did you wait this long to tell us?" Bella shouts, wiping the tears from her cheeks, "Six years! I thought you were all dead! I..." she trails off as the tears take over again and Viktor wraps an arm around her shoulders. If I didnt know any better I would think Viktor Guerreiro was crying.
Rya appears beside me and hands me a note. I look down and see that it's a little worn. "What is this?" I ask her.
She smiles, "The reason we left."
I turn it over and see the handwritten note.
Dear Rya,
I'm sorry that we left you in the way that we did but I promise that I did not abandon you. I had to make sure Owen was safe but I am always thinking of you and one day I will make sure we will be together again.
You are not alone.
Sincerely,
Artie
"I had to translate it from Russian so that Quinn and Kaden could read it," Rya explains, "But as soon as I got it, the three of us made a plan that would work for all of us. Kaden and Mylo got to stay in Scotland and Quinn and I got to have our normal life. The only issue was that the world had to think we were dead."
Viktor says something sternly to Rya in Portuguese and she laughs, "Yes, Kaden was fully aware that both you and mum would be hellbent on murdering him but he's a good guy deep down, he did what he had to."
"I mailed him a severed goats head," Bella sniffs quietly, "I still dont regret it."
Rya rolls her eyes and laughs, "He told me about that just before we stopped contact."
"I'm so glad we all got to see each other again," Quinn says with a massive smile. "We wanted to see everyone again before the baby came."
"Cutting it a bit close," Rya laughs. She smiles at her mum, "I wanted you to be there. I know you never got to raise me but I'd love if you helped me to raise my son."
"Its a girl," Quinn interjects.
Rya rolls her eyes as she wraps her arms around her neck, "Whatever they are, they're going to have the most amazing family in the world."
THE END