Emerald's POV

I stayed home for days feeling so depressed. I did not want to face anyone. I just wanted to be alone and licked my own wound. 

First, the scandal. Though Harry clarified the issue to the press, it was not enough. Reporters kept on pestering me in public and my social media accounts, asking me questions about my involvement with Prince Philip and Princess Camila. They were like hungry wolves. Some asked if I was pregnant and assumed that I was when I did not answer them. Then they asked who the father was, whether Prince Philip or Kevin. What the hell! Others called me a bitch, snob, man snatcher, a spoiled brat, a drama queen and an opportunist who wanted to marry the future king of England. They said all hurtful things that they could think of about me, just to crush me down, and they succeeded in dropping my confidence, from 100 to 0  real quick.  I've never been hurt or attacked by media ever before. 

Being heartbroken, made me feel more miserable. I tried to hate Harry, cursing him until I ran out of negative personality adjectives on him. I missed him, terribly. His touch, his kisses, his warm delicious male scent, his tantalising eyes... darn it. 

I explored Australia, hopping from one city to another, going to beaches and working out with my tan, meeting new and old friends and boy hunting - to get over my heartache, but I failed. I compared every guy I met with Harry. 

I diverted myself in going shopping, but, not for me anymore. Some souvenirs for my family, friends and employees. Why would I shop for myself when I have too many dresses, bags and shoes that I haven't wear yet in my big closet?  Reminded me to get rid of all those clothes that I wouldn't use and to donate it to the Women Shelter. I did not need all those material things to be happy. It just took too much of my time deciding on my OOTDs and what image to project in a day. Jealous people would always make a negative comment no matter what I'd wear anyway. There were more important things to think about. 

Another of my diversion was trying the street foods of Australia. Yeah, it fascinated me since Harry brought me in the night market in England. I realized there were too many foods that I haven't tried yet. Some street foods were even more delicious than the food served in fancy restaurants. I paid less than twenty dollars in a meal compared to five hundred dollars in an exclusive fine dining restaurant. Meeting the locals and some tourists also made me feel a better and well-rounded person. 

I felt a lot better when I arrived in New York. My confidence was back. The news that greeted me about my stolen ideas made all of me crumbled on the ground. My feet and knees were pulverized that it was hard to get up. I went home so devastated. All the misery I experienced from the scandal and heartaches... came back again. 

How could all these people be so mean to me? What have I done? I could not help but wonder, if I was really such a bad person that I deserved this?  There were times when I was young that I became so spoiled and selfless. But I was so immature, and as I grew older, I learned from my mistakes. 

There was a knock on my bedroom door, followed by a slight opening.

"Can I come in?" I heard my sister, Crystal said. Her face was hidden behind the door. Her wavy black hair was showing at the side. 

"Yeah." I sat up on bed, wrapping my legs together in front of me.

Crystal came in, wearing a ruffled satin blue dress and flat silver shoes. She was already fourteen but still she dressed like a kid. I remembered when I was a year younger than her, I already wore makeups, sexy clothes and skimpy shorts. I cringed at the thought. Yeah, I was always in a hurry to grow up back then. I did not know, why I was like that. I guessed, it was just my personality.

She sat on my bed and I knew she was looking at me, even her other eye went to another direction. She had strabismus. One of her eyes turned inward toward her nose, a temporarily loss control of focus whenever she stared at something very close. She was wearing eyeglasses since she was a kid to correct the visual impairment. As she grew older, her condition was improving. But all the same, she was very beautiful. She got the looks of grandma Nina, and her resemblance with Zion and dad was prominent. 

"You're not getting dress yet for dinner. Grandpa and grandma are already downstairs." Crystal said. 

It was our family dinner, and I could not escape it. I have to face everyone and answer their questions - particularly about the scandal and about the Stones. It was quite a while since I last attended the family dinner. 

"I won't take long to get dress." I smiled at her. "I learned to be fast."

"Going to England changed you. You became like me." Her lips twisted a little.

"Like you? In what way?"

Crystal and I were opposites, especially when I was her age. I was loud, she was soft spoken. I cursed, she wouldn't say any mean words. I would wrestle anyone who would hurt me, while she wouldn't hurt an ant. I would plot a revenge to my enemies, while Crystal would kill her enemies with kindness. 

"Boring."

I smiled at her and clasped her hand. "You're not boring, Crystal. You're just being you. Kind, sweet and beautiful. Believe me, I love your personality even better."

She half hugged me, resting her head on my shoulder. "When are you going to be okay? I'm not used seeing you this way, I missed your laughter. The house seemed so sad."

I caressed her back, comforting her. "I'll be okay, just give me time. People need time to recover in sadness or misery. Just like you did when your hamster died."

She straightened but never let go of my hand. "Did you talk to Harry?"

I heaved a sigh and rubbed my temple. The mention of Harry's name brought an ache in my heart. I told Crystal about Harry, well... not everything though, I saved the x-rated information to save her innocent mind. If anyone who could keep a secret, it would be her. She wouldn't tell a soul.

"Not yet."

"Do you think you should answer his calls? It's still better to talk things over."

"Yeah, you're right. We'll definitely talk and settle our problem. I just need some time to think about what happened." I smiled at her, then stood up to change.

I was ready in ten minutes. A world record for me. I thought it was impossible before, but now, it was a very simple task. No need to waste time thinking on what to wear. 

