Chapter 6
I got up to find Adrian's comforter draped over me, and a glass of water perched on the table in front of me. I noticed the wine bottle was gone. My throat was parched, so I picked the glass to drink water when I found a note resting below it. I placed the glass back and inspected the note.
I know you were dreaming about me; I saw the smile on your face.
Don't miss me too much, princess.
Until we meet again ;)
Your knight in shining armour,
Adrian
I rolled my eyes at his theatrics, and a small smile graced my face. I picked up the note and moved to my room, which luckily was adjacent to the balcony, so I didn't have to encounter Jace. I placed the note on the bedside. After freshening up and wearing another jersey that belonged to Jace, I sauntered out of my room.
Jace was cooking in the kitchen, on hearing my footsteps, he looked up with a sincere apologetic smile and hopeful eyes and said, "Pancakes?"
But my attention was not on his kind gesture or the truce he was offering. It was on the black eye he was supporting on his other eye.
"How did you get that?" I asked in a leveled uncaring tone, contrary to what I was planning to do. I wanted to plummet the bastard who had hurt my brother.
"Loverboy got a little carried away, but I deserved it." He said sincerely. I wanted to refute his remark about Adrian being a lover boy, but I couldn't be bothered by it at the moment.
Adrian never failed to amaze me by his needless gestures.
"Hmm," I said in a small voice and placed myself on the stools in front of the counter. I sat there silently and poured myself another glass of water. Jace sighed.
"I'll come back," he said softly. I looked up instantly, but I needed to know that he was doing this for himself.
"I'm not forcing your hand, it is your decision," I shrugged.
"I know, and I want to go back. I'm sorry, all this while, I forgot that I wasn't suffering alone. I had you, I have always had you. But I won't run away, not anymore," he said, and I gave him a small smile.
"Good choice," I murmured playfully. I was happy, no, I was ecstatic.
"I'm surprised you changed your mind overnight," I added.
"Adrian can be persuasive. He barged into my room, briefly after you left and delivered this blow. Not my finest moment, you see." He paused and pointed towards his black eye.
"Once he was satisfied, he told me to get my shit together in an unusual way. The guy can surprisingly be quite serious and smart when he wants to be. He then went on about how you shouldn't have to be strong by yourself, which I wholeheartedly agree with. Then said, I quote 'she's your sister, take some responsibility', and described you in various adjectives. Oh, and he threatened to kill me if I ever mentioned this to you, but I shouldn't be the only one embarrassed, now, should I?" He finished with a sly grin on his face.
I was taken aback by his answer. Yet again, Adrian had managed to stun me by his actions. He had stood up for me without a reason. No one had ever stood up for me, not like this, a feeling of warmth settled over my chest.
He hadn't even wanted it to reach me. Wasn't that what most people did, brag, and show that they had done something for you?
Adrian had never been like most people from the very beginning.
But I didn't want to ponder on his actions, he was gone now and wasn't coming back. I turned my attention back on Jace. There were still things we needed to discuss.
"What else aren't you telling me?" I asked, and he winced. I didn't want him to feel bad. I just had to understand why he had tried so hard to push me away, so that I could be normal without any inhibitions.
"There are some things I can't disclose right away, give me some time," he looked at me earnestly, and I nodded despite my wishes. I wanted to take his hand and walk through the shit he was in. But if time was what he wanted, I'd give it to him, for now at least.
We had to move forward, and we couldn't do that if I didn't respect his decision.
There were things even I was keeping from him, so it was only fair to do so.
"You'd let me know if you were in serious trouble, right?" I asked anxiously, and he nodded affirmatively. I decided to take his word on it. A comfortable silence settled over us, and we didn't seem to mind.
"Pancakes?" He offered again.
"Pancakes," I repeated and gave him a bright smile.
"You mean to say, Mr. Anderson had known about your whereabouts this entire time while he made me tour around the world to track you down?" I questioned calmly, but I was fuming on the inside.
That sly old man, I scoffed internally.
Once I went back to New York, I was going to make his life a living hell.
"In his words, you looked like you needed a long vacation," Jace drawled out and chuckled.
If Mr. Anderson would've been any other person, I would've fired him immediately. For two months, he had made me run around the world with wrong clues. From seeing Northern lights in Norway to attending a recital in Sydney Opera House, I had covered almost all locations people had on their travel bucket list. Supposedly, searching for Jace, who had been in France this entire time.
But he wasn't just any person. He had been the backbone of the company when Jace was away. He was the one who had guided me and taught me the ropes of the company. I couldn't call him a fatherly figure, the way Jace could. But he was my closest and most trusted ally since both of us wanted the same thing: to keep the company safe. We had a mutual understanding, and I respected him, despite all the hurdles he threw my way.
