Natalia's POV

As soon as the call ended, I quickly lay down on my bed, and let out a deep sighed. Talking to him over the phone still made me feel nostalgic. All the fun, sweet memories with him rushes back like a wave.

What happened to him?

Why all of a sudden he wants me?

I smiled bitterly.

Now that I'm slowly accepting it, that we'll never have a forever, just then he comes back, and then opens up his emotions. And now?

The walls I tried to build up against him is now slowly crumbling down. I shouldn't accept his call. I should have ignored it, or cut it quick. Why did I let him play my feelings again?

But then again, I feel happy talking to him like nothing happened.

I decided to take a shower. I felt like it was a long day today, then I remember Kaelan. I know what's the old duke doing.

I remember how he just gawked at me as the old duke introduce me to him. He didn't hide his deep interest, and I almost laugh at him. He looks stupid, staring so intently at me, just nodding at whatever I said, or the old duke.

Quite hilarious to meet someone as playboy looking as Kaelan, tongue-tied as he gave me this keen interesting stare. It's funny I didn't find it creepy, probably because he looks nice, and I felt comfortable and knowing that he's Raffy's best friend, and the only son of the old duke's doctor, Dr. Anushka, perhaps that helps, too. The old man just as nice as the old duke.

Funny, that he's trying to make up what his grandson did, but I have no grudges against him or Rafael's family. It was Rafael who took me for granted, hurt me, but I forgave him already.

It's time to show him how it's done, Natalia!

Let him know that Rafael is just another ordinary guy, and he has no control over a woman, especially me.

I smirked.

I felt a triumphant smile graced my lips as I sauntered towards the ensuite bathroom with my phone in my hand.

I was humming the song I've heard our butler always sings when he's alone, 'love is a many splendor things'. It made me smile all the more when I remembered my family's helpers, they are the best.

I quickly filled the bathtub with warm water, threw in a ball of the bath bomb, in lavender scent, then placed the phone on the rim of the tub, so I can undress.

Tossing my clothes beside my heels in a heap, I turned the water off, and then slid into the tub all the while the bath bomb is still fizzing, not bothering using the jets.

I sit back and took the phone, carefully not dropping it in the tub. I texted Rafael.

Hi, are you free?

I quickly send it and then put the phone on the marble ledge of the tub, then waited. I smiled, my hands over the rim of the tub, trying to keep it dry in case he'll text back.

Just as I closed my eyes, I heard my phone ringing. I quickly took it and connected the call. My eyes lingered on the bubbles that are the color of a lavender, covering my entire body until my chest.

"Hello," I smiled, holding back the giddiness starting to resurface.

"Hi," he sounded so husky, and I almost melted.

"Did I bother you?" I asked, then I decided to put the call into a speaker since I felt my arm getting awkward trying to keep the phone from the bubbles.

I placed the phone just above my head and then played with the bubbles.

"No no!" he quickly answered and I let out a small smile. "Are you done working?" he asked after.

"Yes," I smiled.

"So you're back home?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I see. Did you eat?" he asked.

"Yes. I did!" I responded shortly. I wasn't in the mood to eat in the dining room, so I told Yuliana to send someone to bring my food in my balcony. I like to eat alone since I want to be alone after that talk with him. I still feel like floating, and I don't want the old duke to notice that.

"Good," then he fell into silence. I feel a little awkward, but I longed to hear his voice again.

"What are you doing?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity.

"I was about to shower," he said, his voice dropping a little, a little deeper, and I felt my stomach flutters.

My head suddenly envisioned him naked. I quickly snapped it out of my head.

I seriously need to get my head out of the gutter.

"Oh, should I let you go?" I asked, not really wanting to end the call now.

"NO, no. I want to hear your voice, that can wait," he responded quickly and I smiled like a lunatic, my eyes staring mindlessly at the ceiling.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

I grinned wickedly. "Sitting, relaxing in the bath tub, filled with bubbles that smell lavender, it feels so amazing against my skin," I said a little softer, my eyes slowly closing, imagining him.

"Pumpkin," his voice got deeper, I felt the need, and I smiled broadly.

"Yes," my voice sounds different to my ears. I heard him gasped harshly.

