what I think it is?”
“It must be, look at the sigil! Vanessa could only breathe with small heavy puffs and now she even felt dizzy.
Kat looked at the impressive sigil in gold and blue, printed on the envelope. House of Savoy .
Vanessa took the envelope, sank down on her feet in the hallway, and stared at it. At one point, she even sniffed it. There could be no mistake. This was Alex reaching out. This was the first contact she had had with Alex since she had left France.
“Open it for god’s sake!” Kat said impatiently.
“Oh, okay. What do you think it is? Do you think he wants to see me?”
“If that’s what he wanted, he could’ve just called you as a normal human being would do.” Kat shook her head. “But who knows how his royal highness thinks?”
“Did you bring the wine?” Vanessa asked with a shaky voice as she shoved her shoes and jacket in a corner and headed to the living room.
“Certainly so!” Kat answered. “You open the letter from Count Dracula and I’ll pour us some wine.”
Vanessa sat down on her couch her eyes transfixed at the envelope. She fingered a little on it and then suddenly threw it away, just as if it had burned her.
“I can’t open it Kat!” Vanessa said with a small voice.
“I’ll do it. Give me the damn letter.” Seriously, what decade does this guy think we’re in? Sending a letter with a golden sigil, ha, it’s just too much...”
Vanessa ignored her but she had to admit she had a point. What was wrong with using a phone? If he had something to say, it would be easier just reaching out to her by calling her.
She closed her eyes as Kat threw open the envelope and fished out a thick piece of paper.
“What, what? Just tell me!” She begged.
Kat didn’t answer but instead she sat down, took a heavy sip from her wine glass, and began flicking through the pages. It took forever before she said anything. Just a few
“Aha, hmmm, and I see.”
Finally, she turned to Vanessa. Went out to the kitchen, came back with the bottle, and handed her a glass of wine. She sat down close to Vanessa. Fetched her hands and said slowly.
“Vanessa, I want you to drink this wine, all of it”, She patted on the foot of the glass so Vanessa would drink it all. “That’s a good girl.”
“Oh, my god Kat” What does it say?”
“I don’t really get it all, but it’s not good Vanessa, it’s not. I’m so sorry.”
“Oh,” Vanessa blinked a few tears from her eyes and looked at her friend. “Just tell me Kat!”
“It’s some kind of legal document stating you’re no longer an employee of the Prince of the Royal house of Di Savoy. Kat almost spitted out Alex´s title as it disgusted her.
“Okay, what more?”
“I’m afraid that’s it. Nothing more, no note, nothing. Just these documents and a copy of your contract. Which is apparently no longer valid.” Kat looked worriedly at Vanessa.
This was it, Vanessa had ever since she climbed on that plane to NY had some silly belief that Alex would somehow reach out for her, tell her it had all been a misunderstanding and begging her to come back. After all, she had written in her letter she had passed on to him by Raffi the boat boy, that she loved him and wished they could work things out. She just needed some time alone to think after seeing the pictures. So this was how he answered to that? What a horrible, horrible person!
“He fired me?” Vanessa was in shock.
“Seems like it,” Kat looked pissed off. “He’s a jerk! Please trust me when I tell you that you’re so much better off without this guy.”
“I don’t get it? I left him a letter in which I poured my heart out and this is the response?”
“I can’t explain it either, it’s just weird. To me it looks like he wants to punish you. I mean if he had any decency in him he would still let you be employed until the end of
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