Chapter 3

In a beautiful short black lace gown and a black stiletto heels, Carissa elegantly walked out of her mansion, with a black purse in her hand.

“Are you ready, ma?” Rathnait bowed her head and Carissa nodded. “Yes.”

Rathnait opened the car door and Carissa walked in. And the driver started the engine.

“What’s the schedule for today?” Carissa inquired.

“Nothing much,” Rathnait answered in simplicity. “You just have to go to Kayden and Amelia’s engagement party.”

“Engagement party?” Carissa let out in surprise. The sadness in her didn't let her log in to social media for the past weeks, so she didn’t know about what was trending.

“Yes, ma. Don’t you know about what’s trending?” Rathniat wore a smile and Carissa smiled insincerely.

A call came into Rathnait’s phone, and she picked it.

“Hello, sir.” She greeted and listened to order.

“Okay, sir. I will do that right away.” She bowed her head a little.

Rathnait looked at the driver and ordered. “Turn back home.”

“Okay.” The driver reversed.

“Hun?!” Carissa looked at Rathnait and freed her curiousness. “Why? Aren’t we going to the party again?”

“We will, but you need to change your dress.” Rathnait answered.

“Why?”

“Because there is a change in plan. You have to meet someone.” Rahtnait declared.

“Who?”

“You won’t know till you get there.”

<LATER IN THE NIGHT>

ROLLAND HOTEL

The car arrived in front of Rolland’s hotel, the biggest hotel in America, and second to none in the world. 

“We are at the engagement party already.” Rathnait notified Carissa, so she would get out of her thoughts.

Carissa’s heart broke and scattered after hearing the story of the woman she met in the noon. She couldn’t get the past thoughts out of her head and fresh ones were still paving their ways in.

 Her eyes were still red because of the uncontrollable tears that rushed out for hours before she found a reason to stop crying and motivated herself with the words she heard last night.

“Are you ready, ma?” Rathnait asked.

Carissa wiped her face and nodded. “Yes.”

Rathnait got down and opened the door, and Carissa got down, wearing a blinking long black gown. 

Rathnait bowed her head and directed. “It’s the last floor.”

“Okay.”

Carissa led to the first floor, and before she got to the elevator, Rathnait quickly took five steps ahead and opened the elevator.

Rathnait bowed her head for Carissa to go in first.

They closed the elevator and Rathnait pressed the last floor button and the green activation bottom and it lifted them to the last floor.

The elevator opened, and Rathnait notified. “Ma, we are there?”

“Okay…” Carissa quickly feigned a smile and as she raised her head, her eyes went to the hall, and the first thing she saw was the smile on Kayden's face.

Seeing the smile, thunder rattled in her head, and her heart pounded so fast. She felt a little dizzy and almost fall down, but Rathnait held her.

“Are you okay, ma?” Rathnait asked. 

Carissa quickly stood straight on her feet and smiled. “Yes, I am fine.” 

“Can we go in now?” Rathnait asked.

“Yes.”

Carissa sighed. She closed her eyes and opened. ‘You can do this, Carissa, this is just the beginning…’

She set her chin facing slightly down and kept her mouth closed in a natural position. She focused her eyes at the hall ahead of her and stood straight, hanging her arms at her side and her hands relaxed. She placed her left foot in front of the right and walked into the party with a long strides.

“Welcome, miss Stone Carissa”

The server at the hall entrance announced immediately as Carissa stepped into the hall, and everyone inside shifted their attention to her and clapped.

“Wow! She is a goddess!”

“She is beautiful!”

“Why did she hide herself for this long?!”

People whispered to each other and scanned her till she got to the VVIP table they wrote her name on.

“This is the menu, ma…” A server stretched out a food menu.

Rathnait collected and looked at the menu and marked a food, the server collected the menu back and she bowed her head before she walked away.

Ten minutes later, a light set on the stage and the MC greeted. “Good night everyone…”

“Now, the engaged couple will come out to share their stories with us.” The MC announced.

Kayden and Amelia stood up and people clapped for them till they walked arm in arm to the stage. They turned to the crowd and bowed their head.

“Thanks for coming…” They smiled excitedly.

They released their arms and faced each other. Kayden opened his mouth to talk, but after having a long stare into Marsha’s face, he smiled. And the guests clapped for them.

“Awwn, they must be so happy.”

“What’s it, dear?” Marsha threw a question with a smile.

“Marsha,” Kayden began, “Remember when we were kids and I saw you sitting on a bench? You were crying because you fell off the swing and everyone laughed at you.”

“We were only eight back then. Why does that matter?” Marsha asked.

“It matters because that day I knew you would one day be my wife. After hanging out with you, I ran home and told my mom that I had found the one. She said, ‘good for you, now go to your room.'”

Marsha laughed.

“It’s true. She didn’t even believe me. I mean, kids have crushes and puppy love, but no one really knows if it will ever work out. Do you know what she said to me the day she died?”

Marsha shook her head.

“She said, ‘son, if you don’t marry that woman I’m coming back from my grave to haunt you.” Kayden chuckled. “I told her I will but not until I’m ready. That was years ago. And now, after thinking about it long and hard, I realize I can’t imagine a life without you, Marsha Lexx. You complete me… it’s like you’re my other half.”

Kayden took off his coat, he dug his hand in his pocket and took out a box and got on his knee. “I love you, Marsha. Please be mine forever.”

The crowd clapped, and Marsha began to cry. She covered her mouth with one hand and allowed the tears to fall. The world seemed to vanish and they couldn’t look away from one another.

