Talia who found no compulsive evidence that MistyFlower is from Esteria tried to figure out who she might be.
How can there be someone who leaves no trace of living? And what does she have against me?
She didn't know there were a pretty small group of people sighing in relief that she gave up searching further.
And then she remembered that woman's words about putting bullets. There was only one person she did that to... Cyrus.
Measoles... Are you MistyFlower?
Measoles... What does that mean anyway? Measles? Like the disease? Or...
Back when she met that person, that person seemed to have a vengeance towards her. But afterwards she never came a cross them again and she forgot about them and never tried to find out about them.
Measoles... Mea... Soles...
"That's right!" Talia almost jumped up, "Mea soles means 'My sunshine' in Latin! Sunshine... "
Somehow that name reminded her of Cyrus. With his blond hair, blue eyes and that warm smile, he always felt like a warm and cozy spring sun melting away the ice and bringing warmth.
"Cyrus means sun... My sunshine... So, is this MistyFlower one of Cyrus' lovers? Is that why she hates me?" Talia spoke to herself.
But I don't remember seeing her at all! But then again, of the one hundred and fifty three I knew, how many did I not know? How many women did he bring for a secret tryst?
That man-whore! He never slept with the same woman twice either. How good was he for a woman to hate me this much after just one night with him?
Eww! I really don't want to know.
Reminiscing about Cyrus, Talia felt a pang of guilt and pain in her heart. In the month leading to her birthday, she was busy sneaking out to meet Arthur in his small studio apartment and Cyrus won't bother her much. Cyrus always knew everything about her but she knew nothing much about him. He was there... Always, as long as she remembered.
Even when she was a child, even in her first memory as a three year old - playing near a German shepard dog in the kennel when it barked really loud scaring her... Cyrus was there. Always. Like her shadow is always with her. In utter darkness, even when her shadow's left her, Cyrus would be there, holding her hand speaking in a soothing tone to make her feel assured.
And I killed him!
She closed the laptop and rested her head on the table, looking at the wall. Tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes.
Do I even know his favourite colour? His favourite food? Did I ever give him a single gift? Did I ever say thank you?
NO! NEVER!
He was always there like the sun is and I took him for granted and even ended his life. And now there is no warmth in my life and I'm living in hell!
And...
I deserve it!
As she was crying silently, she realised something odd by the corner of her eyes and that's where she noticed a luggage bag.
Wait... That's not mine...
Talia wiped her face using a wet wipe and stood up and at one glance she could say it should be that Arthur's.
But why is his luggage here? How did it get in here? And... Where is he..?
Talia ran to her key bowl to see if her keys are there and... they were missing. And the door was locked.
Wait! Am I locked inside my apartment? What should I do? Why did he do that? What is he planning?
As Talia was pondering, she heard her door being unlocked and she stood in a fighting stance, forgetting what she was wearing.
Seeing her empty hand, she picked up the umbrella she had in the foyer and pointing the sharp end at the door, she waited for the door to open.
"Stop!"
Talia shouted as soon as the door opened. She was surprised that the first thing that came to her view was a grocery bag.
"Ah, Iris...You are awake?" Arthur closed the door and turned to look at her and he froze for a second.
That black umbrella's metallic tip was pointing at him and that wasn't the thing that made him freeze.
Her eyes looked a little puffy like she'd cried and her nose was slightly pink too. But all she now looked was like a little cat with her hair standing up, ready to fight. Adorable.
And the most attractive thing was...
What is she wearing?
The Ruby red perfectly contrasted her fair skin and her long legs were all exposed and with that sheer lace fabric there wasn't much left to imagination as he could see through... Everything!
When he woke up, all he felt was anger and helplessness. The first thing he saw when he woke up was her cute sleeping face, of course and kissing her forehead, he stood up and that's when she noticed the big portrait of herself, over her bed.
That portrait was so beautiful and pretty. She was wearing an azure blue collared shirt with a couple of buttons open and a single diamond pendant was hanging in her neck. The light on her face was so perfect that accentuated the blue and purple in her eyes and her thick eyelashes were curled and made it seem like she was wearing eyeliner.
She wasn't looking at the camera but to her left and her right hand was gently supporting her cheek, and even her fingers looked graceful. Her pink lips had a slight smile.
The picture had perfectly captured the elegant woman she is and the smile in her lips that reached her eyes made her look bashful along with the slight blush in her cheeks.
She looked like she is in love.
Arthur really was impressed by the portrait and wished to have a copy of it for himself. The photographer whoever it is, really brought out and captured her as she is. Elegant, graceful and filled with love.
