She was his Cinderella, but was he her prince charming?
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❝ This is my son.❞ Stephanie repeated again after she was sure she had my whole attention now. I looked at the man beside her and couldn't help bu...
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Isabella
"Victoria?" Vernon asked me with narrowed eyes to which I nodded. He was about to ask something else but was cut off by the bartender. "Your drinks, Sir." He said and kept it in front of us on a white tissue. I looked at my drink poured in a flute glass. It looked bubbly and a spiral orange peel was swimming in it. "Try it." Vernon encouraged me. I glanced at him before picking up the glass and pulling it towards my lips. As I swallowed the cool liquid my eyes widened a little. "How is it?" He asked me. "It's sweet, a little bit bitter but I like it," I said with a grin on my face as I took another sip. "How is yours?" I asked curiously when I saw him take a sip and widened his lips just for a second. "It's the only drink I swear by." He replied.
"You want to try?" He asked and extended his glass towards me. I looked at the brownish liquid in the glass flowing around the ice cubes and then at him. "Okay," I answered with a shrug. Immediately I regretted my decision when I tasted the drink. "It's.." I started but Vernon completed the sentence for me. "Bitter." I laughed and nodded at him.
"What do you do, Victoria?" He asked. "Me?" I asked rhetorically while thinking about what to answer. "I work at a hotel," I replied.
"Which one?"
"This. I'm an employee here."
"Really? That makes me your employer then." I stared at him in confusion then Victoria's word flashed in my memory. "I've also heard that the owner of the hotel will be coming as well, isn't that exciting?" I gasped in surprise. "You are the owner?" I asked, "I'm so sorry, Sir." I gushed out hurriedly. "That's okay. Right now nobody is an employer or an employee." Vernon said. "Okay?" He asked when he didn't receive any reply from me. "Okay" I replied but I was not okay. Talk about not wanting to draw attention.
"Victoria?" I snapped out of my daze when a hand was placed on my shoulder. "Sorry, I zoned out. I tend to do that." I said to which he chuckled again. "That's okay. So.." He started but I cut him off. "Sorry, I think my friend is looking for me. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Morris." I said quickly and grabbed my drink before walking far away from the bar.
I looked back unconsciously and found a bunch of people curtaining me from Mr. Morris. I exhaled the breath I was holding and sat down on the nearby chair. Taking a sip of my drink adjusted myself on the chair, thankful that I was the only person there. "Ma'am, would you like something?" A young waiter asked me while offering me a plate of delicious-looking crab cakes. I took a piece of paper towel and thanked him as he left. I didn't recognize him, maybe temporary staff has been hired for the party.
I took a bite of the soft meat and almost moaned but stopped myself considering the place I was currently present in. I pouted when the delicious piece of food was over in just two bites. I wiped the tip of my fingers with the tissue and place it on the table.
Suddenly a white plate came in my vision with five pieces of crab cakes making me grin. I looked at the person who held the plate and found amused blue eyes staring at her. "A beautiful woman like you shouldn't be kept hungry." He said and kept the plate on the table and helped himself on the chair beside me. "What gave you the impression that I was hungry?" I asked with a brow raised. "That little pout." He replied with a smirk as he leaned back on the chair. I rolled my eyes and pulled the plate towards me before eating the delicious cake. "Thank you!" I said while eating.
Frowning, I looked at him when I heard him chuckle. "What's so funny?" I asked. "It's been long since I saw a woman talking while eating." He replied.
"I'm sorry."
"Oh don't be, it wasn't hideous at all."
"Thank you?"
"You thank a lot." He said and suddenly stood up. "How about a thankyou dance?" He asked and extended an arm for me to take. "I believe my words were enough," I replied popped the third piece of the crab cake. "Isn't that up to the person whom you are thanking to?" He asked. Well, I had no answer to that. "Fine, just one dance," I replied and popped the fourth piece before taking his hand and standing up but didn't move. "What?" He asked, looking back at me. I quickly swallowed and picked up the fifth piece and popped it in my mouth. Wiping my fingers again, I left to the dance floor with.. a stranger.
"I didn't get your name," I said as we stopped on the floor and he turned to face me. "I'm Tyler." He replied while holding my waist and raising my other hand while holding it firmly. I had seen people dance in movies but although I've never danced I had enough confidence that I won't step on his toe. "You know, in exchanging names, the other person speaks too after the first is done." He said when I didn't make any move to give him my name.
I cleared my throat and blurted the second lie of the night, "Victoria."
"Well Victoria, it's my pleasure to have a dance with you." He said as he swayed around to the slow music with me in his arms. In the beginning, my movements were stiff and calculated but as we continued to dance around, I became free and let Tyler guide my steps. As we moved around Tyler talked to me about everything and anything. He made me laugh, like really laugh. Mouth wide open, belly hurting kind of laugh. He was probably the first man I met that made me laugh so much and didn't even ask me anything personal other than my name. Tyler made me feel comfortable but all good things have to come to an end. A man came up to us and spoke something to Tyler which made his smile waver a bit but didn't lose it completely. "Sorry Victoria, I have some business to attend to. I hate to leave a beautiful woman like you alone on the dance floor." He said making me blush a little. "It's okay, I had a fun time," I replied.
"Until next time," Tyler said and placed a gentle kiss on my knuckles before walking off the dance floor. I watched him walk away and disappear in the crowd. With a sigh, I was too about to walk off the floor when a hand grasped me and pulled me back making me collide to a firm chest. Unconsciously I squealed in surprise and was about to push away the person as a reflex but two arms held mine and hushed me in a soothing voice. "It's me, Vernon." He said. I looked up at his grey eyes and took a few breaths to calm my racing heart. For that short second, I thought it was all over, I was over. "I take it you don't like surprises." He said letting go of my hand but I still rested them on his chest, afraid that if I let go I might fall.
"Can I?" He asked for permission to hold my waist. "You didn't ask before grabbing my hand," I said, a hint of anger in my voice. "I didn't know you are sensitive to touch." He replied and was about to pull away but I held his shirt in response. "Then why did you?" I asked as his hand touched my waist. "Because I want to know you," Vernon responded while swaying with me lightly to the music with me. "Why?" I couldn't help but ask. "You ask a lot of why Victoria." He replied instead with a chuckle making me chuckle too.
My eyes were glued to his white shirt that was bundled up in my fists. I was aware of that, I was also aware of the fact that I should let it go but I didn't want to. His arms, being in his arms made my heart warm. I shouldn't be here, I shouldn't be feeling like this but I wanted to, for once I just wanted to. A finger guided my chin upwards and my eyes traveled from his shirt to his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere." He said. "At least not tonight." He added in a whisper before grabbing my arm and spinning me around twice. Vernon pulled me back to his chest, this time closer than before.
My chest slapped against his, moving up and down in sync. His hands traveling from my waist to my back. Vernon's right hand moved up my back, my breath hitched when his hard yet soft hand touched my skin. His hand stopped between my shoulder blades as I moved down in a circular dip. My face now inches away from his. I could feel his breath fanning my face, making goosebumps raise up my entire body.
"You won't be going home tonight," Vernon said as his forehead touched mine and his grey eyes stuck on my lips. Unconsciously I licked them to which Vernon responded by tightening his grip on the skin of my back. My lips parted in surprise gasp. His grip gave me pain, a pain I was willing to feel tonight.
***
Hello guys,
I will be updating on Sundays now. Last Sunday due to technical problems I could not, so here's the update.
