9~

~May 5th

Family parlour at the Constantine grande estate...

"Colin you really need to calm down..."

Alex stared at her unmoving secretary in the chair across from her. His eyes glued to her face. His expression blank.

"I'm perfectly calm." He replied swiftly, eyes on his tablet.

"Yeah...and its freaking me out so please stop." She scrunched up her nose in an attempt to stop a sneeze.

Thalia came running from the stairs then. Snow-like hair bouncing as she approached excitedly. "Hey guys! I found it!" She exclaimed barely out of breath.

She reached them holding out a battered old stick with several colored strings attached to it.

'Seriously?" Alexandra scoffed, her voice a bit hoarse.

"Hey, what's with that attitude, I searched all over your old playroom for this feeling stick, you should be grateful. I wasnt the one who asked you to fall asleep in the rain and get sick."

"I didn't fall asleep in the rain and it's just a slight cold."Alex reiterated weakly her voice cracking.

Thalia looked unconvinced, scoffing back at her. "Well whatever the case, you're supposed to meet with that prince in two days, so let's say Colin's anger is justfified."

"Colin isn't mad... he's just worried for my well being, look, he even made me a hot cup of lemon grey tea." Alex pointed at the hot cup on the coffe table infront of them.

Thalia eyed the steaming cuppa between them, and she noticed Colin's lack of it

"Did you drink it." She asked Alexandra, her eyes on Colin's stoic face.

"Not yet..."

Alexandra's eyes widened as she caught on immediately and laughed at her ridiculous insinuation.

Colin remained silent. His face betraying nothing.

"Well," Thalia began as she moved closer to colin, handing him the material clad feeling stick. "We can clear this up by openly speaking up about what we're feeling right now. I'm just trying to save your life here lex. Colin... go ahead."

Thalia looked a bit proud of herself, Alex observed. These kinds of pointless jokes were just like her.

"Alexandra..." Colin began eyeing the stick with contempt.

"Yeah?"

"You're annoying... so much that I want to beat you up until you die." He smiled sweetly. "Drink your tea."

Thalia gaped.

No one moved for a bit, too shocked for words.

Suddenly Thalia picked up the mildly hot tea, still untouched and wasted no time exiting the parlour after giving Colin a mock disgusted glare and Alex, a soft panicked look.

"Its fine." Colin finally sighed as he watched her nearly sprint away. "Let's end the shenanigans here, I'll call Uli to accompany us on the trip."

"I don't think that's needed... its just a mild sore throat." Alexandra spoke clearly without any hint of a sniffle.

"As a precaution then." he muttered as he slid papers neatly into an envelope.

"Lady Alexandra?"

Both eyes snapped to the tall middle aged butler by the entrance.

"Your guests have arrived, shall I lead them to the conference room in the west wing."

"Yes that would be great Collier."

"My pleasure." He bowed slightly and trotted off to do just that.

"Let's get this over with." Colin murmured as he proceeded to follow.

Alexandra, despite her less than obvious cold, skipped a bit to catch up to him.

As they walked through the well lit, glamorous decorated hallway towards the west wing.

Her face couldn't hide her obvious disgust for the walls literally lined in silk and gold.

'Her Grandfather's delusion of Noblesse oblige' she scoffed at the memory.

As soon as they closed in on the doors she stopped, as an unrelated question popped into her mind.

She let her eyes wander over to colin.

He had stopped instinctively with her, an eyebrow raised in question.

"Hey...," she started slowly...

"What?" Colin answered, eyes impatient.

"You didn't....really poison that tea, did you?" She eyed him suspiciously.

For the first time that morning, Colin smiled, an ear to ear grin devoid of his usual wickedness and fixed his friend with a snide look, before sliding into his strictly business facade.

He pushed open the double doors without warning and walked right up to the party to exchange introductions.

Alexandra merely squashed the thought of him possibly murdering her one day and sat at the seat she assigned herself, supplying a simple curt nod as they all looked to her.

That was a sufficient enough greeting, she decided in her head.

"Let's get seated and begin shall we."Collins stated taking the direct right to Alexandra who sat at the head of the boardroom table.

She was staring at the 5 people infront of her. Four males and a female and Dimitri wasn't among them.

They all looked like lawyers, none held any real presence and a man as powerful as Dimitri xenon would be easily noticeable.

Rumors were, he looked like royalty but no official photo of him can be found as he basically controls the internet.

Perks of being born a first rate Technological prodigy.

But she knew this at least.....His presence would be undoubtedly overwhelming.

The myth of rich kids and elites was more than a myth. Heir and Heiresses of dynasties were almost too easy to spot out of a crowd and if you didnt carry such an aura naturally you're either a fake....

or not powerful enough.

The standards for the elite society of the 1% had changed over the years and unless you had the ability to detrimentally affect some aspect of the world, you're not there yet.

