Adira stood frozen in place as Nikolai - the most powerful billionaire - approached her. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest like a wild animal trying it escape its cage. With his cold, hard eyes settling on her like diamond orbs that pierced through her soul, she felt unhindered chills down her spine.
Was Nikolai the man the bar manager was referring to? Was he the man that wanted her to stay back? But why? She's only seen him in the news and on papers, she's never met or even dreamt of meeting with him before. Someone of her status could not even meet him. So, she was wondering how he how specifically knew her to request her staying back. What could she had possibly done to offend the almighty billionaire?
With each step he took closer to her, her fear increased and she took hard nervous gulps. He was so handsome, so muscular - his face an art of perfection. But right there, all she could feel was fear as she stared at him.
"Adira Ravenswood," he called her full name when he got close enough, his voice like frost, coating everything in a layer of cold detachment.
Adira became more perplexed. He knew her name? How the hell did he know her name?
For a second, she looked around and blinked hard, trying to see if she was dreaming or seeing things wrongly. Was it possible she had passed out and was in a trance? Perhaps, she had passed out in the church? Or even when she had gotten to the bar? But even in her dreams, why would she meet a man like Nikolai Kensington?
Looking back at his oval face, she wagged her head slowly. "You're not real," she muttered.
Nikolai sighed and walked pass her, his guards staying back.
"Please, come have a seat, Miss Adira. I'd like to make this as brief as possible." He said with a frozen inflection, his voice void of any concern for her confusion.
With shaky legs, Adira turned and ambled to where he was seated on the counter. The whole time, she kept wondering if it was actually a dream or reality. Even when she was married to Lancelot, she knew of the times he complained of how extremely difficult it was to meet Nikolai. Everyone talked about it. This man was almost like a god on earth. So, Adira was totally confused that he was there with her. This was the reason she believed she was dreaming.
Getting to the counter, she slowly took a seat that faced him, her confused gaze not leaving his face. She was still trying to fathom if he was real or not.
Wealth smelt all around him, for a moment, she felt she was sitting before a demi-god.
"Need more drinks?" Nikolai asked, noticing the bottles in front of her were empty.
Feebly, Adira shook her head.
"Okay, then. Let's go straight to the point," his tone was so cold and hard, as well as his face. It made Adira wonder if he's ever smiled or done something fun.
'This is all a dream, Adira' she reminded herself. 'Soon, you'll wake up and find yourself back to the miserable life you've been used to.'
"I'm sure I do not need to introduce myself to you," Nikolai began. "I came here on purpose to see you, and that's because I have a really juicy offer you might like."
This got Adira thinking. How did he know she was at the bar? Did it mean he had her followed? See? This was the reason she knew it was a dream. How could a man like Nikolai possibly follow her? A low-life like her?
"I am very much aware of what you've been through. From your divorce and all the maltreatment you've had to go through. So, I'm here to make you an offer, Adira. I, Nikolai Kensington, will make you so rich, you'll walk on money. I'll place you above your enemies and make them worship at your feet. You'll no longer be known as the timid Adira, but you'll become known as one of the most powerful women in the country, as well as a manager in the Yonder Dynamics. You'll be a great woman, Adira, possibly for life." His tone was hard and crisp as be spoke, giving the feeling of them having a business conversation.
Adira watched him as he spoke and stayed frozen for a while when he finished. Then, she laughed - threw her head backwards and laughed with a tear trickling down her left cheek.
"Oh! Adira, you're so stupid," she said out loud, chuckling. "You're so stupid. How did you get into such a dream?"
She tapped her forehead "I can't believe you chose to imagine this of all things. How can I even dream of this?"
She laughed again, wiping the second tear that came rolling down her cheek.
Nikolai watched her closely, saying nothing.
When she was done talking to herself, she sniffed and looked around. His guards were still there, staring at her through their dark shades. But the bar manager was gone. It was just them in the bar. She looked back at Nikolai and chuckled.
"I can't believe I dreamt of you. You know, I've never even thought of you before, because people like you are not even qualified to be in my head. So, how the hell did I end up dreaming of you?"
She lifted her hand and tried touching his cheek with her finger, but Nikolai moved away immediately, flashing resentment in his eyes.
"You look so real, tho." Adira added,a silly smile on her lips.
Nikolai cocked his head and shrugged.
"Like I was saying, Adira," he continued, not seeming affected by her dramatic display. "I'll make you very powerful. But there's a condition of marrying me for two years. Two years alone - not even a day late. It's going to be strictly on agreement with other terms involved. If you agree to my offer, I'll tell you those terms. But for now, I'll give you the night to think about it. If I don't hear from you by noon tomorrow, I'll take it your response was a No." He dipped his hand into his trouser pocket and retrieved a card.
"This is my personal card. Give me a call when you're ready," he dropped the card in front of her. Then, opening his palms to the guards behind him, he let them place a bundle of cash in it. He turned back to Adira and dropped the bundle on the table.
"This should be enough to get you home and make you sleep comfortably. That'll be all for now, Adira." He stood up and saying nothing else, walked out of the bar.
Adira's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the bundle in front of her. Little by little, the realization begin to dawn on her- the realization that she was not dreaming afterall.
With shaky hands, she touched the money and the card and gasped.
"What the hell?!" She shrieked. Her heart began to race heavily. She slapped her cheek repeatedly, hoping to see if she'd wake up. There was no way this could be real, right? There was no way Nikolai just said all that to her!
