5: A Way Out

Althea

The amount of experience I’ve had with men was just as much as my experience with business. It was basically nonexistent. 

Sure, I went on a few dates with some guys, thanks to your nosy dorm mate who was also your best friend. But I didn’t necessarily date them. To have a date wasn’t really in my checklist, considering you need some cash to enjoy it. I skipped my high school promp and my graduation night too. Dancing? I was as good as a statue. 

So, if I had to describe this night, it must be a night for me to do everything I had never and couldn’t do. Business, socialize, dance. You named it. The only thing I was capable of was holding the hand of someone I didn’t expect to hold.

Matthias Cox.

Despite I was the one who agreed upon this, it still took me by surprise. As I walked out from his limousine, grabbed his hand so we could walk side by side to the party, I kept wondering if this really was a good idea.

Back at Forema Reflections, as much as I hated to admit, he really did help me out. The shop assistants treated me just like what he said; with their best. I got a few dresses and shoes to take home, and I found a piece to suit my looks tonight.

A one shoulder dark red cocktail dress with a black stiletto. The only downside to it was that I perfectly matched Matthias’s look. He wore a black coat with some red patterns similar to wolf’s long scratch, combined with a dark red shirt inside and polished leather shoes. People might get the wrong idea that we’re a couple or something.

Or maybe that was he after.  

This was all his idea. He picked me up at my house, so Mr. Lorell didn’t have to drive me.

“It will make your life easier.” That was what he said back in the boutique. “You won’t regret accepting my offer.”

I was tempted to refuse him at first, especially with that smug face of him. It felt like he was baiting me into some danger. But now that I was here, realizing how much attention was thrown at me, I thought I should give him some credits. It seemed some people were hesitant to go near me when they saw him. 

Well, I couldn't blame them though. If I were them, I might try to avoid this man as well.

Despite the annoying aura that was so him, tonight he felt a little different. Like he was putting an extra wall for people here. He radiated an intimidating aura around him, but somehow the way he held my hand was the opposite. His grip was firm yet tender, he matched his steps with my pace, so I didn’t have to walk in a hurry with these heels.

We sat at a table near the wall on the right, waiting for the party to start. I had one party back in college, and it was nothing like this. This felt more … like a conference. Formal dresses, calming music, fancy settings. Some people chatted and laugh formally, no scream or shout detected.

“Your left, 11 o’clock direction.” Matthias leaned and whispered to my right ear, it made me shiver a little.

I automatically followed his direction, and I saw a guy near one of the pillars. He noticed me looking, but he just casually raised his glass.

“Who is that?” I asked Matthias.

“Someone who is really interested in you, I guess,” he said jokingly. “He’s been looking at you since we arrived.”

I grimaced a little, shaking my head. “Me or my new inheritance?”

He shrugged casually as he drank his champagne. He looked more relaxed now. He must have gotten used to having pairs of eyes focusing on him. For a moment, I thought I might as well calm down, but then a familiar figure approached our table.

“Here you are, Althea.”

I stood up, greeted by Josh’s smile with someone beside him. That man was younger than Josh, and seemed closer to Matthias by age. He extended his hand to me, so I shook it. 

“Miss Althea Lewis. It’s nice to finally see you in person.” That man said as he kissed my backhand. “I’m Owen Mikhailov.”

I tried to smile and stole a glance to my table mate–gosh, could I call him that?–but he ignored it. God, this man!

“O-oh, hi,” I replied back, trying to be as friendly as possible, despite being taken aback with the gesture before.

“Althea, this is Owen. He was one of your father’s business partners,” Josh explained. I felt like he wouldn’t be the only business partner I was going to meet tonight. Thinking about it already made me dizzy.

Lucky for me, someone took the mic on the stage, signing that the party was about to begin. 

“I hope we can talk more later, Miss Lewis,” Owen said as he walked back.

Josh also smiled first as he mouthed, “Good job, Althea. Keep it up,” before he went with Owen.

I sat back in my chair, resisting myself to not exhale too much. “How many people will I have to meet?

”A lot.” Matthias responded.

I rolled my eyes. “Thank you for that useful information, Mr. Smartass. I never knew that.”

“Owen was nothing. Just wait until you meet the other.”

“The other?”

Matthias nodded nonchalantly, still wasn’t looking at me. “Some people tonight might ask you for something more than just a talk.”

Ew. Really?

I bit my inner mouth. If that kiss on the hand already startled me, what other thing would I get later?

“To have a big business like your father requires a lot of connections. There must be a lot of people who worked and wanted to work with him.  And now that he is gone, they need to look for someone who holds the same power as him.” He put his chin on the palm of his right hand. “And that is you, Miss Althea Lewis.”

“But they can just talk to Josh, right? He was my father’s right hand,” I shot back. 

“But he isn’t your right hand,” he replied. “You’re like a new tree for them. Of course they will try to get close to you, so they can get more of your fruits. Some might even want to have you for themself.”

I didn’t want to be a tree. Dang it, I didn’t want to be anything that required me to be surrounded by people I barely knew.

“This is the world you’ve signed in, Althea. If you think it’s a pain in the ass, you haven’t seen it enough.”

His words definitely didn’t mean to comfort. On the other hand, I knew that at some point, I had to deal with it sooner or later. He just brought the hard truth faster. 

I grabbed my glass of champagne without drinking it. I stared inside as I swirled it. “Is there any easy way to deal with … this?”

Because I might not be able to handle all of this. It was too much. But I had no option here, did I?

“There is a way.”

“A way?” I repeated, and he nodded. “And what is that exactly? Money?”

“Not really.”

“Then what?”

I already knew he would say some crazy shits. I expected that much from someone like him. But I never expected he could almost choke me to death with just two words.

“Marry me.”