"And not the entire time, I told him about my departure to France before leaving, but he didn't know where I'd be living in France. We weren't in touch after that. I would send him a message once in every four months from a burner phone, informing him that I was safe or that I needed more funds to be transferred to my new account. He never contacted or questioned me further," Jace added in his defense.
"Until the day before yesterday, when I called him and told him that you were with me. He was worried, you know since Alexis had told him that she couldn't contact you. He blocked all of your cards. He also contacted the Embassy in Paris regarding the issue of a temporary passport. So don't be too harsh on him once we go back, alright?" He reasoned with me, and I gave a flat look in return. I wish I was reasonable and empathetic.
"I won't do something out of the ordinary, Jace," I said with a sly grin. I will just cause a little scandal or two, which he will have to worry about. The same way I had worried about Jace's wellbeing for the past two years. He will be the one wanting a vacation.
I didn't enjoy being played.
Every time I had gone to a different location, I had a sense of renewed hope within me. Hope, that I'd finally get to meet Jace, but I was always left disappointed with each outcome. I hadn't even thought of enjoying the magnificence of the things before me because I was busy searching every face in the crowd for my brother.
A part of me just wanted to sit back and admire the view. But I was scared that I'd miss him if I decided to live in the moment.
I sighed.
That cycle was over, I had found him, and I wasn't going to let him go.
We were headed towards our hotel, The Ritz, Paris, after driving for six hours from Toulouse to the American Embassy here. I was wearing the same pair of clothes as I had on the day I arrived. As I didn't have any identification apart from the police report, we had opted to drive.
Jace and I had argued over who'd drive. Not out of a sense of goodness, but because we enjoyed the thrill of being behind the wheel. And I had won.
Both of us didn't mind the journey, instead, we had relished it. It made us reminiscence about the times we would go on spontaneous road trips. We used to be carefree and happy, laughing at the smallest of things.
I missed that life.
Soon enough, we had settled in our suite. It would take another week before we could travel back, so I had decided to make the best of my time here. Our suite faced the Eiffel Tower, and in the dimness of the night, it was a glorious sight to witness.
I had once read:
Paris was a poem of adjectives and a list of superlatives.
And truer words haven't been spoken.
In the week that followed, I wandered around the streets like Rue Crémieux and Champs-Élysées at night. I witnessed the picturesque views from Arc de Triomphe and the street art around Butte-aux-Cailles. I shopped from small boutiques in Rue Saint-Honoré. I admired the art in The Louvre and architecture of the Palace of Versailles and Cathédrale Notre-Dame. It was the perfect getaway.
The charm of the city wasn't simple. It was spellbinding, deep, and long-lasting.
It allured and bewitched me in so many ways.
Jace had been busy settling his matters, but today he had decided to launch his presence back in the society. I was thrilled when I heard the news, until I heard of the medium of doing so.
We were attending the Rochester Ball tonight. It was well established that my presence at balls always lead to scandals or showdowns because I couldn't handle the obnoxiousness of the people around me, so I decided to keep my presence minimal.
I had no intention of ruining tonight for Jace, so I had decided to be on my best behaviour.
I looked at Jace, he didn't seem nervous yet looked a bit skeptical about his decision.
"If you don't want to do this, say the word and we'll leave," I said reassuringly. Jace turned to me and gave me a wide grin.
"I was just imagining Daniel's livid expression when I'll steal his spotlight and Liv, I can't possibly imagine a better way to show that I'm back," he said with amusement in his eyes and I laughed at his response.
"Are you ready, then?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
"I was born ready," he said with a cocky grin and I rolled my eyes.
We made our way into the ballroom, and as the doors opened, all the eyes swiveled in our direction, and complete silence took over. My hand rested on the crook of Jace's arm. I looked into his eyes and gave him a small smile. He smiled back before we moved inside.
Just like that, the spell was broken, and whispers erupted in all directions. For being the supposed cream of the society, they all lacked basic etiquette, but who was I to preach about manners. I gave a levelled icy look to whoever stared at us while Jace had a small smile gracing his features as we made our way to the hosts, Daniel and Elena Rochester, who gave us a fake warm greeting while hiding their enraged expressions.
Soon enough, Jace was swarmed by our business associates, who inquired of his disappearance. I left him to his demise as he went on to explain how he'd been volunteering and had started charitable organizations in third world countries, under the David and Lisa Foundation, in honor of our late parents.
Which secret to everyone's knowledge, he had done just in the last week.