His eyes went down and saw the photographer's name. He could not contain his glee and wanted to reward that person for this photograph. But the moment he saw the name, a frown formed in his handsome face, contouring it scarily.
David Bailey!
Her ex-boyfriend!
'Why is she still hanging a picture taken by that man? Is she still in love with him? And what's with that loving gaze? Was she thinking about him when he took the picture? Was she that much in love with him?'
Feelings of jealousy washed over him and he wanted to wake her up and ask her but he held back his anger and got out of the room just getting the eternity ring from her finger.
He wanted a breath of fresh air to calm himself down and so he went grocery shopping.
And when he returns, this is the sight he is bestowed to see?
He had always seen her in modest outfits. Even back in high school, while others wore short skirts, she always wore knee length skirts. And now she is wearing... A lace slip?
Is this her sleepwear? Or...
Did she wear it to seduce me? Or...
Is she not realising that she is not dressed properly?
She has grown... She should be c-cup at least... Will it be softer than before if I touch it? And... Is she wearing red underpants too? If I bend slightly, could I see?
Whatever! This is a good sight to see and so I will enjoy this. She is my wife. I'm entitled. I'm authorised. I have legal rights to this.
The bitterness Arthur felt went away immediately.
"What are you doing here?" she asked huffing in anger. The anger has made her face red and her chest rose and fell with her heavy breathing and she only looked more and more beguiling, Arthur only felt his abdomen tightening.
"Buying you groceries, what else?"
He said pushing the pointed tip of the umbrella away from him and walked to the kitchen and placed the paper bag on the counter and started to put away the groceries.
Talia was lost for words by his casual attitude.
What's with him acting like a person living here?
"You..." she walked towards him placing the umbrella down and that's when she noticed the wipe in her hand still and threw it in the trash can when something else came to her view.
"Ah!"
She screamed and ran to her potted plant and checked on it. Arthur saw her back view and that ruffled lace swayed perfectly over her butt as she ran. She sure has a perfectly shaped derriere. He wanted to smack it.
Man, I should be lucky to have a woman with curves at the right places! With her so skinny I thought she'd be flat!
But... Wow!
She's mine...
Arthur smirked like a lecher. But it is fine since she is his wife and she is willingly showing him.
But wait... The leaf!
"You stinky bear!" her screechy voice came next sending shivers in his spine.
I'm screwed!
"You hurt my little plant! You plucked his limb! You monster!"
As usual she compared a plants part with human parts and got angry.
She walked straight at him and tried to grab his hair but he caught her hand and she struggled hard and the result...
He could get the best view of her jiggly funbags.
He wasn't complaining.
As he was distracted, she succeeded in her attempt to grab his hair and holding it tightly pulled with all her might, making him get out of his reverie and he shouted in pain.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Ahhahahaaaah!"
"Iris..."
"Ahhhahh"
She only let go after there were at least ten of his hair in her hands.
Phew!
She blew on her hands huffing and smirked placing both her hands on her hips.
"Now you know his pain!"
She curled his lips and Arthur who felt a burning sensation in his scalp didn't mind that as he couldn't hold back another sensation anymore . There was slight perspiration on her forehead and her heaving chest and redden lips made him lose his mind.
"You want to seduce me?"
He wrapped his arms around her waist and slightly lifted her with ease making her eyes to his eye level.
"What are you..." her blue eyes widened in shock as she looked down at her chest and an immediate blush formed on her face.
"Let go..." she struggled to get out of his grip and hit his chest but his hold only got tighter.
"Accept it, Iris! You wearing this sexy lingerie is for me, right? For your husband? " he held her close and whispered in her ears.
Talia felt her entire body go limp hearing him saying husband. But she didn't want to show her weakness to him.
"For you? Husband? Nonsense! It's my nightwear I'm using for years. Now let go!" she tried to get out of his hold. She wanted to run away and change her attire.
How shameless! How uncouth! How inappropriate!
He seemed to have gotten much stronger and his firm chest pressing on her soft bosom made her feel weirdly in her abdomen. She wanted to escape immediately. But his hold only got tighter.
Arthur's jealousy he suppressed came out as she said that. She had this for years? Did that man see her like this too?
"For years? How many years?"
His voice seemed angry and Talia felt a sharp pain in her back as she was thrown on the couch and before she knew it, she was trapped in between him and the couch.
"Tell me" he repeated and Talia just rolled her eyes. She wasn't scared at all.