Invitation

(One month later)

Looking out the window of this luxurious car, I have a beautiful view of snow-covered trees and pathways. Few people were out on the avenue, warming themselves with heavy sweaters and jackets, while children in the open park attempted to build snowmen or hit each other with snowballs.

I rubbed my icy hands together as I turned the heater up a notch. I sigh and take in the beautiful scenery and the atmosphere that winter creates. The winter season is my absolute favorite. Being inside, slumped on the couch in thick sweaters, a hot steaming cup of coffee nearby, and a really good book in your hand to read. There is nothing more appropriate to ask. That's how I always used to spend most of my winter days, especially if I don't have any work to do.

But this time, a certain blue-eyed devil named Logan Watson decided to throw a wrench in my plans. I glared at him with all the venom I could muster. He gives me an 'oh so innocent look,' as if he hadn't just dragged me out of my peaceful slumber.

I'm exhausted now because I slept late last night. Logan arrived at half-past 11 p.m. because he said he had a surprise for me the next day. But I had no idea I'd have to get up at six a.m. as part of this surprise! Also, despite his best efforts to get me to sleep early, my stupid ass kept talking to Logan until 2 a.m. But, hey, he should have told me that his surprise begins at the forbidden hour of dawn, so yes, I blame it on him.

He practically dragged my a$$ out of bed at six a.m. and told me I had twenty minutes to get ready. I'm starting to suspect that there's something seriously wrong with this guy. Who would want to surprise someone on such a cold morning? Also, he looks so fresh and awake, I'm wondering if he's even a normal human being!?

Logan kept trying to cheer me up by talking about random topics throughout the ride. I was starting to get irritated because he wouldn't even tell me where he was taking me. After a while, I simply stopped asking and sulked, staring out the window with a permanent scowl on my face.

"Babe?" he asked, his voice soft and innocent. I didn't even turn to face him. He sighed and shifted his weight to face me. He had come to a complete stop at a red light.

"Babeee" I turned ever so slightly to look at him with an annoyed face. His lips were slightly puckered, which I found endearing. But I kept a poker face to avoid giving in to him.

"Oh, come on. You don't need to put on a brave face for this. You don't even know what my surprise is. It's going to be a lot of fun, Lia. I swear." He says this in a hushed tone.

"However, why so early?" I muttered, crossing my arms across my chest. "We could have stayed at home and watched some movies," I grumbled.

"All you have to do is be patient, love. "You'll love it," he says, his blue eyes piercing my brown ones. Logan's eyes were so powerful and intense that I couldn't take my gaze away, no matter how much I tried. Those clear ocean blue eyes had me completely captivated.

HONK HONK...

We awoke from our trance and focused on the road ahead of us. We didn't even notice when the light turned green. Logan let out a string of curses before accelerating the car.

*******************

"Ice skating." I turned to face him as we walked to the building. He took me ice skating, and not just any rink, but the Rockefeller Centers. I'd always wanted to come here but never had the opportunity. I turned to Logan with a wide smile on my face, completely forgetting that I should be angry with him.

"How's the surprise?" he asked, a grin on his face. I jumped on top of him and wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my face in his neck. My move caught him off guard, and he took a step back to regain his balance.

"Thank you very much. Thank you. I've always wanted to visit here." He stiffened as I mumbled in his skin. He returned my embrace by wrapping his hands around my waist.

"Thank you, God. For a brief moment, I thought you wouldn't approve it. You also don't have to be concerned if you don't know how to skate. This is something I can teach you. "I'll catch you if you fall on your cute ass," he said confidently. Ha...This guy is so self-assured.

"We'll see." I stepped away from him, smirking, and proceeded to the booth to retrieve the skates.

"2 for ice skating," I exclaimed to the man in the booth.

"That will be $60." He said. I was about to reach for my purse when I remembered that I didn't carry one.

