Ava laughed on the other side of the line. "I told you you'll need my help."
"I need a date to the annual Charity event hosted at the Flannigan hotel." He ignored her earlier comment wanting to get over the preparations so he could get back to the office. "Do you know where that is?"
"No I don't."
He pinched the bridge of his nose and pulled his phone away from his ear. He placed Ava on hold and dialed another number.
The person picked up on the first ring. "Goodday, Mr Bancroft."
"I need you to pick up someone. I'll send you the address and the lady's phone number." He didn't wait for the person's response and hung up.
He took Ava's number off hold again. "I'll send a car for you at 7pm sharp, don't keep him waiting."
The driver would pick Ava up and then come get him on the way. With that, he ended the call and took the rest of the stairs up to his room.
***
The lobby of the Flannigan hotel was packed with people waiting to enter the well decorated hall that had been set aside as the venue for this year's charity gala.
The charity event was hosted by the Flannigan family, owners of a chain of successful hotels that were thriving.
Millionaires and CEOS, heiresses and models and basically the rich and upper class in the society gathered one night every year to attend this event that is considered the Event of the Century.
The theme for this year's event was Hollywood and everyone was dressed to impress.
A few women were gathered at a corner of the room gossiping, as usual and checking out the dressing of the invited guests as they walked in.
There was a chocolate fountain at another corner of the room where some of the guests were already filling their glasses with the richly sweet chocolate drink.
"Wow, this is so beautiful." Ava gushed as the car stopped in front of the hotel.
Just like on the inside, the outside was just as beautiful. Decorations, flowers, and ribbons were placed neatly at strategic spots.
Sebastian got down from the car and adjusted his tuxedo. He checked his wristwatch for the time and sighed in pleasure.
It was 7pm and he was right on time. He hated being late to an event even some people claimed there was nothing wrong with being fashionable late.
Ava walked up to him and he held his arm out for her to take. He then walked into the hall, Ava on his arm.
At least she had listened when he told her to dress up. She looked incredible he couldn't help but notice.
And he wasn't the only one who noticed. He could feel heavy stares and glares directed at them.
"Would you like something to drink?" He asked as they walked into the hall and she shook her head pointing towards the chocolate fountain.
"Is that really chocolate?" She screamed although it came out like a whisper and Sebastian sighed turning to face her.
"I think we need to establish some ground rules first before anything else."
Ava took her eyes off the chocolate fountain and frowned up at him. "What do you mean by that?"
"People here are not as nice as they seem." He pointed towards the women at the corner and sighed. "I know these people and all these smiles you see are just a facade to hide the real person underneath."
Ava nodded and looked around her with a smile. I can do this. A group of women walked up to them just then. The same group Sebastian had been referring to.
"Come on Ava, it's time to turn up the charm." She whispered and plastered a smile on her face just as the women caught up to them.
"I'll go get us a drink." Sebastian said and headed straight for the wine cellar.
He poured himself a glass and downed it a little too quickly, coughing and spitting wine everywhere.
He muttered curses under his breath as he bent down to clean his shoes. Rising back up, he frowned as he caught sight of a pair of silver heels.
Ava's heels were black with a touch of green.
He stood up fully and was staring into the eyes of his ex, Natasha. He faked a smile and accepted the handkerchief she offered him.
She had probably slipped away from all those women he had seen her talking to earlier.
He used it to wipe his hands thanking the heavens none of the wine had made it to his suit.
He was wearing a white one piece custom made tuxedo that he'd gotten tailored mainly for this event.
"You look good Sebby." Natasha giggled, touching his arm and he pulled away, frowning at her. "Right, I'm sorry about that. Don't touch the suit." She laughed again and Sebastian sighed in irritation.
From where he was standing, Sebastian followed Ava with his eyes and watched as she laughed and mingled with the women as if she was a part of this world.
Ava waved at Sebastian and pointed at him causing him to frown wondering what she was up to.
