"Oh, here he comes! You know him, right? Christopher Tao Xu, CEO of Xu Empires, Heir to the Golden Estate! I don't date broke guys!" Alia said to spite Stephen with a satisfying grip on her lips. After watching her relationship of three years go done the drain because her boyfriend cheated on her, Alia Moon Crust, trying to get back at him get Christopher entangled in a lovers' feud. But what happens when entanglement turns into love? Will Alia give in to Christopher? What happens when he finds out that she is the woman he has been chasing for two years? What happens when Stephen decides to strike back.
Chapter 1 THE RED DRESS
FIVE YEARS AGO
"Help!!! Please, help me!!!" I screamed at the top of my voice, tied up in a dark room with a light bulb at the center as the only source of light.
I have been kidnapped and it's only a week to my birthday. I don't want to die yet. I don't even know who or what kidnapped me. I struggled to free myself but it was all futile. I decided to give up and remain silent until someone could come rescue me, while searching around with my eyes.
Where is Christopher? I thought.
Just then, he walked in. Christopher? No, it wasn't. It was the man who would ruin my life forever.
"It's July 19th" the man said out loud as he walked closer to me, his shoes making a sound with each step he took. I couldn't make out a face just yet.
"Please, please help me!" I begged him at the top of my voice.
He got closer to me and lean in. Finally I could see his face. A scar! He had a scar underneath his left eye. It looked old but it made him more domineering. He had this psychotic smile and for a kidnapper, he sure was handsome. I didn't care about the details of his face because obviously I was in panic but the scent of his perfume and his well-fitted black suit told me he is rich. His appearance screamed of it.
"I will help you." echoed his voice in the entire room as he pulled away from my face and stood in a clear view where I could see him. We were in what looked like an old abandoned warehouse and it was the perfect place for a kidnap.
"Thank you. Thank you so much!" I thanked him. He let out a heavy laugh that echoed even more in the warehouse. It seemed like he was happy. Maybe he might let me go?
"That was a good one!" he said after the laugh.
"Please, I don't know anything about the business deal and I haven't done anything, so if you could please just let me go and I won't tell Christopher about all this!" I told him with tears streaming down my eyes. I was scared. I knew I had to be.
"Christopher? You absolutely think I'm worried or scared of Christopher?!" he asked in disbelief.
"I don't know. I...just want.. to be free." I said with a quivering voice and fear in my heart.
"Oh I'll free you Alia. I will free you!" he replied to me with a maniac look in his eyes.
"Can you let me go now?" I asked with fear.
"Not yet. The fun's just getting started. Christopher's still looking for you!" he responded with a sly smile on his lips.
"Which is the reason why you should just let me go!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.
"Like I said, I will let you go but...not in the same way you came." he said and let out a psychotic smile.
"What do you mean?" I questioned him, this time more fearful than ever.
"Nothing." he said nonchalantly.
"If you try to do anything to me, Christopher will find you and he will end you!" I threatened.
He let out a long laugh and sighed.
"I heard...it's someone's birthday in a week!" he said cunningly.
"Please, don't kill me!" I begged profusely.
"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, happy death day..... Happy death day to you!" he sanged as he walked round me in circles. I couldn't help but shudder in fear. I began to cry because at this point, it was the only thing I could do.
"Please, please, please don't kill me. If it's about the business deal, I'll make sure you get it. Christopher will step down. Mark my words!" I tried to reason with him.
"Oh no! I don't want the business deal anymore. For all I care, he can have it. I have something much more precious to him." he replied.
"I give up." I said with tears streaming down my eyes. It was like an ocean in form of raindrops let loose.
"Give up? Why so easily?" he asked with interest on his face.
"Because...it seems to me that you have already made up your mind and trying to plead or reason with you anymore would be utterly stupid!" I said with a straight face.
"Smart girl!" he remarked with a smile on his face.
"What are you going to do to me? Kill me?" I asked, this time my tears had dried up and I had accepted my fate.
Christopher wasn't coming. I have to be brave.
"Killing you would be too easy Alia. I don't want to kill you." he responded.
"Then what?" I asked further.
"You sure are inquisitive for an artist. I see why Christopher likes you." he voiced out with a mischievous smile.
"Don't you dare say his name!" I screeched at him.
"Okay, okay. Easy there now. Fiesty! I like it!" he mumbled out loud to me.
"If you're not going to kill me then what are you going to do to me? It's funny how you are wasting all of your time to torture me. Christopher's gonna be here anytime soon." I fired at him.
"Who said I was going to torture you?" he asked me with arched eyebrows.
"Then what!!!" I screamed at him.
He let out a small laugh and leaned in to me. The scent of his perfume was breathtaking.
"I am going to give you a scar that will last you a lifetime!" he hinted and let out one of his psychotic smile.
"A scar? Like the one underneath your eyes?" I asked as he pulled away back to his previous position.
"Even better!" he muttered confidently.
"Make-up can fix it!" I assured him.
"Who said it's going to be on your face?" he asked again.
"Do you always speak so unclearly? It must be hard working for you when you can't say exactly what you want!" I said to spite him.
"Do you know what's worse than death for a woman?" he asked again.
"Oh good, more questions!" I replied to him.
He let out a scoff and proceeded to say "When her dignity gets taken away from her!"
I stopped to think. Making him angry wasn't my goal anymore. His words kept ringing in my ears. I was confused. What did he mean by her dignity? He saw the confused expression on my face and smiled in satisfaction.
Oh no! He wouldn't dare, would he?
"What?" was all I could mutter.
"Oh good, more questions!" he repeated my words back at me in a proud manner like he had finally won.
"I'm sorry what?" I couldn't help but ask again. Maybe I'm the one with the bad thought.
"What are you thinking?" he asked.
"Are you...going to...ra..pe me?" I shuddered to ask as a tear drop down from my eyes.
"There's the smart girl I know!" he replied.
"Why?" I wanted to know.
"You see Alia, for a person like Christopher, hurting their loved ones is the best way to ruin them." he answered with an air of certainty.
I breathed in, it was more of a sharp breath "And you think he would just let you live?" I asked.
"Death...I don't fear it...I await it. Christopher should." he replied to me confidently.
I prayed in my heart that Christopher would come, that he would find me and save me.
"Christopher will find me. I promise you!" I affirmed with hope in my heart.
"Don't you get it? There is no saving you because he can never find you!" he said out loud.
"You bastard!!!!" I screamed as he laughed and walked towards me, he bent down close my face and whispered into my ear.
"You would look gorgeous in a red dress."
He proceeded towards the exit with me screaming and crying at him.
"See you in seven days, Princess Alia!" were his final words as he walked off.
I waited...and waited.
Christopher never came...
And I wore the red dress.
Chapter 1 THE RED DRESS
08/12/2023
Chapter 2 WE ARE EXPECTING!
08/12/2023
Chapter 3 ARE YOU NOT RICH ANYMORE, STEPHEN
08/12/2023
Chapter 4 THE HILLS GARDEN SAGA
08/12/2023
Chapter 5 I WILL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THIS, ALIA!
08/12/2023
Chapter 6 THE HIGH SOCIETY EVENT
08/12/2023
Chapter 7 AFTER THE EVENT!
08/12/2023
Chapter 8 I...HAVE ALSO BEEN CHEATING ON YOU!
08/12/2023
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