Warning: the latter half of the chapter has a serious tone. Try not to be insensitive.

Chapter 36: Shit Just Got Real

Our plan was simpler than the nine plus ten equation.

Nico and I were going to ask the servants about who the woman was.

Technically, Nico said he was going to use his "prince charms" to figure out the information. We snuck in the back, avoiding anyone who wanted to ignite a conversation with Nico, and headed straight to one of the waiters.

"Hey, do you work for the Milesblues'?" I asked the young guy.

"They're all working for the Milesblues', Einstein," Nico stated. Before I could argue with him, he continued, "Are you from a catering service or a regular employee of theirs?"

"Catering," the guy replied. "Anything I can help you with, Mr. Prince? I hope there aren't any problems." He was more worried about his job than anything.

And what was with the Mr. Prince?

"No, everything is fantastic," Nico smiled assuring. "Say, you wouldn't happen to know where we can find the full time workers of the people who own the house? Like a maid--"

"Sorry sir, I don't know," the waiter apologized.

"It's fine. Carry on." Nico nodded.

The guy left and I turned to my partner in crime. "What happened to your prince charms?"

"I'm still trying to figure out how to use them on men," he said seriously. "Let's find a female employee. They're much easier to get information out of."

I stared at him in condemnation. "That's very derogatory."

"Oh please, you act like girls don't do that," he said. "Last year, I was touring Paris and ended up separating from my grandmother and bodyguards. Near the Eiffel tower, a girl--mind you, she was gorgeous--appeared out of nowhere and flirted with me. Not even five minutes later, she kissed me--"

"Good for you," I said uninterested.

"Not really. Because she right after the kiss, she bolted with my wallet," he said in disdain. "Bloody pick pockets. That was the most expensive kiss in my life."

I laughed at his miserable expression.

Pushing aside his anecdote, we resumed searching for the permanent staff, ending up in the kitchen. Everyone was busy preparing and serving dishes to the guests. Fortunately, we found an elderly maid who was a full time employee.

"Go ahead, flirt with her," I nudged Nico.

He gave me a dirty look. Nonetheless, he greeted the woman and asked if she could spare a minute or two. She didn't comply at first, but when the other people began whispering about Nico being a prince, she stepped out of the kitchen with us.

I needed to look more into this Cadbury prince thing.

"What do you kids need?" the woman asked in a grumpy voice.

"Your cooperation will do for now," I muttered.

"I'm very new to this town," Nico said calmly. "And my knowledge of the powerful families here is very limited. Especially the Milesblues. My grandmother wants to merge one of our companies with theirs. I was hoping if you could tell me something very simple. Are Mr. & Mrs. Milesblue trustworthy and reliable?"

I tugged at his sleeve. That wasn't what we needed to know.

The woman chuckled humorlessly. "Why don't you ask that question to their business partners?"

She had a point.

Nico sighed. "Only the people who live in the same house as them know the true characters of their bosses. Not friendly or hostile business partners." His muscles loosened. "I would know. After my parents' death, the helpers around the house became my confidantes. I trust them more than my own life."

Point for Nico.

I was hearing and seeing a different side of Nico. Normally, he didn't talk about himself and his life whatsoever.

Maybe I never gave him a chance to.

Damn, I'm so selfish.

The woman smiled tiredly. "You can trust Mr. Milesblue. Just be careful with his wife. She's a very conniving woman." Nico and I mirrored confused expression. Naturally, we were aware of how massive of a witch Nolan's mom was. It was interesting to find someone sharing our opinions.

"Agreed. She doesn't even make any effort to help her own son's situation," I mumbled in annoyance.

"Don't you know? Nolan's not her son," the woman said. I blinked at her with wide eyes. Was she serious? "Mr. Mileblue married her a few months after he divorced Rachel. His first wife."

So, that woman in the photo wasn't Wonderwoman rather Nolan's real mother.

"When did they get divorced?" I asked.

"It hasn't been long," she said, shaking her head. "In fact--"

"Eloise, we need you in the kitchen! One of the waiters broke a champagne bottle," some girl said in a rush. The woman, Eloise, excused herself and followed the maid.

Nico and I stood quietly, processing the breaking news.

The neglectful Mrs. Milesblue we encountered was Nolan's stepmom. I never liked her, in the first place. All we had to do now was find Rachel and tell her to help her son.

"Well, I guess Nolan's disturbed due to the divorce . . . ?" Nico said hesitantly.

"Possibly. The breakups plus the divorce . . . Where can his mother be? He never told me anything about his parents," I said.

"Does he ever tell you anything, anyways?"

"Not since I hurt him."

"Why are you so persistent on helping someone who doesn't even care about you?" he asked almost frustrated.

"Since I started school, I have never had a friend. Much less than a boyfriend," I told him. "People always saw me as a self-centered nerd or a snob. I know everything Nolan and I suffered through should make me hate him. But Nico, in the mess, I fell for him. He's a psycho and a maniac sometimes, but he hasn't always been like that. I want to help him. I want my first . . . everything to be with me on the long run. If not as a boyfriend, at least as a friend." I took a deep breath and added, "You're also helping someone who doesn't like you the way you like her. What's your excuse?"

