*****CHAPTER 11

After the meeting ended a few minutes later, I was escorted by my guards to my chamber, and when I was finally all alone, I sighed tiredly and set to change from my cloak into a simple garment. As I undressed, my eyes caught my frame in the mirror, and I paused for a moment and, for the millionth time, my eyes scanned my reflection in the mirror and scrutinized the scars that cut through my body mercilessly. My body tensed instantly as the memories of that night flooded my vision. I could hear the pained screams of my brother and my father reignite and fill my ears, begging and pleading for help. I could see the vision of our car damaged and in flames, with the bodies of my brother and my father trapped in the fire, never to be seen again. My eyes watered as those memories came flooding in, and even when I tried to break off the trance that tortured me, my head was stuck and wouldn't let me go.
 
A knock came upon my door, and immediately I was broken out of the trance, and I gasped for breath as I tried to revive myself again. The knock came on the door a second time.
 
"My Lord."  It was Oliver's voice. "The package you ordered from the jeweler has arrived.
 
I straightened my posture again and slipped on the confident and cold facade I had learned to wear so that others would not be able to see past the fake exterior I had always used to hide the weak, vulnerable part of myself.
 
"Come on in, Oliver." I deepened my voice and commanded. The door was gently pushed open upon my order, and Oliver walked into the room. He gave me a small bow before walking further into the room, and when he was finally standing directly in front of me, my eyes landed on the small jewelry box in his head. I already knew what it was without opening it.
 
"My Lord."  Oliver outstretched his hand and waited patiently for me to accept the package from his hand. With a small sigh, I retrieved the package from him and set it on the table beside my bed. I brought my weight to sit on the edge of the bed, close to the table where I had dropped the jewelry box.
 
"Thank you, Oliver. "You may leave." I ordered, and he curtsied again before leaving the room and shutting the door behind him. After he had left, my eyes met the jewelry box again, and this time, a small smile broke on my face. I reached for the box, and my fingers caressed the beautiful velvet body delicately before I proceeded to open the box. Inside was the most beautiful pastel-colored beaded bracelet I had not seen in a very long time. It was funny that I had handcrafted it myself at the jeweler's place just a few days ago. As I felt the beautiful pearl beads of the colorful bracelet, the writings of Mae's last letter flooded my mind.
 
 
I have never been gifted anything before. I don't know why. But it doesn't bother me. You must believe me. You know, I am not the nicest person. I do not think I am one of those girls who deserves gifts and flowers, chocolates and ice cream, ball dances, and castles.
 
As much as she tried to make it sound so casual and wave it off as unimportant, I couldn't get it off my mind. I badly wanted to be the first person to give her a gift. I hoped she would like it.
 
I would buy her a hundred castles if that could make her happy.

..................

MAE'S POV

It was the most beautiful bracelet I had ever seen, and when I wore it around my wrist, it fit so perfectly, as if it had been perfectly made to suit me. I smiled and giggled as I admired the bracelet around my wrist. I never thought he would try to get me a gift after reading the last letter I had written to him. At the same time, it was funny how easily I had become acquainted with this stranger in a short span of just a few weeks. It was as though we had known each other for a pretty long time already. There wasn't much I knew about him except that he felt his house was like a cage for him and that discovering the bridge was the best thing life had ever done for him. He had also mentioned how his life changed and how darkness became a part of him ever since he lost someone precious to him.
 
A part of me told me it was his lover, and even though I was tempted to ask if it was his lover or not, I did not question him. We had respected each other's privacy and learned not to cross our boundaries. He never disclosed his identity to me, nor did he ever mention his name in any of the letters. Sometimes, I felt I might have given away too much information about myself when he barely gave me any information about himself. Still, I loved the fact that he never pushed to know more about me. It was refreshing to find someone who understood me that way.
 
I picked up the letter that lay beside me on the bed. With a smile on my face, I picked it up and read it for the hundredth time since last night.
 
Dear Mae,
 
Did you get my gift? I handcrafted it myself. I hope the beautiful colors of the gift will earn you a beautiful day ahead.
 
I have been doing well. It is suffocating at home.
 
The other day, you asked what I would do if we eventually got to meet for the first time.
 
Can I kiss you when I meet you? I would like to kiss you, Mae.
 
Love,
 
The stranger from the bridge.
 
 
My stomach fluttered, and I pressed my lips together in a smile again as I folded the letter and clutched it to my heart. Every time I read the letter, the idea that he was looking forward to kissing me excites me. For the first time, I felt as if there was someone who desired me as a woman. Not like everyone else, who thought me masculine and fit for the army. Even though I had never met him before, I was already beginning to develop a crush on him, and his letter had convinced me that he equally liked me the same way I liked him.
 
Again, I lifted my hand and admired the bracelet. He had mentioned in his letter that he had handcrafted the bracelet himself. He has to be a professional jeweler to pull this off. Sometimes, I worry about him and wonder what sort of family he came from. I hoped he did not have a family like mine. I hoped he had things going well and wouldn't have to strive and grind like me to put food on the table.
 
I reopened the letter again, and as I tried to read the content again, a hand suddenly came from behind me and snatched the piece of paper from my grip. I jerked upright from my bed in shock and turned my head to see Snow reading through the content of the letter, her eyes gleaming wide open with a sarcastic laugh on her face.
 
"What are you doing?" I rushed to retrieve the letter from her hand, but she snatched her hand away again and took a few steps back, her eyes still glued to the piece of paper and an evil smile still implanted on her lips.
 
"The gods!  "Don't tell me you have a crush!" She laughed, and I rushed to collect the letter from her again. This time, I succeeded, and I folded it and hid it behind my back, lest she try to steal it from me again.
 
Fuck. Not this bitch. If Snow read the content of the letter, I would be done for the rest of my life.

She would haunt me even in my death bed.