Read with BonusRead with Bonus

Chapter3:

My mother decided to leave Claybourne and settle down in Clayland. I protested against it but my mother was so stubborn about her plan to relocate to the countryside. So, I had no choice.

As soon as we reached Clayland, there was a huge change in my life. My mother always told me that it was a wise decision to relocate to the province, but I was not convinced at all. I grew up in the modern life of Claybourne City and it was difficult to adjust to the new life in Clayland. I was a city girl, and I loved the nightlife in the city. Honestly, I never expected that for three years, I would be able to survive in the countryside.

After our business went bankrupt, we all moved to Clayland. Daddy was devastated, and so was my mom. Then, my older brother decided to try his luck outside the country. Since then, several things have changed in my life. I would admit that it was hard at the beginning, and it got harder as time passed by.

A city girl like me use to spend the day in the mall in the morning and at the bar at night. I loved buying things and wasting money. I was born with a silver spoon, and I didn't know the other side of the world, or should I say I didn't care about it before.

I never thought that we would reach a point of hardship. It was because of a major issue involving our family business, and then there was a scam that involved my family. I remember how deeply we sank because of it. My family was buried in debt and shame. We were forced to move here to Clayland. It was an unknown place for me.

Clayland was boring with its rice and corn fields. There were noisy pastures with cows and animals, uneducated people, poverty, and simplicity—all things that I was not used to.

I was so angry at the world to the point that I gave up on being happy. I was even labeled as the Grumpy Queen back then. And if there's a Queen, there should also be a King, that's when I remembered him. I could still remember him snorting, and I believed that he was the most standoffish and grumpy person I have ever met.

Alice and I were hanging out at the back of the house. We could see the vast field in front of us. The sun was scorching, so despite the wind, the breeze on our skin was still hot.

"Hey, you're lost in your thoughts again. What's up? Are you thinking about that man again?" Alice teased me in a mocking tone.

"Who told you that?" I retorted grumpily but the truth was, I'm hurt. All of this was because of Logan.

"Oh, come on! You're so bitter! Stop it, Krystal." She laughed, teasing me. “It's like we're not even friends if you won’t tell me what’s bothering you!”

"You know what, I'll just leave if you won’t stop teasing me, okay? Let me tell you, Alice, if we're not meant for each other, that's fine. We are not meant for each other. Life is not always full of sunshine," I told her. And here I am being hypocritical again.

It's hard to accept, but I don't have a choice. I couldn’t even tell Logan that I'd fallen for him. My feelings for Logan became so deep when I met him again in Clayland. It turned out that his family owned huge plantations in Clayland.

“Hmpp, I hate him!”

“If only his ex-girlfriend didn’t come back here, then, you will have a chance with him. What do you think?” she asked.

“I don’t think so,” I replied because the woman that Alice mentioned had everything against me. She was beautiful, smart, lovely, and kind. It would be hard to compete with someone better than me, and it’s hard to fight against old flames.

Because I've already packed my things and I'm leaving Clayland later with my brother, I thought of going on a solo trip. I left Alice for her to have her moment with my brother.

I decided to go to my favorite place in Clayland. I loved taking a dip in the forbidden place here. The waterfall belongs to Logan’s family. I took the bicycle that Logan gave me. It was a gift on my birthday. He also taught me how to ride a bike. All those good memories...

I parked the bike and proceeded to my destination. I passed by the vast cornfield, rice fields, and some pastures. The wind was starting to feel warm too. I remembered how I didn’t like this kind of life. But now? It's hard to leave, but I really have to.

Or maybe it's not just because of this place, but because of the person I created lovely memories with him. It's so hard to let go. But I have to, or I'll realize that I've already risked every single emotion I have.

After hiding my bike so it wouldn't get stolen, I walked toward the towering wall. There's a secret passage filled with grasses, and once I get through there, I'll see the dense forest. I have a trail to follow. After stepping on dried leaves, I could hear the sound of water falling from the towering falls.

I remembered that it was where I first met him again after the one-night stand where he had no recollections. I remembered how we fought like it was raining cats and dogs. I was so annoyed with him back then. For all his good looks, he was equally grumpy. In short, he was a jerk!

Who would've thought that I would fall in love with him despite how annoyed we were with each other?

I never imagined falling in love with the man who always gave me a headache. He's a douche, he could be so mean, and so annoying! But I really fell in love with him. Sadly, I have no place in his heart.

Gosh! I'm not used to this! I never thought I would become this pathetic!

“Krystal! What are you doing here?”

I was startled when I heard his voice, then I wiped my face before I looked up to him. “Why don’t you tell me why you’re here, Logan?” I asked grumpily.

For one whole week, I endured not seeing him because I wanted to forget about him but then my efforts were all wasted! I glared at Logan for sneaking into the waterfall. Oh wait, I was the one who sneaked into their property. When I glanced at him again, he cackled.

"Well, obviously, this is one of my properties. I basically own that fall,” he declared arrogantly.

