Chapter 7
"You're Julia's girlfriend," Tyler exclaimed and pointed a finger in my direction, and I raised an eyebrow at his statement. Adrian and Ethan rolled their eyes like they were used to his strange antics.
We had been ambushed by his friends who had found us in a rather compromising position and regarded us with teasing glances. Then, Adrian had tried to introduce me to them but was cut midway by Tyler's statement. From my observation, Ethan seemed like a silent and serious guy while Tyler was amusing and strange.
"Be nice," Adrian muttered in my ear, and I rolled my eyes at his remark. I wasn't unnecessarily mean or cold to people unless they provoked me to be so.
"Pfft, I'm always nice," I said sarcastically, ignoring Tyler's remark, who was rubbing his jaw while observing our interaction. Ethan was smirking while silently leaning against the opposite pillar.
"I clearly remember you, you're the redhead girlfriend," he said and stared at me in shock.
"I'm sorry to destroy your hormonal lesbian fantasies, but I don't know any Julia," I said with a shrug, and Ethan smiled at my retort while Adrian chuckled. Tyler didn't seem offended but scrolled through his phone until he found what he was looking for and shoved his phone towards me.
"Ring any bells?" He asked incredulously, and I finally took notice of the picture.
The familiar mop of black curls, a beautiful smile accompanied by dimples and light brown eyes.
A picture of Alexis stared back at me, and I let out a laugh. Adrian widened his eyes at my reaction, and even the other two managed to look surprised. I couldn't blame them.
That girl had managed to enchant yet another guy without even realizing it. I composed myself before turning towards Tyler.
"Let me guess, you guys went on a date and she kept making things awkward. Probably, even dropped a drink or snack on you then talked about her unborn child or how she is a teen exorcist, and many spirits visit her at night. Have I covered most of it?" Tyler nodded at me with a stunned look, and I chuckled. He pulled himself out of his trance.
"I knew I was right," Tyler hummed in satisfaction while Adrian and Ethan looked confused with the situation.
"Uh-huh, I wish it were that easy. Though I'm honestly surprised that you managed to stay for the entire duration before she had to play the 'my girlfriend misses me' card. Most guys leave in the first fifteen minutes," I said, and he widened his eyes at my conclusion. Adrian and Ethan snickered at that.
He looked so confused and bewildered, I decided to help him out.
"Also, your Julia happens to be Alexis Crawford. My best friend and the daughter of Governor Crawford," I said matter of factly, and all three of them turned their heads in my direction.
"You got played, man," Ethan said with an amusing smile, while Adrian chuckled.
"That devious woman," Tyler gasped in realization and slightly shook his head.
"She can be a real piece of work at times," I said in agreement.
Alexis was weird like that, she went on one date every month and acted completely absurd in front of them to scare them away. According to her, if someone wanted to be with her at her best, they had to put up with her at her worst.
But she never considered anyone even if they still liked her. Because hidden behind her absurd notions was a heart of gold that longed for one stupid guy who never noticed her, at least not in the way she wanted him to.
"You don't say," Adrian added, and I arched an eyebrow at him. Before I could retort, a waiter called out Adrian's name, and we turned towards him.
"Sir, your father is requesting your company, along with your lady friend," he informed Adrian, who stiffened at the request. Then, he gradually nodded, and the waiter scampered off.
"I'll go by myself," Adrian said with conviction, and his friends nodded in agreement. Like I'd back down in the face of a challenging situation.
"That'll be a dealbreaker, I'm supposed to spend the entire ball with you, remember?" I said lightly, but the look in my eyes left no room for discussion. Adrian sighed whereas Tyler looked at me with a concerned look in his eyes.
"Don't worry, I can handle it," I said with a small smile.
"I don't think, it's you that we should worry about," Ethan chuckled, and Tyler relaxed a little.
"We'll be right behind, if you need backup or an escape route," Tyler said, and I chuckled at his theatrics.
"Fine, let's get this over with," Adrian muttered under his breath, no hint of his usual smile on his face. His carefree nature had evaporated and in place stood a brooding serious guy.
"Come on, lighten up. It can't be that bad," I said in an attempt to console him, very well knowing how bad it could get.
"Well then, you've clearly never met my father," he said firmly, but what he didn't know was that I was extremely familiar with his father. James Carter had never missed an opportunity to cause trouble for my company, and that had included tainting my name without ever meeting me.
