Well, hello stranger..

Laila's POV

"The transaction went pretty well, the wife transfered the payment."

Paige said when I entered the living room.

"Good, don't accept any request from Mr. Grant, since he already saw my face might as well have myself invited to his party." I smirk, I might have some fun tonight.

"L, what do you plan to do this time?" She raised her eyebrow in amusement.

"Nothing, just want to pay our old friend a visit." I answered nonchalatly.

"What do you have there?" She asked pointing in my head. I ignored her and went upstairs but halt and turn to face her.

"Let's get ready, shall we?"

********

Putting on dresses is really not my thing, so whenever we are attending a party it is always Paige who's choosing my outfit

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           ( Laila's dress above )

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            (Paige's dress above)

"You look great Paige!" I said eyeing her up and down.

"We look great!" She laughed

We arrived at the party on time. Having no invitation I signalled Paige to do something, being the quite one between the two of us she just blushed.

Damn! losing V-card my ass.

I rolled my eyes at her and proceeded to the guard in the entrance.

"Name, please?" The guard asked gazing my body from head to toe.

"Miss Grant" I said batting my eyelashes at him.

"I'm sorry? Miss Grant?" He asked, confused. "I'm sorry but there is no Miss Grant here." He continued.

I pretended to look shock then hurt.

"I can't believed my Uncle forgot about me... I guess me and my friend will just gonna head back." Then I gestured to leave.

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"Hold on Miss Grant, there might be a messed up, of course you can proceed. I apologized. Enjoy your evening." Then open the door for us.

Paige is laughing while we walk to the grand hall where they're holding Grant's birthday.

Different colors of dresses welcomed us, raining champaignes  everywhere and alot of Elite guest are invited. Every table we passed by are all talking about business, fashion, luxury cars and grand vacation.

Rich people.

We surveyed the ballroom. Holding a flute of champaigne while surveying the area, I spotted Mr. Grant. I excused myself and advised Paige to stand by.

"Mr. Grant?" I tapped his shoulder and he slowly turned around. He look like he saw a ghost.

"L, w-what are you doing here?" He asked still look stunned.

"Oh, happy birthday." I slowly approached him and kiss his sweaty cheek. "Don't worry, I'm not here to make a scene, I just want to give you a gift. A simple gesture for keeping me busy these past few weeks." I handed him the USB and a piece of paper.

"Y-you don't have to." He backed away.

Geez! I'm a woman. Does he think I will stab him in front of these people?

"I insist." I furrowed my eyes at him. He looked at the paper and paled even more, if it's even possible.

"What's the meaning of this?!" He said with gritted teeth.

"Nothing, I want you off my back. This is just a simple reminder not to cross me again." I nonchalantly said and smiled at him.

"I have all the details to prove about your slush funds. I can have your off-shore accounts emptied in just one snap of my finger." I said and gestured him to the dance floor so we can talk. He hesitantly followed. I instructed him to get his phone out.

"Well, to prove that I'm not making empty threats why don't we check your savings account then?"

He shakily check his account and sighed in relief.

"Oppss.. not yet, let's say. I'll have my shopping and get 1 million dollars?" Before he can say anything I gestured my forefinger up, knowing that Paige is doing her thing. Then Mr. Grant eyes snapped wide open.

"You bitch!" He glared, still in a low voice, scared to attract attention. I just laugh at him. Some guest turn their heads to us, checking what's going on.

"Oh, I am.. you should have thought about that before you disturbed my peace." I sigh then furrowed my eyes again.

"If you don't want to live in the street or in jail then stay the fvck out of my business Mr. Grant. You might know my face but not who I am."

He gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Good boy! Now. Enjoy your party and I will enjoy your buffet." He was about to leave when I stop him.

"Wait, you didn't think I came alone right? because if by any chance had an accident tonight and this cinderalla did not come home at midnight, then you'll be the pauper by dawn." With that I leave him alone and proceeded to the buffet.

**************

"Where do you want the 1 million to go?" Paige asked while driving.

"Hmmm.. send it to the accounts of those servers in tonight's party. I love their Kobe Steak." I said grinning. She nodded and shook her head.

We've been driving for over an hour now, we need to make sure we're not being followed.

"Hmmm.. L, Why did you get rid of Mr. Grant right away?" Paige suddenly ask.

"Oh, P. I did not get rid of him. I just stalled him. If I did, he would be in jail by now. I need to know first why did he had to go great lenght to find me." I said and close my eyes as a sign that I don't want talk anymore. Luckily, she stayed silent.

*********************

Alaric's POV

( few hours before the party)

"Remind me again why I need to attend this party?" I turned my head and raised my eyebrow to my cousin George. He's been bugging me to attend a birthday party, he wants me to meet my "future wife" which is unfortunately Mr. Grant's niece.

"Brother, this is your opportunity to get a glimpse of your soon-to-be bride, if you don't like her then we can get a way to get a rid of her before the announcement... but I heard she's hot." George said smirking.

"George, I don't need to get a way to get rid of her. If I don't want her, no one can make me."

Thinking of going to the party makes my blood boil. I hate the man. He's cunning and evil. I am known of being evil, cunning and ruthless but I never cross the line. I do get rid of my enemies but not to the extent of killing them. I am not a monster like those idiots who thinks that they can manipulate me.