I was seated in the living room with my family and grandparents, while waiting for the Monteiros to come. We were listening to Crystal who was playing the piano. They were drinking the white wine that Zion brought. 

They were talking about Zion's airline business in California and I was listening to them, nervous as hell at the thought that the topic would shift on me, the scandal and Harry. 

It did not take too long for dad to open the topic. I bit my lips as I pretended not to be affected. 

"The fact that he did not want to meet us, made me very suspicious of that guy. This wouldn't happen if I had his background investigated." Dad said, with his tone evident of anger. 

It became an argument between us before when he had all the men who wanted to date me investigated first. His overprotectiveness  was so annoying that I told him to stop and let me live my own life. I was not a kid anymore. True to his word, he really did stop. And now, this thing happened with that... jerk.

"Who would ever think that Kevin Hill could do that. Emerald said that he looked like a saint." My mom defended me.

"That's what devils do, pretend to act like a saint." My grandpa, Markos butted in.

"Look who's talking." Grandma scolded grandpa. "You were not nice to me when I met you, Finn." 

"That was different, hon. You know why I pretended to be a bad guy." Grandpa straightened on his seat. I knew what was coming, we have to hear their love story again. "It started in the closet, we had this game called seven minutes in heaven. But we did it for fifteen minutes..."

"Dad, please spare us with the story. I know it's the best love story ever but we heard it too many times already." Dad interrupted grandpa, and grandpa just twisted his lips. "Don't worry, Emmie, our lawyer will make sure that the Stones will pay for what they've done."

"That was a serious offence, stealing others' work." Zion leaned back against the couch, his arm went around Claire's shoulders. Claire responded by putting her arm on his thigh. I envied them so much. The way they looked at each other, like their was a communication between them that they only understood. Love sparked in their eyes and their actions. Same with my dad and mom... grandpa and grandma. I wished I could find true love.  

"The Stones would be liable for damages and Hill, could possibly go into prison." Grandpa continued before sipping the white wine. 

I was not worried about Kevin after what he did. I trusted him and yet he betrayed me. It seemed like it was hard to trust anyone anymore. Regina was driven with her obsession to surpass me in anything. She took every measure, even by stealing. I felt bad that she felt like that when we were not kids anymore. 

I was glad that the topic shifted to Claire's pregnancy. She was almost four months pregnant. She was thankful that her ordeal of nausea and vomiting was over. But she was always sleepy, just like now. Mom and grandma went to the kitchen to check the food while Crystal continued practicing a new piece on the piano.

I took a sip of the white wine. Zion said it was only a 4% alcohol, a herbal and appetizer. It wouldn't have any effect on me. He was right, it was like drinking a lemon juice. Besides, I did not give a damn if I got drunk that evening. I was secured in our own home. Everyone would take care of me. The wine would help me ease my nerves and get me to sleep well tonight. Hmm.. I was having headaches from lack of sleep already. My depression was getting into me. The white wine would be my saviour.

I heaved a long sigh as I watched dad, rubbing Jordy's ears.

I wonder how Archie is doing right now? I felt bad leaving him, but I had to do it, to save my sanity. I was confused, heartbroken and miserable. It took a lot of strength for me to leave with my head still held up high. 

I thought of Harry again. I hated that he never left my mind. It was more than a week since I last saw him, and yet, I still felt the same empty feeling inside me. I missed him so badly...

"Did you talk to Harry?"

I jerked up as I heard Zion asked me. Amazing, as if he could read my mind. I swallowed a big sip of the wine before I answered.

"Um... not yet. Why?"

"He called asking about you. He said you were not answering his calls."

Oh God, not now, Zion. 

"Did something happen between the two of you?" Dad's eyebrows rose, followed by a suspicious frown.

I could not utter a word. I found it hard to lie to my family. 

"What's going on, Emerald? You have a misunderstanding with Harry?" Zion asked again. Why wouldn't he stop? We can talk later, just the two of us. Not in front of everyone, especially dad.  I looked at Claire, hoping she would understand and scold her husband to stop the topic, but it was not working. Her eyebrows rose in a question, she did not understand me. 

"No! I mean... yes." I looked at Zion then shifted to dad. Both of them made me nervous, interrogating me like FBIs. "Just a... a little bit of disagreement about the scandal."

"He settled it with the press already, right?" Dad groaned and muttered nastily. "If that British boy mess up with you, I swear, I'm going to kick his ass. I don't give a damn if he's going to be the king of England."

I took a gulp of the wine again to stop my hands from shaking. Why I felt so defensive of Harry all of a sudden? I would never ever want dad to kick Harry's ass!

"Harry mentioned about something going on between  you two, and I was like..." Zion frowned, his lips twisted, "I thought he was implying that he had sex with you." He roared with laughter.

"That's a crazy idea, Zion. Emmie and Harry grew up like siblings." Dad laughed richly. "It would never happen."

"That means, Harry would not get a boner, if he'd sleep on a bed with Emmie?" Grandpa asked innocently, and all men laughed.

I swallowed the remaining wine in my glass, then laughed with them so loud. I could not help myself from shrieking with laughter. I felt so light and festive. I wanted to sing. They all stopped laughing and looked at me. 

I stopped laughing and asked them. "I have a question. Is kissing my vagaygay, considered sex?" 

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