The lawyers were shuffling out some papers and smirking as if they had gold up their sleeves.

Alexandra smiled internally as she thought to herself.

How interesting...

The four men almost all looked thesame, she couldn't be bothered to pay attention to their faces....but the female was a different story.

The female's beauty wasn't quite what you'd called striking she had more of a cultural appearance.

Hair done neatly into a bun, not a strand out of place, glasses perched up on a pert nose and full red lips on a round face.

And those freckles...

Alexandra took back her earlier misjudgement.

This lady wasn't striking, she was beautiful. All you had to do to notice was look closely enough which is something she doubted most people did.

She had the sudden urge to paint her, in the bun... out the bun, just to peel the layers off of that crazy hair she was sure was waiting on that creamy caramel skin.

She reached for a paper but was cut off by Colin's hands infront of her face waving for her.

She turned to him and he was already shooting her a steady glare.

Shit.

"Forgive miss Constantine, the death of her grandfather hasn't been easy and dealing with this unfortunate headache makes it all the more overwhelming." He smoothly recovered.

"It's completely fine," the one who sat directly to the lady's right spoke up.

"Our employer also knows this and wishes to offer Miss Constantine the best deal possible, I'm sure she'd be pleased with the amount here." The lawyer smiled slyly while sliding a brown envelope towards them.

She could all but see Colin bristle at the veiled insult.

Alexandra began to have a headache, she needed that hot tea right about now and they were already annoying her.

She pressed the button to her right on the conference table and spoke into the intercom.

"Collier?"

"Yes, lady Alexandra?"

"I'll take a cup of lemon grey tea in my drawing room,"

"Right away."

The minute her hand left the intercom she rose from her seat.

Colin was stunned.

One of the lawyers spoke up first. "Are we moving the negotiations?" He asked pushing his chair back, ready to rise.

Alexandra responded with a raised brow.

"First...this was never a negotiation and second we are not moving anything, I simply believe we are done here."

The men looked shocked.

"weve barely begun," one started.

"You can't d-decide to just leave-"

"I can and I have." She added simply.

I invited your boss here and for some reason-"

"Mr. Zenon regrets not being able to make it as I'm sure you'd understand. Matters of utmost importance made it impossible for him to get away for now." The beautiful red head spoke now. She spoke smoothly, eye level and unflinching...almost condescending even.

Alexandra was intrigued by her confidence.

God she was beautiful. Thalia would like her.

But unfortunately she was stupid if she thought she could interrupt her.

She faced her squarely now, appreciating the little tick in her face indicating her attempt at hiding her nervousness.

"Well right now my tea... is of the utmost importance, so if you would excuse me." She turned away from Colin who was busy rubbing the shadow between eyesockets.

The lady simply looked flushed with embarrassment and fear as she realized that Alex was actually leaving.

She was sure her boss had told her to handle this matter and now she fumbled it by offending the most powerful person in the room.

Sucks to be her...

Alexandra signaled to Colin and he gestured with his hands in the air in the direction of the security camera and in a matter of moments three men in fitted armored suits filed into the room.

"These men will show you out and I'll expect you to reach out as soon as possible...as you would understand how schedules fill up fast." Colin commented dryly. "Have yourselves a nice day."

Alexandra left the room with Colin in tow as the men began uttering obscenities.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Colin smacked the back of her head.

She yelped in pain, rubbing the back of her head scowling.

"You know, you could have put up with them for a bit longer, we could've gotten something out of this whole-"

"But why?" Alexandra asked, interrupting him.

The look on her face one of genuine curiosity.

Ah...

Colin realized, he forgot people like Alexandra didn't understand the concept of compromise.

"Well....either way, let me do all the talking next time."

"I promise to try." She offered.

Colin's phone buzzed in his back pocket.

He took it out and stared at the screen as they reached the drawing room.

The maid in the corner poured the tea in a cup as soon as they came in.

Alexandra went to a shelf and picked up her sketch book and plopped down on the chair in the corner.

"Your mother has requested a meeting, and before you Say anything she's aware of your schedule and wants to meet before we take off."

The maid placed the tea beside her and melted into the shadows naturally.

"Headphones, my lady." Another maid offered.

"Take care of it Colin." She muttered as she placed the headphones over her head and began to sketch.

"You know we're gonna have to seriously discuss this very soon. We can't keep avoiding the current situation or it'll get out of hand fast and I prefer to be on top of things." He complained a little loudly so she could hear.

She took an ear of for a second. "I promise to face everything when we get back and delegate as many people as you choose but it's Italy Colin...I need this trip."

He sighed as he watched her.

Her eyes didn't meet his but she concentrated on her work once more.

He wanted to push more...complain more...

But he could see she could barely keep her hands steady and he understood what Italy meant for her, for all of them, so he didn't...no he couldn't press anymore.