"You do know that when you speak like that, it really turns me on, royally," his tone were labored, and I grinned mischievously.

"Oh, really?" I said, trying to sound sexy. I let out a soft chuckle. He was silent for a moment. "I think you always do. Get aroused whenever someone flirted with you. Should I remind you that often?" I simpered flirtatiously, ignoring the bitter truth in my words.

"Maybe, and that was before." I could hear the regret, but I ignored it. I smirked.

"Please, Iya ... and—" I could hear him gulping thickly.

"And?" I bit my bottom lip, trying to hold my chuckles.

"Oh, please, pumpkin, can I come back home?"

I raised my eyebrow and my eyes snapped open.

"Home?" my forehead scrunched up.

"Yes."

"You are home, Rafael, what are you talking about?" I shook my head, my momentum of seducing him ruined.

"You're my home, Iya. Please, come back." I could hear the pain in his tone, the longings, but I didn't want to entertain it. I could feel my heart crying out to let him in again, but I let my reason won this time.

"Raffy," I mumbled, almost inaudible.

"Please, I missed you, pumpkin. I missed you so much!" and all the resolves melted, longings starting to fill my heart.

My eyes got moist as his words reached my heart. I missed him damn much, if only he knows.

"You don't, Raffy," I said firmly, still trying to hold on onto the end of the thin thread of my resolves.

"Yes, I do!" he fired back quickly, his tone almost snappy with a tinge of frustration. "I'm seeing you in every woman here, I think I'm getting crazy. Please, Iya. I beg you, come back to me, pumpkin," I fell into silence. He sounds so desperate and yeah, crazy.

An awkward silence followed.

"Iya?"

"Yes, I'm still here," I responded shortly.

"I'm sorry. I'm getting paranoid here, pumpkin. Now that Morrison is interested in you, I can't just watch him pursue you, pumpkin."

I sat upright after hearing it. I thought he left me alone?

"So you spied on me?" I asked incredulously.

"Y-yeah," he stuttered "well, not really. I'm sorry, I can't help it," he continued, almost not breathing. "I don't know what to do, I'm scared," he admitted, then he sighed.

My anger suddenly vanishes. "You are?" I asked in disbelief. I can't believe he just admitted that.

I unconsciously let out a soft chuckle. "Are you sure you're not drunk?" I asked.

I can't believe the high and mighty Rafael Benedict Valiente is admitting his fear.

"Iya, I really mean it, and I'll do anything if it means of degrading me, I don't care, I just want you back, pumpkin."

His admission just left me speechless.

He's really acting not him.

"Raffy, honestly, I'm still shocked, and I don't know what to say." I swallowed hard, stifling the pain.

"I know, what I did is unforgivable, but believe me Iya, when you left me, I realized how an asshole I am. I took you for granted, I let my flesh controls my heart and my head. It was late when I realized how much you mean to me. How much you took hold of my heart. Tell me what to do? Just please, come back!"

"I missed you, too, but I'm still scared, I don't want to think about what happened between us, but I can't keep my thoughts out of it. It keeps bringing me back, and until now, it's hurting me," I chuckled bitterly as I shook my head, leaning my back against the tub, I held the tears at bay.

My eyes felt stinging as I stifled the tears.

"What should I do to erase all the bad memories? The pain I engraved in your heart?" the desperation in his tone just add another weight in my heavy chest.

"I don't know, Raffy. I guess, it's for you to find out. Should I let you work hard for my love again?You got me easily that's why you took me for granted, perhaps a little hardship for you to value the worth of your hard work?"

"I know, I know, and I'm willing to take all the risks. I'm damn desperate, so I will try harder, Iya. You will be mine again," he promised, and my heart skips a beat.

I smiled.

"Let's see, Raffy. Let's see," I smiled.

"I'll arrange my travel to New York, now. I had plans in my head already. I can't —"

"NO!" I blurted out when his words sunk in my head.

"No?" he sounded hurt.

"I mean, no, not now!" I quickly explained, and I heard the disappointment in his tone.

"I really missed you. I want to see you again," he declared frustratedly.

"I know, but I'm so busy at the moment. I don't really have time to go out," I reasoned out, catching my bottom lip between my teeth.

