Loveless♣

Chapter Two-The family dinner

"What do you mean it's buried,Millicent?"Nikolai said through gritted teeth.He was getting angry...extremely angry.
Why couldn't this girl just comply with his instructions?He didn't want to hurt her or her father.She was right.If their families found out what was happening,it'd be disastrous.
Lord knew that their families were already messed up.They didn't need any more trouble.
She lifted her head higher.He could tell she was trying to be bold.
Screw that.
If she was joking about the artifact,it would be a costly one for her.
Damn it,he wasn't the one he needed the artifact.He was just a means to an end.If the real people looking for the necklace knew she was the one in possession of it,she'd probably be dead before nightfall.
He glared at her for a moment,then sighed and shook his head.She was just an innocent girl.
He felt guilty for deceiving her when he knew how susceptible she was.She'd fallen for him hard.It had taken months,but he'd finally gotten her.
Then when it was time for her to release what he really wanted,she'd withdrawn from him.Which only further proved that the artifact was indeed of great value.
The problem was that it belonged to her late mother.For her to release it into his arms,he'd had to have her father kidnapped,thinking it'd force her into releasing the artifact.
Now she was saying that-
"It's buried beneath the haunted house of Charles Châteaux.It's been buried this whole time."
He grabbed her hand ,eliciting a loud gasp from her."What the fuck do you mean it's buried?You never told me that before.If this is a joke,Millie, I swear..."
"Let go of me,Nikolai," she cried.
He looked at her face.It was red and blotchy from crying.Millie wasn't exactly beautiful. Her face was too pale,her noise too pointed,her mouth too small.She was not unpleasant to look at,though.Her face had a certain appeal,like all the stone faced models that graced runways.
Especially with that hair.
That was the only feature he could not help but like about her.Such long luscious thick blonde hair was hard to come by.She was a natural blonde,not a bleached one or an artificial one.
He hated when girls dyed their hair blonde or highlighted their hair with blonde streaks.It seemed fake..unnatural.
Millie's hair looked like it'd been kissed by the sun itself.
With her pale face,long blonde hair and big blue eyes.She looked like a life sized doll.
A hurt doll,now that he thought about it.He saw the pain in her eyes and how her mouth twitched like she was about to start wailing. He let her hand go but did not apologize.
She was too damn sensitive.Innocent. That was why he hadn't wanted to hurt her in the first place.That was why he took her father instead of her.
Why couldn't she understand that he was actually being good?She was looking at him like he was a monster with two great horns and sharp fangs.
He knew he was an asshole,but he hadn't hurt her father at least.The man was in a safe place.All he wanted was the artifact.
Now was that so hard?
"Millie...why didn't you tell me the artifact was buried?By the way,how did it end up there of all places?"
Millie shrugged and looked away.She began rubbing her wrist.
"Millicent!" he growled,and her face snapped to his."Answer me,or I swear-"
"Oh,stop swearing at me,you ass.I don't know the precise location of the thing.All I know is that it's buried,Nikolai.I should be on my way to the police right now to inform them of this heinous thing you're doing,but here I am discussing the whereabouts of a stupid family heirloom just so my dear father who you kidnapped won't get hurt.Do you really think I'd lie about where it is now?What would I gain by lying?The death of my father?"
He looked around hastily. "Would you keep your damn voice down?Do you want the whole of La Château to hear of this?"
This girl would get him in trouble.
"Let them," she replied defiantly, raising her chin slightly."At least they'll know what a filthy disgusting rogue you are."
He paused,then smirked.
"Now you sound like a woman scorned.Tell me,Millie,is this display of anger really about your dad?Or because I broke your poor little heart?"
She scoffed."You sicken me."
"And yet you can't stop staring at me like I'm some breakfast buffet," he laughed.
Her eyes widened in surprise.He'd noticed.
"Yes,I noticed," he said,reading her mind."I'm not blind,Millie.I know when a girl's leering at me."He shrugged."I also know how devilishly handsome I am."He chuckled,then leaned back and folded his arms.
Millie waited for a bit.
"You're not as handsome as Armand," she said finally and was satisfied to see his smug look vanish.
Stefan glowered at her."You seem to think I'm fooling around here,Milicent. Believe me when I say that the boy you shared your bed with is very different from the person you're looking at right now.You will get me that artifact,or guess what?You lose another parent."
He grinned widely at the way her eyes widened in fear.
Tears began to form in her eyes again.She folded her hands against her chest and clamped her lower lip to keep it from trembling.
Nikolai's phone buzzed.He took it out and looked at the screen.A frown creased his forehead.
"Did Milla tell you she was coming home?" he asked Millie at once.
She blinked back the tears immediately."What?"
There was shock written all over her face.
"Milla's coming home," he said gravely and put a palm to his face.He sighed heavily."So is Armand.Fuck.We're having a family dinner tonight."
Her heart began to thud quickly.
"Oh my God," she said,gasping.
"Shit," he muttered,then slammed a palm on the table causing all the utensils to jump.He pointed a finger at her."This is all your fault,you stupid little filly!"
Millie's mind was elsewhere. She was fiddling her thumbs nervously.
"Oh my God,oh my God.What am I gonna tell her about Papa?What am I gonna tell her?Oh my God!"she cried,then whipped her face to Nikolai."This is all your fault,you greedy ass!"
She pushed the table backwards roughly and rushed out.Nikolai was stunned for a few seconds,then he stood up and raced after her.
She was down the stairs and out the front door in a few strides-for Millie had long athletic legs-when a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her backwards.
She was prepared to scream as her body did a full hundred and eight degree turn,but the scream died in her throat when she saw the person who'd grabbed her.
It was the waiter.
"You?!Let me go,what do you want?" she asked in panic,looking behind him to see if Nikolai was hot on her trail.
"I want to help," the waiter said.
She looked at him,confusion written all over her face."What?"
"My name's Robyn. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with that asshole upstairs. I can help you find the buried the artifact.I know the haunted house of Charles Châteaux like I know the color of my very French hair.Call me when you're ready." He slapped a piece of paper in her palm and released her arm."Now,go!"
Millie was in shock."But why would you wanna help-"
"Just go!"
She didn't have to be told twice for at that moment,Nikolai burst out of the restaurant and saw her.She took to her heels without a backwards glance,crumpling the paper containing the French boy's number into her jacket.

