and we promised

Chapter 3

OLIVIA

"I believe you have been told about the manners you'll have to have on tonight", Stefan tells me. He's driving us to the party in his Aston Martin, the SUV of my bodyguards and the one of his bodyguard following us. We look like one scene from those action movies. Given our outfits even more. I am in a long black dress from Chanel, a tiara made of diamonds, a diamond necklace around my neck and some black heels. Stefan next to me is in a black tux with a white shirt underneath, black sunglasses on. To everybody looking, this might seem a scene from a Wattpad mafia romance. To me, it's pure hell. And I would lie if I would say I don't have my bodyguards' numbers on speed dial right now.

"I believe you do too", I reply to him offended. As if I am the one who is supposed to watch their manners.

"We need to portray a peaceful image", he continues. He looks at me as if everything that happened between us was my fault.

"Oh, I'm sorry. For a moment I thought peace is a word outside your vocabulary."

"Watch your mouth, cousin", he cuts me short, his voice like bullets.

"Or what?", I don't back down. He's not the boss of me. Nor is he my king.

"Don't underestimate me", he answers.

I have to swallow hard at that. I know damn well that he is capable of anything to get me out of the picture.

I check with my eyes if my black silk gloves are still on my hands. They have been this entire time. Ever since I hung up on the video call with Aria, and until now. My bestie is in New York and tries to call and text me as often as she can. Aria is both my bestie and my cousin. Well, not really a cousin, but my Mom is besties with her Mom, so we basically grew up together like cousins. Saying that I miss her would be an understatement. I miss her so much I'm counting down the days til I'm back.

Aria has been asking me lately if I would want her to come visit me in Cordelia, but I always refuse. I know what happened the last time I left Cordelia. I don't want her to go through something similar. For I know that the moment she'll step inside the palace, she'll be in danger. And no matter how much I would love to have her here, her safety takes precedence.

I keep telling myself that the moment I'm crowned queen, I'll be able to bring all my friends inside the palace. As ruler, one has a say about who is allowed to live at the official royal residence. From my family, I am the only one who is allowed to live here. My Mom and Dad have been banned to step inside the castle by my uncle. I don't even get it. He was the one who screwed up years ago. He was the one who decided I should be crowned the next queen and not Stefan. My Mom didn't really have a say. If he was the one who decided all of that, why ban them.

I have thought about that for a long time, yet the only answer I come to is my Dad. My Dad and my uncle hate each other a lot. I believe that Karl hates Daddy more than he hates me. And that says a lot.

I make a note to myself to call my parents today. The last time I've talked to them was three days ago and I try to call them as often as possible. I miss them a lot.

A sudden break brings me back to reality. I am immediately pulled out of my thoughts and look around to see what just happened. Just Stefan parking his car in front of the villa the party takes in. Rolling my eyes, I step outside the car and wait for him to come take me by the arm. I make sure that his hands only touch the parts of my skin that are covered. Together, followed by our bodyguards, we step inside the villa.

To be honest, I am rather impressed by the way they decorated the place. The ceilings is covered by thousands small LEDs like the night sky. I have to smile at that. I have always loved the night sky. Ever since I was little. I remember the nights when one of my uncles would take me and my cousins outside in the terrace and tell us about the night sky. My parents found a friend group when they were in college. My Mom lived in a dorm room with four other girls. They ended up being best friends. As soon as they got a boyfriend, the guy joined the friend group. They are still best friends now. But it feels more like a family than just some friends. I call my Mom's besties my aunts. Their husbands my uncles. And their kids my cousins.