Ryan watched slowly as tears filled Mia's eyes and his heart sank deep. Was she really going to cry because of him?

   "Mia." David called her name but it wasn't audible enough.

    "Mia I —" Ryan started but Mia shut him up.

    "I hate you. I hate you for making me cry over you." Mia wiped the tears before it could rolled down her cheeks. "I can't stand you anymore." She sniffled.

     "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—" Ryan is interrupted again.

    "If it's about the two million, I'll give it back to you." Mia walked towards the sofa where she had flinged her bag, she picked up her bag and took out her phone.

   She dialed a number and placed it over her ear. "Hello. How quick can I get two million? No, dollars." She paused for a while.

     "Okay. Thank you." She ended the call immediately and turned to Ryan. "You'll get your money in two weeks." She picked her two of her suitcases, pulling them out of the room.

  David went after her, stopping her from going. "Mia, mia, you're only upset. I don't want you to leave."

    "David please help me with the rest of my suitcases." Mia said to him.

    "You're not listening to me." David frowned.

    "When I leave, then we'll talk." Mia opened the entrance door.

    David turned to Ryan who was just standing and watching Mia. "Are you just letting her leave like that?"

   Ryan rubbed his forehead... "I'm thinking. Allow me to think." He closed his eyes.

    David sighed out... "You're both driving me crazy." He went back into the room.

   Ryan walked out of the suite and saw Mia pulling her bag. "Can we at least talk?" He said gaining up on her.

  Mia didn't bother to answer, she just kept pulling her suitcases towards the elevator.

    "Mia? Okay, I'm sorry. Why are you always so angry and mad at me?" Ryan asked her but was replied with silence.

   Mia entered the elevator and Ryan joined her.

    "Say something... Anything." Ryan was now begging.

    "Goodbye." Mia said harshly without looking at him.

     "Goodwhat? No Mia, you're not leaving. I'm not letting you leave." He told her.

      "I already said I'll give you your money in—"

    "I don't give a damn about some stupid money okay! You just can't leave."

    Mia turned at him, inching closer to him. "You said you'd let me go if I don't feel safe around you anymore. I want to leave because you make me feel bad, and you don't like me." Mia said to him.

    "That's what you think. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't say I care about you. And I mean it." Ryan told her.

    She scoffed, throwing her hands in the air. "You sure have a funny way of showing how you care!" She yelled sarcastically.

     "This temper of yours is irritating." Ryan frowned at her.

    Mia rolled her eyes... "You're so annoying."

    Ryan scoffed... "I know." Ryan sighed sadly. "I didn't mean to make you cry, and I feel guilty. Can you forgive me?" Ryan asked her.

    "Forgive you? No way." Mia sneered at him.

     "I'll do anything. Whatever you want, I'll do it." Ryan pleaded.

    "Maybe if you'd kiss my—" Mia didn't complete her sentence as Ryan smashed his lips agasint hers without warning. Mia's eyes flew wide open as his lips pressed against her lips.

   The lights in the elevator flickered twice before going off. Mia jumped slightly out of fear, pulling Ryan closer by his jacket as he was granted entrance into her mouth. She involuntary stood on her toes and kissed back with her slightly closed eyes.

    Kissing passionately, Ryan's hands slides down her waist as he kissed every part of her mouth like he was never letting go, but Mia pulled back sooner than he wanted.

    "What happened to the elevator?" Mia said still panting after their intense kiss.

       Ryan rested his head against her temples panting softly.. "I don't know." He inhaled her jasmine scent and kissed her temples. "Your scent is killing me Mia." He said with his voice dark, laced with lust.

     Mia blinked and stepped away. "The elevator!" Mia finally noticed the darkness around. "Oh no!" Mia cried out.

    "Hey hey, relax. I'm here." Ryan pulled her closer.

   Mia panicked... "No no no no, you... You... You don't understand. I'm nyctophobic, I usually have—"

   "Panic attacks?" Ryan frowned at her in the total darkness, he was puzzled.

    Mia started doing breathing exercises, trying to calm herself. She stepped away from Ryan whose thoughts were confused at the moment.

    Sophie was nyctophobic and now Mia is nyctophobic? Weird...

    "You're not going to pass out are you?" He asked her, a bit concerned.

    "No." She answered. "Breathe Mia, breathe." Mia said aloud, exhaling air when she felt a hand soothing her back.

    "Relax. Relax. Relax. Relax. Relax." Ryan cooed.

    Mia's breathing regulated after a while. "Thank you." Mia whispered.

    "Are you okay?" Ryan asked her.

    "I'm better. What happened to the elevator?" Mia looked around the darkness.

    "Hold on." Ryan took out his phone and dialed a number, placing the phone over his ear. "Something's happened to the elevator...  How long? Fix it, and fast." He hung up.

   "What did they say?" Mia asked to him

     "Technical issues but they are working on it. It'll take fifteen minutes."

  "That long? Its so dark in here." Mia sighed.

