AMELIA'S P.O.V

I puffed my cheeks out in annoyance as I stared at the beautiful dress lying on bed beside me. I never find it difficult to choose a dress. I am okay with a dress until I resemble to a fat cow in it. This dress, I admit, was more than beautiful. It was a mermaid royal blue skin tight dress with cross straps for holding the dress up. And let me tell you, royal blue was totally my colour.

I don't know why but my closet is full of black and other dark colours. Is it because these colours make us look slimmer?

Every now and then only one thing haunts my peace. The thing that my father was out and I were miles away from Madeleine rendered me to creep out in every way possible.

I sighed. I don't think I should be creeping out because of Owen but whenever I think about how Owen kidnapped Regina from Asher's house even though there was full proof security triggered the worst thoughts in my mind. I know my apprehensiveness has always gotten me into trouble. I can't help it. Especially when I am alone here. Whenever these apprehensive thoughts invade my brain, I try my best to be occupied by something else, something that would distract me from the situation but right now I can't find a single distraction other than this dress.

I know I am not the only one who's worried about Madeleine. There's Regina, Asher and then there's Alarick. He said nothing would happen to her and she's safe. I should learn to trust.

I opened my laptop and began searching for good movies that would distract me from the misery going on in my life. I have like 4 more hours to get ready for the ceremony and since I am trapped in this room. I have nothing else to do other than watching movies. In past few days, I have watched almost every teen and novel based romance movies. Now I have to search up a good movie for almost an hour to watch it and it makes almost three hours. Then I will have a total one hour time to get ready. Thats it.

I began searching when someone knocked.

"Yes?" I asked not bothering to get up and open the door myself. It was too far and I was settled in my comfy bed.

There was no answer for few seconds. I thought the person might have left and was going to resume my search when I heard it,

"It's Layla."

I scrunched up my face. Does it have to be Layla?! Couldn't it be Alarick?

"Yes?" I asked. The door knob turned and she opened the door poking her head inside.

"Layla." I said but it came out like a pissed off sound.

"Um..can I come in?" She asked although she was already in.

"You're already in."

"Oh." She grinned sheepishly and closed the door behind her. I rolled my eyes at her trying to look cute.

"You need something?" I asked keeping my gaze on screen.

"That's beautiful." She said pointing at the dress awkwardly.

"I know right." I shrugged. I don't really want to be rude but I can't find anything else to say.

"Um...Amelia."She paused, "I-I..just wanted to..apologize for the other day...when I was acting like a bitch?"

I just cocked my eyebrow and she continued,

"I know you noticed it. I was just being a stupid hormonal teenager and-"

"What are you talking about, Layla?" I interrupted and crossed arms in front of my chest.

"Sorry Amelia I had this huge crush on Mr. Knight and when you came he started paying attention to you and I just got kind of jealous. So I.." she trailed off tugging at her shirt and I began to laugh loudly.

"Why are you laughing?" She said tilting her head.

"You...think...there's something...between us?!" I said in between my laughs.

"Um...there is something, isn't it?" She said completely confused. There's no big deal. I am confused too. I don't think whatever is going in between us can be called 'something'. Yes we kiss, go out on dinners, stay with each other, and heck even sleep together but not in that way, just pure sleep you know but still we're not in a relationship! Although I have said the three words.

"Um...I don't know. " I said nonchalantly. I really don't know. Maybe I know but he doesn't know?

"You don't know?" She asked as she sat on the bed beside me pushing the dress away and stuffing her legs under the duvet. She glanced at my laptop screen and then looked at my face as if I had grown two heads.

"Yeah. I don't know. Sometimes I feel like he likes me because he's so caring and possessive like those boyfriends and then he's completely strange with this angry and pissed off aura around him. I am just confused." I explained rubbing my temples forgetting about how much I hated this girl a few minutes ago and now I am spilling everything to her as if she's been my best friend for years, "I even told him about how I feel for him but he ignored it. Like literally ignored. He never said a thing. He didn't even reject."

"Hmm...you like him?" She mumbled examining her perfectly manicured nails.

"I love him." I answered honestly.

She raised her brows at this.

"Okay so this is some cliché romance story going on. The girl likes the bad boy but bad boy doesn't know how to cope up with his responsibilities and love at the same time so he's just pushing you away while he knows that eventually he's going to ask the girl out and there will be a sweet happy ending or you can say f*cking if its mature one." She said clapping her hands at the end.

"What..How do you know that?" I asked amused by her story and completely ignored how she ended it.

"He just saved you from some type of trouble few days ago?" She asked now grinning.

"Uhm hum" I nodded.

"So yeah the next stage is asking out and then a long long passionate kiss." She said giving me a crook smile.

I raised my brows totally amused.

"What?! I am a romance novel freak." She exclaimed.

I just shook my head at her and looked at the screen. Layla chuckled beside me. I didn't realize when I had entered Alarick's name in search box. Now all I could see were the links related to his company. I was going to close it when Layla slapped my hand away.

"Wait. Let's see what they say about his love life." She said snatching the device from me.

I frowned but agreed anyway. Plus it was more interesting than a typical teen movie.

Layla randomly clicked on the sites, opening them in the new tabs.

"Done." She said as she opened the first tab. We kept reading those articles for almost an hour.

After rummaging through all the links related to his love life and finding nothing other than rumors, we stumbled on a page with title written in bold,

I laughed for almost a minute thinking about how could people be so stupid.

"Seriously? Read this. They say that Alarick didn't deny." Layla exclaimed.

"There's a video." I noticed the video on side. There was Alarick in it. Layla quickly clicked it open.