Logan handed him the money and said, "Here." "I don't want my girlfriend to have to pay when I'm here." With a wink, he said. Even though I had a slight blush on my face, I rolled my eyes at him. Even though we've been dating for two months, I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I'm his and he's mine.

The man handed us skates in our sizes. We walked over to one of the benches and put on our skates. When I finished, I looked up to see a smirking Logan reaching out his hand to me. Oh, he still hasn't figured it out. I took a deep breath before walking past him and seeing his face drop made me stifle a laugh.

I took a step onto the ice and let my body move in its own time. I glide across the ice with grace and ease, the cold breeze brushing against my face. Skating was one of the skills I picked up from my father. He used to take me skating whenever we had the opportunity and taught me to lose myself on the ice. I was practically a pro at it. I expected to struggle at first because it had been a long time since I had done this, but thankfully I remembered how to control my body and regained the knack.

Before sliding again, I did a little spin with my hands above my head. Logan was nowhere to be found when I looked to my side. I glanced at the entrance and there he was, his mouth agape and a disbelieving expression on his face. I skated up to him, waving my hands to get his attention.

"You cheat! " I thought you didn't know how to skate!" With a puzzled expression, he inquired.

"Hey! You didn't ask if I knew how to skate or not. It's not my fault that your egotistical a$$ decided I didn't know how to skate." I made a sly grin. Logan sighed, shaking his head as he pondered something.

"There goes my plan of appearing to be a sweet charming boyfriend teaching his girl how to skate and catching her when she appears to be about to fall on her back." I laughed and shook my head at his cuteness.

"Aww, you're so sweet. But, hon, better luck next time." I winked and began moving to the center of the rink, this time with Logan close behind me.

Logan, on the other hand, is a fantastic skater. He even knew some special spins that he offered to teach me just to make up for his disappointed expectations. We skated for a long time until our hands went numb and cold. We decided to leave only when we couldn't feel our own faces.

Logan got into the car and turned on the heater too high. He took my hands in his and began rubbing our skin together, and the heat emitted from us temporarily stopped my shivering.

As my shivering stopped, I smiled graciously at Log. I then leaned forward to give him a sweet kiss, which caught him off guard. He, on the other hand, was quick to respond.

"Hot chocolate?" he inquired as we drew back. I immediately nodded when I heard the word "chocolate." He gave a light chuckle before taking my hand and kissing my knuckles.

As Logan drove away to a nearby café, we fell into a peaceful silence. Logan got out of the car after asking me to stay in it and parked it next to a café. As I watched his figure fade into the café, I reflected on the events of the previous two months. Everything felt surreal, but it was all true. My man showered me with a beautiful reality. When I looked down at the ring on my finger, a smile formed on my lips. I looked through the café's glass walls for the man who had stolen my heart and saw him talking to an elderly lady at the counter. If you had told me six months ago that I would find the love of my life, I would have laughed in your face and called you a moron.

I kept an eye on him and soon realized I was being a bit stalkerish. I was about to turn on the radio when I noticed something gold peeking out from beneath the dashboard. It appeared to have been thrown there hastily, without even bothering to place it inside any case or locker. Logan's carelessness makes me shake my head; what if it was something important? When I opened it, I saw a dark golden envelope. I picked it up because I was intrigued by the fancy design and discovered it was an invitation card.

I opened it out of curiosity and thanked God it wasn't sealed. I'm hoping Logan doesn't mind if I go through this. Will he or will he not? Oh well, who cares? I took the card from inside and read the words.

I realized right away that it was an invitation to a masquerade ball, not just any ball. Wow! I've never been to a ball before, but I've always wanted to go. I read the invitation and discovered that the ball is being held the day after tomorrow by a man named Marshall Adams in recognition of his success in business. When I read that they could bring their partner, I was overjoyed. Why hadn't Logan informed me of this? Perhaps he was planning to ask me as a surprise. This man has a lot of surprises up his sleeve.

