Winter's Fate

A loud screeching noise could be heard from across the hallway of the empty school near the auditorium as the metal chair scraps on the tiles. A muffled scream passes through with a high pitch laughter. A golden lighter was pressed on the sitting girl as she squirms in pain. Yet her mouth is stuffed with a piece of clothing. There stood three girls with cunning faces. They smile as they watch the girl cry in pain.

How pathetic of her, they thought the same of the brown haired girl who was tied up on the metal chair. Her hair disheveled and her face wet from crying. Her mind screamed at why she had to go through this when she was still brand new to the school. One of the girl, stood short and blonde yawned. She looks at the tied up girl with a boring look on her face as she picks up her phone that was recording the scene and typed something on it.

"I'm leaving now. She's so boring to look at." The blue eyes girl says as she looks at her two other 'friends' before walking towards the tied up girl. "If you ever say anything to anyone about this. Just know that nothing will change except for the fact that I'll kill you instead. Got that, you mutt?" She warns as she stabs her pointy red finger on the girl's chest. She was right though, even if the girl complains nothing will change. The two other girls leave after a few minutes of their exchange leaving the tied up girl with a loose rope so she could leave before school starts.

Even if anyone saw her like this, they won't be concerned. They'll just say she's doing it for attention.

°°°

Dove snaps her eyes open as she sat up and pants. Another nightmare of what happened years ago. Her ringtone ringing through her room. It was her alarm for 7.00 a.m. She usually went to work at this hour. Guess, she overslept. She got up and went to wash her face and bath.

As droplets of water hits her olive skin, her mind was elsewhere. She was thinking about the upcoming night. Tomorrow night she'll be able to finally exceed in her plan. She had gotten a chance to attend the luxurious gala thrown by Zephyr Hayes Knox. A notorious billionaire. She never had any interest in him. Until she has gotten a bitter taste of wanting revenge and so she knew he was her way of revenge too.

When she finish dressing up to go to her workplace, a knock was heard from the door. It was her friend, Naya Cruise. Her collage best friend who grew up rich but nice. "Salut meilleur ami. You leaving for work now?" Naya says almost waking up everyone living at the apartment complex with her loud voice. She really is an early bird, isn't she? "Shhh, Naya. We're going to get scolded if you don't tone down your voice. What are you, their alarm?" Dove gently nudges the red haired woman who giggles slightly. "Oops, sorry." utter Naya.

"And, yes. I am just about to leave for work." Dove says implying to her question earlier. Naya nodded before jiggling her Rolls-Royce car key infront of Dove's face. "I'll drive today. I'll pick you up too since I leave work early today." Says Naya which Dove agrees to. They both got into Naya's white car as she started driving to Dove's workplace.