“Yes, I will be yours forever.” Marsha collected the ring and pulled Kayden up.

 He wiped her tears and declared. “I love you, babe.”

“I love you more.”

Kayden placed his hand on the back of Marsha’s head. He rounded his arm around her and pulled her closer to his body.

“Congratulations!”

A female voice filled the whole hall, and people traced it to the entrance.

Kayden moved away from Marsha and quickly walked down from the stage before people would shift attention back to them.

Marsha smiled and walked down the stage, elegantly.

“Now, it’s time to party!” The MC announced, and Rathniat walked up to the stage.

She whispered to the Mc’s ear, and the Mc notified the DJ to pause. And the music stopped.

“I am sorry everyone, it seems Miss Stone Carissa have a few words to say."

Carissa stood up, and people clapped for her till she got to the stage. 

She faced the crowd and curtsied. “Good day, everyone. I am sorry to take a few minutes of your time…”

“My name is Carissa Stone. And, this is my first public appearance," she introduced and took a break for people to clap for her.

After the sounds of the claps went down, she continued. "I am delighted to be at this event, because I may not forgive myself if I miss the engagement of two successors,”

“Mrs. Marsha may not know I am her fan and an avid follower. And I have always hoped to tell you I love you and to encourage you to keep shining…”

“To Mr. Rolland Kayden, it’s been a long time since I have been out of the country, but the international news that featured you and I haven’t read wasn't published. Keep going and one day, you will reap what you sow,”

Rathnait handed Carissa a box. Carissa opened the box and took out Leviev’s Vivid Yellow Diamond Pendant.

“Miss Marsha, I am not a fan of jewelry or expensive things, but I made my secretary did lots of jobs in finding a suitable gift that will match your taste, and thanks to her worthy effort, I get this necklace for you.”

She raised up the necklace, and the light that set on it made it glittered.

“Wow!” People admired.

Marsha walked to the stage, excited. She collected the gift and looked at it in admiration. She bowed her head and hugged Carissa. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome.”

Carissa walked down the stage, majestically and immediately she sat down. Many conglomerate heirs and business executives came to greet her and requested for a meeting with her, but she let Rathnait attended to them.

“Good day, miss Carissa.”

A voice came from behind and Carissa looked back to see Zane Victor. She wore a welcoming smile and responded. “Good day."

He placed his hand on his chest. “I am…”

“Zane Victor.” Carissa completed his statement.

“Yes…” Zane smiled. “It’s nice meeting you here.”

“Okay.”

“Can I have your contact? I will love to do things with you in the future.” Zane proposed.

Carissa smiled. She looked at Rathnait and gave her a sign to attend to him.

Rathnait bowed her head and gave Zane Carissa’s contact.

Zane bowed his head and walked away.

Rathnait scanned around the hall and glimpsed Kayden sitting alone in a dark corner while Marsha was busy greeting the guests.

“Go meet Kayden now. He is alone.” Rathnait whispered.

Carissa stood up and walked to Kayden.

“Good day.” She greeted him.

Kayden raised his head and looked at Carissa from head to toe and vice versa, in an irritating manner. He took his eyes off her and, without responding to her, he picked a glass of wine from the table.

Carissa was angry, but she convinced herself that he didn't hear her. She remodel her smile and slightly curtsied her head. “Congratulations on your engagement.”

He sipped the wine and stood up. He looked at her for a second and walked past her like she wasn't there.

Carissa's mind boiled in anger and she grinded her teeth. Looking at him from behind, she wished to drag him back and give him a heavy blow that would make him land in a coma, but she looked around and squeezed her hand. She swallowed her saliva loudly and discharged a deep breath.

“Son of a bitch.”

“How’s it?” Rathnait's question came from behind.

Carissa sat down and angrily poured herself the drink that was on the table. She drank it up and drank up four more glasses non-stop.

“I need to use the restroom.” She excused and walked out of the hall.

She mistakenly entered the male toilet, and as she opened the door, Kayden turned to her with his trouser unzipped.

Her eyes fell on his cock, and she opened her mouth in awe. “Wow!”

She bites her lower lip in admiration.

His cool-golden eyes trailed over her and fell on her breasts.

He stepped closer, and she backed away until her ass touched the door behind her.

“Do you like this?” He asked and her core throbbed at his words.

How did someone she hated have such an intense effect on her?

He cut her off by placing the back of his hand against her lips.

The fabulous fireworks that erupted from his touch were dizzying, sending a dangerous jolt to her core.

It made sense… all of it, the way her lip yearned for the touch of his lips.

A single touch from her enemy drove her nuts, and she could not stop herself from softly kissing his fingers that were pressed against her lips.

His eyes flashed a steely golden as their eyes met, and the moment he removed his hands, she slowly licked her lip.

She separated herself from him and took a step back. She looked at him again, turning towards him as he moved closer. This time, the gap between them was almost non-existent. 

He rested his arms against the glass above her, forcing her to back up against it.

The faintest smirk crossed his lips as he ran the knuckles of his right hand down her waist, making her heart thump in anticipation.

His body was barely inches from her and the urge she developed for him to press her thigh together was incredibly strong.

“Are you sure?” His question came, taking a break from the seductive actions.

She quickly nodded and kiss him.

“Good, let's just hope you will handle me well.” He said seductively.

They were chest to chest, and he parted her legs with his knee, making her core clench.

“Shall we try to see?” She asked seductively, with a challenging glint in her eyes.

She locked her arm around his neck, pressing herself against him, placing her left hand on his abs.

“Fuck me, man…”

He is Rolland Kayden, and she wasn't just anyone anymore.