Seven: All Eyes On Them

Alesandra's POV 
All eyes were on me. All eyes should always be on me, and now they finally were. Lucian's going to propose today. I already knew it as soon as he told me about the Gala. I mean come on, throwing such a large party just because of a signed contract?

The bulbs on the cameras flashed: Paparazzi. I stretched my lips into a dazzling smile and gripped Lucian's arm tightly. It was a pain walking down these marble steps with 6 inch heels on. But it's totally worth it.

As soon as Lucian and I dropped down from the last step, a wild cheer erupted.  The crystal chandelier's bright lights illuminated the mansion, shining on every face.

Lucian cleared his throat. "Thank you all for coming. This gala may very well be the most memorable of them all." He winked at me and the guests went wild. They were on to him. "Ma maison est ta maison." He beamed as the guests applauded at his fluent and sweet sounding French: My house is your house.

Then the party started up again. And Lucian and I were off greeting guests and sipping daintily on our champagne. We stopped in front of a couple, the man had light brown hair, blue eyes and flushed lips whereas the woman had extremely fair hair, big brown eyes and nude lips.

"Ales, this is Quince Evergreen of Evergreen Enterprises and his wife, Ophelia Evergreen." With a smile, Quice stretched his hand out for a shake.

After we shook hands, Lucian and I said bye and sauntered off to greet Lucian's father who stood with a group of people.

"Hello Mr. King.  It's such a pleasure finally getting to see you!" I extended my hand to his hand that wasn't holding a champagne glass.

"Ahh, Alesandra, is it?" He grinned, his crows feet wrinkling at the corner of his eyes.

I nodded and smiled, taking in the many pure gold rings and emeralds lining his fingers. I wonder how much they would sell for.

Lucian cleared his throat. "Thank you for coming, father."

A flash of surprise passed across Lucian's dad's face. "Of course I would. Today's a very special day." He winked at me. I suppressed the smirk that tugged at my lips.

"Well, It was so nice seeing you, sir."

Mr. King raised his eyebrow and took a drink from his glass. "Please call me Tal."

I grinned. Score. Lucian's dad already took a liking to me. "Well, we must be going to greet our guests, Tal." Unexpectedly, I gave him a  small hug and walked off with Lucian. The closer I seem to want to get to know Tal, the better.

After about an hour, my feet began to hurt. "Babe, I think I may need to switch into my other outfit now."

Lucian paused. "Maybe wait a few more minutes, love?" He adjusted his tie. "Please?"

He obviously needed time to get the proposal right. "Of course, dear." Smiling, I ushered him over to another group of people. This night would be perfect.

____
Malea's POV
It was almost like time froze, each second ticking by as if it were an hour. My throat went dry as everyone stopped what they were doing and faced the star couple in the center of the room. Lucian and Ales.

Lucian had gotten down on one knee, his finely pressed suit wrinkling at the back of his knee. A small blue velvet box in his hand, open, showing a large ring with diamonds, crystals and emeralds which reflected off the light. Ales stood in front of him, tears brimming her full eyes and threatening to spill. She had her hands pressed dramatically onto her lips in astonishment and surprise. There was something about how she looked at him.

I've known Ales long enough to know she wasn't the emotional type. If anything, whenever anything slightly emotional happened, Ales was the first to break the awkwardness and move on. It didn't seem genuine and neither did Lucian but tears still trailed slowly down his cheeks.

"My dear, sweet, gorgeous Alesandra Marie Rodriquez. I may have not known you for very long, but every second I spend with you is like heaven on earth. You brighten my day, you make me feel sane when things around me are insane, you make me love the world again, and you make me whole." He paused, his gaze never wavering from Ales's. Guests recorded the moment, paparazzis flashing picture after picture, and even some cried.

"I've never once doubted you and I hope to never once doubt you. Alesandra, will you please be my wife, my best friend, and the mother of our future kids?" His voice broke at the end. Damn, this guy was good at acting. If this whole billionaire thing doesn't work out for him, he should totally consider pursuing a career in the acting department.

Ales broke down in sobs, her head bobbing up and down rapidly in a 'yes'. "Of course, Lucian! Yes, yes, yes!" As soon as Lucian slipped the diamond encrusted ring on her finger, she jumped in his arms and pressed her lips firmly to his. My stomach lurched as over 300 guests applauded and cooed at the newly proposed couple. Lucian spun Ales around and then faced the crowd. But his eyes settled on mine.

My stomach somersaulted. Was this place always so crowded? Was it always this hot? Why was I so flushed? The mansion was beginning to seem too crowded. Too many bodies, so many breaths circulating around the room and mixing together. All sounds dulled as my heartbeat sped up. I turned away from where I stood and raced out through the back door not even knowing what—or whom— was out there.