Alarick was walking on the red carpet probably leading to some great event. When he came closer to the camera I heard the reporter's voice,

"Mr. Knight! Mr. Knight, they say you're invovled in Russian Mafia. Is that true?"

Alarick seem to be in hurry but on the mention of mafia, he stopped and looked straight into the camera.

"I would never do anything illegal. That's not me." He said. I took a sharp breath. It felt if he was looking at me, talking to me.

"So you are denying to be involved in this scandal?" The reporter had asked.

"Am I?" He smirked walking straight away and just then video ended.

"What the hell?" I was annoyed just like that reporter. He could have said no or maybe yes. "That means he is involved in mafia? Am I working with mafia? Heck! Am I in love with mafia man?"

"Now do you care?" Layla asked closing down the laptop.

"If he's in mafia or something like that then its his business." I paused for a moment, "I trust him. If he said that he would never do anything illegal then he means it. He is a man of accuracy."

"I think he's a bit related to this fuss." She said pulling the duvet over her.

"How can you say that?" I asked fazed.

"I am his P.A. Duh. He has Russian background. His father was a Russian entrepreneur. Did you notice that Russian accent?" She asked turning towards me.

Did I? Yes.

"Oh my! I always wondered what accent it was?! But still how do you know about him involved in that fuss?"

"Umm....I think I saw a bunch of his papers related to some popular russian dealers by mistake. He usually keeps some files to himself. I am not sure if they are really russian dealers but they do have Russian names like those I hear in news."

"You're still not sure about this." I said getting out of the bed.

"How can I be?!" She sat up, "I said I thought."

"Whatever." I said flopping down on bed again.

"So are you going to ask him?" She asked after a few minutes.

"Yes or no. I don't know."

If this is true then I think Owen should look out for Alarick. All these past months have taught me enough about Alarick. He is not the one to mess with. He is the type of people who can do anything for the people they care and can ruin the people they hate. So messing with those people and reach their list of people-I-need-to-teach-a-lesson is a full proof plan of digging your own grave.

So after all these points if you say that he's involved mafia then I wouldn't be surprised. Plus aren't Mafia men super hot?! They are and so is Alarick. Oh my God, I am swooning.

"And you don't have to worry about that Roman because government is deporting him." She said casually.

"What...deporting him? Why?" I asked as a gasp left my mouth.

"When he was caught that night, the police investigated him and turned out that he was involved in some type of mafia and was proved guilty of killing thirty seven innocent dwellers." She took the dress off the bed and began examining it.

I was stunned. Finally something happening good to me.

"Close your mouth and go get ready, Its five and you have got an hour to get ready? You have taken a shower right?" She said as I closed my mouth and shook my head at her.

Just then I remembered something.

"Layla why didn't you tell me about Alarick having a meeting yesterday?"

"Meeting?"

"Yeah?" I grabbed the dress from her and reached the bathroom door.

"Oh! It was not a meeting. It was just a lunch." I heard her say and stopped.

"Lunch? With whom?"

"Miss. Richard. Who else?" She furrowed her brows, "I hate her."

"Now who the hell is Miss. Richard?" Then something smacked in my brain. Richard? Phoebe Richard?! That can't be true.

"You don't know her?"

I shook my head, "No. What's her full name?"

"Phoebe Richard. She arrived here two days ago. She lives with Alarick."

"What?! I never saw her. He never told me about her." What the hell?! Alarick knows her? But she is the one who bailed my father out.

"I dont know but she's really weird. Like she came here with that round tummy of hers just to attend this ceremony."

"She...she is that pregnant lady? At his house?" I asked incredulously.

"Yeah now stop with all this Phoebe and go change!"

"No! Wait I need to see Alarick!" I began walking towards the door.

"Am stop. He's not here!" She grabbed my wrist which I don't know when she got out of bed so quick, "You are getting late. You can talk to him when he comes back." She pushed me into the bathroom and closed the door behind me.

I was so confused. What the hell is connection between that Phoebe and Owen!

Taking a quick shower and blowing my hair dry I wore the dress and my evergreen black heels. I left the bathroom and went to look my self in foot length mirror.

The royal blue cloth was hugging my curves perfectly. I silently thanked God for gifting me curves at all right places although my height was not just perfect.

"You look hot." Layla said as she dragged me towards the mirror and practically pushed me down on the chair.

"Time for Layla's magic." She grinned and began working on me where as I kept silent all the time just smiling at her and trying to solve the puzzle in my head.

After what felt like hours she was done and I gasped as I stared at my reflection in awe. She had straightened my red hair and they were reaching my waist. She had done black smoky eye making my greens bulge out and red color was resting on my lips complimenting my hair.

I thanked her giving her a tight bear hug. I wonder why I am not so good at doing my own make up anymore.

I was once a perfectionist in some dark time of my life.

"It's just Layla's magic, babe. Now go before Mr. I want everything on time goes all angry at you." She pushed me out of the room.

"You said he's not here." I turned back to face her.

"He arrived a few minutes ago. I got a text." She showed me his text.

I am here.

"Why didn't he text me?" I scowled.

"Stop being a jealous cat." She closed the door in my face. But really! He could've texted me.

I quietly made my way towards his room. I knocked and there was no answer. I knocked three more times and then opened the door poking my head inside.

I noticed that he was on phone. Letting out a small 'oops' I closed the door again and waited outside.

After few minutes, the door flung open revealing the most handsome man ever landed on planet earth. His hair were combed back neatly. He was wearing this black crisp shirt with black Armani.

Is it only me who has this stupid obsession with men in all black?

And then his words almost made me faint at the spot,

"Like what you see, angel eyes?"

*

*

*

*

*

Layla's turning into a good girl?

*wiggles brows*

Enjoy your Christmas!😄😄