Redeeming The Golden Ticket To Life

After a little help from youtube and Google, the problem was solved.

Turns out it was just another term for turmeric milk. 

So I prepared her a glass of 'Turmeric Latte' and brought it by the pool.

"Here you go My queen, a tall glass of turmeric latte," I offered her the glass.

"Thank you," she replied and went back to stargazing with her latte.

As for me, for the rest of the night, I stood by a side and admired her under the weak mix of starlight and reflected streetlights.

*****

Next morning-

"Xiao Wei, finish your breakfast and then we will leave for the Bellissima. Your uncle will join us on the way."

(Uncle! Which Uncle? When did they get an uncle?)

"Qiang please carry the bag from the other room, it might be a long day."

"Xiao Wei, today you are not supposed to skip classes. You will finish your study schedule while we are at the studio, only then you get to work on threads. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Mamma," he replied and obediently finished his food.

(When was the last time I saw him this obedient? Is he really my son? I doubt!) 

*****

Inside the Bellissima-

"Oh Elizabeth, you owned the stage yesterday. People loved you. Important people are asking for you from all over the world. I have query calls from city NY, Country F, Country E, city L Country SK, city S.

My phones have not stopped ringing since last night itself,"

[Ring Ring! Ring Ring!]

Before anyone of us could add in our words, Lucy's phone started to ring off the hook.

"Excuse me, Elizabeth".

(What is with the name?)

'My hearts had questions, with no answers in sight'.

"That is my English name, got it from my parent's records," she turned towards me and answered my unasked question.

"Your eyes are screaming shouty capitals, if we were in some anime or manga world, your eyes would shoot lasers in the form of words".

[teehee!]

I looked around and found Xiao Wei stifling his laugh with his small hands while Zhang Wei smirked at me.

(Well turned out the said uncle was Zhang Wei, so imagine my plight!)

"I am sorry my Queen."

(I really have to atone for my past sins. Who asked me to be an idiot?)

Lucy walked back in,

"Hey I know, it is all too much, but would you like to walk the Runway for some other fashion houses here?" she asked.

"I can work as an exclusive model for your fashion house but not others. I do not trust others."

"Okay, thanks for giving us this opportunity to work with you in future as well as thanks for saving our reputation, this season".

"Please it was work and it was my pleasure to work with such passionate people. I truly loved the whole experience".

"Great, there are a few media houses who would like to take your personal interview. Are you ready for that?" she asked as if unsure of the prospect.

I really wonder, how did they manage to convince her to appear in front of the camera, this time around.

"Which are the companies or magazines who offered to interview?"

"Here have a look at the list".

"Lucy, you came prepared, huh!" she looked through the list and returned it to Lucy, "the third from the top, on the list, is fine. Rest all are rejected or denied any rights to publish content related to me."

"I will inform them of our rules," she paused as she walked out of the room, "the same one that we drafted before all this?"

"The same one," Bai Chang replied.

"Zhang Wei, stay here with Xiao Wei, I will take a walk down the streets. Have the boys on alert."

"Qiang, you accompany me with your guards."

And then she walked out with her wallet.

*****

On the streets of City R while shopping-

"Questo sembra molto buono, quanto?" she asked.

(This looks very good, how much?)

She looked at the lacework and asked for its price.

(A few decades later)

'Let's face it, for us guys shopping is a one-stop all while shopping alone but when we are out with our better halves, it's a century-long wait outside the trail room'.

As the sun kept rising high up in the sky the number of shopping bags on my arms increased.

As I walked with her, I didn't dare to give the bags to our security people following us. Something told me that if I passed on the bags to them, I will fail to close the gap between us.

'Is it my atonement?'

Finally, after three hours of shopping (mostly fabrics and textiles), we walked into a restaurant.

By then, I was already drowning in the sea of shopping bags.

"Welcome madam, how may I help you?" the receptionist asked her.

"We have a lunch reservation here, under the name Elizabeth. I am Elizabeth. Please do the needful."

"Please excuse me for a moment madam," the receptionist replied.

She simply nodded her head slightly and waited for the confirmation. 

While looking around the place the restaurant was quite quaint, it is a little in the countryside but the inside had a vibe from nineteenth-century aristocrat culture.

"Welcome to la Pranzo, madame. This way please," the receptionist directed us inside the restaurant.

A server came to escort us and took us to a private booth.

"Have a seat madame, we will bring in your order soon."

The server left us alone and I turned towards her to wrap my head around, what all is happening here!

"Have a seat Qiang, leave the bags on the couch over there. It's time for lunch. I had pre-placed our order, hope you do not mind. Have some rest while you are at it. Feel free to order whatever you feel like," she informed me.

(While I was her boyfriend, I used to complain about her cold behaviour in my head but after turning slave and spending a day with her, I realised how comparatively warm she was to me. I am such a fool to turn greedy and make a loss for myself.)

"Qiang, can you get me an invite to Orléans family charity show?"

"Huh" my brain froze at that moment.

What did the Orléans family do to her? What trouble did they stir with her? I swear if the Orléans family played dirty, I will make them regret their future!

"Are you talking about the Annual Charity fundraiser?"

"Yes, the very same."

"We always have an invite for the party, Donna is the niece of the master of the family and he holds her too dear to him. Courtesy Donna, our Hu fashion house exhibits designs to raise money for the charity." I hesitantly informed her.

"Good, I would like to take part in this exhibit. Is it possible? Will Donna approve it?" there was a hidden edge as she asked me the questions.

'Did I do something wrong, again?'

"Sure, after all, it is our fashion house and you are the manager of it, so why not…"

I am not sure but she is eyeing me weirdly.

[TuTu TuTu]

My phone rang up,

"Excuse me,"

I look at my phone, it is a text from my security personnel.

"Sir, do you wish to die? Why are you appreciating another woman in front of your wife? If anything happens to you, I want to inform you that we are not responsible for you!"

I look up at Bai Chang. Interestingly she is observing me with a smirk on her face.

"Did Kai warn you about your immediate future?"

[Cough Cough]

Kai, my security personnel coughed to hide his surprise. This was too sudden.

As for me, I wish to be an Ostrich, to bury my head in some burrow to hide from my embarrassment. 

There was an awkward moment created in the booth, 

"Your order madam," the server started to serve.

[Sigh!]

Should I buy a washboard on my way back, to kneel and beg for forgiveness from my Queen?

The server left the booth after serving our dishes.

Without any regard towards me, Bai Chang started to have her lunch. There was salad and risotto, with fried quail and frozen yoghurt on her side of the table.

On my side, there were shredded chicken salad, risotto, spaghetti as well as french fries.

There was also wine on my side of the table.

'Is she feeding me before the main sacrifice at night?'

"Relax I am not feeding you to sacrifice at night".

I had goosebumps all over my body instantly. I reached for the glass of wine to wet my dry throat. 

[Glup Glup Glup]

I had the wine as if I was drinking water.

Even before I started to have the food I turned towards her, she was having her salad in peace.

"I am sorry. I am so so sorry! Is it too late to ask for forgiveness?"