He played dirty by sourcing new scandals to bring down our stocks, yet Mr. Anderson had never let me handle him by myself. According to him, there were still things I needed to learn, and I trusted him enough to let him have his way.
James Carter already had fixated his gaze on Adrian as we made our way to him. He looked like an older refined version of Adrian, with the same sea-green eyes and sleek black hair with white roots. But there was a dangerous glint in his eyes and a mocking smile on his face, which automatically made me wary of him.
"I'm glad son, you finally graced me with your presence," James said, and Adrian shot him a glare. I could sense that the animosity between them ran deeper than this.
"Father," Adrian nodded in acknowledgment, but the look in his eyes was a warning. His playful demeanour was long gone, and he looked almost scary with the hateful smirk on his face.
Then Adrian's eyes moved towards mine, I could see he didn't want me to witness this, so he chose to not indulge in his father's attempt to initiate a heated argument. I shot him a reassuring smile. Between Adrian and his father, I didn't need to think twice before choosing sides.
"I can see you were rather preoccupied, but when are you not," James said scornfully and then turned towards me. His eyes narrowed when he realized who I was and then gave me a mocking smile. Adrian's jaw clenched at his remark.
"Olivia Whitmore, It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance," he said with a fake smile, effectively sizing me up and trying to make me feel inferior in his presence.
"I wish I could say the same, Sir," I said and firmly shook the hand that he had extended in my direction. I saw a glimmer of a smile on Adrian's lips.
"Your reputation precedes you," he said with a wry laugh, and I smirked at him. Adrian tried to say something, but I cut him off.
"You would know, considering the role you played in forming it," I said with a cold look in my eyes and a sickeningly sweet smile on my face. Adrian's eyes widened at my remark, and he narrowed his eyes towards his father in contempt.
"Ah, Olivia it's always delightful to watch how you and your brother show up uninvited yet act so entitled," he said with a sarcastic smile. Adrian looked livid and opened his mouth again, but I placed my hand on his arm. The gesture didn't go unnoticed by James.
"Don't you know? The most important parties to attend are the ones you aren't invited to." I shrugged with a slight curl of my lips. Adrian chuckled in response.
James looked shocked and I scoffed internally. Like it would be that easy to get a rise out of me.
Showing our invite wouldn't have given me the satisfaction of staring at his dumbfounded face.
"Now, if you'll excuse us," I added and turned towards Adrian, who had a small smile on his face. We began to turn away when his father's shock wore off, and an evil grin graced his face.
"Are you sleeping with my son? I have heard about your ways to lure people and use them. Don't bother, he doesn't know anything and isn't worth the trouble." He said with a sinister smile, and I lost any respect I had for him. Adrian was seething in anger, I noticed Tyler and Ethan from the corner of my eye moving in our direction, but I shot them a look that halted them in their place.
"You never fail to embarrass me with your actions. I'm done putting up with this bullshit," Adrian had clenched his fist, "I am really sorry, Olivia. Come on, let's leave." He regarded me with a soft pleading look in his eyes.
He wasn't his father, but it looked like he had always carried the burden of being his father's son.
I gave him a soft smile in return before turning towards James with a lethal glare.
"Your words just proved, Sir, how money can't buy you class. I actually happen to enjoy your son's company. And unlike people like you and me, he doesn't need to exist only for transactions. This meeting turned out exactly how I had expected, and I look forward to never seeing you again," I said and walked away from a stunned James Carter, with Adrian beside me in a look of complete awe.
"I'm sorry, Olivia," he said earnestly as soon as we turned away.
"You're not your father, Adrian. You're not accountable for his actions," I reminded him with a small smile on my face. The tormented look in his eyes eased a little and evolved into gratitude. His smile mirrored mine. I realized at that moment that there was more to him than he let on.
"You're officially the coolest person I know," Tyler said with a huge grin as they surrounded us, and Ethan nodded in agreement. And for the first time in a long while, I laughed wholeheartedly.
His friends soon excused themselves from us, and now I was leaning against a pillar, observing the ballroom while Adrian was standing silently beside me. It was a comfortable silence, and both of us didn't seem to mind it.
My eyes were fixated on the couples dancing in the middle of the dance floor. They looked happy to be swaying in each other's arms. With intimate glances and loving smiles, they were a sight to behold. Like they wanted to be nowhere else but in their partner's arms.
