CHAPTER 2 – Saudade of his heart

"don't tell me it's about Rome--"

"I don't like Romero" she exclaimed quickly before Cerion could finish his sentence.

"...ro" Rosie's fiancée.

"HA ! I KNEW IT" Cerion almost screams smugly, knowing that their mother has been suspicious of Romero from the day she meet him, in fact she had decided that cerion was going to be the first one to know about this unfound suspicion of hers, after they'd just meet Romero.

"don't act so smug, little boy" she rolls her eyes as she sips the water after calling her 24 year old son little boy she continues , " the way he acts is perfect I agree, I couldn't find fault in that, but the way he behaves is just ...…. it Feels like a sham, like a textbook perfect boy and son in law" she struggles to explain the unexplainable gut feeling of discomfort she gets every time she meets Romero.

"mom, gut feels are not always right you know?", Cerion says feeling melancholic as he remembered a certain bastard whom his instincts were totally wrong about. He puts on a little smile on his face, hoping she won't notice anything different.

Mom looks at him for a second and then gives a long sigh, "fine don't you guys come crying to me when you know, just how right I was about that little rat" she rolls her eye, unrelenting of her strong opinion of her future son in law.

"Mom this is just you being protective of Rosie, the last time I talked to her she sounded very happy, she's happy in her two people world."

"I know she's happy but I still can get over this feeling, all the most I haven't really told anyone except you, you know?"

"So, you didn't privately investigate his background?" Cerion gives her a 'I don't trust you' look.

"…...And that, all squeaky clean and he's company has potential to my dismay", she says with a slight frown on her face, parents were truly the most biased people when their little darling's marriage was in question. Especially the Erinyes couple, Cerion knew both his parents, heck maybe even his elder brother had romero investigated to the max. if they haven't found anything he wasn't worried at all, he also trusted his older sister's judgement most of all.

"Anyhow, tell me why your eyes look like they have 5 layers of concealer on them?", Cerion tries to divert the topic from the unduly hated fiancée, giving his mother an outlet to rant about all the work-related problems she's every had. Afterall Cerion was a good listener, he had the superpower to make people feel heard and validated from all the attention puts into conversations.

"Ugg I'm so busy doing damage control, two nights ago, maria Finn, the celeb ambassador for our new winter collection got exposed on the internet doing sketchy shit with a married popstar known for his fidelity, and now people are trying to CANCEL every project she's a part of, it's a complete mess I tell you, can't this celebs learn to be a little discreet after all this years of being in the industry" she starts to rant about her work, Cerion's mom, Maya Luci-Erinyes, was heiress to and current owner of 'Rob Luci' one of the worlds most revered luxury brand specializing in fashion and jewellery.

"Wait didn't maria announce a few months ago that she meet her fated mate on quickgram and chirp?!?!"

"Ya ? poor guy got a green hat on his head then." His Mom says with a straight face channelling her inner mean girl. When she hears a loud drawn-out meow, she frowns for a second and gets up as she says, "why is hibiscus locked up?" Whilst taking the cat out of the cage, who came out of the cage quickly and started rubbing her self around her grandmom legs.

"I had company" cerion says a little embarrassed to elaborate any further.

"Company?", maya rasies an eyebrow not caring about his embarrassment at all and questions, "well that's news?" she says signaling him to continue further.

"its nothing serious" Cerion tries to evade the topic, he did not want to talk about the casual relationship he had with Myron.

Maya frown in dismay not understanding why her youngest had aversions to serious relationships, but she also knew love couldn't be forced and there must be reason, all she could do was pray that Cerion found his partner soon, not lecturing him was the only grace she could give him now.

"if its nothing serious don't lock my poor granddaughter up like this you brut!", she slaps the back of his head, earning affectionate rubs from the little cat who agreed with her.

Cerion just pouts and starts pspspsspsp-ing at hibiscus to get her attention, but the heartless little cat didn't even look at him, and went to sit on top of her tower to look down on the world.

Maya slap's her thigh as she gets up, "well I'm off to sleep, good night ceri."

"Good night mom" Cerion says whilst still sitting on the sofa as he watches his mom enter the guest room. His gaze moves towards little hibiscus, remembering how he'd met her 5 years ago.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breathe "go away" he whispered to himself, hoping the memories of that hateful man wouldn't stay to torture him as they have for numerous sleepless nights, Cerion signed contemplating draining the half empty bottle of wine he'd stored in the drawers but decided against it, he had to wake up early tomorrow and wine made him hella sleepy. After all Rosie's engagement was in 15 days and he had to get fitted for suits with his brother. Even though it was only a engagement party everything had to be perfect and according to schedule or the princess might blow her top off and Cerion was not going to be the object for her highnesses' wrath.

He says good night to little hibiscus and moves towards his bedroom just to find the little lady following him inside, Cerion smiles and goes to sleep.