Logan emerged from the café, holding two cups of steaming hot chocolate, just as I returned the envelope. He motioned for me to lower the window and handed me the drink. The smell of chocolate made my mouth water.

Logan sat down and settled before turning to watch me drink the delectable liquid, a small smile grazing his lips.

"Quit staring. It's unsettling." I laughed a little nervously. He chuckled as he shook his head. I couldn't take it any longer and decided to ask him about it.

"Looks like you have a ball to attend," I inquired of him. Logan tensed next to me.

"Did you intend to keep this a surprise as well?" With a smile on my lips, I inquired. For a brief moment, his face was deafeningly silent. He took a deep breath and gave me a serious look.

"I never intended to ask you, Lia," he said matter-of-factly. I was completely taken aback by his response. What?

"It is written that you may bring your date. So, why aren't you taking me?" With a hopeful expression on my face, I inquired.

"You can't come." He stated matter-of-factly. I became upset by that response.

"And what's the reason for that?"

"I'm going to take Mia, my PA," he says, and I feel a pain in my chest. There was a brief moment of silence before I spoke up.

"What makes her different from me?" I asked, my pulse quickening as I waited for his response. Logan lets out a deep sigh and runs his fingers through his hair.

"Answer me, Logan," I demanded.

"Because there will be someone whom I believe you should avoid meeting." He finally snapped at me.

"Who is that, huh?" I questioned, oblivious to the fact that my voice was rising.

"Olivier." He said this while staring me down dead in the eyes. I fell silent as the words became stuck in my throat. I was at a loss for words. His name alone causes my heart to race with fear. But I haven't seen Olivier in three months, since our first encounter in the dark alleyway. I haven't felt him stalking me, which made me very suspicious given that he had already caught me once. But, much to my shock, it was Oliver who had purchased that donut for me during my first hangout with Tyler and Finn. Since then, I've been concerned about my surroundings and people, but I've never felt anything out of the ordinary.

I know Logan played a part in it, and I also know he may have tightened his security around me ever since I opened up about the stalkerish feelings I had before meeting Olivier. But I have to give it to Logan; he's very quiet about it. I wouldn't have known I was being watched by Logan's people if I hadn't overheard him talking to someone about it.

"Olivier knows you're with me, though I'm not sure why he hasn't sprung into action given that he knows all my weak points. But I'm not going to take any chances by throwing you right into the lion's den. It's very easy for me to lose you there because I'll be busy meeting people and, of course, it'll be crowded with paparazzi" he sighs.

"I'm not a child, Logan. "I know how to take care of myself," I say in rage. To be honest, I don't want to meet Oliver, but what if I go and learn something? What if I discover something about my parents? What was the reason he killed them? Who was it that gave him the orders? And how was he able to roam freely outside when he was supposed to be in prison? I know I'm playing with potentially lethal fire here, but I can be discreet. It's not like I'll jump in front of him the moment I see him!

"Logan, I want to come," I stated firmly.

Logan said firmly, "NO."

"Just think about this. What if I can find something useful there? Something that could reveal the circumstances surrounding my parent's death. And-"

"That's enough. Karolia, you have no idea how powerful he is. I don't want you to get involved in this. I'll handle this myself."

"No. I'd like to attend. I-"

"Can't you just listen to me for once? I'm doing everything I can to keep you safe, Lia. I told you I'd assist you in suing him."

"It's been months," I exclaimed. "Yet you couldn't find any details. But if I can get some details from him without him suspecting it's me, maybe-"

"I'm gathering as much evidence as possible. I can't just launch into action with no information; that would put you in danger. Just keep that in mind, Karolia." He retorted angrily.

"But-"

"NO. You're not going to come, and if you try, I'll lock you inside your room. And that is the end of the matter." He said this and turned to face the front, fastening his seatbelt and starting the car as if the conversation had ended.

