Heir of Deception | (for mature audience)

Chapter 15: Alexandria

Alexandria

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Am I selfish for wanting some time alone without my friends? I haven’t shared this feeling with them, but I’ve grown accustomed to their presence. The last two days have been particularly enjoyable, thanks to Christian's carefully planned itinerary of activities for us to experience.

Yesterday, we visited Rihanna's childhood home, and it was incredible to see where she grew up. Today, we spent the afternoon scuba diving with turtles in the ocean, which was absolutely breathtaking. For dinner, we have a rum tasting lined up.

“Are you ready?” Christian asked, peeking his head through the door.

“Yes, I’m just putting on my shoes,” I replied.

“You look gorgeous,” he said with a warm smile.

“Thank you,” I said, glancing down, feeling my cheeks flush.

We left the house, and it took us about twenty minutes to reach the restaurant. Once seated, we ordered our food and engaged in light conversation to pass the time.

Alyssa was, well, being Alyssa—glued to her phone and oblivious to the chatter around her. Clinton, on the other hand, was bonding with Christian. I enjoyed watching them laugh together, especially when Clinton teased Christian about his style. Christian chuckled and said, “You can dress me for the engagement party,” prompting another round of laughter.

Finally, Alyssa put her phone down as our food arrived. “Sorry, I had some stuff to handle with my dad,” she said, placing her phone on the table.

“No problem,” Christian replied, giving her a polite smile.

“We were just discussing the engagement party,” I informed her.

“Oh, have you thought about when to announce the engagement?” Alyssa asked, her curiosity piqued.

Alyssa is aware of the nature of my relationship with Christian and doesn’t completely approve. She firmly believes I should have found my own partner, a sentiment I partially share.

“Soon. I’m just waiting for the jeweler to finish the engagement ring,” Christian said.

“Why didn’t you just buy one like any normal person?” I asked.

“Because you're special,” he replied, a smile lighting up his face. “I inherited a diamond from my grandfather after he passed away. It was meant for my future wife.”

“Oh, Christian, I didn’t expect you to be so romantic,” Clinton joked.

“I have many layers, Clinton,” Christian said, turning to him. “I’m like an onion.”

“Yeah, but humor isn’t one of those layers,” Clinton shot back, making me burst into laughter.

“Why don’t you announce it on her birthday? It’s in three weeks,” Alyssa suggested.

“I don’t think the ring will be ready by then,” Christian replied.

“Plus, I’ll probably be working on my birthday with fashion week coming up,” I added, taking a sip of my drink.

“So? You’re just making an announcement,” Alyssa stated.

“True, but I know I’ll get caught up in the chaos of fashion week and forget,” I explained.

“We’ll figure it out, princess,” Christian said, giving my thigh a gentle squeeze and flashing me a comforting smile.

After a few bites of bread pudding, I felt stuffed. Christian smiled at me and squeezed my thigh when he noticed how much I had eaten. I had three courses—though the portions were small, it was still quite a lot for me—and I managed to keep it all down.

After leaving the restaurant, we headed to a cozy bar recommended by a local. It was an open mic night, and we enjoyed the performances. Once the night wrapped up, we returned home, and I went straight to my room. It was already midnight, and I was done partying for the night. I changed into my pajamas and climbed into bed, and Christian joined me shortly after.