The grandeur of the ballroom took my breath away. From the intricate frescoes carved into the walls to the painted ceilings that were lit by chandeliers, I felt mesmerised. I had always admired Parisian architecture from pictures, but witnessing it firsthand made me draw inspiration from it.
I moved to a corner of the ballroom and grabbed a champagne flute on my way. The ballroom had umpteen arches made of marble, mirroring and adjoining each other at one end. I moved behind a pillar of the arch, which lead to a hallway. Settled in the corner, I felt at ease.
In previous balls, I had always been the center of attention. People had enjoyed provoking me because however hard they tried, they couldn't get a rise out of me.
I looked at the vanity of the interactions. Everyone here judged others while propagating goodness and philanthropy in the world. They fed off by putting other people down, and I lived by looking down on their attitude. They never accepted outsiders because they lived in fear. The fear of the unknown. Fear of losing that power to someone they considered beneath them. Thus, they tore down nice people who strived to gain acceptance unless they had been moulded as one of their own.
To fit in society, you'd have to lose yourself.
I was the villain in their novel, the frigid uptight bitch who thought she was better than them, while they weren't even a part of mine.
I was broken out of my trance when I noticed a familiar lock of black hair and sea-green eyes. Adrian. Of course, he was here.
He wore a black tailored suit that made him look like a devious yet refined businessman, a stark contrast to the jesting and carefree boy I had met. He was running a hand through his freshly tousled hair, and despite the frown on his face, he looked irresistibly handsome.
He was standing at a distance, faced in my direction, but hadn't noticed me. He was engaged in a heated discussion with a beautiful brunette. Her navy blue gown fit perfectly, and her baby blue eyes were alluring. Her hand was holding his arm in a tight grip and she was trying her best to move him towards the dance floor.
Too bad, he didn't look interested. He was trying to get her hands off him without causing a scene. I contemplated whether I should help him. But then I thought better of it. I was perfectly well hidden in my corner, saved from the horror of having everyone's attention on me.
You owe him, remember?
My conscience reminded me. I'd repay my debt and get this over with.
I sauntered in his direction and placed my empty flute on a tray. Then, I took notice of two guys standing by the bar whose eyes were also on the scene. One was laughing, and the other had a small smile on his face, while being held back from intervening by the laughing guy.
Ethan Lockhart and Tyler Vanderbilt. Adrian's friends.
I moved past them, I felt a lot of eyes trained on me, and I decided to tip my chin in confidence. I finally reached Adrian whose eyes widened on seeing me, and he looked at me with a grin on his face. The girl looked in my direction and glared at me for interrupting their moment. I recognized her. It was Sarah Rodriguez. She was a self-made supermodel for Christ's sake, why would a playboy like Adrian not enjoy her company?
She didn't need to chase guys, they should be chasing her around. I admired her because she had worked hard to become accomplished at such a young age. She had never flaunted her family background and didn't even use it to further her means. While I had never spoken to her in school, she had never done any harm to me. And as far as I had observed, she was quite kind.
But on noticing who I was, her glare morphed into a look of trepidation and panic, and she instantly let go of Adrian's hand. Just like that, the awe I had felt towards her vanished. I wanted to scoff at her reaction, but I wasn't surprised in the least. Obviously, she feared me, I was the ice princess. I was the cold hearted bitch who could ruin your life if you looked at me in the wrong way. I ignored her and turned towards Adrian.
"Adrian Carter, I presume?" I asked, without a hint of recognition in my voice. I did it for Sarah's benefit, I couldn't play the long-lost girlfriend act when it would hurt her. She clearly liked the guy, and I wasn't going to disregard her feelings, despite my dislike towards her attitude.
Adrian controlled the urge to roll his eyes and nodded.
"Ms. Rochester had a business proposal for you. She asked me to escort you to her," I said, and he graced me with his smirk.
"I'm sorry, Sarah. Work awaits," he said with a cheeky grin, without a hint of apology in his tone.
"Shall we go?" He asked in an impeccable business tone.
I nodded and walked ahead. We walked past a throng of people who didn't spare us a glance. We kept walking, and we were close enough to my corner. I didn't know where I'd take him. My job here was done.
I attempted to move back to my corner, but he placed a hand on my waist and whispered into my ear, "Keep walking, Sarah is still looking." I didn't bother to turn back to confirm his suggestion.
With his hand settled on my lower back, he guided me into another corner. Tingles erupted on my skin at the contact.
When we reached the pillar, he turned me around swiftly. I was facing him, and his hand remained firm on my back. I felt feverish at the contact, so I quickly pushed him away.
"Are you crazy? People are watching," I muttered, the first response I could muster and looked into his eyes that were focused on my face.
