Eliezer’s Ange by Eden Auclair

V

cassiopeia is nineteen

she is a junior in university

Eliezer groaned ashe blindly reached over his nightstand to shut off his alarm clock. He hadn’t gotten so much as a wink of sleep last night, sleeping for all of the past half an hour and now that his day was starting, he was miserable.

And that was merely because his nightmares began the moment his eyes opened.

Everything he ever wished for, everything he ever wanted burned in his veins and it was solely because of her. It was not just primal, carnal lusting; Eliezer’s need to just have her was far too fervent. He desperately wanted to hold her in his arms, protect her, care for her; he simply wanted to bring her the world in his hands.

He just wanted to love her.

Cassiopeia Leilani, the name swirled around his head—and in his heart—as if it was a broken record stuck on repeat. It was painfulin the least to have to see her every day and not be able to call her his.

And her coffee, God was it heavenly. He knew from the moment his lips graced the cup and he tasted the rich latte, it would change his mornings forever. From that moment, he knew he’d never be able to drink another cup of coffee again made by anyone else but her.

But the past four days had been slow and empty. Cassiopeia was as good as missing and Eliezer wasn’t living life, life was living him—he missed her coffee... and her. He was desperate to taste her fresh brew; he couldn’t even drink a tall glass of his own without pouring out half. He had absolutely no idea where she was or could have been and it was messing with his mind.

Every day for the past four days, Eliezer walked into Carousels and Dinges with only the slightest hope each day that she would be there, greeting him with her kind smile. But to no avail, thus his hope dwindled further and further with each passing day. Today would be his last of patiently waiting for her return or whatever you’d deem it at this point—he had become so lost with himself, he wasn’t certain about much anymore. But he was certain that if she wasn’t at the coffee shop today, he was going to find her himself.

§

It’s become a routine, much like the one he was following now. His eyes would snap open, he’d let his heartache sink in, lazily get up from bed, shower, get dressed, and grab his bag before heading to Carousels and Dinges before his office. And every day, he’d have it no other way than his girl serving him.

Pulling out a tailored black Armani suit, crisp wine dress shirt, and sleek black tie, he got dressed with a permanent frown on his face.

Grunting now and then, he hurriedly rummaged throughout his mansion for everything he’d need at the office today. He was a chaotic mess, to say the least.

Starting his engine, he watched the clock on his dashboard to see he had thirty minutes to spare at the coffeehouse with an extra fifteen to get to his company’s building.

One may probably think Eliezer was a soft-hearted, cardigan and loafer-wearing man. That wasn’t exactly the scenario.

Eliezer Badeaux was the CEO of one of the biggest and most famous multi-billionaire dollar companies in the world. However, inside the business world, he was known wholly for being a brooding bastard—cold, emotionless, and mysterious. But outside of the business world? No one knew Eliezer well enough to know Eliezer. Except for his mother and sisters perhaps.

There wasn’t a single person who’d made it past his layered built walls, except Cassiopeia. And she hadn’t even known it yet. The soft-hearted, cardigan and loafer-wearingside of him was another one of his aspects that were reserved only for her.

Upon entering the coffee shop, his eyes immediately flickered to the counter, in search of his beautiful girl, but to no avail. Probably in the kitchen, he thought to himself the exact four words he’d been thinking the past four days as he walked to the back of the shop to his usual booth.

Opening his MacBook to a project proposal he was working on last night, he sighed tiredly, rubbing his temples before beginning to type away. He waited and waited for her to swivel through the glass kitchen doors, a tray in one hand and a towelette hanging off the other. But she never did.

His sleep, or lack thereof, was certainly taking a toll on him and his body. And he was becoming rather irritated with each passing moment. Where was she?

A waitress came to his booth and it was not his waitress, was Eliezer’s first observation.

“M-Mr. Badeaux.” Her lips quivered and her voice was quiet—she was frightened, to say the least.

“What?” He nearly roared at her in a bit of a rage. He groaned regretfully when the girl shuddered, involuntarily taking a step back.

“Cassiopeia, isn’t here right now, she’s going to be late,” the girl said quietly, her eyes cast downwards. His eyes softened and filled with worry.

A frown pulled at his lips and he turned his attention back to his screen. “I’ll wait for her,” he muttered. “I’ll just have a glass of water.” He waved her off.

She returned a few moments later with his water and he was then left to himself.

Another twenty-five minutes went by and he was what one would deem as exhausted, irritated, and upset. If he wanted to get to the office in time, he’d have to leave the coffee shop now. But he felt incomplete without Cassiopeia. He hadn’t even touched the glass of water.

So Eliezer decided he’d be late because of her. And he couldn’t care less.

The man continued working for another half an hour and Cassiopeia was still nowhere to be found. He was running thin on patience yet the underlying worry for her was overpowering any other emotion.

Then suddenly, his heart stopped and he felt whole once again.

Cassiopeia walked in, gracing the shop with her presence in all her divinity. With a backpack hanging from one shoulder and a stack of books on her arm. She had her head thrown back in full-blown laughter. Eliezer wondered what her source of such beautiful laughter was. And then he saw it. Alongside her was a boy, particularly around her age and he was smiling too, however a bit warily. He watched the exchange and as seconds passed, the more red he saw. And he was more than ready to kill the boy. But it wasn’t until she calmed down and her head was no longer thrown back that he saw her in a different light. The boy’s weary smile only made Eliezer more anxious after seeing her in all of her being. Though the much simplistic girl had a small smile etched on her face, he could see it in clear-cut clarity—she was hiding her pain and hurt. But for what? The possibilities of whatcould be tainting her worried him. Her irises desolate and detached, tiredness seeping in her features, she looked broken, empty.

His eyes raked up and down her body and his hand gripped the edge of the retro table so tightly his knuckles paled. Cassiopeia looked to have lost just about three inches off her already small waist. Though that was what one would deem freakishly eerie, Eliezer was one to take note of those small, little things.

“Niccolò!” She shrieked and Eliezer’s eyes flickered up to her figure being picked up bridal style as a bubbly laugh left her lips. Her books tumbled to the ground as the boy swung her around. Eliezer saw blinding red.

She giggled, “I have to go work.”

“I know.” He laughed at her obvious struggle and put her down.

“I’ll see you later in British Literature, yeah?” He questioned with a small smile. In response, she nodded, a faint smile settled on her face and those desolate eyes Eliezer came to hate returned rather quickly yet again.

“Alright, get to work,” Niccolò uttered with a melancholic tone. “I’ll pick up your books and take them to your usual spot. Goodbye pretty girl.” He kissed her temple softly before they both pulled away and she walked off. Eliezer watched the boy intently with narrowed eyes and he had a rather passionate urge to kill the boy. And it was evident with his hands fisted at his sides under his table. Who the fuck was that? And what was he doing with my Cassiopeia, looking all cozy?

His eyes left the boy and followed her figure as she tied on her apron and grabbed her little sea-green notebook and Muji pen to take orders. He watched as the dainty old lady whispered something in her ear before she nodded and came around the counter. She started making her way towards Eliezer and unknowingly to her, her hips swayed hypnotically, and just like that, he was in a daze. Her eyes cut to his and seeing his already on her, instinctively, she bit her bottom lip; and a beautiful blush spread over her cheeks.

“Hello, mon ange,” he greeted, his tone euphonious. Just like that, he had forgotten any previous feelings he’d felt in the moments before, merely focusing on his heavenly girl.

“Hello, Eliezer.” She stumbled on her words, giggling. Her eyes flickered upwards and a rather cute, but embarrassed smile etched its way on her face. And to Eliezer, there was absolutely nothing better.