I had never understood the intimacy and affection that came with dancing with someone, because I had never experienced it, but had longed for it. Two years ago, I would have probably enjoyed the art and wished for a Prince Charming to sweep me off my feet. But those fairytale dreams were long gone, and I didn't need a man to feel fulfilled.
I preferred to dance at my own pace and to control my movements, rather than sway in someone else's arms.
"Do you dance?" Adrian asked, breaking me out of my reverie. I sighed and realized he had noticed me staring longingly at the dance floor.
The last time I had danced was at my cotillion, and it hadn't been a pleasant experience. I felt myself becoming cold at the memory.
"What do you think?" I asked rhetorically, in no mood to further this discussion. But, Adrian always had new plans and schemes up his sleeve. He always found different ways of catching me off guard.
"I think you'll make a terrific dancing partner," he said with an infuriating smirk. I didn't like where this was heading. Once Adrian set his mind on something, there was no going back.
"You're highly delusional, what can I say?" I said with a shrug and gave him an icy look to make him back off. He ignored my jab by a mere roll of his eyes.
"I want to dance," he said in a tone that made it sound more like a demand than a suggestion. It seemed like he was used to always getting his own way. Too bad, I couldn't care less about his desires.
"Go find someone else to bother," I said indifferently. He could have just danced with Sarah when she had begged him for it. But, obviously, it hadn't been challenging enough for him.
And I would never allow myself to become a challenge to anyone again.
"Nah, I want to dance with you," he stated smoothly, and I gave a wry laugh, without any charisma laced in it.
"Uh-huh," I said dryly, before adding, "So do other guys, join the list."
On so many occasions, I had been subjected to the displeasure of dancing with jerks, who didn't know how to keep their hands to themselves.
Aunt Lydia had taken delight at my plight and had purposefully led me into their arms, by the disguise of winning the trust of business associates, when I had been naive enough to be challenged by her antics. How vile did she have to be to subject her 16-year-old niece to that, was a question best left unanswered.
Well, the men had accordingly paid for their actions and ended up with broken fingers, broken noses, or a kick to their balls. I wasn't someone who'd handle their advances for the sake of my reputation.
But they had woven tales to defend themselves, and in comparison to honorable young men, I was nothing but the attention-seeking 'slut' people should look down upon. I was a 'social-climbing' and 'opportunistic' girl who lured men by her charm and stole away their wealth.
They had looked down upon me, but I never cowered before them or moulded myself as one of their own. I always kept my head high and faced them head-on.
I wasn't the least bit affected by their words and showed them what an opportunistic social-climbing girl could do, by pulling out Whitmore Co.'s shares from their worthless companies. The rumours had effectively died down and the men who had propagated them had ended up begging on their knees before me, but I didn't show any mercy.
They had wanted to tame me, instead, I unleashed chaos on them.
The press had concocted different theories about me, as no one dared to say a bad word about me.
What happened in galas, stayed in galas.
That was the reason why I was famous at every gala in New York. The reason why I was feared by some and respected by the rest, and why no one had dared to mess with me again.
Before my thoughts took an even darker turn, I was pulled away by the sound of Adrian's deep voice.
"Penny for your thoughts?" He asked softly with a small smile, and I realized I had spaced out on him.
"My thoughts are too invaluable to be bought over by the likes of you," I said dramatically. He had a sincere inquisitive glance on his face, I sighed, "But considering I know how persistent you can be, I'll give you a snippet. I was thinking of ways to get rid of you."
He rolled his eyes and took a step closer to me. Then placed his arms on either side of the pillar, effectively caging me in. I held my breath as I caught a whiff of his intoxicating musky scent. My thoughts became incoherent in his proximity.
"You can't get rid of me that easily, Olivia. I intend to stick around for a long while," he whispered into my ear and his fingers softly tucked in a stray red curl behind my ear. I shivered at the contact, and he moved back before I could react.
He had a cheeky grin on his face, and I shot him an icy look, though I felt fire sizzling through my veins as an aftershock to his touch.
"You're supposed to spend the entire ball with me and I wish to dance," he drawled out, and I was ready to strangle him for his exasperating behaviour.
"I'm not wasting my time over this unreasonable debate. You can dance, and I'll observe, that way I'll keep my end of the bargain."
When he didn't seem to budge, I added flatly, "Now go find a willing partner, while I enjoy my hard-earned solitude."
He scratched his jaw, contemplating his next words. "Fine, you brought this on yourself. My second wish is for you to dance with me." And my eyes were willing to bulge out their sockets. Why was he so persistent and stubborn?