There was an ocean behind Lucian's mansion, the cool clear water lapping up the dock's wooden poles. I peeled off my 5 inch heels and hiked up my dress, feeling the cooling sand against my feet. The air was so sweet. The sharp, cool air of beginning autumn, swirling around my legs and misplacing my hair.

The view was magnificent. The ocean spread out for ages, to the point where I couldn't see where it ended. The sun was just setting as I ran into the water, giggling when the mind numbingly cold water licked my feet.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" A deep male voice called behind me. I whirled around to find a man about my age—maybe a year or two older—with his pant legs rolled up to his knees. He sauntered over to me and began to wade in the salt water as I am right now.

I squinted into the sunset. "Definitely." I glanced over at him only to realize he was looking at me, his full brown eyes looking me up and down.

He grinned. "I meant you." He had a slight accent to his words which only made his words huskier.

The heat immediately flushed up my neck and began to heat up my cheeks. "Erm—thanks." I waded deeper into the water and past the frothy sea foam. I glanced back to see if he took the hint and left only to find him closer to me  now.

"My name is Levi." He extended his hand in a handshake. After I didn't return the handshake he grinned and shook his head as if I were joking. "What's your name?"

I turned my back to him. "Why does it matter?"

"Cause I want to know and it seems like you could use someone to talk to." I whirled around as a lazy grin spread across his lips. Holy shit. This guy is so good looking. His chiseled jaw frames his full lips and large amber eyes. His hair was disheveled as if he hadn't even bothered to style it before getting here. I swallowed past my dry throat.

"In fact, I think I'm done out here. I have a newly proposed couple to greet." I treaded through the water and back onto the sand. "Dammit." I muttered. My feet and toes were now covered in sand that wouldn't shake off.

"Oh come on. You're no fun. You don't have to go complete stranger danger on me." He followed me back onto the sand. "Can I at least guess your name?" He blocked me as I tried to get past him to my shoes.

I rolled my eyes. "Knock you self out." I paused. "Literally." I moved past him to get my shoes but he blocked me just as easily.

"I'll let you go, just let me guess." He raised an eyebrow in a question. I sighed.

"Fine." I have nothing better to do, but of course I wouldn't admit it to him.

He placed his hands together, almost like in a prayer, and tapped his pointer fingers against his lips. "Dolce."

I stilled, my cheeks heated on their own accord. "What does that mean?"

He grinned a crooked smile, his perfect teeth flashing. "That's your name."

I shook my head as if I could shake off what he said. "No it isn't. What does it mean?"

Levi shrugged. Another one of his lazy grins tugging at his lips. "What it means is for me to know and for you to find out." He took a step closer to me and that was when I realized just how dark it was getting. "Unless you want to tell me your name. For all you know I could be cursing you out in Italian and you wouldn't know." 

He wouldn't. We stared at each other, his brown eyes searching my green ones. Shaking my head, I stepped back. "I'd rather not. Bye, Levi." I stepped past him, grabbed my shoes and raced towards the door.

"I'll see around, Dolce." He called after me.

_____
Levi's POV

"Levi, get over here and talk to people!" My mother scolded as she fixed the pearls on her necklace. My stepfather nodded in agreement. I hated how I was the one invited but she decided to come anyhow.

I trudged over to them and their group of friends, the music blasting quite loudly. As soon as I came into view, my mother pursed her lips and whispered harshly in my ear. "Did you really think this was the right time to go out for a swim? You're the CEO of Ficara Co. for heaven's sake, make a name for yourself."

I suppressed the feeling of rolling my eyes. How many times did she have to remind me of the fact that I was CEO of my dead father's company. And how many times did I have to remind myself that the only reason my stepfather was here right now was because of the money he's making.

I flashed a smile at my mother's friends as they commented on the handsome looks I must have gotten from my biological father and my mother.

"Oh he has your big brown eyes!" One of my mother's friends commented.

"Wow, look at those full lips!" Another one commented.

"Your late husband must've had a spectacular jaw structure for him to have such a great jaw like that." A woman ogled.

All things I've heard before.

My mind seemed to wander as I recapped the day's events. I didn't want to come to this Gala Dinner Lucian had invited me to. Honestly, he probably only invited me because of the contract we had signed between both our companies. The girl he proposed to—Alesandra is it?—seemed like a fake one. I could just sense something was wrong with the proposal.

Ah, and the girl I met at the beach behind Lucian's mansion. Dolce. I thought. Dolce meant sweet. She seemed so closed off and uninviting but I could tell it was a façade she put on around others. Her emerald green eyes and full lips painted mauve flashed through my mind. I wanted to know her. And I will. Eventually and with time.

"Levi, dear. Could you please get my driver to pull up at the front? I'm ready to head home." My mother snapped me out of my reviere. With an absent nod, I began walking outside.

Once my mother and father had gone off to their house, I called up my driver as well and nearly collapsed as soon as I arrived at my own estate.