“After the party, we will go pack together and talk about what is wrong, okay?” She saw a woman in her late fifties speaking to him after the cake cutting.
“No, Mom. I want to stay alone tonight.”
“But…”
“Please, Mom. I promise I will talk tomorrow or the day after tomorrow but not now.” He said, cutting her in between. “I will be staying in my penthouse. And don’t throw any party tonight because I won’t be attending.”
“Fine! Take your time but remember we are here, okay? Your dad and I are always here.” She said, glaring at an older man, and that was when Caroline turned her head to look at Artemis’s Father, and immediately she recognized that man.
*
FLASHBACK [Nineteen years back]
*
“Dad, I want to… marry too,” Caroline said when she saw Rebecca dancing with her Father after the wedding.
“WHAT?” Brandon looked at his little princess, who was barely six and was talking about getting married.
“Like this.” She said, pointing toward the dance. Brandon didn’t say anything to her at the moment but surely looked at Sophia, who was controlling her laughter.
“Caro, go play with your brothers,” Brandon said, sending her away so that he could talk with Sophia alone. “That’s final now. I’m never taking my daughter to any wedding from now onwards.” He said with determination.
“Seriously, Brandon? You do realize that one day…”
“I want that ‘ONE DAY’ to come after fifty to sixty years later.” Brandon said, frowning. While they were discussing this, Caroline was running toward Colton and Calvin, but all of a sudden, someone came in between, and she bumped into him.
“Watch it, kid.” The man of his Father’s age, holding a drink in his hand, said in a calm tone and looked at Caroline.
“I… sorry.” Caroline apologized.
“Where are you running? There are a lot of people around; you should stay with your parents or family member.” He said, crouching down at her height.
“My brothers.” She replied, pointing toward Colton and Calvin.
“And your parents?” He asked.
“There they are.”
Once that man was satisfied that Caroline was not lost, he sighed in relief. While Caroline found that man nice so she asked him without thinking much, “Will… you marry me?” Recalling the word that her Father told her mother.
“Aww!! I have never got a sweet proposal, but I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m already married.” he replied, pinching Caroline’s face. “But I know someone who is a tiny version of me, my son! You can marry him when you grow up as a lady like your mother because kids don’t get a chance to marry,” he explained.
“Okay.” Caroline nodded.
“What’s your name, by the way?”
“My name.. is Caro…”
“Caro,” Brandon came over there and picked Caroline in his arms. “Excuse me, please!!” he muttered, taking her away from there. “Caro, how many times I have told you that you kids should stay away from strangers.”
“Sorry, dad.”
*
FLASHBACK ENDS
.
‘He is… He is that same uncle.’ Caroline recalled. And now she realized why she had felt that Artemis’s face was a little bit familiar, but now she had that answer with her. A wide smile appeared on her face realizing how her destiny brought her near Artemis.
'Was he destined to be mine from the beginning?' She couldn't help but grin ear to ear.
"You should stop thinking about that girl and enjoy your surroundings for a while." Artemis's Father said.
"The word 'ENJOY' reminds me of HER, dad. As for now, I don't want to speak or do anything." Artemis said, forcing a smile on his face. Caroline felt bad hearing it; after all, she was the reason behind it, and she had to make up for this.
She left from his pocket to do something for the birthday boy, whose birthday she had ruined unintentionally. She knew she didn't have much time, so she used her magic to arrange everything. Helena warned her not to do so much magic because Siphoners didn't have their own magic, and they used external sources to use magic. The power source or, say, her external sources used to get stored in her pendant [Taslismans]. And with her use of the spell, it was ending.
"Finally, DONE." Caroline said, sighing in relief.
"Even your powers almost ended. Go and store your powers from the Moon." Helena said, frowning. Caroline had barely taken a step toward the window when she heard someone walking inside the penthouse.
"Later, Nana. He is here." Caroline said with a big smile.
"But, Caro..."
"I will be fine, Nana. He is my mate. And we both know that I can absorb his powers as well. So, don't worry and now leave. I don't want you to stay here as a third party."
"Third-party?" Helena smirked before disappearing.
Artemis slammed the door of his room, might be in anger, but it evaporated the moment his eyes landed on Caroline. At the same time, Caroline wanted to say a lot of things to him, but at the time, she ran toward him and hugged him dearly.
'Damn! I missed him so much.'
"Happy Birthday, Mate." She whispered in his ear. She knew she was late, but she hoped Artemis to forgive her. A second later, she felt his hand wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer to him.
"Thank you," he muttered, kissing her ear. "I missed you so much, Mate." He confessed, whiffing around her body.
Breaking the hug, Caroline looked at him in his grey eyes. "I missed you too." The moment these words came from Caroline's mouth, Artemis slammed his lips against her.
.
#TBC