Chapter 17

After they left Sarah held Alicia's arm and said to her

"You are crazy Alicia, did you just call my cousin arrogant to his face. Wow you are probably the only person in the whole of America that would dare do that",

"When she said it my heart almost jumped out of my chest, I thought cousin would shoot her dead", Susan said dramatically with her hand on her chest.

"Wow Sarah I didn't know your maternal family is the Collins family, you guys are really rich", Suzy said with her mouth opened agape, if one listened carefully they would notice the envy in her voice but no one noticed. "Why, who are the Collins Family, I knew aunt's family was a powerful one but I didn't know how powerful or rich they were, who are the Collins", Alicia asked not understanding why they were saying all of this.

"This is why you should listen to business news and not just entertainment news my dear friend", Zia said "the man you just called arrogant to his face is THE NATHAN COLLINS. The first son of the Collins family and the CEO of America's most powerful corporation Lance Inc. He controls more than 50 percent of America's economy, because he has his hands in every sector you can think of Jewellry, Real estate, Technology, Malls and supermarkets, Cosmetics, Hotels, Entertainment name it.

"He is the world's second most powerful person and he achieved all of this within just five years. Even the President of America wouldn't dare breathe too loudly in his presence but you just called him arrogant to his face, he is America's most eligible bachelor and within the last five years that he has been in the spotlight he has never been spotted with any woman, some people even say that he is probably gay", Zia said to her.

"My mom and her twin sister are Brother Nathan's dad younger sisters, ever since childhood I have known my cousin to be a cold person he doesn't like talking and doesn't really laugh or smile either, infact he is always expressionless and he never shows his emotions on his face, but after what happened to him five years ago it became worse, anyways you were really courageous to have said that", Sarah said again.

In the midst of their chattering the boys came back and they all left for the movies.

"We will talk later at home Alicia let's go" , Julius said to her. They had bought the 6:00 clock movie ticket, they got there twenty minutes before the movie was to start, and bought popcorns and soda before going into the theater. They settled for the middle row seat and sat down, Julius was sitting on Alicia's right and Zack on her left.

Soon the movie started it was romantic comedy and it was Alicia favorite genre but she was in no mood to enjoy it.

"Exactly what game is fate playing with me I had prayed to God that I wanted to meet my Mickey within this last two days and then I come across a stranger twice who has almost all of Mickey's facial features, and I soon found that he is my cousin's maternal cousin and not only that he is such a rich and powerful man and he is also the person my parents want me to marry in two days.

Is this heavens way of telling me he is my chosen one? is he my Mickey ?,

Will I not be making a mistake by going through with this relationship?

What if it doesn't work out?

There are so many questions that I don't have answers to, what if he turns out to be the right choice just like my parents have said I am really confused", Alicia kept on thinking

In the midst of Alicia's thoughts she heard Jay say " "Alicia let's go, the movie is over",

"It is already over wasn't it a three hours movie", she asked and looked around the theater and noticed it was almost empty.

"Yes it was but you wouldn't realize because you were lost in thoughts" Aria said to her

"Okay guys let's go get dinner and ice cream so we can go home, its already so late", Kathy said.

"I won't be able to accompany you all. I am not hungry so I am going home, Goodnight", Alicia said and drove off before any of them could say anything, she heard Kathy and her brothers shout after her but she was to preoccupied with her thoughts to answer.

After Alicia had left

"What is wrong with her Julius, she has been absentminded and lost in thoughts like this ever since we left the mall she didn't even focus on the movie" Kathy said

"Yes brother Julius, I mean we all know that Alicia loves Romance and Romcoms the most but she didn't even watch a scene from the movie she was completely lost in thoughts" Aria said.

"Its nothing I think she was just tired"

"We all know Alicia doesn't like staying out for too long and we have been out the whole day she was probably tired that's why she went home" Julius said to them

"Don't worry I will call mom and tell her to make her eat dinner when she gets home", Julius added

"Okay brother do that", Justin said, shutting the others up. "Okay I will be right back", Julius said and went to a corner to make the call.

Julie picked up after the second ring, "Hello Son"

"Hello mom are you home", Julius asked

"No my dear there was an emergency at the hospital so I am still there I will be going home in an hour at the earliest",

"what happened dear?", Julie asked

"Mom we were at the CC Mall today when we came across Nathan Collins and Sarah and Susan introduced him to everyone as their cousin, but on hearing his name Alicia figured out he was her soon to be husband and since then she has been extremely quiet, I don't know what she is thinking mom we were all on our way to her favorite restaurant to get dinner and ice cream before going home but she refused and went back home on her own". Julius narrated to his mother.

"Oh my god we didn't tell her anything about the guy because she didn't want to know and she was so adamant on rejecting the alliance, she doesn't even know the Collins Family is Sarah and Susan's Maternal family".

"I think she needs time alone Julius just let her be for the next one hour when I get home i will go talk to her, but you guys should also not be late and get home safely", Julie warned over the phone.

"Sure Mom" Julius replied and hung up. He went back to meet the rest and they all left for the restaurant, after they finished eating and having their ice cream. Jay left with Aria, Zack also left Suzy while Kathy promised to drop off Zia on her way because she knew Justin and Julius were worried about their sister. Sarah rode with Julius and Susan rode with Justin and they all went back home.

Alicia couldn't get herself to stop thinking about her impending marriage with the man she had just met so she left everyone at the theater and came home. When she got back she didn't see either her dad's or mom's car so they weren't back yet. She entered the house and went straight to her room.

She dropped her things in their rightful place and went to get a shower. When she came out she sat on her bedside reading table and took out her laptop and searched for Nathan Collins and the Collins family. She read everything she could find about them and was shocked, The family is so so powerful and rich and according to Andrew they have helped the James family a lot.

Nathan Collins is definitely the light of that house but all the tabloids say that he is ruthless and heartless and doesn't care about anyone or anything, while she was still busy browsing about the Collins family her mom entered with a cup of her favorite hot coffee just the way she liked it.