I decided to stop swimming and took my things. I couldn’t spend another minute with him, or my heart would melt instantly.

Anyway, why did he come to the falls? Where's Rhaena? Did they get tired of each other's faces already? Ever since Rhaena returned to Clayland, they were always together!

I clenched my fist and took a deep breath. I'm so jealous that I'm being irrational in my thoughts and actions again.

"Wait? Why are you leaving this early?" he tried to stop me. "And why are you so grumpy?"

When I looked into his face again, I was reminded of how passionate he was that night. I would say that he was the most handsome man I have ever known in my entire life…well of course, after my brother.

Okay, I need to stop praising him in my mind! I should not forget that the jerk ignored me for a damn whole week! I shrugged before considering the appropriate words to say to him.

“You don’t have to go back home yet. Please go on swimming,” he told me.

"I want to but it's embarrassing to stay here when I don't own that fall. And if you're annoyed, it's not my problem anymore,” I snapped at him. Then, I was about to walk away when Logan grabbed my arms and pulled me back into the water.

"Gotcha!" he grinned.

"What's wrong with you, Logan?! Don't you have anything better to do?" I asked, obviously annoyed with what he did. Logan, you're so immature. I thought I was the childish one between us,” I said my complaints but then he just looked at me with a smile; the smile that I fell in love with…over and over again.

It hurts to think that he would never be mine. He never failed to give me a roller coaster ride of emotions. Sometimes I'm happy on top, but then he'll suddenly bring me down to the lowest point.

"I've missed you, Krystal. Where have you been these past few weeks?” he asked in an emotional tone.

Of course, I didn’t know if those words were true or just an illusion. An illusion that what I felt for him, he felt the same for me.

"Because I felt like you didn't need me anymore,” I admitted.

I wanted to say that to him... but I didn't want to ruin this moment between us. I tried to divert the topic to something else. Like the old times, we spent the day swimming, eating wild fruits, and having small chit-chat. I will not forget this moment that happened in my life.

"Let's come back here tomorrow, I have something to tell you," he said, and then I immediately expected he would tell me how much he loved me.

I couldn't respond immediately. At the moment, I couldn’t tell him that I would leave Clayland anytime soon; that he was the reason why I had to go to another place in order to heal the wounds he caused me.

So, I just nodded, even though it was just a fake reassurance. Even though I know it's too late. So I hugged him tightly. I didn't ask him to take me home.

"Until our paths cross again, Logan Lopez,” I told him before I walked away.

$CHAPTER

CHAPTER 4

While I was packing my things, I remembered all the things that happened on the day we arrived in Clayland. I was not the happiest when we had to move to the countryside but my mother was so adamant about it.

Several years ago, my life changed dramatically and everything was still vivid in my memory.

I stared blankly at my room. The pink wall, the expensive decorations, the spacious room that I'm used to having. I never imagined that in an instant, everything would be taken away from me.

My comfortable life was now gone and it's all gone!

I suddenly sat on the floor, silently lost in thought. Even the mansion that we owned has been sold to pay off all our debts.

I felt my nanny’s hug from behind. She's the person I spent the most time with. And now, amidst our bankruptcy, my Nanny has to leave.

"Nanny..." I couldn't help but rest my head on her chest. It's just too hard for me.

She comforted me by caressing my back. "It's okay, my child. Everything will be fine. This is just a test for your family. The higher power knows that you didn't have anything to do with that scam."

Our company was involved in a scam controversy. All our investors pulled out, and we were sabotaged. Unlike my brother, I didn’t know much about the business, but I knew that from this day forward, our lives would never be the same.

"Come on, my child, the car is waiting outside," Nanny said. “This is our last moment together. I am going to miss you, Krystal. Please take good care of yourself in Clayland. I will come and visit soon.”

"Thank you, Nanny," I said.

I stepped out of the vast mansion that used to be ours. I got into our van, and for the last time, I glanced at the place where I grew up. While inside the van, my brother was not present. He flew to another country for work. Dad would be staying in Claybourne while hoping that a powerful man like Jacob Summers would help him. So, it would just be me and my mother who was bound to Clayland.

Honestly, I have never heard of Clayland until my parents decided to sell the mansion and moved there. Until now, my heart felt heavy. There was also a tingle of annoyance! It was really frustrating the hell out of me!

"Stop making that kind of face, Krystal. Your Dad promised that we will survive this problem, okay? Let’s trust him, sweetheart. This is only a temporary setback for our family,” my mother said.

I looked at Mommy, and despite her age, she still looks like she was in her late 30s. I inherited most of my features from Mommy. From the porcelain skin, and my hazel-colored eyes, to our naturally pinkish lips. Actually, both of my parents had foreign blood in them. Then, I forced myself to smile at her.

“I guess, we don’t really have a choice,” I mumbled in a barely audible voice.

I'm usually a brat, so spoiled. I always buy and have whatever I want. My brother and Daddy raised me like a princess. But now, I don't want to act like a child. We're all struggling! I even heard them arguing and crying because they were scared about our future.

