chapter 21: Devilish Plan

Autumn
When I put my lips on Ian��s, it made me feel complete for a split second.
When he realized what was happening, he immediately started kissing me back.
Ian wrapped one of his hands around my waist. He untied my bun with his other hand and ran his fingers through my hair to the back of my head. I tugged on his suit in hopes of getting him closer to me. He pulled me impossibly closer and started kissing like there was no tomorrow.
I ran my hands over his shoulder to his neck and finally stopped on his hair. He groaned when I tugged it slightly. He licked my bottom lip asking for permission which I gladly gave him. The way he slapped his tongue into my mouth and attacked my own made me moan into his mouth.
This feeling of euphoria was something I have never felt. I even forgot that people were watching us. The way our tongue battled each other and the dominance he held over me almost made me melt into his arm. I wanted to feel this over and over and over again.
He kept swirling his tongue and tasted me like I was his red velvet pastry. He pulled back, realizing I was out of breath. When we broke apart from the kiss, I saw the paparazzi still clicking pictures of us. Meanwhile, there was no sign of Alana.
I bit my lips. His taste was still on my lips. Ian held my hand. "Y'all watched a good show along with the answers to your question," he said to the paparazzi and walked out of the restaurant, taking me along with him. Ian took me to the parking lot. "Get in the car."
I chuckled nervously as I said, "I kinda have my car here, so..."
"Get in the car, Autumn," he said coldly, and I quietly got in the car. He started driving. "Why did you pull out that stunt?"
"I am sorry. I didn't want to ruin your deal, but I��"
"The deal was already finalized. Today was the last time of me meeting Alana. I was about to end it all today, but then the paparazzi spotted us."
I asked cuStevenusly, "So, the deal is cracked?"
He cleared out, "The deal is cracked, so I really don't care about Alana or my image."
"Then? What's the problem?" I arched an eyebrow in confusion.
"Autumn. I am asking about the kiss and you announcing yourself as my wife. You do realize it's just a contract marriage, don't you? It's just for six months."
All my happiness burst like a balloon. He was right. It was just a contract marriage.
"But..." I closed my eyes and blurted out all of a sudden, "I don't know how this happened, but I like you Ian."
The speed of the car became faster than before. "You like me?" he asked and let out a humorous chuckle. "You and I, we both know that after six months, you are gonna leave me. We even signed that paper. So, get that thought out of your head. You cannot like me."
The way he was replying made me sad. I felt like crying. "So, you don't care about me? My emotions? Don't you like me?"
"All I care about is the gangs. I married you for my gang and so that I could bring the Shadow under my control too. I said you could leave me after six months because I would bring your gang under my clutches too within that time."
"What do you mean?"
"You're so silly, Autumn. Our parents married us off so that we could merge the gangs. If we merge them, we will be the most powerful mafia. However, I want to bring them under Silver only��under my rule."
I looked at him. I wanted to check if he was lying or not. I wished deep down in my heart that he was lying. But I saw an evil smirk plastered on his face.
I spoke confidently, "That will never happen. My people will never work under you."
"Wifey, you barely go to the Shadow base after our marriage. They are thinking that you are forgetting their existence. Meanwhile, I am keeping in regular contact with them."
I felt my heart pouring out of my chest. This was the real Ian. What was I thinking when I thought he actually cared for me?
He continued, after seeing my reaction, "So stop this emotional stuff. You actually think by heart, that's why your gang becomes the victim. Use your brains, Autumn."
This is what happens when I try to trust someone. When I tried to trust Lennox by closing my eyes, he misused it and killed Montez. When I tried to trust Ian, he broke it as if it was just a tissue paper to roll.
"We are here," he announced.
We reached the Beckett mansion. I got out, thinking of whatever he just said.
So that was his real plan. Then why did he say all those cute things which would make me feel he cared for me? Why did I start liking him? Just, why?
"Autumn," Ian called out. But I didn't turn back.
All of a sudden, I squeaked in pain. When I leaned, I saw a piece of glass in the garden. "I am so sorry, Ma��am. I broke the glass; I was just cleaning it when you stepped. I am sorry," one of the servants said.
I smiled. "It's okay."
I continued walking. This pain was nothing compared to the pain Ian gave me.
In these seven years, I actually liked someone a lot even more than Montez, and when I blurted out my feelings, this happened.
I went into the bedroom. I lit my lamp, turning the other lights off. I hugged an emoticon pillow and sat on the corner near the balcony door.
"Why does this always happen to me?" Tears sprinkled through my face. "I know I killed Montez, but why am I getting so much punishment? I am not a good leader. They hate me. Ian can control them easily, but I can't. What kind of leader am I? I don't deserve to be the queen.��
It was hard to believe that the cute face of Ian��s, was not the real one. His real face is the evil one. He planned to destroy my entire life. He planned to take my gang away! He's so mean!" I hiccuped. "Why did I share my past with him? Why did he take the hits for me? Why did he stop meeting Alana at night when I threatened him with a knife? Was all this a facade?"
I felt empty. He planned everything out. He never told me to go to the base and stopped me from going out late at night. I thought it was because he was worried. But in reality, he wanted me to stop meeting my mafia people.
Ada and Simon raised Aubree and Isabel perfectly. But in raising Ian, they definitely did something wrong. He had a freaking crack in his brain. Dante was right. Ian just needed a few seconds to analyze everything and a minute to plan it all out.
Isabel barged in the room. "Aut? Oh my God!" When she saw my condition, she ran towards me and pulled me into a hug. "The maid said you hurt your leg, so I came here to aid the wound. But I didn't know about this state of yours. What happened?"
I cried and poured my heart out to her. She listened to everything intently. She even cleared the wound on my leg.
"That's why I call him stupid! See, what my stupid brother did? That's why I took over the company instead of joining the mafia. Ugh! How dare he say all these to my best friend?" Isabel squeezed the tissue in her hand. "I can't believe Ian really did that." Even she was crying hearing the whole story.
I whined, "I am not a good leader. I failed."
She wiped my tears. "No, Aut. You are the best leader. And you will prove it."
"How?"
She smirked. "You are the Silver queen too."
I tried to study her for a brief moment. When I understood what was going in her mind, I nodded. "Let's show him what Autumn is made up of," I mumbled.
She patted my back and said proudly, "That's like my bestie." She walked towards the closet. "I'll decide on your dress for tonight."
"I will give Ian the taste of his own medicine. He plans nicely when he gets time to think. But what if I don't give him that time?" I smirked, thinking of the devilish plan which would make Ian go crazy.