Cold As Ice
Disappointed, he throws himself to the sofa lying on his stomach. "Coming here and not even a shadow of him is in here," Kael mumbled.
When his body relaxed, he felt his eyelids grow heavy in each passing seconds. It won't hurt if he sleeps now, does it? Besides, the person he came for was not here at the moment, he must be outside for something and will be back later so it should be okay to sleep while waiting.
The sound of a phone ringing shattered the silence, jolting him awake. "Alec! Phone!" He dreamed that he was hanging out with Alec.
Kael immediately lifted his head that was burried to the sofa in realization. Alec is not here but in Germany and he's in New York. When he was in Germany, he often slept in Alec's house and it became his habit to let Alec answer his phone calls when he's sleeping.
Kael left out a grunt as he lazily rose up to search for the phone that's been ringing nonstop. It would stop from time to time but will start to ring again.
Kael searched and searched, almost overturning the whole suite because of a goddamn phone. After a long noisy and frustrating search, he found the phone under the sofa. Ha! Kael was astonished that searching for a phone could drain the energy out of him.
The phone was silent when he picked it up. When he turned it on, a photo of a fluffy white cat was on display and 27 missed calls and 156 messages. This seems to be his twin's but why would it leave it here?
The phone rang once more. The registered caller was Ms. Jang. Kael contemplated whether he would answer or not since it's not his phone anyway. But at the end, he slides the screen to answer the call.
Kael speaks. "Hello?"
"You finally answered! My god! Goodness gracious! You... I have been calling you so many times already! Where are you? Do you know how worried I am going to your hospital room and finding no one? My heart almost exploded! Exploded, Kai, exploded! Gosh! I might pass away earlier than expected!"
Kael can only wince by the loud voice coming from the other line. Is she some sort of Kaisen's aunt? Or guardian?'
"If you're feeling fine now, come home to your suite. I am helping you pack your things. I'm already at the hotel, I'll wait outside your suite. Come fast!" Then the call ended.
"Was he in a hospital when he contacted me?" And he wasn't even given a chance to tell him that he is not Kaisen but his twin. Kael mumbled as he stared at the black screen of the phone.
After a while, a message popped. 'I am outside your suite. Know that I am not leaving without not seeing you here.'
Kael released a sigh and went to the door. He opened up the door and a woman in her 40's was standing with her eyes on his phone. The woman immediately raises his gaze when Kael opens the door.
"Do you know the word message? Huh! You should have sent me a message on whether you're still alive. It won't hurt to send one or two!" The woman lectured as she barged herself in, a small suitcase in one hand. "Oh, you packed already? Thought it would take you a lot more convincing to pack. Is that all? Then we should go now."
"Go where?" is the only thing Kael was able to ask.
"What where? Of course, to your husband's house. Today is the day you move in with him."
"There seems to be some sort of a mistake—."
"What mistake? It's been decided in the agreement that you signed." She interrupted and sighed. "This is what you get for not confiding with me first. Ha, what am I gonna do with you?"
Then suddenly, the woman envelopes Kael in a tight embrace. "I truly understand how you feel about all this, my dear. And I know, your father? He will be so proud of what you've become." Her voice is now gentle soothing my back a couple of times.
He's not Kaisen though, however Kael can't say that. Being hugged like this reminds him of the warmth of his mother.
The woman loosened first and held both of his arms, her eyes locked with his. "Now, let's stay strong and hold on. You can still visit here when things have calmed down."
Before Kael could utter another word, Ms. Jang already dragged his baggage out of the suite.
Kaisen's phone beeped, displaying a notification from an unregistered number. With full access to the phone, Kael opened the message received.
From Unregistered
I'm sorry for deceiving you. I really am your twin but I can't meet you just yet. I hope I get to see you too but things aren't going well for me. Please do me a small favor by taking care of our father's company. You can trust Ms. Jang, she's like a parent to me. I'll make it up to you in the future.
Kaisen
Kael typed a message back, but the number had blocked Kaisen's number, and the message couldn't be sent. Kael huffed in frustration.
