All The Stars (Stars Trilogy#2)

Ch. 20 -Kaira-

Ishaan was looking behind. His jaw was clenched in slight anger.

"Who is that pretty lady?" I asked. She looked okay but had too much makeup, making her look pale.

"No, no, not a pretty lady. She is Ms. Alina Parker." Ishaan replied, and an instant jealousy took over a small part of me.

"Then why are you watching her? I am here. You date sitting in front of you." I said, making him look at me, grabbing his jaw. His eyes widened for a second.

"I have only got my eyes on you, darling." He said in a sweet tone.

"I swear one more time you flirt, and I will run out of here." I asked, but in real, I was trying to hide my satisfactory smile.

"Ok, sorry, but don't go. I can't deal with her alone." He said, and I nodded.

"Okay, what is auction really about?" I asked.

"Um... we auction ourselves. Whoever bids the most gets a date with the man they won. Have you read Spanish Love Deception? It's like that auction only. And the money goes to international students for scholarships." He said, looking everywhere.

"You what?! And no, I haven't read that book." I said a little too loudly, and many tables turned towards us.

"Okay, okay, that's why I needed you. Can you please bet on me. And win me. I don't want to with Alina again, and last time, she went nuts with the amount." He said, holding my hands.

"You traitor. You should have told me before only." I said, but didn't withdraw my hands. It felt kind of nice inside his big ones.

"Sorrry again." He said, giving me puppy eyes.

"Fine, but this is last and one and only I will be attending." I said with fake anger.

"I swear." He said.

We were just lost into each other's ehes when a high-pitched British accent voice broke my eardrums. I literally held my ears in pain, and she gave me a questioning look.

"Good evening, Ishaan." Alina said, and beside her was a man looking familiar, but I was having a hard time recoiling his name.

"Good evening, Ms. Parker and Mr. Asher." Ishaan spoke.

Wren Asher, running for Secretary of State and co-founder of Tilts Steel.

"Good evening, Mr. Asher and Ms. Parker." I too replied, and Mr. Asher shook my hand while Alimina just snorted. Alimina sounds more suitable for her than Alina.

Ahhh, I have started doing lame things after spending time with Ishaan.

"She is my date tonight, Kaira Bhardwaj." Ishaan introduced me.

"Glad to meet such a beauty like you, Ms. Bhardwaj." Mr. Asher commented.

"I am flattered. Thank you." I repied back with my most formal and void of emotions smile.

"This is who you love, ugh." Alina spoke with so much venom dripping from her mouth, shaking her head like she couldn't believe me.

"This is whom you called pretty?" I asked Ishaan in the same tone as hers. Ishaan was trying to suppress his grin, and I was controlling my laughter after seeing the offended look on Alina's face.

"Mr. Malhotra, let's get some drinks for the ladies, shall we?" Mr. Asher asked, and Ishaan looked at me worried, but I did the most unexpected thing, I winked at him.

He opened his mouth but closed it instantly and went with Mr. Asher.

"You are disingenuous and an insult to that handsome hunk. You are not even worthy of Ishaan's shoe." Alina spoke with venom.

"Look who's talking about shoes. Tell me what it felt like Ishaan rejected you in an instant." I asked with a smirk.

She is going to teach me my value, bicth I made my value, you just inherited it.

"And talking about worth, I earned my self-respect and worth. You just inherited it from your filthy reach parents." I said my wine glass, clicking with hers and drank the last sip.

She was so angry and repented. If looks would have killed, I would have been dead and in hell for sure till now.

"Trust me, he will leave you one day. And I will be waiting for that day." She said, coming closer to me.

I jabbed my heels in her foot, and she screamed again, hurting my ears.

"Oops, you stood too close to me. Sorry." I fake sweetly apologized while her husband came and took her away.

"Tell me you are not really sorry for that." Ishaan spoke beside me again.

"Are you kidding me? I didn't wear the most deadly heels to apologize to Alimina." I said,
and he laughed.

"This party cum auction is hosted by my high school friend. Let's introduce you to them." He said dragging me by my hand.

"Heyyy man." Ishaan spoke to someone. We were backstage.

"Heyyy. Where have you been?" He asked. He had tattoos oh his left arm and a nose ring. Wow, someone is very crafty here.

"Who's this pretty lady there?" The man asked again.

"Kaira. Kaira Bhardwaj." I said, extending my hand, and he shook it and kissed on the back of it. Ishaan cleared his throat, and he smirked.

"I am Zyan Williams. Pleasure to meet you." He replied and stepped away from me because Ishaan was glaring at us.

"Okay, calm down, angry young man." I said, patting his chest.

"Okay, mister, angry young man, we need you here in exactly 10 minutes." Zyan said to Ishaan and winked at me.

"Yeah, I will come back after dropping off Kaira at the table." He said and sneaked a hand around my waist.

"Okay, Ishaan, you hand on my waist not really suitable." I said, trying to keep my emotions and millions of butterflies at bay.

"Well, you didn't say anything when he winked at you." He replied back.

"Are you jealous by any chance?" I asked as we reached our table. He was quiet for a moment as he pulled out the chair and made me sit down.

"Yes, meri jaan. I am jealous." He whispered in my ear from behind me, and when I turned to look at him, he was already parting through the crowd to reach the stage.

That one sentence unlocked all the freaking butterflies in my stomach, which I had managed to lock into the cage.

Ishaan, why are you doing this? Why are you making it so hard for me to push you away?

Heyyyy people!!! The update is here, but the next update will be done on Monday only. Be a little patient, my chipmunks. Good night and take care, guys.😚🫶