4| Charity Event (Part I )

|KIARA'S POV|

The next day went in a blur. I went for dress shopping too, not as I needed but mom and Bella kept on insisting me. I invited Rose, Carter and Bella for the event. Unfortunately, Carter needed to go out with his father for business purposes, while Rose had to go to visit his Aunt since she met with an accident the day before yesterday. Yet, Bella agreed to go with me. I bought a black V-necked stone-studded gown while Bella bought a white blue laced, off-shoulder dress.

After I came back home from Aaron the day before yesterday, I discovered Mrs Thompson waiting for us. The conversation we had brought a huge grin on mom's face and even mine too.

Flashback ~~

"Hello, Mrs Thompson. Glad to meet you", I greeted her as soon as I entered the living room.

"Hello dear", she flashed a smile while I seated myself in front of her.

"How are you?", I asked her smiling.

"Aww, dear I'm great. I came here to talk about the bookstore", she said while beaming.

Now the truth dawned me about her visitation. Last month finally mom and I agreed on selling the bookstore to Mrs Thompson. She was quite inclined from beginning only to buy it if we sell. She loved the store as much as us. So, when she proposed buying it if we sell it, mom and I agreed instantly. The actual reason for delaying the sell of the store is to hand them to a responsible one who would love the store and maintain it's dignity just as the wish of dad.

Mrs Thompson is the perfect epitome of what we desire so we agreed to sell it to her. Yet unfortunately, she needed to visit her hometown after her mother's health suddenly deteriorated.

So, we postponed it for the next month till she comes back.

"Ohh, yes. So, what you thought?", I asked her while recalling our last conversation.

"Yes dear, I thought of buying it this week.", she said grinning towards me.

"That's great Steph", my mom said beaming while handing her a cup of tea.

"Yeah, it's good Mrs Thompson. ", I said her ecstatically.

"Yeah, so when will you sell it?", she asked while sipping her cup of tea.

"Anyday as your wish", I said.

"Okay, so I guess today is best. You can hand me its ownership on the weekend, but till then from today I will take care of it", she declared while holding her head high.

We all chuckled and agreed to her offer.

She gossiped lill' more with mom and me and went back.

Flashback ends ~~

"Hey, honey!! Can you bring the old books' cartoon from the attic?", mom asked while rummaging the other cartoons.

"Okay, mum...but why y' you need ?", I asked her, heading towards her.

"They are the old books and I'm giving them for recycling ", she answered with her hands on her hips. Her hair is held up in a bun, showing her determination.

"Ohh!! Okay, I'm going", saying so I walk upstairs to the attic.

The attic is dusty and full of cobwebs and is huddled with all the old cartoons. The floor and the walls are lavender coloured but have lost their colour because of the dust.

I rummaged through the cartoons to find the old books' cartoon. Suddenly I found a small box inside a cartoon of my childhood things.

I opened and my eyes welled up with tears.

It contains a small shell necklace, which was gifted by V when we were small and went to the beach while visiting my granny's home.

Flashbacks ~~

"Stop Kia!!!! Stop!!", V shouted, laughing and running after me.

"No!!! You have to catch me", I squealed and run faster. We are currently on the beach playing around. I love the beach and so is V. We always visit it during our holidays, and till 8 years of my existence, I haven't left visiting it at least twice a year.

"Stop K!! How fast you run, ostrich", V squealed while huffing with her hands on her knees.

"Then it meant I won and you can't catch me, dear V", I smirked and bent my head back facing her, but suddenly I collided with a small body and fell on the golden sand. I recovered myself but got a sprain in my ankle.

"Ahhhhhh!!", I whispered and looked up to see a dark-haired girl with sea-blue eyes, stood up and came towards me.

"I'm so sorry!!", she panicked and knelt beside me.

"It's okay", I whispered to her while holding my sprained ankle.

"Ohh, dear!! Kia, what happened? Are you alright? ", V shouted and came running towards me. She sat beside me with a scowl on her face and looked up at the girl.