     Ryan tapped on the flashlight on his phone and glanced around. After some seconds of awkward silence, Ryan decided to speak.

    "I'm sorry." Ryan apologized to her.

   Mia stepped back, leaning against the elevator wall. "You shouldn't have done that." She bit her lower lip. "I'm talking about the kiss."

  To his surprise, Mia was surprisingly calm. "I don't regret it. You kissed me too and—"

    "And it was a mistake. I didn't mean to... I didn't want to kiss you." Mia told him plainly. "You just kissed me and I don't know why I flowed along." She scoffed.. "It's weird, kissing the guy you hate the most?"

     "Can you not say hate? Why do you hate me? I'm not that bad, am I?" Ryan frowned.

    It's true, why did she hate him? "I hate you because... You're annoying." Mia couldn't think of any tangible reason for her hatred towards Ryan.

    "I'm annoying. I agree." Ryan nodded.

      "You're an arrogant someone who thinks the world is in his hand."

     "Really? You're the first person to tell me that."

     "You're also messing with my head." Mia shook her head. He was messing with her head, her emotions, her thoughts. Ryan was making her become attracted to him in a way that was confusing, like a love-hate kind of relationship.

     "How?" Ryan asked as he was oblivious.

    Mia shook her head... "Skip that part. And again, you made me cry. I don't usually get too much emotions in one place but you made me so vulnerable."

  Why did she cry? It was still uncertain what she felt for Ryan and he just treated her like she was just some dumb girl that he reprimands like a child. Norms, she didn't care if she was being insulted because she always had effective comebacks, she was never intimidated. Now Ryan's turned her rules the other way round because of her stupid heart.
    She would do everything possible not to fall for him. Love made people stupid.

    "Believe me, I feel very bad for making you cry. Seeing you like that broke my heart because I was the reason. Mia forgive me and let me make it up to you." Ryan's voice was gentle and soft.

   "What will you do to make it up to me?" Mia asked him.

     "Name it." He nodded... "As long as it doesn't involve you leaving or... Killing." Ryan said the last part in a whisper.

   Mia laughed... "I can't hurt a fly Ryan." She chuckled.

    Ryan grinned... "I needed a thorough massage the night we met because you beat the shit out of me." He told her as he was happy to hear her laugh.

    "That's because you deserved it for being a pervert." Mia chuckled quietly.

    They were quiet for a while then Ryan said again. "What if we start again? This time as friends? We'll be more civil and understanding."

    Mia looked up at him... "Friends? Us?" She doubted it.

    "Yeah friends. It's gonna be a truce." Ryan told her.

    "Friends don't share kisses on the lips." Mia said, blushing a little bit but recovered quickly. "So if we're gonna be friends, there won't be foul play."

   Ryan smirked... "As much as I would love to kiss you more often, I will respect your decision." He told her.

   Mia rolled her eyes... "You're starting to sound like David."

Ryan frowned slightly... "Do I?"

     "Yeah." Mia sighed. She was getting tired of standing.

     "Can I ask a question?" Ryan asked her.

     "Go ahead."

    "You and David, you're not together or something.. Or." Ryan asked.

     "David and I are just friends. Don't have funny ideas." Mia said to him.

   A small smile appeared on his face. "Good to know." He stretched out his hand for a shake. "Truce?"

   Mia looked at him for a while, still contemplating whether to give him the truce. "Okay. Truce." Mia took his hand, shaking it.

    The lights came up and the elevator clicked and started.

    "I guess the elevator was waiting for a truce then." Mia scoffed, before pulling her hand away.

    "You're staying right?" Ryan asked her.

    "I don't have a choice." Mia shrugged. "I'm sure my whatever-I-need ticket still stands?" Mia asked to be sure.

    "Of course! I don't go back on my words. Do you need something now?" Ryan was eager to hear her out.

    "N-no, just making sure." Mia nodded. She knew the time would come when she'll need it. 
......................................................
    "What! So you guys basically made up after everything?" David asked her while helping her arrange her clothes back into the closet.

  "I guess that's what happened." Mia sat on the bed, folding and stacking her clothes.

     "And did you really... Cry? For real?" David raised a brow.

     Mia gave him a look. "What? You think I'm not human and I can't shed tears too? You think I'm a robot?"

         "No it's not that. I just never thought I'd see you cry sooner and honestly, I don't want to see you crying again. Because... You looked ugly." David teased her.

     "What! David I can't believe you'd —"

    "Kidding!! I was only kidding Il mio amore!" David laughed seeing the look on her face.

    Mia chuckled... "I might not be as pretty as those hot Victoria secret models, but I am not so ugly either."

    "Are you joking my sweetheart? You're one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen. Although stubborn. I'm not the only one who is annoying, you're also annoying. I'm only adapting to your perspective." David told her. "I know you. You wanna be tough on the outside, but on the inside, you're a softie my dear."

    Mia smiled... "So I'm not a stranger to you anymore?"

