Chapter 8 Hope De Luca

• Hope de Luca
• The past few years have been a whirlwind in my life. Moving to Moscow and dedicating myself entirely to the Bolshoi was what I needed to breathe away from all the confusion that the media caused when they started investigating. Everyone was intrigued about why I punched the prince.
• Besides, spending almost two months with my hand immobilized was not at all interesting. Every time I looked at my hand, I remembered the damn video of the prince practically having sex with two women at the same time. I take a deep breath and focus on what's happening.
• This week, my family arrived to celebrate my twentieth birthday, and as much as I love them, I wanted to spend the day alone, without anyone around, just to torture the idiot who realized the huge mess he made when I turned my back on the heir of Sudan.
• I look out the window of my apartment, the sun finally come back to brighten my sad life, even though it was by my choice to be the way I am, I like the solitude I have in Moscow. Even though my parents insist that I should go back home and take advantage of the opportunities that are starting to arise in my life there, closer to them.
• I observe the bouquet of white roses that were delivered again, even though I've already forbidden every florist from delivering flowers from Mahjub to me, I don't know how he manages, but they end up being delivered. I need to do something so that his attempts don't continue.
• I don't know if it was my punch or simply disappearing off the map that made the prince chase after me like a dog in heat. Unfortunately for him, I made a great effort to stay as far away from him as possible. Even though my friendship with his sisters Zara and Laís continued after I distanced myself from everything, I know they always talked about me.
• As if it were necessary, considering the cousin is one of the greatest hackers known. And Mahjub's friendship with Gaia Garcia is quite close, I'm sure if he asks, she'll do it. Maybe he doesn't even need to ask for anything.
• What not everyone knows is my involvement with Guilherme Lira, after a Thanksgiving dinner at home, which I only attended with his help. Guilherme became my best friend, and over the months, between meetings and visits to my parents, I ended up accepting his request to date. But I blamed myself for being by his side and not being able to feel anything for him.
• Even though he was a perfect guy, the kind of guy every mother would want for her daughter, I didn't feel complete with him. Something inside me said it was wrong, that he was the wrong person to be by my side.
• Guilherme does everything possible to keep us out of the tabloids, especially since he's running for Miami's deputy, at least that's what I believe. But I have the feeling that Guilherme keeps us out of the news and chose me to be his girlfriend after a love disappointment he went through, just like I did.
• And just like what's been happening to me, he can't fully commit to our relationship. Proof of that is that we never manage to go beyond some make-out sessions on the couch, we never spend the night together, and I believe he'll never be able to touch me without thinking of the woman he loves. Thankfully, I learned from Scott, my security, to always keep my ears open.
• One night, when he came to pick me up here in Moscow to take me home, I overheard him asking if they could meet. I have no idea who the person is, much less what Gui got up to before he met me, but that woman is giving him a hard time, that's for sure. Which made me his number one fan. I wish I could torture Mahjub in the same way, make him crawl even more at my feet.
• I can't deny that I like all the effort he makes to get closer, but with a little help, I manage to shake off his advances and attempts to communicate. My security has learned how to keep the Arab prince away, and I'm sure all this teasing is only making him even more interested.
• “Miss, your parents have arrived to take you to the theater.” I turn towards Scott, who looks at the vase, puzzled.
• “He must have bribed the doorman,” I say, shrugging.
• “I’ll talk to the manager again!” he exclaims and walks away.
• I rise from the window, grab my purse from the couch, and walk towards the vase of roses, touching one delicately. I pick one and inhale its fragrance.
• “We were supposed to be married…” I murmur and kiss the rose.
• I place the rose in my purse and leave my apartment to meet my parents, who are already waiting for me at the entrance of my building. Seeing my dad and mom at the entrance with another bouquet of sunflowers made me smile broadly. I missed them; it had been almost six months since I’d last seen them.
• The performances had been intense, and with my father's candidacy for the senate, everything had become very complicated for everyone.
• “You look beautiful, my love. And Guilherme, hasn’t he arrived yet?” My dad looks behind me.
• To them, my relationship is going wonderfully, and my mom firmly believes that I’ll soon be giving her a grandchild to spoil and undo all my upbringing.
• "He said he'll come in a few days, he's still campaigning," I say, hugging both of them as we get into the car.
• The drive to the theater is quite short. We talk about a few things, but the main topic is my brother's love life. He's suffering at the hands of one of the daughters of another senate candidate. My dad is worried because the poor guy ended up in bed with one, thinking she was the other. In other words, they tricked him.
• If I were him, I’d kick that spoiled brat to the curb. I'm sure she's just playing with my little brother's feelings. I can see my mom is worried about the situation too, but I don't know what she’s planning. I have a sneaking suspicion they’re up to something for my brother.
• The week has been hectic, and I’m starting to miss Gui and my brother, who still haven’t shown up in Moscow. Today is my last performance of the season, and it’s also my birthday.
• I want everyone I love to be by my side, celebrating this new chapter with me. I even find myself wishing Mahjub were here.
• I’ve matured a lot since everything happened. I want to show the prince that I’m no longer that sixteen-year-old girl. I’m sure Mahjub regrets what happened at that club. With my decision to distance myself from the Al-Makki family, I started receiving fewer updates about what was going on with the prince who was supposed to be my fiancé.
• To my surprise, I discovered that the breakup between my father and Mahjub’s grandfather resulted in some sort of compensation for Oil Company. I have a feeling that Mr. Al-Makki and his mother didn’t make life easy for him after what happened.
• I say goodbye to my parents and head to the dressing room to get ready for the performance. I open my purse and find the rose I had carefully placed inside. I take a cup, fill it with water, and place the rose in it.
• It hurts to remember everything I saw, but I still feel something for that idiot…
• Now ready to dance, I leave another kiss on the rose, thinking about the Arab prince and worried that Guilherme still hasn’t shown up here!
• I step onto the stage for my final performance, focusing as all my fellow dancers are already in their places. I immerse myself in the choreographed steps with devotion, fully embodying my character.
• The performance of “Swan Lake” is as emotionally charged as it has always been, with my thoughts on Mahjub and the weight of my feelings in my heart. I completed the final act of the performance, physically exhausted, with the muscles in my legs burning from all the tension I felt. I hear the applause and receive a standing ovation for the well-executed performance.