"When then?" he asked, then he let out a deep sighed.

"Maybe when I get back to New York—"

"You're not in New York?" he cuts me off, shocked.

I groaned inwardly as I squeeze my eyes closed, almost hitting my head against the tub rim.

Why am I so stupid?

Snapping my eyes open, I spoke softly. "I mean, I'm here in Greece, just taking a little vacation," I quickly lied, and he seems to buy it.

"Oh, I see," he sighed.

"Well, that's better. I should come, I missed your parents, too. And your brother," he quickly retorted, and I absentmindedly hit my forehead with my palm and drag it down frustratedly.

"Raffy," I called out, trying to get his fixed attention. He sounded so hopeful and guilt kept on nagging me. "Please, not now, Raffy. I need to be alone with my parents and they didn't know what happened between us, I don't want to lie again to them, I hope you understand that!" I tried to sound firm, and he fell into silence again.

"I'll let you know when, is that okay?" I bit my bottom lip, trying to give him a little consolation.

"There's a ball coming up this coming month, will you be my date then?" he asked, and that's when I remember the ball the old duke mentioned it to me.

I suddenly felt my hopes plummeting into the ground.

"Iya?"

"Yes," I responded all too quickly and I groaned inwardly

"Thank you! I'll wait till then if I must. I'll come pick you up myself," his tone were excited, and all I did was nodding my head, agreeing with him, my whole brain is already stuck at the thought of witnessing them and the daughter of the duke of Spain, Maria Rosario De La Riva.

.

.

After that call, I decided to rinse my body in the shower. My head was still flooded with the old duke's words.

"I should consider the alliances between Spain and Russia."

My heart starting to feel numb as the pain settled again in my heart. I was mindless as I dried my body, then put on a white silk nightgown and then crawled in my bed. Just as I tucked myself, I heard a faint ringing sound coming in the washroom, then I realized it was my phone.

I quickly scrambled out of my bed and scurried towards the washroom. Grabbing my phone from the tub frame, I quickly connected it.

"Good evening, Ms!" he started and I kind of have an idea who he was, but I asked his name anyway.

"Mind to know who's my caller is?" I asked as I sauntered back to my bed.

"Kaelan Anushka. I'm sorry, I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time," he apologized. I frowned, wondering how did he get my number. I don't remember him asking me my number, nor my name, well, the old duke told him my name, but the way he stared at me, lost, I doubt any single word registered in his brain.

"Oh, Kaelan! Yes, hi, good evening," I chuckled softly.

I could feel him rubbing his the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm glad you remembered me," he sighed, letting out a soft sexy chuckle. "I got your number from his grace, I hope you don't mind," he added.

"Oh, no. It's fine," I responded shortly as I crawled back on my bed. "What's up?" I asked. My eyes lingered onto old clock hanging on the wall.

It said half past eight.

"Oh, I just thought you'd want company? And I .. well," he fumbled and I stifled the chuckles, bubbling at the back of my throat.

I could feel his reluctance. "I'm sorry, I was really lost when I saw you, I couldn't think properly, I felt like my whole brain just shuts off when I saw those eyes, I was lost in them." Then he let out a soft embarrassing sighed.

"No, it's alright," I said, trying to calm the awkward tension down.

"Well, I didn't catch your name," he asked.

I chuckled to myself. I wonder why didn't he asks it to the old duke, nonetheless, I responded shortly. "I'm Natalia Petropoulis."

"Natalia, such a sweet name," he uttered mindlessly.

"Thank you," I chirped, feeling flattered.

Silence took over.

"Well, I hope I don't look like an asshole here, but I thought you would like to go out with me? I know a nice bar," he started, sounding a little uncertain.

I thought for a second. I think I should go, he seems nice. Why not?

"Are you sure you are harmless?" I asked in a joking manner.

He let out a soft, embarrassing chuckle. "My friends and relatives say so," he responded briefly. "I promise, I'll bring you back whole," he added.

"Alright!" I responded and sat up. A small smile playing on the corner of my lips. I guess I needed a diversion to get Rafael and that Duke's daughter out of my head.

.........

A/N: Here you go. I hope you like it.