He grinned, not bothering to give me an answer.

I didn't know how to take that response.

My friend and I joined the guests again. My eyes wandered around the room, searching for the beautiful green ones that I hadn't seen since that trip to the Amish village. Nico was popular among the guests, so he ditched me soon enough.

Mom and dad told me to socialize and make new friends.

As soon as my eyes landed on Nolan, I took their advice. Approaching the guy dressed in a black suit and wearing a green tie that matched his beautiful eye color, I smiled. In a secluded area, he stood holding a glass of . . . alcohol and a foolish smile.

"Hey," I said a little uneasily.

"Hel-en," he said, his eyes roaming over my outfit, making me feel self conscious. At least, he called me by the broken name he had for me. "You're wearing a dress?"

"Miracles happen," I said.

"I wish," he said with an exaggerated sigh. "Why did you come here? It's going to be a disaster."

"What do you mean?" I scowled.

He leaned forward, his eyes twinkling. "I'm finishing everything, today." What could he mean by that? "Before that, I want you to know that I forgive you. No matter how hard I try, I cannot make myself hate you." His eyes burned with honesty and affection.

He leaned forward, his strong hand tangling in my hair, sending all sorts of imbalances in my body, right before our lips came into contact. I shut my eyes tasting of whatever drink he had been drinking. I didn't mind. Honestly, I wasn't even expecting him to talk to me, let alone embracing me into a liplock. My hands moved on their own to his soft brown hair and I felt myself leaning closer and closer into him as his kisses became more frantic. Deepening the kiss, his tongue traced against my lips. It wasn't like the kisses we shared before. There was more urgency, more intensity, more passion in this one.

In the brushing of bodies, I felt something hard rub against the side of my stomach.

The heated moment didn't last too long because he dropped the glass he was holding.

Not by accident either.

The glass didn't hit the floor, but the wall with those family photos. One of the frames had fallen on the floor from the impact.

The way he retreated, I could see it in his eyes that he purposely utilized the glass to . . . cause a disturbance. He and I were separated but many pairs of eyes were staring our way. Searching for a reasonable explanation behind the broken glass.

"Everything alright?" Mr. Milesblue called out.

"Has it ever been?" Nolan retorted. Swallowing hard, I stood there, my eyes examining the damage. The photo with Nolan's real mom laid with shattered glass. One of the servants ran to clean it up, but Nolan stopped him. He bent down and picked up the photo himself.

"Sweetie, why don't we step outside for a moment?" Mrs. Milesblue suggested, stepping into the scene. "Everyone, please continue what you were doing."

Well, I couldn't.

I doubt she wanted me to continue kissing Nolan.

Not that I mind.

Mrs. Milesblue touched her stepson's shoulder and he immediately moved away. "Get lost!" Nolan snapped loudly. "I hate you, you witch!" There were a few gasps. Mr. Milesblue's face was turning . . . blue, at his son's expense.

"Young man, that's no way to talk to your mother!" Mr. Milesblue said sharply.

"She's not my mother!" Nolan shouted. His frustration was coming out. "You left my mother for this woman who doesn't care about anything but money. Money she can get out of our family--"

"That's enough," Mr. Milesblue cut him off. Nolan was creating the headlines for tomorrow's paper.

"No, it's not," the Milesblue heir argued. "I'm sick and tired of shutting up for the sake of your goddamn reputation. No more! You see this?" He pointed to the frame. "It's time people see that this family is not picture perfect." His tone was dripping with venom. He was just pretending to be drunk, when in reality, he was more sober than all the adults in the room. "Every single person in this room is a two-faced phony. Sucking up to each other to get money one way or another. I hate all of you."

"Feel free to leave," Mrs. Milesblue said through clenched teeth.

"Isn't that what you said to my mother?" Nolan asked his dad. "She didn't like all these high society freaks. These fraud charity events where ninety percent of the money ends up in th organizer's bank account. You chose this ugly woman over my mother. You asked her to leave with nothing. You ruined her life. And mine!" His teary eyes were full of raw resentment against his father. I could see the man's fists closing by his sides.

Mr. Milesblue stared at his son with a grave face.

Everything had turned upside down within a matter of seconds.

"Just like your mother, the doors are open for you to leave," Mrs. Milesblue pointed out, her tone livid. "No one asked you to put up with this."

Nolan let out a dry laugh.

"You know what, you're right," he said. His words had a very eerie effect across the room. Maybe it was the malicious tone or the manic smile that crossed Nolan's lips. He moved aside his coat only to reveal something that sent panic throughout the room. Since I was standing to the side, I couldn't see what exactly he was showing.

Unluckily, I wasn't in suspense for long.

Nolan had raised a black revolver to his own temple!

Holy mother of gods.

Shit just got real.

"Let me end everyone's misery once and for all, huh?" he said.

His thumb brushed the trigger.

¤》¤《¤

Two chapters left.

Whatya think of the chapter?

What will happen to Nolan and his gun?

Someone's frustration is coming out.

All those who guessed the mother-stepmother thing in the previous chapter were right. The next update is tomorrow.

Please vote, comment and share to help the story win the wattys <3