"No." refuted Crystal without being able to hold back her amusement. "This is the first time we've been together since we split up."
Crystal had expected him to be astonished by what Crystal had just informed him, and he was, which was normal, but the thing she hadn't expected was his indifference to this information. Total indifference. And when he turned to Leonie, and looked at her with his big, luminous eyes, Crystal understood that he, too, no longer felt anything for her. He looked at his Leonie the way she looked at her Nathan. It was a little vexing, she was human after all, but all in all, all's well that ends well, for the two lovers who had once loved and torn each other so much, and who ended up parting ways, had finally met their soul mates. They would never forget each other, or at least Crystal would never forget Nicky, but the pain would be gone when she recalled their story.
It was all over at last.
"I see." Already Nicky wasn't looking at Leonie for anything or anyone. Leonie, who despite her words, her doubts and her obvious suffering, also loved Nicky, still did, and always would. But what held her back so much was her total ignorance of the reasons why this person had left her five years ago. She wished she knew, but it was also clear that this would never stop her from coming back to him. Because after all that time apart, she rushed at the first call to find him, no matter what the cost. She'd given up everything for him.
And when Nicky held out his hand to Leonie, she turned first to Crystal, who offered her the answer she had so longed for. Then, for the first time since she'd known him, Leonie's face lit up with a huge smile - a smile of happiness and relief - and it was without hesitation that she placed her hand in her love's, and it was she who took the initiative of kissing him.
The kiss deepened, and Crystal and Nathan decided to leave them.
Hand in hand, with fresh eyes, they left the hospital together.
"We should remember to bring a fruit basket next time we come to visit him. It wasn't very polite to arrive empty-handed."
"You're right. So, do you want us to keep rubbing shoulders with them?" inquired Crystal, ready to follow her fiancé's wishes.
"Why not." he retorted with a loud laugh. "We have a mutual friend, and we frequent the same bar then, and also, they seem very nice."
"All right, darling, it's up to you."
***
Time passed again, inexorable. As promised, Nathan and Crystal brought fruit the next time they visited Nicky, they did so often, and Leonie was always there, now, beaming. Three weeks after their visit, Nicky was finally discharged from hospital. Leandro, in turn, promised to organize a party for his friend's discharge. A friend he too had finally found after so many years.
The two couples, whose friendship had worked wonders, had become accustomed to meeting twice a week at the bar of their mutual friend, who had also joined their group. Crystal's three friends were all happy to find their old friend, whom they had always liked, As for Fiona, she was equally delighted to meet her friend's former great love, Crystal's famous and infamous "first love", who had almost destroyed her. She was a little surprised to find him so sympathetic, despite the horrible misfortune that had befallen him.
All in all, Crystal's life, forever free of the shadows of her past, and now illuminated by love and friendship, was rosy.
But all this would soon crumble and be lost in madness.
One Friday evening, after spending their usual time at Leandro's with the Leocky couple, and having made love like crazy, Nathan asked his fiancée if she'd like to go with him to his uncle's birthday party.
"Of course!" exclaimed Crystal, getting up to see his face. "Now there's a question!"
Her fiancé laughed and they kissed her wildly.
"But you said your uncle, so that's..."
"Oh, you know very well, it's Karl, my father's little brother. Or rather half-brother. Same mother but not the same father."
"And also a billionaire." completed the young woman in an amused tone. "But I've heard that if you have the same mother, the half doesn't apply too much."
"But Uncle Karl wants it to apply. He's never made it clear, but he's a very distant person. The people who really know him, and are likely to get close enough to arouse his attachment, can be counted by the fingers of one hand, and by one hand only."
"My darling, he's a billionaire, and billionaires are all a bit crazy. In their near-infinite possessions, they're totally disconnected from reality and are more vulnerable to people, so they have to very carefully select the people who penetrate their personal space so they can cling to them with their lives."
"Oh, my wonderful psychologist!" chimed in Nathan, knocking the young woman over onto the bed and lying on top of her with all his weight ablaze with desire. "I'm sure Uncle Karl will adore you."
"I hope so, then maybe I'll inherit something!"
Nathan penetrated her forcefully, and Crystal bit her lip in pleasure. As he began his loins thrusts, he still had time to retort while moaning with pleasure.
"Then I'm counting on you to make us even richer."
"Yes, darling, anything you say."
The more they both sank into an ocean of pleasure and heat that left them drained of strength.
***
The following evening, Crystal prepared herself with particular care, and although the primary reason was to please her love and make him proud to be seen in her company, it was also with the intention of honoring his uncle, she had admittedly met him only rarely in the time she'd spent with her adored one, but the little she saw and guessed made her realize that he was an exceptional man, in love with beauty and discipline, also possessing an iron will and a strong sense of morality and hard work.
In short, he could easily have passed for Nathan's father. But he wasn't. However, Crystal could help her love get closer to him if it was in her power, in time it would surely work, not to mention the enormous legacy he could offer them. She shrugged, she was human after all, they both made a good living, her future husband was already a multimillionaire, but there was no harm in wanting more, and besides, it was a family member's fortune. Nobody stole anything.
So the young woman opted for a dress she'd never had the chance to wear before, and which had cost her two months' salary.
It was a champagne-colored long dress, tight at the waist, with a sheer top adorned with floral and butterfly lace.
When her man saw her in this sumptuous outfit, which highlighted if possible her sublime beauty, he almost gave up on his admired uncle's party, and slowly sensually stripped his wife of her magnificent attire, but he pulled himself together with the promise that once he got home, he'd have plenty of time to do just that. He would. At this point in the evening, he really thought he could do it, but life was never that simple, nor that sweet.
The couple kissed for a long time before leaving their apartment.
Nathan chose his enormous blue-gray SUV to drive to the party, which would take place in a reception hall at one of his uncle's hotels. By the time they arrived, which was a welcome sight given their beauty, Nathan's already immense reputation and his kinship with the king of the party, the evening was well underway, the champagne was flowing and the chatter was already warmer, which immediately put them at ease.
Nathan looked first for his uncle and saw him chatting with a group of three people.