Logan isn't going to budge from his decision, and if I try to leave, he might actually lock me up. But I can't pass up this opportunity. I suppose this is my only chance to learn anything about my parents' death. So I can't just let it go because he thinks I'm in danger. But that is the case. I know I'm playing with fire; all I have to do now is figure out how to control it.

It's much easier said than done.

**********

When I heard my phone ring on my bedside table, I grunted awake. I rolled over to the side, wrapping myself in the blanket like a burrito, to answer the phone. I picked up the phone without looking at the caller ID and held it to my ear.

"Hello?" I replied drowsily. Even when there was no light in the room, my eyes struggled to open.

"Don't tell me you haven't gotten out of bed yet!" Scarlet's gasp came from the other side.

"Good morning, Scar," I mumbled sarcastically before looking at my watch. When I realized it was only half-past ten, I grumbled.

"Karrie! Get out of bed, and you'd better be ready in an hour. We are going shopping." She exclaimed, ecstatically. I frowned at her strange merry mood at this hour of the day.

"Why do you want to leave right now? Why aren't we able to go in the evening? I need to sleep." I said this as I drifted off, burying myself deeper into the warm bed.

"Karrie!! You better be ready when I arrive, or I'll kick your slacker ass. Get up now!" She got off the phone. I sighed and slumped on my bed. Scar, on the other hand, would keep her words and actually kick me if I went back to sleep. I dragged myself out of bed and into my fluffy light blue flip-flops before heading to the restroom. Oh, how I wish I could murder my best friend right now!

"I assumed you were aware." She said looking a bit taken aback.

"What exactly do you mean?" I inquired, my brow furrowed.

"Didn't Logan tell you?" She inquired, further perplexing me.

"Ugh, what are you talking about?" I inquired, confused. Scarlet gave me a sidelong glance before turning down the radio volume.

"Huh... A billionaire from New York is hosting a success meet the next day. It's more like a masquerade ball. And it appears that guests are welcome to bring a date. Patrick and Logan have been invited, and Pat has asked me to accompany him. I assumed you were accompanying Logan." She stated.

"Oh..." was all I could say before falling silent.

"What? Didn't Logan tell you about this?" She looked perplexed as she asked me.

"Yes, he did. But he's not taking me." I said in a monotone tone. I looked out the window and saw that we were in the boutique's parking lot.

"What? "Are you kidding me?" She said this as she parked her car in the closest available spot to the entrance.

"I'm afraid I'm not," I admitted openly.

"What the hell! Why isn't he taking you for the ball? Wait, does that mean he's replacing you with someone else?" I just nod my head.

I mumbled, "His assistant." To be honest, it hurts to think about it, which is why I avoided thinking about it. Mia is a sweet girl, and I've grown close to her over the last few months. I know she has no feelings for Logan because she is already in a relationship. However, the fact that my boyfriend is not accompanying me... Stop thinking, Karolia!

"What a jerk that guy is! I'm sure I'm going to kick his balls and-"

"Scarlet. Calm down." I cut her off.

"Do you think I'm not irritated by this? I tried everything I could to persuade him... but he has his reasons, which I can't argue with." I said this with my head bowed.

"Reasons? What kind of reason will allow him to bring another woman to a ball when he already has a girlfriend?" She questioned, her voice slightly raised. I guess I'm not the only one who is annoyed by him.

"Aa—aah... that..." When I realized what I had just said, I stammered. Scarlet has no knowledge of what happened to me three months ago. The odd followers... Oliver... death threats... She is completely unaware of them. I wasn't going to tell her because I knew she'd freak out and become concerned. But I can't keep it from her for much longer.

"Karrie!" She cut me off in the middle of my thoughts.

"Huh??" Unconsciously, I inquired.

"Did you even pay attention? Why isn't Logan taking you for the ball?" She inquired impatiently.

"Aah... Scar, I have something I need to tell you."

