Alex's POV

"There has been a plane crash sire," said one of the guards.
"And you are informing me of this because?"
"Sire, it's the jet Madam Montes and Prince Alessandro were on."

As soon as those words left his mouth my world crumbled down.

"No no no no, it is a lie. This cannot be happening to me," he said as he shot out his chair and paced around his office pulling his hair.
"What is the matter," David said barging into my office.
"My wife and son, no it can't be," he whispered the last part to himself.
"What has happened to them Alex?"
"They are dead David. My wife and son are dead."

"No," Anna gasped her eyes flooding with tears.

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"I told her I would come for her, now now who will I go to when they are no more," he said as he took a swing of the wine straight from the bottle.
"Alex come on now, you know Gaby would have hated to see you like this."
"Gaby is dead, why should I bother taking care of myself."

This had been going on for the past few months as Alex neglected his business. His father had reinstated his princely duties and those too he neglected. It was only after his mother and sister got through to him did he pick himself up even though he was now void of any feeling.

"You have to stop this Alexanderos!" Karen fumed.
Just the sound of his name on her lips was like nails scratching a board.
Making him reminisce how his name sounded on her lips. His heart ached to hear her voice just once more, to see her beautiful smile, the smile he would have placed upon her lips. To taste those lips as he held her in his arms, moulding her body to his.
"Get out Karen!" He boomed cutting short her tantrums.

He sat down reminiscing on how he had met her.

A few years back

"Listen to this fool," Alex snickered looking at the arrogant man in front of him.
"Come on Alex. Just let the poor man go."
"No! He had the gal to refuse my order. Does he not know who I am!" He spat.
"I am tired of little princes who throw unnecessary tantrums. You should grow up," he said as his own men moved closer ready to pounce if Alex's man tried anything.

Their stare down had become the main attraction as everyone in the club was silently watching them. This silence was broken by the uncontrollable fits of giggles coming from the two ladies who had just entered the venue.
Both ladies stood rooted at the door wide eyed as every head turned in their direction.

"Alex just let it go," David whispered.
"Oh alright, whatever. Let's get back to our drinks," Alex said with a sly smile.
The music was turned back on and everyone resumed to their previous state of enjoyment. Alex couldn't help but stare at the ladies who had just entered the venue.
Every once in a while his eyes would roam to wherever she stood noticing she only drank water enjoying the company of her friends. Summoning enough courage he went to their table with David close by.

"Hi there," Alex greeted her interrupting their conversation.
She turned to look at him with a frown on her face.
"Would you like to head back home with me. I could show you a good time," he said with a cocky grin.
Assuming she would happily jump in excitement at being asked by the prince he found himself drenched in water as David snickered. His men moved in only for him to give them the order to stand down.
"Oh man, I like this girl," David laughed out loud receiving an angry glare from his friend.

Taking the hanky from his guard he wiped his face and stormed out of the bar before he did something he would regret.
No girl had ever rejected him. This girl fascinated him topics an extent he broke of his relationship with Karen to sweep this one girl off her feet.
After finding out Anna was her best friend he sought out more information about her, her liked and dislikes.

He remembered their first date like it was yesterday.

"Anna can we even afford this restaurant?"
"Yes dear now trust me," she said pulling her into the restaurant.
Exerting the empty restaurant she gasped as she found romantic dinner set up for two. A string quartet strumming soothing music as the prince stood in his royal regalia with a smile on his face.

"Miss Montes, I am glad you came," he said softly as he took her hand placing a kiss on her hand with a small bow.
She knew the arrogant Prince never dared to bow down to anyone. What was the meaning of all this. Turning to look for Anna she found her already gone.

"Please do not be mad with your friend, I insisted upon her help which she willingly offered after I promised her to take good care of you. Firstly I would like to apologize for my rude behavior when we first met. My actions were inappropriate and I would like to rectify that through dinner," he said indicating towards the table.

