Chapter 4 04: All Yours

Ruelle~

"Xen security?"

I mumbled the words while taking a huge bite of the hot Niçoise salad, smiling sheepishly when mama gave me her famous look.

Nana nodded at my words, sharing a quick glance with dad. She had returned after checking up on Ardor and had managed most of the work for the past two days.

I lucked out with her and I knew.

"It's one of the most reliable security programs in the digital market as of now. They provide exceptionally trained bodyguards and needed security precautions based on the circumstance. I've contacted them. They'll send four bodyguards by tomorrow."

"Four?"

I choked on the water I had gulped. I didn't do well with people hovering over me and no matter how serious the issue was, it left me uneasy.

Dad disregarded my reaction and simply stated,

"Do you not wish to get back to work?"

Smart.

He knows I'm close to losing my patience with all the free time on my hands. I did like being free but the balance I have built between work and relaxation wouldn't allow me to stay at home and chill for too long.

Besides, I mostly loved doing my job- apart from the paperwork- so that was an added benefit.

"Don't worry. They wouldn't be in sight. They'll monitor you from a distance and the CEO has personally assured me that you wouldn't feel their presence, of course, until you don't focus too much in your mind."

Shouldn't have told me that detail then.

Gulping down the salad, I gave a nod to Nana who smiled at my lack of argument.

Dear Lord, she thrived on having the last say.

Since sleep wouldn't come to me any sooner, I decided to watch something while everyone else bid me goodnight. There were enough rooms in the penthouse for a good few people and Nana had reserved a room exclusively for herself the day I stepped into this place.

Leaning back on the couch in a pure cotton oversized hoodie underneath which I wore a comfortable set of white lingerie to show my body some love, I scrolled through the channels to see something interesting but landed on a news channel instead.

I was about to press the escape key when the headlines caught my attention. Immediately sitting up, I squinted my eyes, and read the sentence again and again and it still wouldn't make sense to me.

Or I didn't want it to make sense to me.

'The modeling agency owned by the Wilson's has seen an overnight shift in the seat of authority. Rumors have always put 'Grandeur' in a compromising position but this time, it is no rumor. The trusted sources have confirmed that 'Grandeur' is officially under Vandeleur chain of business. Starting tomorrow, Azazel Vandeleur will be the official CEO of yet another company.'

It couldn't be.

It just couldn't.

Groaning with my hands covering my face, I fell back on the couch, staring at the furnished ceiling. Even without giving it much thought I could feel the tension in my muscles.

My luck seems to be high on enthusiasm these days.

And like how sarcasm works, this was definitely what I needed.

*****

Early in the morning, an anxious Louis had sent me a voicemail, most likely too afraid to confront me voice-to-voice through a call. Hearing it just reminded me of why there were times I thought of taking anger-management classes.

"M-ma'am, I-I don't know if you've seen the news but I hope you do it soon. M-Mr. Vandeleur has requested a meeting with you regarding the contract. He wants to get done with it by t-today."

He does, doesn't he?

A part of me wanted to smash something, preferably a pompous man's head. While the other part of me, oh she knew what she had to do to mess with his head as he had done with hers.

I knew it was no coincidence.

The Wilson's and the Vandeleur have never had a smooth dynamic. They have always been on edge, finding flaws in what the other did, and to think a day after the news covered my collaboration with Grandeur, this obviously had to take place.

Determined to show him whose feathers he was ruffling, I entered my walk-in closet, eyeing the line of dresses waiting to be put on. A particular dress caught my attention towards the end of the line of dresses. Bringing it into the light, I inspected it from all sides only to let my lips quirk up by a little.

This should do.

Already bathed and standing in my robe, I put on the black bodycon dress. The upper half from the waist to the chest had a satin inner lining with a sheer cover. Full sleeves of sheer fabric showed my skin and so did the area above my upper chest. The neckline was V-shaped but not too deep. It didn't show my cleavage but sure did give an idea of it. The dress ended a little past my mid-thing and all the black was balanced by a leather belt with silver hooks.

Putting on small twisted silver hoops in the two piercings on my ear, I chose a silver pendant to go along with it. Placing simple rings around my fingers, I tied the Rolex watch whose frames were studded with diamonds. Black stilettos that could act as both defense and an offense to a man's eyes completed my look.

The sleek high ponytail showed my neck better and the eyeliner that brightened the hazel in my eyes was nothing compared to the matte velvet lipstick that felt close to everything illegal.

All in one, anyone with eyes would know that even though the body looks sweet, the rest of it promised unmeasured wrath if meddled with.

Grabbing hold of my phone, I got out of my room and entered the living room. Louis had messaged me again saying that he'd meet me directly at the headquarters.

The poor thing believes that being in public would save him from any burst of anger from my side.

"Woah, damn, I sure have contributed to your genetics."

Nana's voice was accompanied by a low whistle and I resisted the urge to smile. In the end, a chuckle left my lips when she gave me a cheek kiss greeting, pretending to be all posh and elegant.

She was posh and elegant but not at home.

"Why, yes, thank you for that Nana. Now, will you be coming with me today?"

"Oh hush little Rue, I'm old. I need to get some rest after two days of nonstop work. Go sort it out yourself. Shu now, I need some me time."

Both of us knew what she meant by 'I'm old'. Rolling my eyes, I kissed her cheeks in a normal way and bid her goodbye. Dad and Mama had left early in the morning, saying something about some urgent work that had come up.

