Chapter 2 - The Fateful Encounter

ALEXANDER

Alex stared down at the flurry of activity in the Grand Aula of his family mansion with full contempt.

This blackmailing scheme by his own family got on his nerves.

Multi-billion dollars business at the stake. The livelihood of hundreds of thousands of his employees' was hanging by the thread. And his matters like his engagement and who he was going to marry were going to be the main collateral and the deciding factor of the Browning Family empire business.

And when he said he was blackmailing, it was not just figurative talk. But it was indeed how his father forced Alexander's hand to accept this engagement and later on the marriage with an heiress of Ruthford Bank.

Alexander recalled what happened a month ago when he came back to this mansion. The hatred for his father resurfaced again as he remembered what happened last time, and his animosity towards his father was so enormous that he would do anything to destroy his father's plan.

Right here.

In this very Mansion.

When all the eyes were focused on him and his family.

***

"Alexander. Come straight home right now! Or you would never see your Mother again." That ultimatum made by his wretched father made Alexander have to fly back home a month ago. And Alex knew his father was serious this time.

Alex knew his Mother's health had deteriorated rapidly. Her mental health was abysmal and her body was not strong enough to cope with all the weariness and emptiness of life she had to endure ever since she was married to his father. That was why he came back to his Mansion to meet her mother, hoping that he would be there and pray for a miracle that her mother was getting better.

But once he came back here again after the last time was 12 years he stepped his foot here, only rage after rage that he could experience.

Her mother was on her deathbed. Looking frail, small, and alone. She was wrapped in a hospice bed with lots of cables connected to her body, supporting her life until her very end.

She was in a coma, and might not have realized that he was back here again.

"Mother..." Alexander's hoarse voice called her mother.

His father was standing silently beside the bed with his Mistress who maybe was as young as a girl just out of college.

"Her shares of the company will be transferred to me and if you want to get it back, marry that Ruthford girl to secure their money to inject into our latest project in Asia." His father said this when Alexander kneeled beside her mother. Alexander gritted his teeth upon hearing that request.

"I don't fucking care about it! You will not tell me what to do. Who I will sleep with or who I will end up marrying is my own fucking business. Don't you dare to threaten me like that... Father. Not in front of Mother." Alex said in a smooth silken voice, but it conveyed venom and hatred toward his father.

"You will do what I said. Our company will be at stake. Our competitors are breathing on our necks, waiting for us to fall and crush us." Replied his father coldly.

"We'll talk about this later. Leave me and mother alone." Alex said that in a dejected tone. His gaze never leaves, seeing her mother lying here without sound.

The rhythmic sound of the machines and the soft sound of her breath were the only things that made Alex focus on his surroundings and not drown in his rage and despair in this lovely but lonely room.

Three days later, his mother passed away peacefully on her bed.

***

"Sir Browning, good evening." Richard, the family butler came behind Alex and made him stop his observation of various activities displayed in the hall downstairs.

His memories about what happened nearly a month ago got disrupted as his butler came breathing on his neck like a mouse, becoming his father's spy to monitor his activity ever since he came back into this house.

"Hmmm... good evening, Richard. What is it?" Asked Alex slowly.

"Do you need to change into your formal attire, Sir? And also your father seeks you out. Would you like to meet him now?" He frowned when Richard said that.

"Get lost, Richard. I'm not in the mood to entertain that old man. Just send my middle finger to him if you insist." He looked back to his shoulder only to see how his butler would react after hearing his sarcastic reply.

"Hmm... I thought you were thirty-two years old, Sir. But it looks like I talked with my sulking teenage kid when he was angry." Richard replied.

"Careful... Richard or I will dock your pay this month."

"You won't do that, Sir. And for your information, I already put your attire in your room. Just find me if you want my assistance, Sir." After saying that, Richard took steps back and went back, maybe finding his father to send his defiance message.

Alexander chuckled, wondering how will that senile old man will act if he carried out a plan to make mayhem at this party.

He honestly did not care anymore and did not give a fuck about how his life would be unfolding later.

He knew ‌he would be the crazy devil that his father could not control anymore.

Just as he planned to step back to his room, he caught sight of something intriguing.

A woman.

In her simple yet enchanting black dress.