Taking a deep breath, I began to recount everything that had occurred that night on the street. I told her about Oliver's attack but purposefully left out some details because I didn't want her to press me further. I still haven't told her about my kidnapping after my parents died. It's not because I don't trust her or anything; it's simply better that she doesn't know. I know it would only make her worry more about me, and to be honest, I'm finally getting over everything.

Logan's presence had made me forget about most of my fears, and I could feel gradually being liberated from my past. It's as if a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I don't want to bring those things up again now that I've moved on. Let it get buried within myself, aunt Jamie and Logan. The other person who was aware of everything had died.

When I finished speaking to her, she had her palm over her mouth. I expected her to be shocked when she heard me. She just pulled me into a tight hug and I felt her sob on my shoulder. I rubbed her back in a soothing manner, relieved that I hadn't told her everything. If this is the reaction I get, I don't want to see her getting more upset and cry.

"Karrie... I'm truly sorry you had to go through that. I swear I had no idea what was going on. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you. I'm not a very good friend. Why the hell didn't you tell me about all this?" She appeared distressed.

"Shhh... Scarlet, it's all right. I just didn't want you to be worried." I drew back and rubbed her tears away from her cheeks. She bowed her head.

"How can you say not to worry about you, Karrie? You're my only friend, and you came here trusting in me. What kind of friend am I if I didn't even know you were going through all of this alone when I was supposed to be there to offer you my support and a shoulder to cry on? I was so preoccupied with my idiot boyfriend that I forgot to inquire about my best friend. I must have been so naive. What a terrible friend I am!" She hid her face from me, blaming herself.

"Hey, I'm fine now. See. This is why I didn't say anything to you. I knew you'd cry your eyes out and feel sorry for what happened, even though you're not at all to blame. Scar, you're the best friend everyone wishes they had. And you've been there for me through it all, and I know you'll be there again whenever I need you. Stop punishing yourself because none of this was your fault." As I console her, I tightly hug her. As she hugged me back, she sniffled loudly.

"Now come on, wipe your tears, and let's go look for a dress that will have your Patty boy swooning over you." That made her laugh, and she wiped her tears. She reapplied her makeup, and I wiped the few tears that had escaped my eyes. We both got out of the car and went to the shop.

"But you still haven't answered me."." She said this as she walked alongside me. Her face was flushed from crying, but she was able to conceal it with concealer.

"What?" I inquired, puzzled.

"What is the reason why Logan isn't taking you to the masquerade ball?"

"Oh, that. Oliver will also be present at the ball. Logan doesn't want him to see me. He claims that I would be safer at home than in the presence of Olivier." Sighing, I said.

"Oh... I suppose he's correct. "You must avoid Olivier as much as possible," she said as we walked into the boutique.

"Not you, either! Scar, you don't get it! Not only do I want to go because of Logan. The truth is that I want to see Oliver. I know it sounds crazy... but this is the only way for me to delve a little deeper. He is the cause of my parents' deaths. I'd like to learn more about him so I can understand why he's still behind me."

"Karrie, I see what you're saying, but don't you think it's too risky?" She inquired, her face filled with concern.

"That is why Logan is present. I know that if anything goes wrong, Logan will be there to help me, but I assured him that nothing like that would happen. Still, he isn't ready to bring me along. Scar, how long can I just sit here and wait for Oliver to leave me? Don't you think it's past time for me to retaliate? I can't just sit back and let him scare me for the rest of my life. I need to know why he is following me, and this is the only way to find out." I try to persuade her, and I can almost see the gears turning in her head.

"Actually... you're correct. And also, you-"

"Good day, ladies!" A cheerful voice interrupted her. We turned around to look at Tyler. What exactly is he doing here? I thought this was a women's boutique.

Scarlet and I both said, "Tyler." As a greeting, we gave him a bear hug.

"Hello, bro. "How are you?" Scarlet inquired, ruffling his hair slightly.

"I'm fantastic!" Tyler smiled, but it quickly turned into a glare at Scarlet's actions.

"What exactly are you doing here?" I was perplexed.

