Chapter 7 Her catalyst

There was an unfathomable glimmer in his eyes as he responded to the person on the other line, "What do you think?"

Nadia shut her eyes tight, there was a pang of disappointment in her chest.

"I'm in the penthouse right now, how could I possibly have seen a woman in a wedding dress?" He questioned sarcastically.

Nadia's eyes shot open as she stared at him shocked.

He... Had he just covered up for her?

But... She thought he was mad at her for barging in.

She was still looking at him with her mouth agape and didn't pay attention to what the person on the other line was saying, but she heard him say, "Well I've seen no one, so I hope you won't be bothering me anymore, let the manager handle it, do you understand?" He hung up the phone after saying that.

The shock in Nadia's eyes as she stared at him changed to gratitude and relief, she hadn't even realized tears had pooled in her eyes until she felt a warm trickle down her cheeks. Her knuckles had turned white from gripping the glass so tightly, "Thank you... Thank you for not telling them where I am." She said in a husky voice.

He still looked displeased and the bitingly cold look in his eyes remained, but it was probably because he hadn't exposed her to the people searching for her but she could steadily look up at him this time.

He walked up to her and gently took the glass she'd been gripping tightly from her hands and placed it on a table close by. She felt that the panic that had been launched in her throat choking her had suddenly dissipated and for some reason this man's dauntingly intimidating presence made her feel quite safe, as if she could fully place her trust in him, something she didn't feel like she could do with everyone around her this past week.

He stood a small distance away from her in his full height, "They have every guard, police men, and a few skilled people searching every inch of the hotel for you right now, am sure you're aware I know who you are. And you should note that I won't be helping you without knowing what am getting into, for all we know you might have committed some heinous crime and..."

"I didn't." She was quick to interject him. She understood his concerns weren't without reason, why would he want to help a total stranger hiding her in his suite for no valid reason, and with the way they were after her, it was only natural for anyone to think that she must have committed some deadly crime, "I didn't do anything... I merely absconded my own wedding." She added with a slightly distant look in her eyes.

He remained silent and she continued, "And yes, I am Nadia O'Hara." She scoffed at the sound of her own name. The mention of that name meant the biggest star to most people's ears, many would go crazy just at the mention of that name, but right now, it all seemed like a big joke to her.

Nadia O'Hara, the entertainment world's star, what sort of star was she if she was unhappy? Probably the dimmest star of all.

She didn't realize when she reached for the glass he'd kept on the table this time gulping the entire thing down, the burning feeling not as uncomfortable to her anymore, "And everyone thinks am living the perfect life with the perfect fiancee... Some might even be envious of me, if they only knew." She scoffed at herself once more wanting to put the glass to her mouth again but realized it was empty, she glanced up at him, "So yes, you do know who I am, Nadia O'Hara, the movie star, that is who I am." She looked straight at him her tone sounding sarcastic, there was another pool of tears in her eyes but it didn't fall. "Can I get more of this please?" She asked gesturing to the glass.

"I don't see her." She suddenly heard him say, before she could ask what he meant he continued, "I don't see her, that woman who's considered everyone's idol, the star... All I see is a woman who needs freedom, from what exactly, only you can tell, but it's nice to meet you, Nadia O'Hara." He moved closer, extending his large hand forward.

She glanced up from his hand to his face and there it was, sitting on his immaculately handsome face was a breath stopping smile that made her legs go soft, thankfully she was sitting down else she'd have fallen unsteadily.

She came to a realization once more that his looks could drive women insane. The most enthralling thing about his smile was the two dimples that sat on his cheeks, those dimples melted the cold barrier around him, Making him look warm and approachable.

Still in a daze she extended her hand which looked quite tiny in his large grip that felt warm and welcoming, she almost shivered at the contact of her hand with his as it sent an electric shiver Into her veins straight to her chest.

"Evan... Am Evan." He introduced himself. For some reason, he swallowed back his last name as that would immediately disclose his identity to her.

Earlier he had only said those things to her because he was curious to know why she had suddenly left her own wedding, he had no intention of sending her to the people she was running away from, nor did he want to press her to reveal why she escaped her wedding, he had gotten the whole idea of it, she was distraught something must have happened and tonight, going against his principles for the hundredth time, he would let her stay.

"May I.. may I use your bathroom please?" He heard her ask, it was then that he realized her hands were still in his grip, he was quick to rectify that by releasing her hand, feeling a sense of loss as the warm softness left his hands he said, "Sure, this way." He pointed her in the right direction.

"Thank you." She walked slowly pushing open the door to the bathroom she entered and shut the door. She stood with her back against the bathroom door.

Freedom he said, she needed freedom, with all the constrictions she'd been feeling lately she did need to feel free from all of it, never before had she felt this choked before, especially from the moment he said those words, it just brought a wave of realization over her at how much she'd been forcing herself and pushing herself.

He was right, she did need freedom and she was the only one who knew from what. But at this moment, she wasn't really sure yet.

She remembered how his deeply piercing eyes had acted as the push she needed, it was as if it gave her the courage to take that step of running away from it all even if for the past week she had been forcefully enduring it.

It was just as if he had given her the courage, and now here she was in his suite, it felt as if he was protecting her from the crowd even if she knew he had just let her stay because he was probably feeling sorry for her, but regardless of why he chose to help her that one act suddenly brought a flood of warmth to her heart and it began a race in her chest.