Chapter 19: Strange
Kelly returned to her apartment looking revitalized.
She poured Abi some of the juice she bought and plonked herself down on the couch right next to her.
"Kelly, what should I do to gain more experience?" Abi asked and Kelly almost choked on her drink.
"Uhm… experience in what?"
"Experience in… se… in everything. About the things I don't have any clue about. Like the things that lovers do or any normal things that a girl in my age do?"
Kelly cleared her throat. "Abi, what has brought this on? Tell me. What did that man do to you? What exactly happened."
Abi hesitantly answered. "We danced and it was wonderful. I felt like we were floating on air. It was an experience I will never forget for the rest of my life."
"And then?"
"And then, he took me to his open air garden with an amazing view of the city. It was breathtaking."
"And then?"
"And then, when he found out that I was a virgin, he said he wasn't the one for me."
Kelly was speechless. What kind of man turns away a beautiful woman just because she was a virgin? Didn't he see what kind of treasure he had in front of him? Most men would have taken advantage… She inwardly gasped as her eyes widened as a revelation came to her.
Maybe… just maybe, he did see the treasure in front of him and that was why he rejected her?
Oh man… did she just get angry and beat a man because of this misunderstanding?! That Mr. Qinn may not be a bastard after all! It sounded like when he found out that Abi was pure and innocent, he sent her away because he didn't want to taint her!
Facepalming herself, Kelly faced her friend, her face now serious.
"So? Are you not going to see him again?" she asked, curious.
Abi fell silent for a while. "I don't want to give up on him, yet. I think he's the one, Kelly," she said. 'The one I can love without him falling for me…' she thought.
"Okay, I got it. So what are you planning to do now?" Kelly asked.
Before Abi could answer her, a call interrupted them. It was a video call from Kelly's cousin.
"What?" Kelly said impatiently while the girl on the phone was almost yelling, trying to be heard over the loud, roaring music in the background. Abi saw that the girl was in a dark, chaotic place with different coloured lights flashing across the room.
"Kelly! Where are you? Why aren't you here yet?"
"Didn't you read my message? I told you I'm not coming tonight."
"Huh? Geeezz… You're totally missing out on all the fun here tonight!"
"Yeah, yeah. I can come another night. Bye bye."
When the call ended, Kelly sighed and looked at Abi to continue their conversation.
However, Abi became curious.
"Where is she?"
"In a bar."
"That's the place that you said wasn't for someone like me?"
"Oh, well, yes."
"Kelly, I'd like to go there."
"Cough, cough. Why?"
"I just want to go there. I feel like I'm too ignorant about a lot of things. I want to see what the world is like and to go outside my comfort zone."
". . . but Abi, it's not a nice place for you."
"Please…" Abi looked at her with big, round, pleading eyes and Kelly gave up. She could not say no to that face.
"Sigh. Okay, fine."
…
On their bed...
Abi suddenly remembered what Kelly said before she left with Mr. Black Leather Jacket.
"Kelly… You said that that man who fetched me is a prince."
"Oh yes. You know about Country V, right?"
"That secluded kingdom in the south…"
"Mm. When I was eighteen, my father brought me there with him. It is a nice, rich country. I heard it only has less than a million people living there. My father said that the royal family of Country V is one of the richest monarchs in the world but they remain very lowkey. The monarchs have full control over country V. The country prospers under them and the citizens of Country V love them but we don't hear much about them at all. Country V is a very private country, most especially their royal family. The media don't come near them because of that. Their king and queen are the only ones who show their face to the public. No one has seen the princes' faces, unless you work in the palace, which is why the world only knows the princes' names. But when I was in country V, I saw that man and I heard one of his companions call him Prince Kai. I couldn't confirm it but he resembled the king and he had such an aura. I could never forget such a good looking face… Anyway, I believe that that man is none other than Prince Kai. But then, how the hell did a prince become someone's chauffeur?!"
"Could it be that you're wrong, Kelly? Maybe he's just his doppleganger?"
"Ugh! That's not possible. I trust my memory."
"What if that person who called him prince was just bluffing?"
"… Argh! I don't know. But… but… ah, never mind. Anyway, what's Mr. Qinn's name again? I'm curious about such an ultra rich being.
"Alexander."
"Alexander, huh? Alexander Qinn. Hmm… why can't I recall any big fish with that name? I know all the big fishes in this country but his name doesn't ring a bell… this is strange…"
Kelly grabbed her laptop and browsed on the web, searching for an Alexander Qinn. She even asked some people but her brows knotted when she came up with nothing.
"This is strange; I can't find anything about him. There's no way that someone that rich… don't tell me he's related to some underground syndicate or something? But even underground bosses are widely known.
"Abi, are you sure that's his name?"
She nodded.
"Hmm… that's weird. I'll see if my dad knows anything about him."