Between 2 Hearts – Episode 20

      Two days later, the palace building was transformed into a breathtakingly beautiful venue, both inside and out. Every worker was busy putting the final touches on the event. Naomi and Mia were hard at work in the kitchen, washing plates and chopping vegetables.

Meanwhile, the royal family was getting ready for the big event. Later, in the cool evening, everything was set. Guests began arriving, dressed to the nines, and were welcomed by the king and his wife, accompanied by their children.

The maids and guards were stationed at their posts, surrounding the palace. Naomi, Mia, and a few other maids were assigned to take care of the guests’ needs, serving drinks and snacks.

Diva stood next to her mother, Queen Lala, eagerly waiting for Nathan to arrive. Her patience was wearing thin, and her mother seemed to sense it.

“Relax, he’ll be here soon,” Queen Lala whispered in her ear.

“Who are you talking about, Mom?” she asked, playing coy.

 “You know, or do you want me to spill it out to you?” she teased.

Diva’s cheeks flushed with a deep blush.

Just then, Queen Lala nodded discreetly. “Well, he’s here.”

Diva’s eyes darted to the entrance, and her face lit up with a radiant smile as she spotted Nathan and his family walking in. They were welcomed by the king, and Diva couldn’t contain herself anymore.

“Nathan!” she called out, rushing to his side.

 “Wow, you look gorgeous.”

 “Thank you, you look handsome too.”

 “You can say that again.”Nathan chuckled.

He turned to Alex and they shook hands.

  “Come on, Nat, let’s grab some drinks,” Diva said, taking Nathan’s hand and leading him away.

  Elora moved to Alex’s side and took his hand, smiling up at him. “Let’s go.”

They walked away, joining the other guests. The evening kicked off with lively chatter and laughter. Naomi, Mia, and the other maids assigned to serve the guests were on hand to offer them drinks and snacks.

Nathan and Diva stood together, holding drinks and chatting, while Alex and Elora did the same. However, Alex’s gaze kept drifting to Naomi, who seemed oblivious to his attention. Even Elora, who was chatting away, didn’t seem to notice.

Mia, on the other hand, was secretly stealing glances at Nathan, who was engrossed in conversation with Diva.

Soon after, the king addressed the guests, thanking them for coming to celebrate with the royal family. The cake was cut, and photos were taken. The celebration continued, with the cake being shared among the guests.

Nathan excused himself to get a drink, while Diva slipped away to join Elora and Alex, who had moved to a quiet corner.

“It seems you’re into Nathan,” Elora said, a sly smile spreading across her face.

 “You’ve always liked him since we were in high school.”

 “What’s stopping you from telling him?”

 “I don’t know.” She shrugged.

“I’m sure he likes you too.”

The two friends shared a warm smile, sipping their drinks in comfortable silence.

Meanwhile, Mia was alone in the kitchen, washing used glasses. Nathan walked in, holding his empty glass.

“Hey,” he said, his eyes meeting Mia’s.

Mia turned to him quickly, her heart skipping a beat as she realized who it was. She swiftly turned her back, her face burning with embarrassment.

“He’s the one,” she whispered to herself, her heart racing with excitement.

 “Um, hey, is everything okay?” Nathan asked, noticing Mia’s sudden nervousness.

 “Um, I’m sorry about that. What can I help you with?” Her voice trembled slightly, betraying her anxiety.

 “Um, I need another drink. Can you refill my glass?” He asked politely.

 “Okay, sure. Just a sec.” She smile sheepishly.

She took Nathan’s glass and began to fill it up, her hands shaking slightly.

 “You didn’t tell me your name the other day. What’s your name?”

Mia’s composure faltered, and she accidentally spilled the drink on the cabinet.

 “Easy.” He said calmly.

Mia quickly started cleaning up the spill, her face burning with embarrassment.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered.

 “It’s okay.” He paused, his eyes still locked onto hers. “You want to tell me your name?”

 “Um, my name… my name is…” Her voice trembled.

Just as she was about to reveal her name, Diva appeared, her eyes shining with excitement.

“There you are, I was waiting for you,” Diva said, taking Nathan’s hand. “Let’s dance.”

Diva dragged Nathan away, leaving Mia staring after them, a mixture of disappointment and longing on her face.

Naomi appeared beside her, an empty tray of glasses in her hand.

“I saw you two earlier,” Naomi said, grinning mischievously. “What did you talk about?”

 “Nothing, he just asked me to refill his drink.”

“Really? But there are other people who can refill his drink. Why come to you? I think he likes you two.”

 “I wish. Although he asked me my name, I was about to tell him when the princess came and took him away.”

“Well, maybe some other time, you’ll tell him.” They  warm smile.

Nearby, King Luke and Elora’s father stood chatting in the corner.

 “I think it’s time to make the announcement,” Elora’s father said.

 “You’re right, it’s going to be a surprise for them.”King Luke nodded in agreement.

The two men clinked their glasses together, a conspiratorial glint in their eyes. King Luke turned to his guard and gave a discreet instruction. The guard bowed and left to deliver the message.

Soon, everyone’s glasses were filled with drink, and the king and Elora’s father stepped forward. The crowd turned to face them, Naomi and Mia watching from their spot near the kitchen.

“Alright, everyone, let me have your attention,” King Luke announced, his voice booming across the room.

The crowd fell silent, their eyes fixed on the king.

“We have something special to say,” King Luke continued, a sly smile spreading across his face. “I hope everyone’s glasses are filled up.”

He glanced around the room, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

“Good. First of all, I thank you all for coming. This is not just our anniversary, but it’s also an engagement party for my son, your crown prince, and his beautiful fiancée.”

The crowd erupted into a mixture of surprise and applause, Alex’s face frozen in shock. Elora, on the other hand, looked surprised but also delighted, Diva rushing to hug her in excitement.

Nathan caught Alex’s eye, a  sad look on his face. Naomi and Mia exchanged a calm glance, their face serene.

“Let’s welcome them on stage,” Elora’s father announced, the crowd cheering and clapping as Elora wrapped her arm around Alex and they walked forward.

Queen Lala and Elora’s mother joined them, beaming with pride, as the crowd continued to cheer and applaud.

   After a few minutes, Naomi slipped outside to take in some fresh air, the party still in full swing inside. She gazed up at the sky, noticing the dark clouds gathering.

“Why are you out here?” Alex’s voice interrupted her reverie, and Naomi froze, turning to him slowly.

 “Um, nothing. I was just about to go back inside.”Her voice trembled slightly.

She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her.

“Wait.”

 “Is there something you want me to do for you?” she asked, trying to sound calm.

Alex drew closer, his presence making Naomi’s nerves flutter. She gulped hard, feeling the air thicken between them.

Just then, Diva emerged from the palace, her eyes widening in surprise as she took in the scene before her. Her expression quickly turned sour, and she spun on her heel, disappearing back inside.

 “Are you still scared of me?” he asked, his voice low and husky.

Naomi pulled back, her head bowing. “No, Your Highness, I am not scared of you.”

 “Then why are you running away from me?” His gaze pierced hers.

 “I…I am not.”

 “But…”

Just then, Nathan appeared, his voice hesitant.

 “Alex, there…” He paused, his eyes flicking to Naomi. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t…”

Naomi took advantage of the distraction to make her escape. “Please excuse me.”

She rushed back inside, leaving Alex and Nathan staring after her.

TBC