Chapter 30 - Things are heated.

Black and elegant, the two words echoed in her ears long after she had chosen an outfit and even more as she looked at herself in front of the dressing mirror. She had gone for a simple look, the black velvety dress was good enough, it oozed elegance and simplicity.

She tried to do her make up but she was far too tired to properly do it so she had kept it as simple as she could.

She let her hair down, after a quick wash and dry she curled it at the ends.


Alexander called her again and she ignored it, she knew he was waiting for her downstairs, if only he would have a little patience and wait for her to finish dressing up, perhaps she would be done. But he was very much content with distracting her with his incessant calls.

She wondered if Nicholas would be at the said dinner, she knew he hated stuff like that but she knew his mother would find a way to drag him there nonetheless. The mere thought that he would be at the dinner made her stomach rumble and not in the good way.
She bent over slightly, one hand on her waist. She breathed slowly, trying to calm her nerves as much as she could.

Would he come with Jean? That was another question she kept asking herself. Would Jean try and make a scene? She really couldn't think straight. Not with all the voices in her head. She picked up her phone and considered calling Nicholas the quickly decided against it.

No, that was a bad idea. Calling him would be stupid and pointless.

It was time she started thinking for herself and her future, Nicholas wasn't going to save her.

And there was nothing else that could be done.


An hour later Cara and Alexander arrived at the venue.

Alexander had nagged her throughout the ride about her making him late and Cara had simply ignored him. She felt tired and jittery, she wasn't in the greatest of moods to reply him.

"Whatever happened here doesn't matter, when we're inside you must smile and be nice."

Alexander had said before they walked in. Cara rolled her eyes.

"Are you telling me to pretend and fake being happy?"

"I do not care Cara! We're not letting our issues get in the way of my father's campaign, today is a very important day for him."

Right. How she felt really didn't matter to him.


The Greenes knew how to throw a party, at least that was one thing that Cara knew about them.

The dinner party had only a few notable people in attendance but it was tastefully done.

The lighting, the soft background music and the ambience was perfect. The smell of expensive perfumes and red wine plagued the hair and Cara felt overwhelmed. It was all too much for her, yet she smiled.


She slowly watched Alexander transform into a a charming young gentleman, a far cry from the control freak he was barely a few minutes ago. He slipped into the crowd and started charming people with his wry smile and sweet words.

Oh he was a natural, just like his father. Full of airs and pretentious, putting on the facade of the kind and noble gentleman, something they were both far from.
Mr and Mrs Greene could be clearly seen in the crowd, in a deep conversation with the Mayor of New York. Mr Greene looking serious as always, for some reason he always looked like he was scowling whenever he was serious. His wife stood next to him, wearing a black floor length dinner dress, she looked exquisite as usual, wearing pearl earrings to complete her look. She made eye contact with Cara and gave her a stern look, Cara didn't know what it meant but she knew it must have had something to do with Alexander.

She couldn't say the Greenes loved her, but she believed they merely tolerated her and her family and they felt she was suitable enough for their son, that was where it all ended, she didn't think they had any sort of affection for her.

She was cordial with Stephanie though, mostly because they got along fairly well and never ran out of things to talk about anytime they met.

Nicholas, well she didn't know anything about him until that night, he did his very best to keep his distance away from the family.

Cara stood by Alexander's side, smiled and nodded, just like he told her to. She let him do all the introductions, it wasn't like she was so keen on mingling either.

When she spotted Stephanie from afar she sighed, finally a familiar face.

Stephanie also looked relieved to see her. They both walked to the balcony giggling like two teenagers.

"That's quite the dress Stephanie."

Cara said holding in her laugh as she looked at the blush pink poofy gown that Stephanie was wearing.

For someone who was only eighteen, the dress made her looked twelve and the blush pink colour clashed with her complexion.

Stephanie sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I hate it so much. But Mum picked it out and made me wear it."

Cara shrugged.

"It's really not that bad..."

Stephanie gave her a look and Cara burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to make you feel better."

Stephanie sighed.

"Thanks for the effort."

She said sarcastically as she looked back at the party.

'"I'm glad you're here though, I was about to die from boredom talking to all these old farts and mum wants me to stay here for at least thirty more minutes!!!"

"Can you imagine that?"

She exclaimed and Cara scoffed.

"At least you don't have to wait till the end of the party and spend every second hearing Alexander reciting your father's manifesto and plans as a senator."

Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"Sheesh!!! I guess you have it worse."

"Anyways, Malory gave us updates on the bachelorette party, I think you're going to love what she comes up with!"

She squealed.

Cara nodded, she shifted her weight from leg to leg as she suddenly felt very uncomfortable in her tiny stiletto heels.

"I can't wait to see what she'll come up with and I'm also looking forward to getting away for a while."

"Nicholas?!"

"What?"

Cara said as her heart skipped a beat, she followed the direction of Stephanie's gaze and found her staring right at the door where Nicholas just walked in.

He was alone. This gave Cara a bit of relief, she had sort of expected him, it was a very important night for his family, he had no other choice but to be there.

He wasn't wearing a suit like Cara had expected, rather than wear a suit, he donned on a green shirt and dark brown pants, even the first few buttons of his shirt was undone, he didn't seem to care about the dress code. Cara looked away, not wanting to be caught staring for too long.

Stephanie turned to her.

"Nicholas is here, that means my mum wouldn't notice that i'm gone, I'm ditching this party."

She said as she quickly walked away, not even waiting for a goodbye. Cara sighed as she looked around wearily, she had no other choice but to go back to the party, but she didn't want to.

She started walking towards the hallway that led to the rooms, maybe she would stay in Alexander's room for a while and get herself together.

"Cara!!!"

Alexander called harshly and she paused.

"What now?"

She asked as she turned to him, there was a scowl on Alexander's face.

"Get back to the party. What are you doing here?"

Cara raised her hand. Her head was pounding, she must be having a bad headache.

"I'm actually tired. I think I'll lay down a bit."

"No! That will be after my father's speech, we need to go back now before my mother comes looking for us."

Cara was bewildered, it was as if he wasn't even listening at her!

What's wrong with this man?

She thought as she shook her head.

"Alex, I don't feel too good, I think it'll be best if I laid down a bit."

"Oh stop all your antics, you've been acting up all day, you think I'm going to believe that all of a sudden you don't feel so good?"

He snapped.

"But I'm telling you the truth! You really think I'd lie about something like that?"

"I have to go."

She added as started walking away.

Suddenly, she felt Alexander pull her back with force, his hand on her arm.

"Alexander! You're hurting me!"

She cried out with her eyes wide open. She tried to wiggle out of his grasp but she was unsuccessful.

"Stop acting up and let's go back."

Alexander begged her, his hand still holding on to Cara's arm.

His grip was so strong that Cara could feel it cutting off her blood circulation.

"What's going on here?"

Nicholas asked as he walked into the hallway. once his eyes connected to Cara's and he saw what was going on, he turned to his brother with a frown on his face.

Alexander rolled his eyes.

"Stay out of this Nicholas. I'm talking to my fiancée."

"Let go of her hand, you're hurting her."

Nicholas said and Alexander slowly released Cara from his grip.

He rolled his eyes and turned to his brother.

"Happy now?"


"Now if you'll excuse us, I'd like to talk to Cara so you can crawl back to wherever you came from. What are you even doing here anyway?"

Alexander asked, his anger building up.

"You couldn't just resist the thought of dropping by and stealing all the spotlight ugh?"

Alexander taunted.

Cara decided to take the opportunity to leave.

She turned back and started leaving and Alexander pulled her arm again.

She yelped in pain and that was the final straw for Nicholas.

He walked up to his brother and pushed him. So hard that Alexander hit the wall.

Alex stood up hurriedly and dusted himself, still reeling from that fact that his own brother had confronted him.

"What the fuck was that for?!"


"I told you to leave her alone."

Nicholas said quietly as he examined Cara's hand, there was an angry red mark where Alexander had held her tightly but it looked like it won't bruise for too long. The fact that Alexander had even hurt her made him even more furious.

"Leave her alone? Newsflash! she's my fiancée and were having a conversation."

"Conversation?!"

Nicholas exclaimed.

"Look at what you did to her?"

He pointed to the angry red mark on her arm and Alexander went mute. He didn't even stop to think that he might have been holding her a little too tightly.

"I'll take it from here." he said after a few moments of silence.

Cara glared at him.

"If you even take as much as a step towards me, I'll scream!!"

That was enough warning he needed, Cara looked dead serious.

She turned to Nicholas and looked up at him.

"Nicholas, please take me home."

Nicholas nodded and together they both walked away, leaving Alexander alone.