The bodyguards hired by dad were true to Nana's words nowhere in sight. I had caught a glimpse of them while getting in the car but after that, it was like they were never there.

It felt odd but relieving.

Jose appeared to be stiffer than he usually was on duty. He kept glancing in the rearview mirror every other minute, making sure things were alright and nothing was out of the ordinary. I knew well that he too had received a good share of dad's fury.

Louis greeted me the moment I stepped out of the car. There was no sign of joy, instead, he looked ready to flee if given the chance.

"Don't look so scared. I wouldn't kill you. Yet."

He chuckled nervously and gave me an even more nervous nod. Casting him a confused glance, I waited for him to elaborate on my schedule for today and he did so but what he said flared the annoyance I was trying too hard to keep buried.

"There's not much to do today apart from a check on the finance reports and..."

"And?"

I walked in with him hot on trail. The staff stopped for a second to greet me and I gave them a nod, walking straight to the private elevator exclusively reserved for my family and assistant.

"A-and, Mellisa informed me t-that Mr. Vandeleur has been waiting for you in the meeting room. S-she had asked him to wait but he..."

The rest of his words were zoned out by my senses. Red touched the corner of my eyes and acrimony shimmered in my heart. Slowly fisting and then un-fisting my palms, I gave a nod after I realized that Louis had fallen quiet.

Louis silently opened the glass doors of the meeting room and I hesitated for a second. Counting to three, I took one quick breath and entered the room.

The temperature seemed to have dropped the moment I stood in the confines of the place. My eyes on their own went to the other end of the oval-shaped table where he sat, looking ever so at ease and calm as he stared right back at me.

Grey irises flickered from my hazel ones and did a slow sweep past my exposed neck to the rest of my body. If I didn't hold my emotions with reins tight enough to suffocate sanity, I knew well enough what my reaction to his check-out would've been.

As he took his time to gaze at me, I returned the favor, not backing down even after the air around me seemed to have grown in fervor, pricking my skin.

He was dressed in all black, looking like a grim reaper but those that girls would squeal over in fictional books and movies. Thick black strands were slicked back, put in place with only a few rogue strands falling out of order, brushing his temples in a sultry manner. Eyebrows made to perfection, and an aristocratic nose stood proudly above the plush lips. Well-maintained stubble decorated his sharp jaw and to put it in simple words, Azazel Vandeleur was abhorrent to my eyes.

I felt Louis shifting on his feet beside me presumably because of how tense the air around the room was. Tearing my eyes away from his form, I tried not to spit bitter words at how arrogant he looked sitting in my office.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss. Farrington."

"I am glad I can't say the same."

He raised an immaculate eyebrow at my words, surely able to hear the bite in my tone. Finally lifting himself off the chair, he walked towards me as a form of respect or-

His hand lazily took hold of my palm- an action that caught me off-guard enough to flinch. He froze for a second at my reaction but nonetheless, went ahead with whatever it was he was about to do.

His skin upon mine was haunting.

Haunting enough to freeze the raging blood in my body, replacing it with something that I feared had frozen in time.

"It feels nice."

"What feels nice?"

"Your hand wrapped in mine."

A pair of lips brushed the back of my palms and that was where I drew the line.

Forcefully yanking it back and relieved that he had let go without a try, I took a step back, creating the needed distance between us.

"We're business associates, Miss. Farrington. Do tell, who will abide by such rudeness from their partner?"

"Ex-partner. I wish to no longer go on with the deal."

Walking away from him, I took my place on the high seat, not sparing him another glance.

"Too bad, that's not what the contract says."

The nonchalance in his voice irked me. It made me want to lose the calm facade I was trying so hard to maintain while he couldn't look the least bothered by it all.

My eyes met his when he took a seat where he previously sat. I could spot the faintest touch of a smirk playing on his lips while his eyes stared down at me and by the light in the stormy irises, I knew that he was enjoying this.

He was enjoying poking my patience.

He found it amusing.

"The contract was signed between me and Jasper Wilson. Now that he isn't in the picture, the contract is nil."

Azazel tilted his head an inch to the left, motioning his secretary to open the file he held. He glanced at the papers for less than a second before motioning them to Louis.

"Looks like you didn't read the contract well, Farrington. It states the deal is between Ardor and Grandeur. No names whatsoever but yes, the position of CEO is mentioned."

Oh, you fuc-

"H-he's right, m-ma'am."

Louis' small voice interrupted my thoughts of 101 ways of murdering the man who sat in front of me, appearing like he owned everything, every person, every breath like the darkness held the leash at night.

"You think you're smart, Vandeleur?"

"Why yes, I've been told I'm brilliant as a matter of fact."

A laugh resonated in the room and it took me a second to realize that it was me who was laughing. It didn't hold anything merry, albeit, it sounded resentful and hoarse, enough to wipe the amusement lurking behind his grey eyes through this whole ordeal.

"I don't know what your intentions are behind all this, but listen to me and listen well, Vandeleur. 6 months of this game, 6 months of this stupid contract, and trust me, I'll make sure these 6 months leave a mark on you deep enough to not think of cooing at the blazing fire again."

I saw the grit in his jaw, saw the movement of his palms hovering over his lips as he silently took in my words.

His eyes never left mine as he spoke, as though vowing something entirely different from what I had meant.

"I'm not afraid of being marked, Farrington. If anything, I'm all yours for the next 6 months to torture."