Adira stood up and ran out of the bar immediately, trying to see if she'd find Nikolai again. But getting outside, she found them driving away. "Oh, no" she mumbled to herself. "It wasn't a dream. It wasn't a dream."Her heart thrashed against the cage of her ribs. She lifted her hands into her hair and tousled it. What the hell just happened? So, it wasn't a dream afterall? Nikolai had really been in front of her?'I'll make you so rich, you'll walk on money' his words came flashing in her head. 'I'll place you above your enemies and make them worship at your feet.'"No," Adira whispered, still brushing her hair with her shaky fingers. How did this happen? How could he even say that to her? She returned to the bar and found the card and money still lying on the counter. A tear slipped her eye immediately. Feebly, she picked up the money and stared blankly at it. To think she had actually wanted to end her life when she was done from the bar? Was this the devil playing tricks on
Adira freshened up, packed her bags and in a short while, she was ready to go.From time to time, she paced round the room and glanced at the window to see if the car had arrived. Goodness, she was scared and found it difficult even breathing.'Calm down, Adira. Everything will be fine,' she kept assuring herself.Finally, she found a black sleek car driving into the compound and her heart jumped out of her chest. It was him. The driver was there.She puffed out her cheeks, rubbed her palms together and finally dragged her luggages out of the room. She got downstairs to where her family was gathered and laughing at the dining. Seeing Adira with her luggages seized their laughters at once as they threw suspicious stares at her."Where the hell are you going?" Soraya scoffed.Adira ignored her and headed for the door.
Adira was shown to her room which made her gasp at its beauty. The room was expansive, with high ceilings that seemed to stretch out into the heavens, and the walls painted in a chic and neutral color of beige and gray.In the center of the room was a massive four-poster bed, draped in sumptuous silken sheets and surrounded by plush pillows that looked like they were made of clouds.There was a sleek sofa in the room - as well as a dressing table.A dressing table - Adira suddenly realized. She ambled to the dressing table and found so many cosmetics on it. Huh? He already made provisions for her cosmetics?Looking around, she found a room that looked like a closet and rushed into it. Her jaw almost hit the floor when her eyes met with the luxury.Rows and rows of designer shoes, handbags and clothing were displayed, each piece looking beautiful and expens
"So, what's your name?" Mrs Bellamy asked as they ate. The rattling of forks and knives provided a rhythmical background to their meal.Adira knew the question was directed at her. She gulped down some water before looking up at the woman."Adira, ma'am. Adira Ravenswood." she inclined her head."Adira. Pretty name."Adira felt so relieved that the woman liked her. She had been so scared that she'd get rejected, just like she had been rejected by Lancelot's family."Thank you, ma'am" she beamed a smile."You're welcome, honey. So, as you must already know, I am Lancelot's mother, and this is my husband," she placed a hand on her husband's shoulder."These two titans over here are my sons - Vesper and Finn."The younger one - Finn - flashed a smile at Adira, while the older one maintained
Adira sat at the plush backseat of the car, her gaze fixed out the window as the city rushed past. The mid-day sun cast a warm glow on everything - from the bustling cars on the sidewalks to the gleaming cars that whizzed by.Just then, her car approached the Belle-Amore jewellery store and Adira's attention was drawn to the familiar figures of Mrs Winslet and Rowena walking inside. They were walking side by side and laughed heartily like they were cracking the funniest jokes.They've become friends - Adira thought. They've become friends after ruining her life and almost making her lose her life.As she watched them, she felt anger surging through her - recalling all the terrible things they made her go through."Stop the car," she instructed the driver, and quickly, the driver found a place to park.She hesitated for a while, just staring at the doors of
The sleek black pulled up to the towering building, a man coming quickly to open the backdoor. Adira emerged from the car like a queen, with two men flanking her sides like loyal knights and her secretary following closely behind. Making her way into the building, she could feel all eyes on her, as well as the people whispering her name in awe and admiration. Her designer clothes hugged her clothes in all the right places, and her hair cascaded down her back in glossy waves. Her makeup was perfect, highlighting her features in all the right places, and her jewelries sparkled like stars in the sky. Her steps were measured and graceful, each one seeming to command the attention of everyone around her. She stepped into the elevator with her people and as the doors closed, she took a deep breath. Soon, the elevator doors open and Adira stepped out to the sixth floor, which was noticeably different from the other floors. The air was tinged with a sense of exclusivity and privilege. Th
Jardine had a wide smile on her face as she sat in front of Lancelot, spoon-feeding him. It's been hours since he regained consciousness, and after a thorough checkup by the doctor, they were advised to give him enough food. Jardine's joy knew no bounds. Seeing her Lancelot right in front of her with his eyes opened was a sight she'd prayed for over a year. The love of her life was finally back to her. "Do you like it?" She beamed at him, trying to scoop in more with the spoon. "I sure am," Lancelot smiled. Then she fed him more. His parents were there as well and just watched from the cushion. "It's so good to finally have you back, son. The past nineteen months have been hell for us." Mrs. Winslet chimed in. Lancelot had almost broken down when he was told he had been in a coma for nineteen months. Nineteen months was a whole lot of time, and it hurt him to know he'd missed a lot of things, especially Jardine, who couldn't enjoy the marriage."I know, right?" He lisped. "I'm
Adira woke up earlier to make breakfast. She was still in her silk pajamas when she got into the kitchen and found the chef already there."Good morning, ma'am," he said with an inclination of the head."Good morning, Logan. You're done from here; I want to make breakfast myself."The young chef was shocked and tried protesting against it, but Adira stood her ground and sent him away.She decided to make some huevos rancheros.A small smile played on the corners of her lips as she moved around the kitchen with practiced ease. Memories of how she had loved cooking for someone who didn't deserve it came flooding back to her. She pushed the thought aside with another smile.The sizzling of bacon on the pan and the clanking of utensils against the pots filled the kitchen, and soon, the aroma of her meal filled the entire house.After a while, she was done and called on Logan to have a taste. When he did, he closed his eyes and moaned in ecstasy."Oh, my! Oh, my! This is totally amazing,