Having a billionaires as my parents is not easy, some people think that I have an easy life as I can get whatever I want. Well, partly are true but having them as my parents never allowed me to have it easy. They raised me as an heir, not as their child. As early as six years old I stopped being a kid.

I was trained to speak different languages. I was taught to study financies, how the company works. I was taught that showing emotion is showing weakness. I grow up with my butler, maids, personal tutors, chaperon, Etiquette teachers, body guards. I was raised to be perfect, hence the kid was gone before I knew it.

My parents was never home. If they do, only once or twice a year. They taught me to stop caring so I did. At the age of 20, I was announced as CEO of Maxwell Corp.

"Thats settled then, we're going." George said, I raised my eyebrow at him and gave him a confuse look.

"If you're not coming to spy on her, then we can go and socialized to get more money" he shrugged.

"I don't need to socialized to get money either." He sighed and glared at me. Clearly annoyed of my remarks.

"Will you just come? I need you there, plus you can have your fun there. Mr. Grant invited a lot of Super models, if you don't want his niece then have her colleague instead." He wiggled his eyebrow and laughed.

Well, not a bad idea. I guess?

I nodded and asked my butler Mr. Johnson to get my suit ready.

"Oh, by the way. I'm getting the girl." He said referring to Mr. Grant's neice and walked out. I couldn't care less.

When my parents mentioned of possible union, I was thrilled since they don't care or rather interfer of any of my sexual endeavor. I was told that my soon to be bride is a brat, dumb and talks only about fashion.

I don't need a woman in life who just knows how to spend my money.

After everything is set, we drove to the venue. I was about to enter the hall when I saw her.

A woman in red dress talking to the guard, sexy with a long curly hair that almost reaching her waist. She has an alluring voice. I didn't notice that I stood frozen few meters from her. She didn't bother to look around as she's busy talking to the guard.

I observed her for few minutes, the guard is clearly checking her out. I can't see her face.

"I can't believed my Uncle forgot about me... I guess me and my friend will just gonna head back."

She said and was about to leave, then she turn around but still oblivious of her sorroundings.

God! She's hot. Slender yet curvy figure with olive and glossy skin, her dress made it more obvious. She has a midnight black hair. Her face is also perfect, if she wasn't wearing the dress I would think that she's an innocent, she looks like an angel. Her eyelashes were velvety, dainty nose, and she had a honey-sweet lips. I can't see the color of her eyes from where she's standing. I could only see her face for few seconds when she smirk and face the guard again.

I can feel my pants tighening just a mere sight of her.

What's wrong with me? This never happened before.

Then she entered the hall with her friend. I was about to follow her when George tap my shoulder.

"Bro, you like her?" You were standing here for few minutes now. I thought you are eye raping her." He said and snickered.

You bet I am.

We proceeded to the entrance and without question they let me pass but I stop before I can enter.

"Who was the woman?" The guard eyed me a confused look.

"The woman in red dress, who was that?" I asked, annoyed that I need to repeat my question.

"Oh... that was Mr. Grant's neice." He answered. George made a 'O' shape in his mouth and turn to me then smirk. I was taken aback. I didn't know that she might be my soon-to-be my wife. While I'm walking towards the hall with George I stopped him.

"You will not touch her."

He laughed and smack my shoulder, clearly amused by my behaviour.

"Aye! Aye captain!"

We reach the main hall and everyone is enjoying themselves. A lot of businessmen are invited. Lots of them greeted me, maybe trying to get my attention to invest with them, many women batting their eyelashes and giggling when I passed by but I can't focus, as I am looking for the woman who captured my attention this evening.

I saw her talking to Mr. Grant. I was about to make my presence known when I saw him paled and gritted his teeth.

Why?

So instead, I observed them. Mr. Grant seems uncomfortable while talking to his neice. But why?

Then she laughed. Her laughed sounds sexy and angelic.

God! I'm going crazy!

After that she walked out and proceeded to her table, I am observing her drinking her wine. She declined all the men who asked her for a dance. She is just sitting, eating and observing the party. She seem unaware of my gaze all evening. That's when I decided to get up and walk to the direction of her table but I was interupted.

"Mr. Maxwell! Thank you for coming. It's a pleasure to have you here." Mr. Grant said grinning while walking towards my direction with a woman in his arms.

"Pleasure is mine." I said. I looked again to the direction of the mystery woman but she's gone. I scanned the whole area but she's nowhere to be found.

Mr. Grant cleared his throat trying to catch my attention.

"My apologies, I'm looking for my secretary." I lied.

"Oh, that's okay. By the way I want you to meet my neice Tatiana." Then he glanced towards the girl in his arms. "She was the neice your parents talked about." I raised my eyebrow at him while the girl Tatiana blushed and giggled. I stopped myself from rolling my eyes at her. She extended her hand and I shook it nonchalantly.

"Oh... what about your other neice?" I asked. He send me a confused look then gritted his teeth obviously annoyed that I am not interested in Tatiana, while the girl pouted. Then he smiled again.

"Mr. Maxwell, I only have one neice." He said. I was shock by his words.

Who was she? Why did she introduced herself as his neice?

Instead of prying him to ask who the mystery woman was, I excused myself to look for her, but she is nowhere in sight so I exited the hotel and went to my car disappointedly. I texted George that I already left.

I can't fall asleep thinking of the woman in red dress hunting my thoughts.

I need to find her. I need to know and see the color of her eyes.....

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