4

Next day

I was watching a morning cartoon show when I heard rushed steps down the stairs.

"Naghintay ka ba ng matagal, Lex? Sorry I woke up late."

'Naturally. You stayed up late with your new friend last night.'

I looked at the time and it's still two and a half hours before our class starts.

"Hmn." It's still 6AM and we have ample time to stop by the shop to choose the set of paintings I want to hang on the second floor of the coffee shop.

"I'm ready. Let's eat breakfast on the way to school later."

I stood up, turned off the TV and walked to the metal console table where my car keys are lined up and just picked whatever I fancied for the day.

Azranna handed me a tablet and a glass of water that I gladly took. After taking my daily supplement, I walked out of the house to get the car ready.

She does all the checking before we head out anyway. We don't need keys because the whole house is built for DNA and fingerprint analysis.  

I took out my Aston Martin and when I pulled over, Azranna just came out of the house.

"Hmn. You cars are such head-turners."

As soon a the car reached the yellow zone of the driveway, the gate opened.  It's not just the doors of the house but

even the gate has high sensors.

All my cars have chips underneath that the system I built recognizes and everytime the yellow zone scans that chip, the tall gates automatically open.

If my sensors recognize a possible threat, or any unauthorized movements on the premises, the threat alarm will sound off, all the doors inside the house will be locked and it will notify my and Azranna's phone right away.

'This country is full of scums. Of course I came prepared'

The drive to the shop only took 30 minutes since the traffic was still manageable for a 6AM ride. I parked my car and just like the house, the main door on the shop is through fingerprint. After the main door is opened, the glass door follows which looks and slides like a normal cafe door but ours is automatic like the one you see in malls.

"I'll check on the supplies that got delivered yesterday. The paintings are upstairs."

I took my time to look at the interior of the shop and when I felt satisfied, I went upstairs where the new paintings were carefully placed with spaces between them.

I picked up a double-sided tape and for every painting I approved, I placed the tape on the edge of the frame. This way the staff would know what to hang.

The second floor of the cafe is our customers' second most favorite part of the shop. The interior was handpicked by me and all the details were a combination of rustic, modern and demure touch from the tones to the edges. The gallery takes up almost half of the second floor's space but the customers find it more entertaining and according to their feedback, they seem to enjoy the treats more while looking at these.

After I tagged the last painting, I placed the double sided tape back where I picked it up and went down, satisfied.

When Azranna was done with the supplies, it was only five minutes to 7AM. We have enough time to eat breakfast so we headed out to the nearest Vegan-Keto Turf to grab a bite.

"So? What do you think of Lai?" The curiosity was finally out of the bag.

'I know she's been dying to ask me that since last night.'

I wiped my mouth with the table napkin before I answered her.

"What do you want me to think of her?"

"Isn't she pretty?"

"Everyone is pretty."

Her grin turned into a scowl the moment I answered which is by the way a very satisfying scene to watch.

"You really know how to spoil the mood, Lexine."

She placed her spoon down.

"She felt really familiar. I don't mean-- like Lai herself but her personality and how she looked at people-----"

"And how clumsy she is? Of course you would."

A gasp came out of her mouth. "Lexine!"

While the two girls were having a 'fun' breakfast, they were totally unaware of what's happening on the Imperial Web and that they're now the talk of the academy because of the incident yesterda.

Meanwhile, a beautiful girl is crying inside  someone else's car,  complaining about the 'humiliation' she received yesterday.

"I didn't really do anything! But.... " She sniffed and looked at her man with teary eyes. The sight of her tears made him upset that he was suddenly curious who dared to bully his girl.

"Maybe it's also my fault. I wasn't mindful enough."

He immediately wiped her tears and gave her a glass of water to calm her down a bit.

"Someone dares to come against my girl, let's see who the real bully is." His jaws tightened as he watched her fragile frame.

Liana's eyes grew wide and worry was etched on them. "No! You don't have to do that. Don't misunderstand things please." She sounded so adamant to object with him doing something bad for her.

"Don't put yourself in trouble just for me, Greg. I don't want that." Her soft voice and her words left warmth inside him.

'My girl is so selfless'

"I'll let it pass this time. But if they mess with you again, you can't expect me to just watch."

'Liana doesn't want me to get in trouble. I can make others trouble those newbies for me.'

He's firm that he wants to teach those girls a lesson. Anyone who makes his girl cry, he will make sure they walk a rough path in this academy.

'You might not feel better about this, Liana but if I don't teach them a lesson, I, Gregory Tsui, might not deserve you anymore.'

**

The moment the Aston Martin entered the parking lot, everyone's gaze followed the car until it stopped.

"We only have History, Music and Pottery today. After that we can go shopping and then go to the coffee shop to check on the inventories."

Azranna closed her laptop, placed her phone and wallet inside her Dior Montaine bag and looked at Lexine who was finishing up her Matcha Fusion.

When Lexine opened the door, Azranna followed and everyone's eyes were locked on the two gorgeous women who seemed unaware of the attention they were getting.

'What an expensive scene.'

'There's only 3 of that car in the market! And she has one of them!'

'The Maybach she drove yesterday was the rarest dude!'