She was petrified seeing the infuriated V.

She slowly stood up and was about to shout on her when I held back her yellow dress.

She looked down and her eyes became soft and expression changed to that of concern.

"It's okay V, it's not her mistake. I collided with her", saying so I gave a peck on her pink-tinged cheeks.

"But...", I cut her off.

"No buts, it's not her mistake".

"Still she should have seen. Now see, you have a sprained ankle", she looked at my sprained ankle and tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I'm fine V,", I soothed her. She still looked unconvinced but didn't say anything.

The girl stood there looking pale and with a bewildered expression. I smiled at her.

" Come, let's make a sAnd castle, what do you think ?", I asked her and she looked startled.

"I...Um...will", she stuttered while answering but suddenly her mom called her.

"I...I must go, mom is...is cal...calling", she sturred again with her head down.

"Yeah sure", I said and smiled.

She smiled at me and ran away.

"Now, let's go home", V snapped at me and I rolled my eyes.

She has always been too protective of me, after all, she is the big sis and always boasts herself.

"Ayy Ayy captain", I mock saluted her and she burst out laughing.

"Kia, you will never change", and I also started laughing with her. After a while, I looked up at her.

" V! Let's go", saying so I tried to stood up but thumped back on the ground.

"Are you okay?? Kia", V asked with her brows creased and eyes holding so much of concern.

"Yeah...I'm fine V, don't worry ", I said and she held me up and went to mom and dad.

They helped me and we went back home.

Mom treated my ankle, with all granny's remedies, and it soon became better.

At night we had our dinner and went to our room.

"Kia, I have something for you", V said while sitting beside me on the bed.

"Aww, really!!', I chirped and grinned at her.

She held out a small black coloured box and handed it to me. I opened it and found a shell necklace and it looked so pretty.

"Gracìas(thank you), big sister" I smiled and hug her.

"Most welcome sweetheart ", she hugged me back firmly.

"I made it yesterday at the beach after collecting all the shells when you went home early", she said pulling away from me.

"Ohh!! That's why you came so late", now the truth dawned me, why she came home quite late last evening.

"When I saw your sprained leg, I can't withstand it and thought of handing the gift now only to see that big smile on your face", she said while pointing towards my smile. "I thought of giving it on your birthday next week but I can't control", she smiled sheepishly, running her hands through her hair. My eyes welled up at seeing her love and care towards me.

"You are the best sister one will ever have", I said and hugged her again firmly. My tears rolled down and I can't control them.

"Omg!! Why are you crying honey", she cupped my face. I shook my head and said,

"It's happy tear !", and smiled at her.

She smiled adorably towards me and kissed my forehead.

"Now sleep and take some rest, Good night".

"Good night V", I smiled and closed my eyes.

flashback ends ~~

Recalling those golden moments, my chest tightened and a single tear rolled down my cheeks. Soon a gush of tears started flowing down and I thumped on the wooden floor.

The memories bring so many emotions back to me that I can't control myself.

Her sea greens eyes flashed in front of me. How can destiny be so cruel? She must have lived more than me also, there is so much love in her heart !!!

I tried to confide myself and searched for the old cartoon. Shoving the necklace inside my pocket, I picked up the cartoon and went downstairs.

°•☆•°☆•°☆•°☆•°☆•°☆•°☆•°☆•°☆•°☆•°☆•°☆°•

Later in the evening...

"You look ravishingly gorgeous ", Bella chirped while adding some touch up to my makeup. I dressed up myself in the black gown I bought yesterday. My eyes are glistening with some smokey eye, my lips are covered with deep red lipstick and my cheeks with some fake blush. Bella is truly a great makeup artist I must admit.

"Wow!! Bella your handwork is awesome ", I said while looking myself in the mirror. Bella has dressed in her pink dress, with glittering eyes and pink-tinged lips and cheeks. "You are also looking utterly gorgeous cariño", I said while looking at her.

"Aww, grand mèrci ", she bowed down. Seeing her extreme respect I burst out laughing. She also can't control herself too.