"Use your brain for once, there are much better things you can ask for," I said in an attempt to coax him, but he was as stubborn as a mule.
"Trust me, when I say, I'm asking for the best." He had a mischievous look in his eyes like he had hit the jackpot. He enjoyed rattling me, I realized. He constantly invaded my comfort zone, he knew I was uncomfortable. And that was exactly why he was challenging me or rather forcing me into it. Like he wanted to prove me wrong.
"You're unbelievable," I muttered under my breath.
"I know," he replied with a sly smile, he had again gotten what he wanted.
"So, I'll ask again. Do you dance?" He asked, and I rolled my eyes. Like I had a choice.
"If asked properly," I said in a light snarky tone, with a slight curl of my lips. Adrian smiled brightly in response, and I admired the sincerity in his eyes and actions. It was what drew me to be slightly comfortable around him.
There was no malice, greed, or selfishness in his actions. His eyes were open and unguarded like he had nothing to hide. It could be an act, but in that moment, it didn't matter.
"Olivia Grace Whitmore, will you do me the honour of dancing with me?" He asked dramatically and bent halfway on his knees while extending his hand right hand out to me, for extra effect. I laughed at that and placed my hand in his while nodding, leaving us both stunned. At that moment, I didn't care that people were watching, I let myself relish the moment.
He got back up, my hand was placed firmly in his, and he had a dazed look in his eyes. Like he was mesmerized by the sound of my laughter. I cleared my throat.
"Well, if you're this desperate, I sure as hell can't refuse. We're here for charity, after all," I said with a shrug. He rolled his eyes at my theatrics and guided me to the dance floor.
On our way, my eyes met Jace's electric blue ones, and he gave me a sly teasing grin, and I flipped him off discreetly. He gave a two-finger salute and turned back to his associates.
"If your hands decide to wander, I'll make sure you aren't able to father kids for the rest of your life," I said with narrowed eyes, and he gave me a lazy smile.
"Have some faith in me, badass," he said with a teasing grin, and I scoffed playfully. It was only because I knew I could trust him in this regard, had I agreed to it. He was the kind of guy who knew his boundaries and had been nothing but nice to me, so far.
We reached the floor, and a couple of heads swivelled in our direction, and they looked bewildered by the sight of our clasped hands. But on noticing the icy look I was shooting them, they turned their heads and went back to minding their own business.
"I don't understand how you managed to do that," Adrian said with a look of disbelief. He looked in the direction of the previous onlookers, and then his sea-green orbs turned to me with a look of amazement. Then the song All I Need by Within Temptation started playing in the background.
"Haven't you noticed? I'm the crazy bitch around here," I said with a shrug and gave a tight-lipped smile. He just rolled his eyes at me and slightly shook his head.
Then as we reached the middle of the dance floor, he tugged my hand in a way that we ended up facing each other. My hazel eyes stared into his sea-green ones, and a beautiful grin spread across his face.
His other hand trailed lightly across the length of my arms, and goosebumps erupted on my skin by his featherlike touch. His hand reached mine and slowly pulled it up before enclosing it in his. My eyes followed the movements of our hands. And finally looked back into his eyes which were fixated on my face.
A small smile grew on his face, and my heartbeat grew steadily along with it. He then guided my other hand and placed it delicately on his shoulder. The intense look in his eyes made me feel conscious about myself, my resolve was wavering at his actions.
I looked towards the ground, but Adrian moved his free hand under my chin and lifted it. "Chin up princess, or the crown slips." He said softly, and I found myself regaining my confidence through his words. I gave him a small smile and stared back into his eyes.
He settled his hand in the middle of my open back. He gulped slightly, whereas I felt electricity coursing through my veins.
His eyes were intense, absent of their usual playfulness while mine felt unguarded. Then we moved, our dance was perfect, from our pace to the movements of our feet, everything was synchronized.
I savoured the movements, from our delicate embrace to our adjoined hands. A part of me didn't want this to end.
I had never enjoyed the intimacy that came with the proximity of being in someone's embrace. It unnerved me and made me uncomfortable. All I had felt like was an object of desire of someone who wanted the power to own me.
Yet, the gentle way Adrian's arms held mine, I felt like a person worthy of affection and care.
He twirled me around before catching me back, and I found myself laughing in his arms.
I was in a daze, all the people and the scene around us dissolved.
All that mattered was the way he was looking at me.