11: Innocent romance

•Odette•

[Draven Lockwood, the most eligible bachelor in the country, spotted locking lips with the former heiress of ‘Eve’.]

[Fake daughter of the Valmont family staking her claim on the CEO of the country’s best tech company, Locke.]

[Draven Lockwood is not asexual!!!]

[Unexpected love pairing outside Caesar’s Place, High Society families unite.]

[One real estate prince’s trash is an almighty tech god’s gold.]

~No one would have expected the fake daughter of the Valmont family, Odette Valmont, to hook up with the most notorious businessman in New York City, Draven Lockwood.

The couple were so immersed in each other’s company that they paid attention to no one else while enjoying a tasty meal at the famous Caesar’s Place.

At the end, they were even reluctant to part and shared a passionate kiss at the end of the night.

Talks from bystanders confirm that the two are currently in a relationship with the intent to go further.

The question is: when did this blissful relationship begin? And how favorable would the end be for both parties?

One is no longer powerful and has no drop of highborn blood with talks about being written off the Valmont family’s will. The other is elusive with a family name strong enough to shake the highest mountains.

This blogger appreciates innocent romance, but caution should be taken when there are many points that prove that such romance has many foul strings playing around it.~

The tabloids were more dramatic than I expected. I never thought people would pay close attention to the fact that I was not a real Valmont, but that fact seemed to pop up on every blog about Draven and I.

But at least, no one was trying to debunk the fact that Draven and I were together. There was no ‘Girl pushing herself on a man high above her status.’

As dumb as that sounded, it happened more times a week than I’d like to know.

Under those catchy titles of mine and Draven’s scandalous relationship, there were pictures of us from last night by my car.

Our faces weren’t blurred. The pictures were taken as though they were right from a photoshoot studio. The poses were perfectly locked in and our lips were glued together.

It looked like Draven was ravishing me from the inside out. And I looked so willing to be eaten. There was nothing ‘innocently romantic’ about the photos.

The angles revealed what we were doing and what would have happened were it not a planned show—not that it was actually planned cause I hadn’t expected Draven to kiss me that way or at all.

I was sure Draven schemed the bit about kissing all by himself, forgetting to inform me. And I was also sure that the photographer who’d captured those moments was working for him.

He must have also had a hand in selling the pictures to the most famous blogs and magazines so our relationship would be on the front page of every scoop.

Gosh, the man was deviously brilliant.

With the basis of mine and Draven’s relationship already formed, the next step was to—

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

My phone began to vibrate in my hand as a call came in. The caller ID was only one word: Father.

My hand unconsciously quivered as I tapped on the accept button and brought the phone to my ear.

“Come to the house. Now.”

After saying his piece, Father terminated the call.

“Fuck.” I cussed, putting my phone away.

This was the part of the plan I dreaded the most—facing my father, my parents. But it was also the part I looked forward to.

If they reacted contrary to Draven’s prediction, everything would change. I would regret signing a deal with the devil. I would feel bad for the choices I’ve made.

But if they didn’t… There would be no turning back.

I quickly dressed up in formal wear and set off to the family house. The home I grew up in, where every childhood event of mine took place.

To be honest, I was anxious. I shouldn’t be since I was an adult now. I was my own person now. Yet, my heart seemed to race the closer I got to the mansion.

By the time I arrived, you could say my heart was no longer in my chest. I parked the car carefully and sucked a deep breath before stepping out.

Just seeing the grand double doors of the Valmont mansion made me want to throw up my breakfast. I couldn’t go through the front door.

As bold as I was, I was also a huge coward. Which was why I turned around and began to make my way to the side door by the indoor garden.

The garden was as beautiful as ever. Several species of trimmed flowers and a scent in the air that could relax the nerves instantly.

This used to be my favorite place when growing up. I created most of my designs while lying on the false green grass.

I couldn’t spend much time reminiscing about the past because my father was an impatient man. Now meant now. And now was almost half an hour ago.

I tightened my fists and quickened my steps towards the side entrance. Before I could place a hand on the handle, someone opened the door from the other side.

“Odette…” Tristen’s blue eyes brightened upon seeing me.

I took steps backwards as a sigh escaped from my lips. Tristen didn’t seem to notice. He stepped into the garden quickly and shut the door behind him.

“I knew you’d be in the garden when I saw one of your cars parked out front. You must have thought to use the side entrance. It’s your favorite. I’m right, aren’t I?” Tristen spoke without taking a breath between words.

“Tristen, can you please save whatever this is for later? I’m in hurry to—”

“This can’t wait, Odette. I have something important to tell you.”

“You can tell me after I—”

“It’s about Draven.”