"Too respect Bella", I laughed harder.

After our laughter died, we headed downstairs.

"Oh My God!! You two lady are looking glamorous ", mom squealed with a shocked expression on her face.

We smiled and thanked her together.

She kissed both of our foreheads and waved at us. After the death of Bella's mother, mom has loved and has taken great care of her, with all her motherly love.

We sat down in my car and went away.

Soon after half an hour, we landed near a huge mansion. The front gate was ravishingly designed with all stylish architect work. The huge water fountain in the entrance was glittering with moonlight complimenting itself. The huge lavishly designed door opened into the huge ballroom. We stepped inside. I looked around and soon my eyes fell on a pair of deep-brown eyes. We quickly paced towards him.

"Hey, Aaron", I called him while he was talking with his secretary Samantha Harrison. She is pretty with dark-blue eyes and blonde hair hung down her shoulder, dressed in her perfect business attire. A knee-length dark blue pencil skirt paired with a beautiful white shirt. Sam has always been a perfect epitome of an ideal secretary. Aaron doesn't have to worry much regarding his business, as long as Sam is beside him. She manages everything so perfectly and is always friendly towards others.

"Hello sissy", he smiled while looking towards us and hugged me. "Hello, Bella ". He hugged her too.

"Hey Sam, how are you?", I asked her.

"Hello Kia, I'm well fine, what about you", she beamed ."I'm good too". She waved towards Bella and she smiled. Well, Bella doesn't like Sam much. She always says that Sam is not one, who she seems to be. She always suspects that she has some feelings towards Aaron, and acts to be too innocent. Yet I never believed her. She looked so innocent and friendly and can have any plans or any intention beneath her facadè of innocence is quite unbelievable.

"Well, sir I may excuse myself. I must talk with Mr Brown regarding the meeting tomorrow", she smiled and went away.

"So, sissy come and meet others ", he said and we all headed towards Aaron's mom.

Mrs Smith is very gorgeous in her fifties but looked like in her thirties with dark brown eyes like Aaron, and dark-coloured hair curled down her shoulders and a warm smile. She is one of the most caring and loving women I have ever met, with a warm smile and motherly nature.

She was talking with an elderly silver-haired women. Soon her eyes caught us and she excused herself from her and headed towards us with her enchanting smile.

"Hello dear", she greeted and hugged me.

"Hello, Mrs Smith!! You look gorgeous", I pulled away from her hug.

"Aww!! Thanks dear ", she chuckled. "But you look a perfect glamorous lady", I chuckled while she smiled.

She went towards Bella and hugged her.

"Hello Bella dear", she smiles.

"Hello Mrs Smith, you look beautiful ".

"Thank you dear and you look gorgeous ", she chuckled.

"Come and let's meet with others", Aaron interrupted us.

"Yes, you two must go, I will join you all later", she smiled and went towards the other room.

We two went with Aaron. He went to meet with Mr and Mrs Harrell. They are one of the oldest friends and business partner of Smiths. We were first introduced in V and Aaron's engagement party.

Mr Harell is utterly handsome 28 years gentleman with brunette hair and piercing blue eyes. He is the CEO of the HARELL CO. Mrs Harell, on the other hand, is a very gorgeous 25 years lady with dark hair and dark green eyes. She is quite friendly and madly in love with Mr Harell.

As soon as we arrived she waved towards us.

"Hello Mr And Mrs Harell", I greeted her along with Bella.

They smiled and greeted us.

"Both of you look gorgeous", he said with his wife clinging to his arm.

We smiled and thanked him.

We all chatted some more minutes until Mrs Harell asked about V.

"Have you got any clue regarding Viola's death", she asked looking concerned.

"Not till now", I asked with a sardonic smile.

"Dear, the murderer will soon be found", they tried to assure me.

I smiled and nodded.

Suddenly, my glance fell on a pair of dark-green eyes with a black mask. I stunned at my spot.

To be continued...