At His Penthouse

Putting her last pair of shoes in the her suitcase, Alana looked around her room to make sure she had packed everything. Seeing that there was nothing left, she zipped the suitcase and placed it aside before exiting the room.

Her feet padded down the stairs, and she made her way straight to the sitting room where her aunt was in a meeting with her business partners. As she reached the door, her hand was just a few inches away from the handle when she paused, contemplating her next move.

She didn't want to disrupt her aunt's meeting, but at the same time, she couldn't wait any longer because it was almost five o'clock.

After contemplating for a few minutes, Alana finally decided to gather the courage and enter the room. She excused her aunt from the sitting room, completely ignoring the eyes that fell on her.

"What is the matter?" Rosalind asked when they were outside the room, concern evident in her voice.

"Uh..." Alana bit her lower lip nervously.

Even though she had already rehearsed her story in her head and said it to herself over and over again, she was still doubtful that it would sound believable to her aunt. She knew how terrible she was at lying.

And telling the truth was out of the question. Alana couldn't tell her aunt about the contract with Roman; her aunt would disapprove of such an agreement. So lying was the only option left. Alana mentally prepared herself before starting to speak.

"Do you remember my friend I told you about this morning?" Alana asked, her voice slightly hesitant.

Rosalind nodded. "Of course, I remember," she replies, her curiosity evident.

Alana ran her fingers through her hair, nervously twirling the tips of her hair.

"The thing is, her parents just finalized their divorce yesterday, and it had a huge impact on her because she's been going through a lot lately," Alana explained

She paused to weigh her aunt's expression, seeing that Rosalind was paying rapt attention to her story, she then continued. "So she asked me to move in with her, just until she feels better, and I agreed to it."

No reply came from Rosalind as she was trying to process what her niece had just said.

"But you just moved in here," Rosalind said. "You can't just move out like that. You should have spoken to me first before making this decision to leave."

"I'm sorry, but it happened so fast, and I just couldn't say no. Plus, I think this is what's best for me. I haven't really felt at home since I got here," Alana said, her voice filled with a hint of sadness.

Rosalind's eyes widened, but Alana continued, undeterred by her aunt's expression.

"I just need to be away from family. I see the way you look at me, like I'm some fragile, dying flower who ends all the nourishment it can get, but I'm okay. I know you're only worried about me but I can't stand the looks anymore."

Alana paused when she saw the hurt in her aunt's eyes, but she hardened her heart and continued. "I'll only be gone for a month so you don't have to worry about me." She added.

Rosalind was speechless which only worried Alana because she thought her words had hurt her aunt

"You have my permission to leave," Rosalind said after the brief silence. "But on only one condition, that you promise to call me whenever you can." She added, knowing that insisting on everyday would be too much for her niece.

With a wide smile on her face, Alana wrapped her arms around her aunt in a tight hug.

"Thank you so much. I promise to call whenever I can," Alana said, her excitement evident in her voice.

"So when will you be leaving?" Rosalind asked as soon as they disengaged from the hug. "In less than five minutes," Alana replied.

"Oh, I was thinking we would be able to have dinner together tonight," Rosalind said, with a disappointed face. "But it's fine."

Her eyes drifted behind Alana. "I need to return back to my meeting, dear."

Alana nodded, and Rosalind patted her shoulder before walking away.

Alana exhaled. "That was easy," she mumbled to herself before going back to her room to take her luggages outside.

A black car pulled into the parking lot precisely at 5 pm. A man in a black tailored suit stepped out of the car, his gaze sweeping across the compound.

Alana glanced at him, wondering if he was her ride. She left her luggage by the doorstep and approached the man to confirm her thought.

As the man looked around with a contemplative expression, his gaze shifted to Alana. Just as she was about to speak, the man beat her to it.

"Good evening," the man greeted. "I'm looking for Alana Gates."

"I'm Alana," she replied. "Did Roman send you?" Alana questioned curiously.

"Yes, he did," the man replied, surprise flickering in his eyes.

Alana noticed his expression but pretended not to.

The man loaded her belongings into the car and opened the back door for her. Alana stepped in, and he followed suit, starting the engine.

As the car drove off, Alana looked back at the gates until they disappeared from her view. She felt a twinge of disappointment that she didn't get the chance to speak to Ryan.

Letting out a sigh, she rested her head against the side window, enjoying the evening scenery.

The ride was utterly quiet, but Alana didn't feel comfortable due to the driver's occasional short glances at her through the rearview mirror.

"Where are we going?" Alana asked, when she noticed that they were not following the route to Roman's mansion, but instead were heading to some other location.

"To Roman's house, miss Gates," the man replied. "He doesn't live in that house where you met with him. He lives in a penthouse." He explained further.

Alana nodded, leaning back in her seat, digesting the new information.

Finally, the car came to a halt in front of an impressive high-rise building. Alana stepped out of the vehicle, her eyes scanning the entrance as the man retrieved her luggage from the car. They made their way towards the building's entrance.

The lobby was equally lavish, however, Alana couldn't admire the elegance that surrounded her, as it reminded her of the place where she used to live.

As they entered the elevator, Alana's heart quickened its pace. There was a mixture of uncertainty and nervousness coursing through her veins.

The elevator doors slid open, revealing a spacious penthouse with floor-to-ceiling windows that offered breathtaking views of the city skyline. Alana stepped out, her eyes darting around the place.

"This way miss Gates." The man called on her attention and she followed him.

The man stopped in front of a particular door. He seemed to be contemplative on whether to enter or not, but he finally opened the door and stepped in. He put her things down just a few steps from the door and scratched his hair nervously.

"Roman doesn't usually share this room with anyone, so I think you should wait until he gets back before you unpack your things," he said.

Alana nodded in understanding, and he left to get her remaining belongings from the car.

She sat on the couch, her gaze settling on a king-sized bed adorned with opulent black linens and plump pillows. She did not plan on sharing a bed with Roman, but since it might happen, she was happy that the bed was big enough.

The man returned almost immediately with her things.

"Do you need anything?" the man asked. "I can order something for you if you're hungry."

Alana shook her head. "I'm good. Thanks, though."

"I'll be in the kitchen, just in case you need anything, and I'm Erin, by the way." the man finally introduced himself.

Alana stared at him for a moment before nodding, and he left.

*****

After eating the noodles Erin had ordered for her, Alana took a hot bath and got ready for bed. It was already past eleven pm, and Erin had already informed her before he left, that Roman would not be returning that night.

Therefore, there was no need for her to wait for him. Alana slipped into the bed and held a pillow closer for added comfort. In no time, she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, she woke up to absolute silence. She remained in bed for a while before finally getting up.

Yawning, she began running her fingers through her hair.

As she was still fiddling with her hair, the door suddenly swung open, and Roman entered with a woman.

Alana's eyes widened in surprise when she saw who the woman was, and it was clear from the woman's expression that she was similarly taken aback.

"Katherine."