During the ride, Ms. Jang talked occasionally, but Kael remained silent, his mind consumed by deep thoughts. There must be a deep reason why Kaisen had deceived him – twin intuition? Must be. And his twin had signed a marriage contract of inconvenience with a typical reason that he read in books. Was he forced?
The car came to a halt in front of a huge mansion. Kael didn't even realize that they were already inside a huge villa and only able to collect his thoughts when Ms. Jang called his attention.
Her expressions are soft unlike earlier when she arrived at the hotel. "Call me when you need anything. And if I call, answer it if you're not busy. Take care of yourself and eat your meals three times a day. If you need to see me, I'm just at the company," she said.
Kael just nodded and took his baggage out of the car.
"Take this," Ms. Jang added while handing over the small suitcase that she had earlier. Kael just took it without question. When Ms. Jang had driven away, Kael dragged his suitcase on the left and carried the smaller one on his right hand inside the huge open door of the house's entrance.
"Mr. Ashworth, I am Laian. I will be assisting you during your stay."
A young woman in the maid's uniform approached him. She was at least younger or a bit older than him since she looked young.
"Just call me Ka—," Kael halted for a moment before finishing with, "Kaisen." Kael doesn't know what he's thinking about introducing himself in his twin's name.
The maid bowed slightly. "Mr. Kaisen, I will show you to your room. May I assist you with your baggage?"
Kael wanted to correct her to call him only by his name but thought it might make her uncomfortable and decided to let it slide. He handed some of his baggage to her and followed behind her.
When they arrived, the maid told him to take a rest and only call her using the intercom to the maid's quarters if he needed anything. The room was extravagant, with a large bed, a walk-in closet, a spacious bathroom, a study area, and a mini living room, it was all different back home. The size of the room was almost the same size as the size of his mother's house in Germany.
Kael dragged his suitcase towards the bed and flopped himself on it, thinking about what he would do next.
Kaisen's phone rang for the nth time of the day. Kael answered without looking, thinking it was Ms. Jang, she must've forgotten something. But after a few seconds, the caller was silent. With brows furrowed, Kael checked the caller's ID only to find out that it was an unregistered number.
In a hurry, Kael sits up. "Hello," he said hopefully, thinking it might be Kaisen.
The phone beeped and the call ended. When Kael tried to contact the number, the same as before it couldn't be reached. Kael slumped himself back feeling frustrated.
The phone beeped indicating a message. Using another different unregistered number, Kaisen sent a message.
Unregistered number
I'm sorry for not saying anything. I know I don't have the courage to talk to you even on the phone. I just wanted to hear your voice. Please be well.
Kaisen
Then another message came in.
Unregistered number
Stay away from Zenon. File a divorce and fuck off!
Kael was shocked by the second message. Comparing the two messages, the last one was not from Kaisen based on how the message was composed. In all the messages Kaisen sent, he always included his name at the last part of the message. He checked Kaisen's inbox. There are a lot of unregistered numbers and most of them are saying bad things, some are threats, and some are pure hateful comments.
He should've changed his number. He has been receiving these kinds of messages for quite some time now.
Kael was in deep thoughts when three moderately loud knocks came from the door, followed by a soft voice of the maid, Laian.
"Mr. Kaisen, your dinner is ready. Would you like to eat in the dining area? Or do you prefer to eat it in your room?" the maid softly said.
"Thank you. I will eat it in the dining area." Kael responded.
Laian guided Kael to the dining area. The whole mansion was quiet. It's as if there is only him and Laian in the house. The dining area was equally silent, with Laian only talking when asked and him in deep thoughts.
Kael was in deep thoughts that he stopped eating and just poked the food with the fork. Should he go back to Berlin? The reason he came here isn't here. About their father's company? There's Ms. Jang, she seems like a trustworthy person. Besides, where's our father?
He was in that state when a tall man entered the dining area. The eyes that are cold as ice bore on Kael who was poking his food, clearly distracted.
"Is the food not to your liking?" His cold deep voice echoed through the quiet space.