He couldn't let her create a scene in front of all these people. With that thought in mind, he caught up with her and held her arm. "What do you think you're doing?" He asked taking her arm in his again.
He had to take her someplace else right now. These women were the gossip group of the high class world.
"I'm just socialising," she replied smiling at a woman Sebastian recognised from one of the events.
"Oh my God, Sebby, you work fast!" She giggled at Sebastian whose only reply was a blank stare.
She ignored it and glared at the strange woman. "And who are you?" She asked, a frown on her face.
She had noticed the minute Sebastian walked into the hall and had been meaning to walk up to him until she noticed this woman by his side.
The only woman that deserved to be at his side as his date was her and no one else.
She didn't like the way Sebastian was holding unto this strange woman's arm after he had left her standing all by herself.
People were going to get the wrong idea if she didn't do something about it.
Ava tightened her arm around Sebastian's arm and grinned at her. "He's my fiancée."
After she spoke, she plucked Natasha's fingers off Sebastian's other arm and dropped it.
"Please keep your hands to yourself from now on." She said, causing the women who had gathered around them to gasp in shock.
"Sebby, what's she talking about?" Natasha asked, flipping her hair. The tips hit Ava's face and she glared at her. "Tell her about me, Sebby." This woman was delusional, how could she say such a thing? All eyes settled on Sebastian for some kind of confirmation but he remained silent. Ava grinned at Natasha and inched closer towards her. "Well, that's all in the past now my darling. I'm his fiancée now." Natasha opened her mouth to say something but she noticed the women around them were already whispering under their breath. She didn't want to become the center of attraction especially if Ava would come out looking perfect. "We will continue this conversation later." "Bye now." Ava chirped, waving her hands with a smile irritating Natasha further. With one final glare shot at Ava, she walked away holding her head up high even though she was boiling and seething on the inside. "Natty! Wait for us." The women sccruied off after her and Ava shook her head. It was just like i
“Now smile for the camera my sweet,” The photographer ordered and Ava gave the best smile she could muster. Her cheeks hurt from smiling so much and frankly she was getting tired.When she had seen the ad for models needed by a food industry, she had been reluctant to accept it of course. But a part of her hoped that it would give her a boost into the world of modeling. But she hadn’t signed up for this! She glanced down at the bowl of cereal she was supposed to be eating from and her lips curled slightly in disgust. It looked a lot like some gray mashed concoction and it tasted just as bad as it looked. Even with the milk slobbering all over it.“Smile Ava!” The director yelled, suddenly jolting her out of her thoughts.“I’m sorry,” She muttered quickly, bowing her head in apology and gave a wide grin as if she was so damn happy to be holding a bowl of shitty food. Mahn, was this how her life would continue?Not if you accept his offer, her mind quipped.Ah yes.There was Sebastian Ba
“Connections,” Ava said simply, a serious look on her face. Her pretty blue eyes blinked surreptitiously at him, holding his leveled gaze.Connections? Sebastian wondered, inclining his head as he studied the profile of the woman before him. For a woman who looked so dainty despite her tall frame, she was quite bold. His eyes wandered down the rest of her body. At least the rest he could see as she sat across from him. She wore a pink cashmere sweater and a beige dress right underneath. He couldn’t see her lower half since she was sitting, but her torso was visible.And it was a very beautiful torso. “What do you mean?” He asked, clearing his throat awkwardly, forcing his eyes to look away from her heaving chest back into her clear ones. “I want to continue modeling.” She explained, the serious look on her face slowly replaced with excitement. Her eyes glazed dreamily and it seemed she stared at space when she continued speaking. “I want to make it big in modeling. It has been my dr
