Chapter 2

• "Do you know what you have done?" Daddy asked angrily. My body is almost crumpling like paper each time his voice cannonade my ears. With eyes that were in deep tears and grudges, I met his gaze. "When did you ever learn to disobey us like that, Ibixa?" I wiped my tears and bit my lower lip.
• "Answer me!" he reprimanded.
• "If you would just let me live my life accordingly then I wouldn't have to sneak out. I just want to experience what it feels like to be normal!" I shouted back.
• "Ibixa," Mommy said in her calm voice. I brought myself back to the chair where I was seated as they showered my sermon.
• Daddy licked his lip after he drank the remaining brandy in his shot glass.
• "You already have a luxurious life even if you're caged inside of this mansion's four walls. Stopped asking for more. This world isn't that nice to give you everything you're asking for. We're not allowing you to go outside because we're trying to protect you."
• I rose to my feet. I turned to face them completely with enough amount of curiosity. Is this it? Will I be able to get the answers to my questions?
• "Protecting me from what? What are you so afraid of?" They looked at each other, and a long silence followed. I shook my head. Just when I was about to walk out, the glass door of our Father's office opened. Maxence, my older brother, stepped in with a brown envelope in his right hand.
• "Fix your things. You will leave this country after an hour," he said and walked past me. I sauntered back silently so I could hear whatever it was that they were talking about.
• He gave Daddy the envelope. I saw him take a passport and a plane ticket from it. Who’s leaving?
• "I already asked my secretary to create a new identity for Ibixa. Our men will pick her up at the airport. Ender won't be able to find and get her if we will send her away immediately."
• "What did you say, Max?" I asked. The three of them look in my direction.
• Maxence sighed.
• What the hell is going on? I know that I broke the rules by leaving the mansion, but why do I need a new identity? Why would they send me away? Everything is so sudden and I am confused. And that man, why is he involved with this talk?
• "We're trying to save your ass, Ibixa. Of all the people you could meet outside. Why the hell does it need to be him?" he said bitterly. Is he talking about Ender? I don't know. It's not as if I purposely tried to meet him tonight.
• Whatever it is that happened tonight is an accident and a coincidence.
• "If you don't want to answer my other question then tell me. The stranger earlier, who is he?"
• My mother shook her head. "You're promised to Endeavor Mendeleev. He's the reason why you are kept hidden from the world."
• I was? I lost my chance for a normal life because of this. So, this is the long overdue debt that he's talking about?
• "Darling, come on. Let's pack your things—,"
• "No. I won't leave." I shake my head. For the first time, I badly want to decide for myself. I wanna be heard. I want my opinion to be considered. Daddy left his swivel chair and closed the gap between us.
• He grabbed my shoulder. "This is not the right time to do a rebellious act, Ibixa. This is the best option that we have." I shoved his hands from my shoulder. They may have sheltered me from the outside world, but that doesn't mean I never mature. I am mature enough to know what is right and wrong for myself.
• "But I have another option. I can't live like this anymore. If I am promised to that stranger, Endeavor Mendeleev, then so be it. If marrying him means finally having a life worth living then I will marry him!" I said with finality. I wanna stand with this choice. This is the rabbit hole to the world that I wanna be part of.
• Maxence laughed sarcastically. Daddy gave him a warning look, but he didn't stop. Instead, he raised his hand in mid-air and tsked.
• "You think Ender is some sort of a prince charming that will save you from this pandemonium?"
• I stare at him blankly. Why is everything confusing? Sure, my brother is giving me information about what's going on and who is who, but at the same time he's pushing me to the blackhole of confusion.
• Another word from him and my mind will give up.
• "Are we insane? Do you think our parents would have gone this far as hiding you from him if he's just a plain business tycoon? Ender is the villain here, worse than the villain in the fairy tale books that you used to read. He got a good name, but he has a bad reputation, Ibixa." Kuya pointed to my shoulder and pushed it slightly.
• I narrowed my eyes on him like a puppy who wanted to look brave in the eye of the enemy.
• "Ouch." My eyes landed on the familiar man leaning against the office sliding door. He's here, the man they are talking about. His green eyes darkened as he composed himself and glided to me.
• My breathing became heavy as I felt him snake his arms around my waist and pull me near him.
• "Ender—"
• "You introduced me to your little sister, Max. I'm hurt. I do bad things but stop making it look as if I am someone like Lucifer." Ender made a face. Daddy tried to take me from him but he was fast to pull a gun from the side of his waist and pointed it to him.
• "Nu-uh. You, scammers, are not gonna take this damsel from me." With his eyes watching my family carefully, he leans his lips on my left ear.
• "The great fairy godmother ran out of Prince Charming, and all that is left is me, Princess."