Heir of Deception | (for mature audience)

Chapter 19: Alexandria

Alexandria

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Behind the glitz and glamour of fashion week lies a whirlwind of chaos. Since returning from my lovely vacation in Barbados, my life has been nothing short of a frenzy. I haven't been home at the penthouse for more than a day, as I’ve been juggling shows in London, Milan, and Paris, fitting sessions, and rehearsals.

New York Fashion Week is just a week away, and I am set to walk in 27 shows. On the day of my last show here, I’ll be flying straight to London for another 15 shows, followed by 30 in Milan and another 30 in Paris. In total, I’m slated to walk a staggering 102 shows. This means yet another year of working on my birthday, but honestly, I’ve grown accustomed to it.

When my plane landed in New York, a sleek car was waiting to whisk me away to the penthouse. As I stepped inside, a wave of exhaustion washed over me, but the thought of seeing Christian kept me afloat. I expected him to be asleep since it was already 2 in the morning, but as I entered, I heard the soft melody of the Baby Grand Piano echoing through the expansive space. It was the first time I had heard him play, and I was immediately captivated.

As I walked closer, he noticed me and stopped playing, stepping away from the piano with a gentle smile forming on his lips. He was barefoot, wearing nothing but his sweatpants and a tight white tank top that accentuated his toned physique. A small smile crept onto my face as our eyes met.

"I thought you would be asleep by now," I said, standing just an arm's length away from him.

"I couldn't sleep, knowing you were on your way here," he replied, his smile widening.

"So what I'm hearing is that you missed me?" I teased, a playful glint in my eye.

"No, what I'm saying is that I wanted to know you were safe before I went to bed," he countered, his expression earnest. "So, can we go to bed now? I'm exhausted."

"Goodnight, Christian," I said, starting to ascend the stairs, but he followed closely behind.

"Aren't we going to sleep in one bed tonight?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity as he paused on the step behind me.

I suddenly realized we hadn’t discussed sleeping arrangements since returning home. The only reason we shared a room in Barbados was due to the limited number of rooms in the villa.

"I just thought—" I trailed off, feeling a bit awkward. "If you want to share rooms, we can," I finally admitted.

"Good," he said, a hint of relief in his tone.

After a quick shower, I changed into my silk nightdress and made my way to his room. Climbing into bed beside him, I felt an overwhelming sense of comfort. The last thing I remembered was him planting a gentle goodnight kiss on my forehead, whispering "Goodnight, princess," before I drifted off into a deep sleep next to him.

I slept like a baby, curled up in Christian's arms, nearly laying my entire body on top of his. When I eventually stirred, I woke to find his arms holding me captive against him, and I could feel his erection pressing against my inner thigh. I looked up to meet his gaze, and he was smiling down at me, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Good morning, princess," he whispered, his raspy voice sending shivers down my spine.

"Morning," I replied, planting a soft kiss on his chest, enjoying the warmth of our bodies.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.

"Yeah, I have to enjoy the couple of days that I have free before the chaos starts again," I said, feeling a pang of anxiety at the thought of my busy schedule.

"You have to send me your schedule so I can come watch you," he said, looking genuinely interested.

"Are you going to come?" I asked, tilting my head up to meet his gaze, my heart racing.

"Why are you surprised?" he replied, a teasing tone in his voice. "I'm obligated to; remember the agreement we signed?"

"So you're only coming because of the agreement?" I asked, feeling a slight sting in my chest.

"Yes and no," he clarified, his expression serious. "I’m coming because I want to support you, and the agreement just happens to align with that."

"Okay," I said, a smile forming on my lips as a blush crept across my cheeks. His words meant more to me than I realized, and I felt a warmth spread through my entire being.

We lingered in bed for a few more precious minutes before finally getting up for breakfast. After a quick meal, I headed out to meet Sofia over coffee. Despite the chaotic whirlwind of my life, she had booked me a last-minute campaign for D&G's new Eyewear Collection. The original model had backed out at the last moment, and I was grateful for the opportunity.

After meeting with Sofia, I made my way to the spa with Alyssa, who had just wrapped filming her latest movie. We had agreed on a spa day, as she also wanted my opinion on something important. We indulged in getting our nails done, enjoyed deep-tissue massages, and even treated ourselves to mud baths. We ended the day in the sauna, where the heat enveloped us like a warm hug.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I asked, pulling the towel around my chest to hold it in place, curious about her nervous demeanor.

She hesitated, her expression shifting to one of anxiety. "I want to take a hiatus from acting and pursue my other talents again… like singing."

"That's amazing!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around her in excitement.

I had always known about her incredible vocal ability, but she had given it up after releasing a few songs back in college. During our senior year, she had surprised everyone by releasing her first solo EP, which had garnered significant success, but she had chosen to focus solely on her acting career since then. It was the same time, her brother started talking about going into music with her father. The only time that she release's music, now is if it's for a film she's staring in.

"Don't you think that I would be stepping on people's toes?" she asked, worry etched across her face.

"No, you're just exploring things you love. And if anyone has a problem with it, they’re the ones being dumb," I reassured her, determined to lift her spirits.

"You're right, but I'll have to talk to my brother and father first," she said, still looking unsure.

"They'll be happy for you, I promise," I said, moving over to hug her tightly. "You have an incredible gift, Alyssa. You deserve to share it with the world."

Feeling a rush of empowerment from our conversation, I realized that sometimes we need to take risks to pursue what truly makes us happy. Just like I was about to dive back into the chaos of the fashion world, Alyssa was ready to embrace her passion for music again.

As we left the spa, I couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of hope and purpose. We both had our paths ahead of us, and no matter how chaotic life became, we would face it head-on, supporting each other every step of the way.