"Keteki, Look at this do you think Kyle would like such a thing?" Faridah asked as Keteki nodded.
They were out to buy some souvenirs while waiting for her grandparents.
"I think Kyle will like anything that you'll give to him," Keteki said as Faridah smiled looking at the cute cat keychain.
"Fariiiiii! My baby Fari!!!!" Cathy Hamilton and Ferdinand Hamilton approached Faridah as they hugged their only granddaughter.
"Is Keteki taking good care of you?" Grandma asked as Faridah nodded and bought the keychain.
"A cat with an apron, It's cute but childish. I didn't know your style change Fari." Her grandma asked as Faridah smiled.
"It just reminds me of a certain someone. Anyways let's talk things over dinner." Faridah suggested as her grandparents agreed.
Faridah led her grandparents into the lavish five-star restaurant, its opulent décor dripping with elegance.
Crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over the white linen tables, and the subtle hum of a grand piano filled the air.
Waiters dressed in crisp uniforms moved about, carrying silver trays topped with gourmet delicacies.
The three of them were ushered to a table in the center of the room. As they settled in, the sommelier poured fine wine into delicate crystal glasses. Plates of carefully crafted dishes foie gras, lobster bisque, and seared lamb began arriving in a delicate dance of service.
Faridah's bodyguard, Keteki, stood nearby, her sharp eyes scanning the room for any hint of danger. Keteki's presence was discreet yet commanding. With each dish placed before the family, Keteki stepped forward, tasting a bite before Faridah or her grandparents could touch their cutlery.
Keteki's movements were efficient but not rushed, his face betraying no sign of doubt or hesitation as she checked each bite for poison.
Faridah's grandparents smiled at the attentive service, pretending not to notice the extra precaution. They were used to this by now, understanding the need for such measures in the life Faridah led.
Meanwhile, Faridah watched Keteki with quiet gratitude, the weight of her responsibilities never far from her mind.
Each dish was exquisite, bursting with flavor, but Faridah took little pleasure in the meal, her mind preoccupied with her family's safety.
Keteki nodded after tasting each course, giving the all-clear with a subtle, professional gesture.
The dinner unfolded with elegance, but the shadow of Faridah's guarded life hung over every bite.
"So you're still conscious about your foods huh?" Her grandmother asked as Faridah smiled.
"I am..." She answered as Keteki gave her a table napkin. "My parents asked me to meet you guys in such a busy week, What are you planning to do?" She asked as her grandparents smiled.
"We heard that you found a guy to be your future husband, Is he good?" Mrs. Cathy asked as Faridah expected this conversation.
"Correction my parents want me to date that guy." She said as she started eating. "Really, Don't you think it would be a good thing to start taking an interest in men since you're at your age to build a family?" She added.
"The guy is nineteen years old," Faridah said as her grandparents smirked. "So you like young man huh?" Ferdinand joked as Faridah glared at him as he cleared his throat.
"Anyways it doesn't matter who you get married to as long as you're happy with them. Besides your company is already big enough to settle on itself without you moving a finger so why not lay low and focus on building your life now huh?" Cathy said as Faridah had a wine.
"It's my part to decide on who I want to. I didn't come here to have a chitty chat about such things. I came here for business, So how was the auction going on the painting of a 'lonely siren'." Faridah asked as her grandparents looked stunned.
"Did you find out about the auction house?" Cathy asked as Faridah smirked and called Keteki to bring out some documents.
"I heard that the painting was stolen and you're putting a hold on the auction since you can't find the culprit," Faridah said as Ferdinand and Cathy smiled.
"Yeah you caught us, We cannot continue the auction because the piece is missing and the investors are getting impatient," Cathy explained.
The "Lonely Siren" painting is a haunting and evocative depiction of isolation and longing.
At the center of the artwork is a melancholic siren, half-human and half-sea creature, perched on a jagged rock in the middle of a vast and turbulent ocean.