With a snap of his fingers a waiter came pulling out her chair for her. She made no move to sit.
"If you are to consider this a date, should you not be the one pulling out my chair," she questioned with a raised eyebrow.
Shock was readable on his face as well as the waiter. She dared challenge him in such a manner. He was impressed by this.
"Yes of course," he said walking over to pull her chair out for her.
The waiter came with their menus but he had the nerve to quickly dismiss he order, placing her order as a salad with light dressing and arrogantly dismissed the young man.

The sound of a chair scraping against the floor caught his attention and that of his security.
"Miss Montes are you unwell."
She chuckled staring at him in disgust. "When you said you this was a dinner I didn't know you would be eating by yourself. Since I have not ordered anything I think I should just go home."
He stared at her shocked once again by her reaction as she strutted off towards the entrance.

"Gabriela!" He called out to her.
She stopped in her track turning. To face him. That was the first time he had used her name. Looking around he found the manager and waiter looking in their direction.
"Leave us," he said in an authoritative voice as the band stopped playing and left the room. His guards left also giving them some privacy.

"Listen Ela. I have never done anything like this for anyone. I would really like for us to be friends. Can we start afresh. Tell me when I do something wrong. No one ever speaks the truth in my presence, always trying to please me. But you, you are unique. You stand out amongst them all and don't care about my title or status," he said in a shaky voice.
Feeling pity for him she forgave him and went back to dinner.

"But first," she said removing his jacket and  his tie. "You need to relax and not be uptight if we are going to be friends."
That's how their relationship kickstarted.

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"Gabriela?"
"Since when have you used my full name Anna," I asked my dear friend. "I recognized her voice immediately."
"Oh my gosh Gaby," she said pulling me into a hug. "It's really you."
"You can let go now, I kinda need to breathe."
"Oh sorry," she said loosening her grip.
"Of course it's me. Why are you acting as though I was dead?" She chuckled answering her previous question.
"Because everyone believes you are Gaby," she said still holding onto me with tears running down her cheeks.

"What do you mean?" Gaby asked.
"Can we go somewhere private?"
"Yes of course," she said reaching out for Toni on impulse to be led them to the car leaving Anna with questions.

Gabby told her all that had occurred as they both cried tears of joy and sadness.
"Why didn't you contact any of us?"
"I couldn't contact any of you for the sake my safety and that of my son. We had to cut ties with everyone or else we would be in trouble."
"I'm just glad I saw you. I have been traveling with David we are establishing various projects around the globe and we just ended up here."

"Where are David and Christoph?"
"We left the little one with his grandparents and David is going over some papers with some suits. I'll just inform him of the good news," she said pulling out her phone.

Once they reached her house she was greeted my her son as he came out of the house with Edward hot on his heels. Crouching low, she waited for him listening for his little footsteps.
"Forgive me madam but he slipped out of my hands," he said as the little boy waddled towards his mother.
"That's alright Edward," she said picking Alessandro up and kissing him on his cheeks.
"Mrs Masters, it is a pleasure to see again," Edward said as he gave a slight bow.
"The pleasure is all mine to see all of you well."

"Is this your place Gaby?"
"Yes, welcome to my humble abode. I'm told it breathtaking," Gaby chuckled.
"Good afternoon señora Montes," Jose and Alfonso greeted her warmly.
"Good afternoon boys, this is señora Masters a very close friend of mine," she informed them as they turned to greet Anna.

"Please help Toni with the groceries. The vet will come by tomorrow to check up on all the horses so be on the look out for him."
"Very well señora," Alfonso said as he led Jose to the car.

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"How is he?" She asked her friend after they settled in her living room.
"He hasn't been the same since you left. Every week he fires someone at the office, his employees have been pleading with David for him to talk some sense into their boss. Everyone is afraid of him Gaby. I hate seeing him like this. What's worse is that he suffers from nightmares and has turned to alcohol to dull his senses."

"I will be coming to Greece in the next couple of weeks. Maybe I will drop by and see him, who knows. Just don't tell him I am alive in the mean time."

Anna asked her friend if it was okay for her to stay over.
"I would love for you to stay over. My home is your home Anna, you don't need to ask such."

They settled down and caught up on each other's lives learning what had occurred the past couple of years.

Thank you for reading!!!!