"Oh… I'm just here to pick up my suit, which my mother had ordered for a ball the next day."

"Wait, do you mean Mr. Adams' masquerade ball?" Scarlet inquired, baffled.

"Exactly," Tyler said, a small smile on his face.

"What? "Are you also going?" I inquired, and he nodded his head.

"Yes. And what do you mean, 'I'm also going?'" he inquired, confused. Scarlet smacked him behind the head, causing him to pout and rub his chin.

"That means we'll bump into each other at the ball. Patrick and Logan have been invited as well." Scarlet spoke up.

"Oh. "I forgot they were f***ing billionaires," he admitted as the realization hit him.

"Hey, how about you? You've been invited as well, which means you come from a wealthy family." As I recalled the words from the invitation card, I said. The man who held the ball was one of the world's wealthiest people.

"I was born into a wealthy family." Tyler defended himself, and Scarlet and I exchanged glances before rolling our eyes in unison. Suddenly, an idea occurred to me.

"With whom are you going?" I inquired hastily.

"I'll go with Finn." He exclaimed proudly.

"Tyler... umm... do you mind if I tag along?" I asked, hoping he'd say yes. He's the last straw for me, so Lord, please have mercy on me.

"Um... Sure... why not?" With a smile, he said. I let out a heavy sigh that I hadn't realized I was holding.

"How about your boyfriend?" I assumed you were accompanying him." He stated.

"Oh, that's quite a story. We fought, and his stubborn a$$ decided not to take me to the ball." I was careful with my words. I don't want to make the same mistake again by telling the whole truth. Tyler has no idea what has happened in my life, which I believe is for the best. He believes my parents are on a business trip. But I will tell him one day. That's not now.

"So. You sure you don't have a problem with that?" I asked him again to make sure he didn't have any second thoughts.

"Oh, Karrie, stop being so polite. I'm not bothered in the least. In fact, I'm looking for ways to make your boyfriend jealous. He gets so hot when he's angry, you know." He said this with a wink as I jokingly hit his shoulder.

Tyler had left not long after. Scarlet had chosen her dress quickly, and I had been looking for a dress for the past half hour, but nothing suited my taste or comfort level. Scarlet insists on having me try on every piece of clothing she likes. And when I say 'she likes,' I mean a lot! I'm exhausted to the point where I want to rip the clothes around me.

"It's this one!" Scarlett appeared in front of me, carrying another gown.

"Ughh, I'm tired" I groan.

"I swear this is the last one." She stated.

"You've been saying the same thing for the past half hour!" I expressed my displeasure.

"I'm not going to tell you again. This is the last one, and if it doesn't fit, we'll go to another shop. Go ahead and try it on." She hurried me into the trial room.

I stripped naked for the millionth time today and put on the one Scarlet had given me. I looked in the mirror and was pleasantly surprised to see that it looked great on me. It was a burgundy taffeta off-the-shoulder dress with beading on the waist and at the bottom. There's also a slit on the right side of the dress that exposes my thighs. It wasn't too tight, but it defined my curves nicely and made me look pretty. The material was soft and comfortable against my skin, and I'm glad I don't have to show too much skin. So, I guess this is the one. I'm not sure if I'm saying this because I'm too tired to try anything else and just want to go home and sleep.

I exited the room and presented myself to Scarlet in a dramatic manner, one hand raised upwards and the other on my hips. She ignored my act and let out a loud gasp.

"It's the one!" Those were the words I'd been waiting to hear for a long time.

"Ahh, finally!" I sighed in relief and dashed back to change.

We paid for our dresses and headed home. Scarlet told me more about the Masquerade Ball, which I believe will work in my favor. It's time to channel my inner badass. We have a lot of planning to do for that.

One thing is certain. Tomorrow night is going to be a long one.

I pray this new month that every drop of your sweat will yield a sweet reward. May excellence mark you out for favour. " May it be well with you all your life. Happy New Month.