Her long, flowing hair cascades down her shoulders, blending with the dark waters beneath her. Her expression is forlorn, her eyes gazing out into the endless horizon, searching for something—perhaps companionship or the ships she once lured.
"Everyone would die to have that painting," Faridah said as she remembered how stunning that painting was.
The backdrop of the painting features a dramatic stormy sky, with clouds swirling in hues of deep blues and purples, highlighting her solitude in the expansive sea. The waves crash violently against the rocks, emphasizing the contrast between the siren's delicate figure and the harsh, unforgiving environment surrounding her.
The muted color palette, with subtle hints of light reflecting off the water, gives the painting an ethereal yet somber mood. The siren's isolation, trapped between the sea and the sky, symbolizes a deep sense of yearning and the sadness of being eternally alone, a prisoner of her own nature.
The "Lonely Siren" captures the delicate balance between beauty and despair, telling a story of unattainable desires and the ache of solitude.
"We called your father about this and he told me that he'll try to convince you," Cathy said as Faridah smiled.
"Yeah, he told me it's about family but I knew deep down it's more than family reunion," Faridah said as she asked for the dessert.
"So what are your plans?" Ferdinand asked as Keteki gave them a location. "I had Keteki track down the culprit. I need to go home for one week since I told him that I would be back after a week. I've been here for four days already and you still didn't make any progress. Not even on your meetings." Faridah said as Ferdinand laughed looking at the location.
"You're quite scary Fari," Ferdinand said as they'd been tracking the painting for weeks, and still no clues were found during the search now their granddaughter appeared and helped them out in just four days.
"And about him are you referring to that nineteen-year-old guy?" Cathy asked as Faridah didn't respond.
"You seem interested in him." She said looking at Faridah avoiding questions about him.
"It's just I cannot let him wait too much, He's been clingy lately and would throw a fit if he can't see me," Faridah said that for the four days that she was in Paris France, Kyle didn't miss a text from her knor calls and demanded an update to keep him recharged throughout the day.
It was draining Faridah's mental peace yet she found him being clingy to her cute.
"Anyways you can go home now that you've already helped us enough," Cathy said as Faridah smirked and stood up.
"Then I'll take my leave now and enjoy the auction." She said as she waved goodbye and Keteki booked the nearest flight back to Canada.
In the Hamliton Company where Kyle was taking his photoshoot, he cannot help but be distracted by the fact that it's been two days since Faridah last contacted him.
"Focus on the camera Kyle Anthony." The cameraman said as he smiled when he saw Faridah walking in with Keteki.
"Yeah, that's right! That's the smile!" The cameraman said as Kyle rushed towards Faridah and hugged her.
'If he had a tail then he'll be wagging it around like he's seeing his master' Faridah thought as she smiled at Kyle.
Keteki signed everyone to take a break as the Cameraman sighed and looked at Faridah.
"Let's take a break for a while Kyle!" The cameraman said as Faridah smiled and took Kyle with her in the dressing room.
"I thought you'd be going home around next week?" Kyle asked as he sat down and Faridah made his thigh as a pillow.
"I want to sleep." She said as Kyle stroked her short hair as Faridah moaned feeling relaxed.
"You must have worked hard to finish the meeting in Paris," Kyle said as Faridah nodded.
"After the plane landed we immediately went here to see you. My phone got turned off during the flight and I want to surprise you with my early arrival." Faridah said as she handed the key chain that she bought from Paris.
"A cat in an apron?" He asked as Faridah smiled while closing her eyes. "It reminds me of you, especially since you a great cook." She whispered yet it was enough for Kyle to hear.
"I missed your cooking..." She added before she dozed off.
The cameraman was about to knock on the dressing room when Keteki stopped him.
"The CEO is sleeping, Let's continue the photoshoot tomorrow." He said as the Cameraman nodded in fear and told his team to pack it up.
Kyle heard everything from the inside as he smiled at Faridah who was sleeping soundly in his lap.
"You creating an obsessive slave your Majesty," Kyle whispered as he kissed Faridah's head gently.