Of course, I wanted to rant about our situation. I'm not used to this kind of life! I hate not getting what I want, but we were left with no choice. Everything would change from this point. We've sold almost everything to repay the money we lost from our investors.

I didn't know that Clayland was so far away. It's been six hours since we started traveling from Claybourne, and yet we still didn’t reach our destination yet. From the window, I could see the huge transition in every scenery. From modern houses and buildings, it was replaced with vast fields, crops, and all the boring things that I only saw in my nightmares. I bet even a spa or a fast food chain couldn’t be seen in Clayland!

"I can see that frown again, Krystal. I'm telling you, you'll enjoy it here, my child. There are lots of interesting places you can visit," Mommy said.

I sighed. "Okay, Mom."

I looked at my cell phone. It was the latest model in the market, but since we became poor, I might not be able to keep up with the trends. I also remembered my friends, well, not all of them were real. I had no idea that there were fake in my circle of friends.

When they found out about our family's issue, they suddenly distanced themselves from me! They're so fake and opportunistic! I suddenly felt angry! I've become even more moody because of the stress. Except for Khloe and Amelia, I couldn’t consider them as my friends anymore!

An hour later, we finally got to our destination. It was an ancestral house in Clayland, and it was surrounded by fields. As the van stopped in front of the old house, I suddenly felt weak at the realization that everything was real, and not just a nightmare!

"Mom," I said to Mom like a child. It feels like I just set foot in this countryside and I already wanted to give up. “I don’t think I will be able to survive here,” I complained and Mom hugged me and gently patted my shoulder.

"I'm sorry, my child, this wasn't part of the plan, but we can't do anything about it,” she said in an apologetic voice.

From the gate, I looked at the house where we would be staying. It was kind of creepy but at least there were orchids and flowers planted in the garden next to the gate.

The exterior looked old, and yet it was magnificent. Grey bricks were used to construct it, and the grey embellishments matched perfectly with the entire design. Its overall aesthetic was enhanced by large rectangular windows that have been placed in a symmetrical pattern. The property has a modest kitchen and five bathrooms. It also featured a pleasant living room, five bedrooms, a modest dining area, a library, and a large storage room.

The roof was high and pyramid-shaped, and it was covered with red roofing materials. Large, skylight windows gave plenty of light to the rooms below the top, and the home itself was surrounded by a lovely garden, including a hanging grapevine, a pergola, and a fountain.

Flowers and shrubs surrounded a lovely grassy area. A pergola with an outdoor kitchen stood in the garden’s front left corner. The flower beds have no boundaries, and there wasn’t a single weed in sight. A short picket fence winded its way around the garden, giving visitors a view of the nicest areas. Grass, roots, and vines kept each other in check, but they were all hungry for additional space. The pergola was the garden’s primary focal point, and it was built mainly for that purpose. In short, the flower garden was commendable!

"Let's go, my child. It's getting dark, and I still have to cook our dinner, okay?"

I nodded in response.

The living room greeted us first. Wooden floors, clean, and there's an electric fan. It means there's no air conditioning unit in the ancestral house. From my point of view, I could say that my stay in Clayland would be horrible and I felt like crying as I imagined myself sleeping in a bedroom with no air conditioning unit.

The elderly couple who were the caretakers greeted us immediately.

"Good evening, my dear. I'm Martha, and this is my daughter, Alice. She will show you to your room," Martha said, and I politely smiled at them.

Martha’s daughter has tanned skin and she was so beautiful. However, I found her to be weird when she suddenly hugged me. We just met for goodness sake, so how could she hug me like we were close friends?

"Hi! Alice is my name! I used to be the reigning beauty here in Clayland!" she said to me, with that wide smile that creeps me out.

I awkwardly smiled and then she pulled me toward the second floor. She's so energetic, huh?

"Can you stop pulling me?" I said irritably to her. My hand hurts. I didn’t want to deal with this.

"Oh, sorry about that, oh yeah! Here's your room! Rest in peace so we can go out tomorrow," she said, like what the hell?

"What do you mean rest in peace?" I asked, almost hyperventilating. I groaned in frustration at the woman who dared to run her mouth like that! “Rest in peace? Am I dead?” I asked in frustration and she immediately covered her mouth as soon as she realized her mistake.

"Oh! I meant beauty rest!" Then she flashed a peace sign.

I sighed and finally shooed her away from my room. She didn't do anything. I just couldn’t deal with her right now. I'm filled with negativity, and I might end up snapping at her!

“I’m sorry if I have offended you, Krystal,” she said before leaving.

“Just leave me alone for now. I am tired,” I told her.

As soon as Alice was gone, I just lay on the bed. Although the bed covers seemed clean, I was suspicious. While lying on the bed, I wished that everything was just a dream or a nightmare, and I might wake up soon.

However, as I closed my eyes, I suddenly saw Logan’s face inside my head. What the fuck was wrong with me? How could I imagine that man when my family’s fortune was gone?

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter