Chapter Two: Alexander Vaughn

Dione's POV

"Aldric!”

My glassy eyes studied his face for less than a minute. My heart sliced with ache.

My fingers trembled as I opened the door, and my legs shook, climbing them.

And just like that he zoomed off.

Leaving me to the eyes of bystanders and whispers that stabbed like a knife.

My skin crawled from the many eyes. The awful gawks and of course the camera's recording.

For a second, I wished the ground would split open and swallow me whole.

Anything was better than staying under those hungry, prying eyes.

My heels beat against the floor as I hurried out of the hotel premises.

My head bowed to my chest in shame.

Three chances Dione. You promised yourself that.

Why do you still love him?

God, Dione, you're pathetic.

I walked into the busy street, the cold wind kissed my skin causing a shock to wave through me.

The tears in my eyes threatened to rain down but I sniffed them back.

No, you aren't doing that for him anymore.

My fingers fondled with my phone as I attempted to book a ride home.

Just then an inky black Lamborghini glided to a halt before me.

I moved off, some feet away.

The car door lifted open from the front and a tall man with black cheek-length curly waves and a broad shoulder that smoothed the bodice of his expensive cotton black suit, came down.

Kalen, one of Alexander's men.

He opened the back door, and bowed curtly for me to enter.

My heart raced and I scanned the premises to be certain no one was watching.

The last thing I wanted was to make headlines. I had severally told Alexander. No meeting in a public place. Because I didn't want our acquaintance to go public.

"No, thank you. I've booked a ride," My voice firm with fear, I rejected the gesture, glancing around the street nervously.

Kalen ducked into the back seat like he was whispering something.

"He asked if you wanted to ride in the Porsche instead?" Kalen returned and informed me.

My eyes rolled slightly.

Typical.

And just then a car headlight beamed on me, blinding my eyes from seeing.

The clicking sound of a camera followed. And my heart dropped into my stomach.

Someone had taken a picture of Kalen and.. and I.

“You are going down, Dione. Wait till your husband sees this.” The strange voice I don't recognize called from the car and like volts, zoomed off with speed.

My skin crawled and my head hazed like a thick fog.

A cold electricity seized my being.

"Dione, just come in, let's take you home," Alexander said from the inside, his voice low and firm.

What just happened? My heart slammed against my bones.

I climbed in, reluctantly.

His rich cologne filled my nostril, and somehow the wild lavender smell soothed my head from the turmoil in my head.

His broad shoulder accentuated the deep red suit. His perfectly styled silver hair mixing with black, fell slightly to his handsome face, right above his thick brow.

Now that I looked him up close he hadn't really changed from fifteen years ago.

Alexander Vaughn, the multi-billionaire investor Aldric had just signed with.

He'd been my friend since I was a child and my love interest until I met Aldric at the orphanage.

But unlike the blunt kid in the past. He was now Alexander Vaughn. Billionaire business man, the man who could snap his fingers and own the city.

And now he was sitting next to me, too close, too calm, too dangerous.

His words pierced the silence, " Black. Corolla. Vincent street. Headlight White. No ID, trace him," he spoke to the phone, his voice still low but very commanding.

"Are you alright?" Alexander asked as the car glided into the traffic.

My hands rubbed against each other to suit my skin.

"Yeah," I nodded. But I wasn't. I can't try to.

He bore his gaze on me, so intently, I could feel them walk all over my body, "Why do you let him treat you the way he does, Dione? He shouldn't have ever, " he asked.

"Yeah," I agreed shortly, looking out through the window.

Remembering the man from earlier that Aldric had mistaken as the real Alexander I asked, " Did you hire him?"

"Who?" He paused, face blank of expression, " Donald? Yeah, he's my face when I have to meet worthless people like Aldric," he answered unapologetically, like he didn't mind that I could hear.

"You promised you'd be there in person this once, Alex," I complained, my voice flat.

" My bad," He leaned in, his cologne stole my lungs, I bet they will linger on me later. My pulse betrayed me, beating wildly.

I hated how much of me still remembered the boy who once held my hand at the kindergarten. " I'm here in person now...for you." He added, his lips curled up in a smirk and I swear he looks too good as an adult.

I rolled my eyes, taking them off his face, and remembering that I almost believed he had changed. But he's still the same. Considering his good looks. Maybe worse

My phone binged.

And I flipped through the bars and a video popped up.

My heart seized.

The scene from earlier. It had started to burn through the internet like wild fire.

My world seemed to collapse around me.

And though my heart pinched painfully, I'm grateful because the headline was at least friendly.

'Wife of Successful CEO of D&A, Aldric Lowell Abandoned at the Contract Venue.'

I sighed in relief, though the whole thing still stings.

Then a short text popped up from an anonymous contact.

" Got you!"

Who could this be? And why was he doing this?

The message disappeared a few minutes after I opened it.

Worry smeared my face.

My stomach hardened like rock.

And the feeling of someone bearing a mistaken picture of Kalen and I together, made my palms sweat.