"Like you care," he retorted and rolled his eyes.
"True," I hummed in reply.
"But considering I have paid my debt, I'd like to go back to enjoying my night." I tried to step out of his way, but he blocked my path. "Alone," I added in an annoyed tone.
I wasn't annoyed, I was just too affected by his presence. He frowned at me jestingly, acting immune to my coldness.
"I didn't ask you to do that, you did it on your own. After I put my life on the line for you, you can't get away so easily," he said and blocked my path again as I tried to move away. I glared at him. This dramatic jerk.
"You were pleading with your eyes for my help," I said in an exasperated tone.
"You read it wrong. I was just happy to see you." He gave me an honest smile in return, without any sign of humor.
"Fine, what do you want?" I drawled, and his smile became wider. His smile was infectious, and I had to control the urge of mirroring his expression.
"You have to do everything I ask of you, tonight." He stated casually like it was no big deal. I wasn't blindly going to follow everything he told me to. I had a perfectly sane mind.
"Do I look crazy?" I asked, questioning his incredulous offer.
"No, you look beautiful," He replied with a heart-stopping grin, and for a second, I was caught off guard. I looked into his eyes, which weren't mischievous or jesting but sincere.
I was wearing a customized Christian Dior bottle green gown with a plunging neckline laced with intricate gold patterns and an open back with criss-cross straps. It had a mermaid fit that floated down below the knees. It hugged me in all the right places, and I did feel confident about how I looked. My fiery red hair was hanging freely in natural waves.
But Adrian's eyes didn't trail over the length of my body, they were fixated on my face, and I felt my heart skip a beat.
"Well, aren't you full of compliments tonight?" I asked rhetorically, trying extremely hard to hide my blush at his unforeseen remark. He chuckled at that, realising that I wasn't comfortable with compliments.
"I guess you're bored but don't delude yourself to believe that I'll be your source of entertainment," I added and gave him an icy glare.
"Are you going back on your word?" He was baiting me, but I was not going to fall into his trap.
"No Adrian, I just don't find your offer convincing enough," I said with a shrug, and added,"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and talk to that fine specimen. He looks a little lost and I have immense love for humanity." I remarked sarcastically, and directed my gaze in the direction of a guy looking around the ballroom. He rolled his eyes at my sarcasm. Then I tried to move past him, but he again blocked my path. He had an annoying habit of doing so.
"I forget how difficult you can be, but the fine specimen you're going to spend your time with, is going to be me," he said with a small smile and I scoffed. Like I'd do that willingly.
Of course, I was being difficult. I knew through my time with him, that he was a relatively nice guy towards me, but he was equally devious when he wanted something. I wasn't going to agree to something unless I knew what it entailed.
So, I gave a tight-lipped smile in return.
"Fine, be my genie, grant me three wishes," he said after contemplation, with finality in his tone. I chuckled at his absurd suggestion, but then realized he was serious.
"Do I look like a blue magical creature?" I retorted flatly. I looked at him icily, but he had a stubborn look on his face.
"No, You look absolutely beautiful." He repeated and flashed me his million-dollar smile. I chuckled at his response, and he looked stunned at my reaction but didn't make a comment on it. Even I was bewildered with myself.
"You are unbelievable," I muttered under my breath.
"And very stubborn to get what I want," he added playfully.
"And what do you want?" I asked calmly, with a levelled gaze.
"You," he replied automatically and then added while scratching the back of his neck,"To grant me three wishes."
Though my eyes had widened at his initial remark, I masked them back into a blank gaze. I decided not to pay heed to his slip up.
What could he possibly want from me? He had the means to get everything he desired. Perhaps, my company shares or a scandal to taint my name.
That was what most people in our world wished for, didn't they? Materialistic gain or being stronger than their rivals.
"You won't give up, will you?" I asked with a sigh.
"Never," he replied affirmatively with sincerity in his eyes.
"Fine, if I find them reasonable and appropriate. I'll grant them," I said nonchalantly. He looked at me like a child who had just met his favorite superhero. He was surprised that I gave in, well, even I was. "Now, I'm leaving," I added and tried to move past him.
That is when he decided to pull himself out of his daze, and his hand shot out to grab my arm. He pulled me towards him, and a beautiful grin graced his face. There was something distinctive about his grin that effortlessly reeled me in. Tingles erupted on my skin at our proximity, I was going to push him away, but his next words held me in place.
"My first wish is that you spend the entire ball with me," he whispered in my ear, and I sucked in a breath.
How could I possibly forget that Adrian wasn't most people?
I was in for one hell of a surprise.