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  The table was deathly silent.It was as though an invisible being had entered the house and had slapped a duct tape over everyone's mouths.
   Which was strange because it was a beautiful evening and everyone was seated at the large dining table filled with surplus food.Well,not exactly everyone.
Millie's father was missing.
But,it wasn't a huge surprise to the rest seated.They hadn't expected him to come for the family dinner,judging by the way he'd reacted when he'd found out that his daughter had eloped with none other than a Bloom.
If he had shown up,it'd have been a shocker indeed.There was also a certainty he wouldn't leave until he'd pulled some hair out of his enemy's very blonde head.
Let's introduce the members of the table,shall we?
First we have Milla.Short for Camilla.
Ah,Camilla.A ravishing beauty indeed.A sharp contrast to her sister,Milicent. A very sharp contrast because not only was Milla wildly beautiful, but she was wild at heart too.
Had she not,at only eighteen, eloped with the son of new neighbor who was her father's sworn enemy?
The neighbor, that is,not the son.
Milla's father did not have any valid reason to hate Armand other than the fact that he was of course,the offspring of his adversary.
Oh wait,Armand eloped with Milla to get married in the most scandalous place known to Mr Pica(Millie and Milla's father)-Las Vegas,Nevada.Home of casinos,gamblers and drug peddlers.
Let's not forget the diamond traffickers and the endless nightclubs.
Okay,he had a valid reason to hate Armand aside from him being the offspring of the very handsome and wife-stealing(in Mr Pica's opinion) Mr Carlisle Bloom.
Husband of Wilhelmina Bloom.A backstabbing bitch(according to the late Mildred Pica-may her gentle but spiteful soul rest in peace.Or not since her ex boyfriend married her best friend and had two devilishly handsome sons who had the nerve to elope with one of her daughters and shatter the other's heart to bits)
Sigh.
I think we're getting ahead of ourselves here.
Let's have a flashback, shall we?
To explain the whole issue.
And also why Milagros Pica,a widow and the girls' aunt,is glaring daggers at everyone at the table.
Especially at Armand whose hand is slowly sliding up her niece's skirt.
God save us.

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