Bending slightly towards the dessert table and organizing the cupcakes serenely.

The image in front of him was so contrasting and contradictory in Alexander's mind.

The woman who was sexy as hell with a provocative pose like that was near something playful and innocent like a cupcake dessert.

Who is she?

Is she one of this mansion's staff?

Well... he would not dally with one of his staff. You shall not shit to where you eat.

That was one of his mottos. So he was never caught having scandals with his employees or staff. Not because he was so clever to put his personal life out of the limelight and public interest, but because he had nothing to do and he had no intention to do something foolish like getting involved with his staff or employees.

A plan formed in his mind.

Yeah, this would be interesting. What was more despising for her beloved father than a ruined engagement party? Involved with a commoner stranger no less?

Slowly... like a hunter hunting its prey, his mind was focusing entirely on a singular object standing in the Aula. She did not realize that he already marked her.

He descended slowly toward her with silence in the middle of the busy crowded evening.

Like a beautiful deer who did not know that a lion had already put his instinct to begin the hunt on her until the lion started running and locked her.

This beautiful creature was just like that delicate deer.

So helpless when the lion pounced on her.

***

Alexander glided smoothly into the Aula from the balcony he stayed and hid behind the dark. He saw this dainty woman finally feel his presence, his stare, so she looked back behind her shoulders and stared back at him.

Holy hell! She was perfect!

Even though his outer exterior showed and betrayed nothing, his mind was running amok and his heart skipped into an erratic rhythm. His adrenaline rushed in when he stepped closer and stood in front of her.

Finally...

Her eyes were big, yet displayed full of innocence; like a Bambi. So cute, and tempting.

"What..." She was not even going to finish her sentence. She looked flushed and flustered.

Exactly what Alexander wanted.

"Who are you, lady?" Alexander asked softly, indeed his presence was imminent and so virile and masculine.

"Who are you?" She asked back with a small melodic voice.

Fuck... even her voice is so sweet and smooth like honey. Alex could get addicted to hearing her voice.

Alexander stared at her deeply and smiled. "Uh… I asked you first. Would be polite if you answer it before you ask another question, yes?"

"Iris..." She replied hoarsely, "That's my name." She shook her head once and looked like she wanted to clear her mind.

Alexander liked it. Looked like this encounter greatly affected her.

"Iris..." Her name rolled smoothly from his tongue. He loved her name. Beautiful flower name, just like her.

"Why are you here?" he took a step forward, and she automatically stepped back. Like two lovers did a Tango dance.

"Uh..." She drew her left hand into her chest.

Perfect, no ring. Alexander hated if he must separate her from his intended lover or husband.

"Yeah?" Alex took several big steps just, so she was trapped between him and a wall. No space to escape from him.

"D-d-divine..." She stuttered when her back touched the wall.

Alexander arched his eyebrows and smiled expectantly at her. He did not understand what she meant, but he agreed with the two of them that this out off-chart attraction that pulled both of them would be the divine thing he would ever experience in his life.

She cleared her throat and said again, "No, I'm sorry. I meant that I'm one of the food vendors of this Engagement Party." She cleared her throat once again and continued to reply to him, "I'm sorry for my bad manner, let me try again."

She stretched her dainty hand to shake her hand and Alexander grasped her hand sensuously, making her polite smile a bit faltered, but Alex knew she mustered her courage to continue this charade, "My name is Iris, and my business is called Iris divine cupcake. Those cupcakes are mine." She pointed to the piles of cupcakes behind his back. "And this is my name card." She clumsily opened her clutch and gave him a piece of paper. Her name card. His first treasure from her.

"Iris..." he dared to touch her wisp of hair that escaped from her simple coiffure.

She gasped loudly, "Sir! Mo-move back, please!"

"Should I?" Alexander teased her, but he still stood tall in front of her. Not moving even one inch.

Iris took back her hand and clasped both of her hands like a torch flame singed her.

"We shall meet again, Iris dearest..."

Alexander stepped back and gave her room to breathe.

"And we shall meet again. Don't go anywhere, 'cause I will find you, wherever you are."

"I bid you goodnight, dear. Because I will have a great fucking night today." Alex smirked, took her hand, and kissed it before he turned around and left the hall.

***