     "You were never a stranger to me. I've been attracted to you for weeks now. Everyday, I'm learning new things about you, new beautiful things." He said calmly with a grin that showed off his cute dimples.

  Mia exhaled and gave him a wide smile. "So we're friends then."

    David laughed... "Friends? No no no il mio amore." He said in his sexy French accent. "I don't have sexy dreams about screwing my friends. That would be sick."

    "Gross. I'm not the one in those dreams. It's a demon you're screwing, not me." Mia shook her head.

    "Demon!" David laughed. "If it's a demon then you're the prettiest demon I've ever seen, actually the only demon I've seen." David joked with laugher.

     Mia watched him arrange her clothes as she sat on the bed. "It's so sweet of you to help me out. Thank you." She was really grateful to him.

     "This is a strategy to win your heart. Don't thank me." David chuckled.

    "David tell me about yourself." Mia blurted out making David look at her. "I wanna know you better. I mean, apart from being a Prince of Monaco what else?" She asked, folding her legs together.

David stared at her for a while like he wasn't expecting her to ask. "Why do you wanna know?" David asked with a nervous chuckle.

    "I have never been friends with a royalty before. I just want to know what it's like. Is your castle as big as the Buckingham Palace? How come you don't wear diadem around? Are you betrothed to someone? Do you have siblings? I want to know everything!" Mia was getting excited.

    David nodded. He joined her on the bed. "You've cooked up so many questions in that head of yours eh? Well... The thing is... I don't usually talk about my life as a royal kid because I already gave that up."

     "Gave it up? What do you mean?" Mia frowned.

     David cleared his throat... "I stepped down as the heir to the throne some months ago. I left everything behind... Technically, I'm not a prince anymore."

    "Hold on. Are you saying you did the same as Prince Harry of England?" Mia asked him.

    "Sort of." He nodded. "I stepped down for my brother. You see, the royal life isn't for me and as you can see, I have liberty to do whatever I like."

    "Being a prince is not something that is inherited alone, you have the royal blood running through your veins." Mia said to him. "Was it because of freedom you left your duties?"

   "Part of the reason." He affirmed. "I didn't want to rule any country, I have my own passion, my own visions, my dreams. Then, the royal duties always came first, I couldn't lie to myself. I just wanted to do things for me and not because I was told to do so." David said to her.

    "Have you found yourself?"

   "I think I have." He shrugged. "I thought it would be easy to achieve what I truly wanted without my background but it's not. All these while my background just covered up what life as a common person is, it's hard starting from the scratch."  

     "Do you regret leaving?" Mia asked him.

    "I wouldn't say regret is actually the right word. I think I just wasn't prepared enough, but leaving was the right decision."

    "What are your dreams, your visions?"

    "As crazy as it may sound, I wanna be a renowned writer and motivational speaker." David chuckled.

    "Really?! Writer!! What kind of writer?" Mia asked him.

    "I want to be a motivational writer. I wanna write about the world and the hardship, on love. Those kinds of things! That's the reason I travel around many countries to get inspirations."

    "Wow. Which country did you go to?" She asked him.

     "A lot of African countries. Nigeria, South Africa, Madagascar, Egypt, Libya, Morocco. A lot! Africans are the most intriguing people to meet." David told her. "Ooh! I love the Philippines too! That part of Asia is wonderful. I even bought an island there." David said proudly.

    "An island?! You own your own island? That's great!" Mia gasped, she was thrilled.

    "Yep. We should go there sometime. You would love it there." David smiled at her. 

    "Really? I would love to, considering I haven't been to the Philippines before." Mia said.

    "The Filipinos are very welcoming people." David told her.

    "I've only seen them in movies, it would be wonderful seeing a whole country full of Filipinos." The thought made her excited. "I also want to go to Monaco too." Mia said her thoughts out loud.

   David scratched his head... "Monaco?" He repeated.

   "I haven't been there before." Mia shrugged. "When Olivia told me about your country, I browsed about it. I wanna visit the billionaire's playground." Mia smiled sheepishly.

   David laughed... "Billionaire's playground huh!"

    "It must be a nice country. I usually don't travel a lot but now I want to go to Monaco. Do you think we could also take a trip together?" Mia asked him.

   David only smiled... He wasn't ready to go back to Monaco until he made a name for himself.

   "What are you thinking of? You don't want to go with me? It's fine, I just thought—"

    "I would go to the end of the world with you but Monaco has got to wait. I don't think I'm ready to face my parents or the entire country yet." His smile didn't reach his face. 

    "They didn't disown you David, you only chose to follow your heart and you're happy. That's all that matters. Your parents are always gonna be your parents, they can't love you less just because you didn't follow in their foot steps. Some people don't even have the balls to do what you did... to find themsleves." Mia said to him and he had to agree with her.

    "So no Monaco for me then." Mia threw her hands up.

   "What about you? Tell me about you. I still know nothing about the love of my life."

   Mia fell flat on the bed... "I'm feeling sleepy, go away." She held a pillow to her face.