'Sis, isn't that the Dior bag that costs 185,000 pesos?'

'Hyacinth has one too and it's really expensive!'

'I saw them yesterday! I think they had a feud with Liana and her friends.'

'Uh-oh. That's trouble.'

Oblivious to people's thoughts and chatterings, Lexine just kept a bored face while Azranna was being her talkative self early in the morning.

Their first class was History and as expected of Lexine who fell asleep the moment she took her seat, the professor didn't really mind.

This might be a normal thing for Azranna but their professor's behaviour puzzled their blockmates and their impression of the two became somewhat unpleasant.

Of course, this only apply for the ladies. As far as the men in their block is concerned, they found their new muses.

The first class went by and after they got dismissed, the whole class went to the Arts Hall as per their syllabus.

While on the way, their blockmates noticed that people would stare at Lexine and Azranna and lock their eyes on them until they disappeared from people's sight.

'I guess the incident yesterday was true.'

'Liana is the school's muse, why would they go against her? Are they tired of living?'

'If they're capable, then it'll be spectacle to watch, diba? I always hated that woman's guts.'

'Right? There's something about her that just seems.....odd.'

While people were talking about them, Lexine kept herself busy with her phone. She felt it vibrate when they went out of the room and when she checked the message, it was a notification that $15000000 was deposited on her bank account from Core Technos.

They better not try tracing this account if they don't want my virus to eat up their system and shut whatever device their using down.

'Our deal was only $10 million. I guess the other five is my bonus. Nice'

She immediately opened her bank online platform and sent the $5 million to the orphanage.

Bank account number: XXXXXXXX8009

Recepient Account Number:

XXXXXXXX1001

Recepient Account Name:

Life Care Foundation

Amount: $5,000,000

Reason for transaction: Donation

Signature: L.V

When she completed the transaction, she looked at Azranna who was busy scrolling through her Instagram feed.

"Call Mrs. Castle."

Azranna's head snapped to her direction when she mentioned their orphanage director's name.

"Did something happen?" She felt her heart skip a beat. Lexine wouldn't tell her to call the orphanage unless it's important.

The kids.....

"Stop overthinking. I sent them $5 million. 80% of the amount should be kept for the children's educational fund and the rest will be for the orphanage, their food and necessity supply for the whole year."

Azranna sighed in relief.

"Akala ko naman kung ano na." She looked at Lexine. "I'll give her a call later." Azranna smiled at the everyday poker face of Lexine.

Behind this cold, icy wall is a soul that fed orphans and homeless children, created a home for them with her own hard earned money and used her talent to make money to ensure they wouldn't want anything.

Azranna snapped out of her thoughts and happily walked beside Lexine whose answers were either a 'Hmn' 'No' or 'Sure'.

"Look at those!" Azranna gasped at the sight of different musical instruments laid out on the stage.

What made her eyes twinkle was the piano at the center of the stage with all its glory. The light and the interior of the hall complimented the whole set up of it looking like a theatre stadium.

"Kalós orísate óloi." 

(Welcome,  everyone) in Greek*

A stern but thick-voice echoed inside the hall and everyone's head turned to the entrance door where a brunette  with an hourglass figure in her flesh toned mid thigh dress stood straight like a queen.

The woman roamed her eyes around. "Ti varetó plíthos." (What a dull crowd)

She took strides to where the students are seated but stopped halfway the distance when a cold voice spoke.

"Den tha boroúsa na symfoníso perissótero." (I couldn't agree more)

Her eyes followed the voice and she noticed two girls sitting at the very back part of the first row.

'That's why I couldn't see them.'

  "Aftó eínai to próto." (That's a first)

"Endiaféron." (Interesting)

The words almost came out like a whisper. She's been teaching music for 3 years in IAI and she's never encountered a student who speaks the Greek language.

'And her eyes....'

The part where the young lady was sitting was quite dim however because of this, the color of her eyes popped and she's one hundred percent sure the girl has the rarest eye color.

She was in a daze for a moment but gained back her composure right away. Since the kid knows her language, she wants to try her capabilities.

"Vous avez vécu en Grèce, mademoiselle?" (You lived in Greece, miss?) *French

Lexine placed her chin above her hand and nodded. With a thick accent, she replied.

"Né et élevé, madame."  (Born and raised, madame)

The woman couldn't help but clap in excitement. Her eyes glowed in amusement and couldn't help but feel impressed.

"Quel enfant brillant! C'est rafraîchissant!" (What a bright child! How refreshing!)

She was not expecting anything from this class but she stand corrected.

'What were they talking about?'

'I only understood the part where she asked Lexine if she lived in Greece.'

'I'm sure they were talking in Greek and French.'

'We've had language lessons before and some words were familiar.'

'Have you forgotten? The two of them studied in London's elite school and they both majored in Fine Arts.'

'No, Elise. You'll know if someone speaks a language just because they were taught of it. The way Lexine talked and her accent, it's like both of them are her main language.'

'For the rich, anything is possible.'

"Arketá. I will handle your Music course for the whole semester. Do well gentlemen so that I wouldn't see the same faces next year.

"Katanoití?"

The only word the rest of the students understood. They answered in unison.

"Naí."