"So...are you ready for tomorrow?" Naya was the only one who knew about Dove's plan. She wanted to help but Dove didn't want her to be in the mud too. "Yes, I am." Dove's eyes become hard as she recalls her purpose of revenge is for. "Hey," the call make Dove turns to Naya. "I know you can do it. Just know that I'll be at the sideline supporting you." Naya says making Dove smiles before she got out of the car and head towards the hospital she worked in.

~~~

"No, I want this one!" A high pitch voice rang through the boutique as all the workers sighs and prays to god to end all of this quickly. The blonde woman stomps her feet on the white tiles in a form of disagreement. "Ms. Davis, we apologize once again but as I said. This dress is already reserved. I'm afraid we cannot sell it to you." The manager spoke in a polite tone only to be yelled at once again. "I don't care! That person probably doesn't even own as much money as I have." The arrogant woman says folding her arm together as she yells again and again. Until, the door opens revealing her assistant with a phone in her hand.

"Miss Joana, we've reached Mr. Knox." Her assistant says placing the phone in her hand. Her angry eyes turns happy and shiny as she stares at the contact. It was hard trying yo contact her own boyfriend because of his busy schedule. They barely meet since he is currently in Paris for a business meeting. "Hello, baby!" The workers widen their eyes at the sudden change of tone. As if there was a whole new person infront of them. Sweet as honey her voice sounded. Or at least she tried to sound as sweet as that for him.

"Hey, I got told that you called fifty four times today?" Her eyes widen as she stammers to find the perfect lie. She knew he never likes being constantly called when he's busy. "It was Claire. She was trying to get you to ask if you are coming to the gala." She says throwing her assistant under the bus. Silence rang through the other line as she heard paper sound moving around. Claire knew it was Damien who was holding the phone. Probably the one who begged Zephyr to answer the call after so many calls from Joana through Claire. "...Right, of course I'm attending. I was the one who is hosting it." Zephyr says with a sigh after Damien soft cough rang through. Reminding him to answer Joana's question. "Oh, yeah you're right. What colour are you wearing?" She asks wanting to match but before she could ask any further at the same time his voice rang. "Don't call anymore I'm busy." The line went silent after that making Joana turn red in anger. She threw a big tantrum as she threw Claire's phone on the ground crushing it entirely.

"Miss, please calm down." Claire says as she thinned her lips at the sight of her phone in many pieces. Every worker was pitying her. She doesn't like her job but it pays well so she stayed. "I can't calm down! Everyone needs to know that he's mine." Joana says frustratingly as she clutches her hair in anger. "Now, Miss. You wouldn't want Mr. Knox to see you like this. Let's continue with the dresses so that he won't stop looking at you at the gala." Claire successfully made the woman agree as she demanded for the dress she wanted earlier.

"Please, Miss. This dress. is already sold to someone. We can't sell it to you." The saleswoman says as she points at the beautiful sparkling dress hanging on the rack away from the others. "I want it!" The screechy yell came out from her red lips. Another worker called the woman who reserved the dress to try and stop this madness. "Hello, Miss. I'm sorry to say this but can you come and look at other dresses from our store instead of the one you chose? Please understand, there's been a big chaos happening at the store and you're the only conclusion." The saleslady prayed for the woman's understanding even if it most likely not to happen. Who would give up something they want for a random annoying stranger?

"I understand." The saleslady widens her eyes as her smile forms on her face. "Really, Miss? Thank you! Thank you so much!" The saleslady practically bows from the other line as she thanked the angel liked voice lady. "No worries, I'll drop by tomorrow evening." And with that the saleslady got in the fitting room where the blonde sat still yelling at the workers. "Here you go, Miss. Do you want me to wrap it for you?" The yelling stops as the other workers look concerned at the saleslady's words. She looks at them nodding that it is fine. Joana nodded smiling happily as she got up and demand Claire to wait for the dress as she drove away from the place to her mansion to meet her father.

"She is a handful." A worker sighs making the other nod in agreement. Claire was still there but she couldn't help but agree to them.

°°°

In the other side of the globe, Zephyr sat in his car as he stares at the snowflakes falling from the sky. He sighs as he thought of Joana. He didn't mean to push her away so harshly, it's just the fact that she was being too how does he put it in words...annoying. He picked up her call in the morning and she still called him fifty more times after. He needed to get his work done. Plus, every single dime spent on the wedding was his money. Yes, Joana's parents are rich but they didn't do much. It's not that Zephyr was complaining, every millions she spent equals to a dime in his bank account but he didn't like the fact that even Joana's parents relied on his money constantly. Like the other day, Mr. Davis, Harrison Davis asks Zephyr for over two million dollars for his upcoming event on 'charity' while truthfully he didn't donate a single penny in charity. Zephyr didn't want to creat problem with refusing. They were merely parasites sucking on his wealth but not going to lie, they are really getting on his nerve. That's part of the reason he agreed to held a meeting in Paris. Away from headaches. Now, he's not so sure. In the states he was constantly clinged to by Joana and her family even outside the country they try to get a hold of him to lend money. Well, in this case take his money since they never really paid back. They were rich but their wealth combined could not defeat his.

"We're here, Sir." The blonde tall man opens the door for Zephyr. The car stopped at an art museum. The only place Zephyr would be calm in. He was always a big fan of arts. No matter how expensive it is. He'll always be fascinated to them. It was reaching midnight so not many people came considering the fact that, today was a working day. Zephyr walked slowly as he adores the art collection only to stop at on of the most expensive art by the late queen in the medieval times. It was truly magical. The art resembles freedom and happiness. Zephyr stood long at the art before he heard heels clanking on the tiles. Probably another visitor so he didn't mind it.

As he felt presence near him, he turns slightly to see a tall slender woman dressed in a floral dress. The woman looked magical and so beautiful. It was as if she was painting came to life. The woman was busy fixing her bracelet and looks like having troubles with it. After a few minutes of Zephyr observing her struggles, he slowly walk towards her before his hand hesitantly help her bracelet connect with each of the ending.

While doing so, he got to take a closer look at the woman. Long brown hair, straight perfect eyebrows, pretty straight nose, perfect peach like lips and the one that got his attention the most her emerald green eyes. Almost resembling a siren. Her eyes matched her bracelet. Gold bracelet but one green stone hanging from it. Zephyr gulps as he was brought back to reality when the woman slowly pull back her hand. Turns out he had already finished helping the bracelet connect but unknowingly to him, he still held on the her hand unconsciously.

"Oh, je m'excuse. J'espère que vous n'êtes pas mal à l'aise." (Oh, I apologize. I hope you're not uncomfortable.) Zephyr says taking the hint. The woman shook her head and took a deep breath that went unnoticed to Zephyr. "It's fine, thank you for your help." Zephyr didn't think she could speak English as she look like she's from France. "You sound like you're not from here." Her rich british accent rang through her voice. She nods her head before smiled at him completely taking his breath away. "I'm not but I work here." The woman says keeping it simply and short for an answer. "I assume you like 'Le destin du saint', too?" She sas breaking the silence. Zephyr nodded as he didn't look at the painting she was referring to.

"Are you a fan as well?" He says. He doesn't know who was pushing him to keep a conversation going on with her. She nods smiling as she pulls out her white camera and aims at the painting. Even though, takin pictures wasn't allowed, he couldn't bring himself to tell her off seeing the adoration on her face. "I love her work. She's truly an artist." The woman spoke as she went closer to have a better look at the painting. Zephyr walk closer to her as he admire the same painting or maybe someone.

"I wonder what makes this particular painting better than the other ones she made." He asks making her turn to him with a slight smile. "The truth behind her art was the reason to it's popularity. It had a great story behind it." The woman says eyes still staring at the art as if she was talking to it rather than the man. "I never heard the story behind it." The man confessed as he never think he would find another person who is more into art more than him. Especially about his favourite art piece.

"No, this art resembles from sadness to acceptance and finally freedom." The woman's words stunned the man. "Really? I thought it resembles happiness." The woman shrugs at the man's assumption. "Close. It's cold outside, yeah?" She says changing the topic as she clutch on her coat for warmth. The man stared at the woman as he slowly took off his coat and place it on her shoulders. "Oh, no. It's fine." She tried to refuse but he shook his head declining her rejection. "Keep it. I'm warm enough." He says. He didn't mind giving his coat to this woman he just met even though it was a Gucci coat. He didn't know why but he was willing to give the woman anything for her satisfaction. And they just had met.

"Thank you, nice meeting you, Mr...?" She says looking at him as he answered back "Zephyr. My name is Zephyr." He says extending his hand for a shake. Making her accept it with a smile.

"Bethany." She replied smiling cunningly.