"You haven't contacted me personally so I didn't intend to bother you," Luca said. He leaned over to put on his shirt again. It was painful, but he managed to do so.

"Then why appear at my charity event?"

"You're still on that?" Luca laughed and then grabbed his jacket. "I was invited as the plus one for one of my clients. He's worked with my family for years so I couldn't refuse. And besides, I didn't plan on running into you."

"You never change," Kai replied while holding onto the back of his neck. He didn't have much time to rest because of the all the calls they were taking of late. So when a staff member telling him that someone got hurt just before their connection was cut made him feel a bit on edge. Especially when he heard someone yell out Hazel's name before they hung up...

His body just moved before he realized it. And he rushed in determined to find her...

"You're on this again too... I'm different than I was nearly a decade ago."

"Your attitude is still the same. Incredibly flippant..." Luca chuckled and the two of them faced each other.

"How else am I supposed to act around you?" Kai stared at Luca, not sure which direction he wanted to go with this. "I can't be happy about seeing an old friend again because you don't like me. I also can't act regretfully about what happened in the past because the past is also where you began hating me. I can't win... so yes, sometimes I may come across as such... but don't forget... you also haven't changed..."

Kai really didn't know what else to say to Luca.

After all, Kai didn't like him because he still blamed him. Even after all these years, when he could have let it go. And he could have accepted that he wasn't at fault, even partly for the decisions that he made himself... he still couldn't let go of the pain. All of the pain that would never go away simply because he wanted it to.

Being around Luca reminded him of a time in the past he regretted the most. A time he wanted to take back. Because no matter what he did he couldn't bring back his parents.

"I didn't go overseas because of you... " Luca stated and Kai looked up at him. "I went to the US for my mom. She wanted me to take over the business seriously... we can keep avoiding each other as you wish. Since we used to be good friends I'll still respect that."

Quietly, Luca walked over to the door and then opened it.

"You... stepped in to help Miss. Rose. I can't deny that fact. So for this one time I'll say... thank you for helping her," Luca paused and thought about how he may never win with this guy. Or how they may never be friends again but for some reason... he felt like he did what he could to let Kai see that he isn't this horribly impetuous person...

When Luca left Kai called Nathan to update him. After he did he decided to take Hazel back to the mansion. He didn't think this would ever happen, but he regretted asking her to do something like this. Especially since this could have ended even worse than it did...

*

I spoke with the director briefly and he told me that they would wrap up the shoot. They had enough photos so they would just work with what they have. If they needed to they would ask the President to arrange for another shorter shoot with Natalie. But time was money so they didn't think it would happen.

"But you were really great, too!" the director complimented me a few more times as did some of the staff. I told them I'd rather be the subject of my art and not the object.

The director nodded and then left alongside other staff members. I hugged Julia and we exchanged contact information. She told me that we should find time to get together...

When most people left I glared ahead. There was one more person I wanted to see. Rather, to confront... and that was Natalie.

I found her in the dressing room. She looked like a porcelain doll. She was staring blankly at the mirror. When I came in she turned around and stood up.

"You should apologize to Luca," I said bluntly.

"Excuse me?"

"He wasn't the one you wanted to get hurt."

"What are you talking about?" her composure didn't change. She was good at posing for the camera so I assumed she'd be good at playing innocent.

"I know I won't be able to wiggle anything out of you but I need you to understand something...if you try something like this again I won't be as forgiving as I am now."

"How dare you try and accuse--" I leaned in further and she stepped back. She hadn't seen this side of me. Aggressive, slightly unruly. Especially when I knew someone did something unjust or wrong.

"I saw you go backstage. I saw you anticipating something while we were on break. But that is circumstantial and I can't prove you compromised those ropes. But what I can say is that you stepped over a line you shouldn't have crossed." Natalie grinned at me. Her contorted expression enraged me. She held her ground just like I did.

"I don't know what you're referring to. But while we're together let me make something clear. You... will always be squalor compared to Kai and the Ravenwolf name. You are just a poor, starving artist wearing fool's gold right now. But it will all end eventually."

"Excuse me, what kind of--"

"Kai is mine...don't forget that," Natalie pushed past me and I stood there aghast. Squalor? I was some sort of peasant to her? Were we in the 15th century? What kind of warped sense of superiority does that person have? Or is it just because it's me? And what does she mean by 'Kai' being hers? He doesn't 'belong,' to anyone.

My heart started racing.

Those words rung into my ears. Kai belonged to her? This woman was out of her mind. And why would she say something like that to me? It's not like I...

I stopped myself. I didn't want to think about it anymore.

I sighed while slapping my cheeks lightly. When I opened the door, Kai was there.

"I was waiting for you... I'll take you back."

Seeing him so shortly after our confrontation, I blushed.

"Are you alright?" he reached out and I pushed his hand away.

"I'm fine. Let me change first..." I walked by him. And after I gathered my senses, I looked into the mirror and saw myself again. This is the person I recognized the most.

When I met Kai outside he was already in his car. I wanted to slide into the passenger seat but there were some boxes there so it forced me to sit next to him. We drove in silence until Kai started speaking up...

"I'm sorry you were working in unsafe conditions."

"It really wasn't your fault," if only he knew...

"Natalie can be willful and difficult sometimes and for that also, I--"

"It's okay...I'm not going to take it seriously. Besides, as you said, I did manage to learn a lot..." I tried to smile and he nodded. It was the last thing I needed right now. Comfort from him. Because even though I didn't want it to, my heart seemed to be beating wildly for him. The moment I saw him enter that room earlier for me... something inside my heart changed...

**

While on set, Natalie couldn't help but become anxious and upset. She was madly in love with Kai. He never looked her way but the moment that woman stepped into the picture he came without even confirming what happened. Natalie didn't regret her actions. She wanted her to pay for getting in her way.

She didn't even think that it would go this far, but after their heated conversation, she knew she would have to intervene more when she could. Kai always pushed her away when she got close. So what made this dreadful woman any different? She was prettier than her. She had more class, more of a potential future. She had money and influence and power...

Natalie told her assistant she was ready to leave. When she exited the site, she saw someone in the distance. She sighed, hoping it wasn't another psycho fan that wanted her autograph. So she called security from her phone.

She watched the person, whose hoodie was draped too far over for her to see, walk towards Kai's car a little hidden. She realized that person may not be here for her after all...

Who were they? And why were they watching over them so closely...