Chapter 5

"I'm...sorry, sir. Do I know you from somewhere?"

No way, he said mentally.

His eyes locked on her as they raked her from head to toe. He saw what he saw but couldn't just tell apart. The lady in front of him seemed quite different from how he remembered her at the store the other time.

More beautiful to say the least.

But then the bandage tied to her hand. How could she possibly be the same person?

He felt the need to be careful, not to make a fool of himself, especially when in the middle of a serious business transaction with the man in front of him. They had only met at the club for that purpose and to relax a little not with the hope of getting laid or involved with any woman.

"N—No," he looked away, "I don't think so. My bad please."

Amelia tried so hard to remember where she could have possibly known him from and then just when she was about to leave, it clicked.

He was the man from the grocery store!

The scene replayed in her head and though with shades on, the voice and his towering height and classic side part dark lustrous hair were just the proofs she needed to be sure of him.

But his eyes.

Those hunter, light brown and blue eyes, she just wasn't quite sure of them.

"Sir, could it be that you were—"

"You heard him young lady," the other man spat like a spiting cobra, his eyes glaring at Amelia like she was some kind of thirsty whore desperate for the attention of an elite, "Mr. Alex here had probably just mistaken you for someone else. You sure don't want me talking to your manager about firing you, do you?"

"It's fine, Aaron," Alex chimed in.

"My bad, Sir. I never meant to be persistent. I just thought he looked familiar and I could thank him for his kind gesture at the grocery store the other time," she explained before finally leaving.

A few moment later, after Amelia had got back to the bar, Mr. Nelson came to her.

"Mr. Nelson?"

"It seems you'll be needing to make another delivery at the lounge again, Amelia... I promise to raise everyone's pay tonight by a thousand."

Amelia's eyes narrowed. What was this about?

—

Amelia returned to the same lounge to find—this time—only one of men still present.

"Sir," she called. The man rose his head up from his phone to meet her emerald allures, "your drink."

She looked away, focusing on pouring the drink into the tall glass cup on the table in front of him.

"I would like to know...was the money later refunded, miss?"

Amelia stood upright, her eyes locking onto Alex's face. She had caught glimpses of his features before, but now, with the soft lighting of the lounge illuminating his chiseled features, she was struck by his sheer beauty. Her gaze lingered on the sharp angle of his jawline, the way it seemed to be carved from marble, and the piercing intensity of his heterochromic eyes – one light brown, one blue – that seemed to see right through her.

Amelia's pulse quickened as she felt the weight of his gaze, and for a moment, she almost forgot to breathe. With the shadows dancing across his face, he was almost... captivating. She felt a flutter in her chest, a sensation she hastily pushed aside, reminding herself of her situation, of the reasons she couldn't afford to be distracted.

But Alex's eyes, those mesmerizing eyes, seemed to hold her captive, and she felt a shiver run down her spine as he looked at her, really looked at her, for the first time.

She wasn't wrong about him after all. She just couldn't believe that such level of beauty existed beneath those shades from the other time at the store.

"It was you?"

"Yes, miss. It was I," a smile that touched his eyes formed on his face, "I'm really sorry about the other time with my colleague. I just wasn't sure if you were the same person. I mean...," his eyes raked her again, "you look quite different from the other time at the store."

Amelia forced a smile. "Actually, I work here sir...," her face suddenly went unintentionally morose, "and thank you so much for the other time. The money sure was refunded," she said even though she wasn't sure about that.

The sudden shift in her demeanor had Alex taking doubtful glances at her. His eyes fixed intently on her bandaged hand and he couldn't help but ask.

"Your hand," his curiosity piqued, "what happened?"

Amelia swallowed, arching her brow sharply.

"Uhm... it's nothing much. Just a slight accident that's all."

Alex's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing as he took in her bandaged hand, and the weariness that lingered in her eyes even though it felt oblivious to her.

"And how are you feeling now, if I may ask?" he asked, his voice soft with concern.

"Much better. Thank you."

Something about her body language felt off at his curiosity about her hand. But Alex was smart enough to not pester her any much further.

"I'm Alex by the way," he didn't bother to stretch his hand for a shake but his gentle smile was reassuring that he'd like to be a friend, "it's nice to meet you?"

"Amelia...My name is Amelia. It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Alex."

"Amelia." He nodded, his decent smile still lingering. "I must admit, you really are beautiful, Amelia. I'm sorry but would you mind sharing me your contact, please?"

Beautiful?

She had never heard Hector call her that in the past seven years of their marriage. The last time he did was during their days of dating and as soon as he finally got what he had always wanted from her, the beauty faded.

Amelia's felt a familiar wall go up, a shield to protect herself from the likes of him.

"Thank you, Mr. Alex. But I'm afraid I can't do that," she said, her voice firm but polite.

Amelia could see the hurt in Alex's eyes but the truth remained that she can't.

Hector had not only deprived her of that but also the right to own one. He would always explain the need for none claiming it was pointless since she doesn't have any family or anyone to make any important call with. She would always use the mansion's landline anytime she wants to get through him. Be it at home or his office.

Hector believed that was enough and no need for any.

Alex's eyes clouded with disappointment. "May I know why miss? I mean, I'd really like to get to know you if you don't mind—"

Amelia cut him off, her voice gentle but firm. "You don't have to bother about that, Mr. Alex. I'm happily married and I don't think that would be any necessary. If you'll excuse me now, I'd be taking my leave."

"Amelia. Wait..."

Alex heart sank as he watched her excuse herself out of his lounge, feeling a pang of disappointment.

A Mrs? he repeated numbly. She's a Mrs? He held the back of his head.

Alex leaned back into his seat. His mind flashed back to the way Amelia had lashed out at the store, the bandage in her hand, and her sudden switch in demeanor when he had asked.

She works in such an exotic club yet, she felt sacred... way too scared for a mistake of just a $90 and even had to beg for the same amount of money because she couldn't afford to wait until it was refunded.

And why does her last response sounded rather cold?

Even though he couldn't quite place his hand on it, Alex felt something really off about her and that...he only wondered.