“Yo Kim!” A blonde guy yelled, running across the field to a girl sitting in the bleachers. Her caramel brown hair was tied into two buns on either side of her head, with little strands falling across her face. Her toffee brown eyes eyed the approaching guy warily, while her hands gripped the book in her hands tighter. “What’s up Ash?” She asked when he finally reached her. He panted heavily, doubling over as he wheezed. Kim chuckled. “For a guy who plays rugby, you sound pathetic. Quit pretending, fool.”Ash chuckled, straightening up. He towered over Kim’s short curvy stature, grinning widely. “You always get me,”“Oh please,” Kim rolled her eyes. “Don’t make this more than it seems. What do you want?”Ash’s gray eyes fell on the black book in her hands and shifted back to her face. “You?”The girl snorted and grabbed her bag off the bleachers, shoving the book into it just before Ash could reach for it. “You don’t fool me, you idiot! I know you want the book!” She yelled.“Come on
Chapter 8Ava's phone blared for the hundredth time that day. It had been ringing nonstop ever since the picture of her and Sebastian had dropped on the internet. The tabloids, papers, and news lines had all taken the bait, hook line, and sinker. And damn they worked fast. After they had shaken hands and signed the contract, Sebastian had a photographer on hand and a reporter. The rest was easy. Once the reporter got a record of them announcing their engagement publicly, and the photographer had taken a picture of them together, every media outlet in America had to have received it because then her phone couldn't stop screaming with calls. She winced as she climbed the stairs to her apartment, apprehension clawing at her belly. Kim had sounded pretty angry over the phone, calling her a traitor and demanding an explanation for it all.It was not surprising how agitated she was though. Kim had always been the restless one of the two sisters and the much more outspoken one as well. Un
"Hello,"Sebastian hadn't realized he had been holding his breath until he heard her voice. His chest relaxed and he took a deep breath before he could speak. Hilarious. He was acting like a green boy, one who was speaking to his crush in middle school and stuttering all over the place. "Are you home?" He asked, reclining on a couch in the living room.Damn, he couldn't remember asking anyone that question ever. He hadn't cared enough if they made it home or not. If Ava went missing just after he had announced their engagement to the world, that would be rather inconvenient. He had to make sure she was home safe and sound and ready to put his plan into action."Yes," she replied stoically. Ever since he had laid down his condition, it seemed an invisible barrier, one that hadn't been there before was erected between them. When he had told her not to fall in love with him, she had smiled brightly and told him it would not be a problem. And that had stung like hell!What did she mea
"Sweet Lord in heaven," she muttered as she stepped off the elevator.Sexy didn't seem to describe him properly. Her thighs quivered with each step she took toward him, her nipples strained to be seen, and her body ached to be touched. To be pressed up against his hard body. Her eyes took in every sinew and joint, the way his muscles rippled with the movements he made. Her mouth watered when her eyes drifted down to his backside. The sweatpants hung so low, it made her hungry to see how he looked beneath it all. Sebastian turned around when he was satisfied that the plating was perfect. He had heard the elevator ping open and had seen her step in through the corner of her eyes. And that was why he hadn't turned around immediately. He had been afraid he would say something as wimpy as 'You look like a goddess.' But she did look like one. Her sweet caramel hair fell around her shoulders in waves. He wanted to run his hand through it, feel the soft silkiness of it. And there were her
Sebastian grabbed a shirt and yanked it down his head angrily as if forcing himself to calm down. A few meters away, in his living room was the woman he had made a damned deal with, and fuck if he didn't regret it already. He hadn't paid attention. Okay, perhaps that was a lie. He had paid attention to her. Right from when they met. Ava was beautiful, he had to be blind not to see it. But he had been too pissed the first time they met to really ponder over her beauty. Hers was the type of beauty that slowly grew on you. With every look, every arch, every swipe of her hand, every sound that slipped from her mouth, he became more and more aware of how exotic her features were- and how much he liked them. "Fool," he whispered to himself as he stalked towards the door. He couldn't have her. She had grown attached to him right from when he saved her life. Women like her were like remora fishes. If he showed her just a bit of attention, she could do the utmost absurd thing of all times.