- 3 9 -

We left the club after staying there for an hour or so and to say I wanted to crash into bed would be an understatement.

I was tired of telling off different people who offered me drinks or a dance or the best night of my life, although Zephyr did most of the work for me by sending them away by a single glare.

Thank god he was there.

He was acting like an over-protective boyfriend, but denied it when I told him that. When we finally reached home, I took off my heels as we entered and with them in my hands, I proceeded to walk towards the stairs just as my dad's voice stopped me mid-way.

"Thea sweetheart, go to the office will you?" He said before turning his back to me as Kim and Zarina gave me sympathetic smiles as they headed off to their rooms.

Zephyr took my arm and had to practically drag my ass to the office, where I was met by Ivan and Alex. I huffed and sat down on the couch next to Ivan, playing with my dress.

A few moments later, my dad walked in followed by both my uncles and Nikolai and all of them made themselves comfortable before everyone's eyes were on me. And I mean, everyone.

"We've put this off for quite a few hours now, but I think its time you tell us everything." Uncle Mikhail looked at me, making me nod as I contemplated what I would tell them.

"I um... I was overwhelmed and I didn't know what came over me at the moment." I started and took a deep breath before continuing.

"I was reminded of... him... and what happened that day at the ball and I guess I panicked because I was really not looking for any sort of commitment right now. Or ever." I confessed, playing with the rings on my fingers as I glanced at the men in the room who urged me to go on.

"I had a panic attack again." I said after a few beats of silence, making Ivan sit straighter.

"Are you taking you meds, kotenok?" He asked me, but I didn't look at him and kept my eyes trained to the carpeted floor.

"No." I whispered softly and shook my head lightly.

"I had a panic attack which is why I ran away. I just needed to be alone. I needed some time to myself. To think." I said and glanced at my father, who was watching me closely.

"I'm sorry. I owe all of you an apology for running off like that and making you so worried." I said glancing at each one them.

"Apology accepted." Uncle Karl spoke, smiling warmly at me, making me relax a bit.

"Thank you." I said gratefully.

"Why did you dance with him?" My dad said after a few moments of silence, making my eyes snap to him in confusion.

"You danced with Roman Angelo, and that was the first time I saw you smile genuinely on that day." He continued, making me gulp.

"I was dancing with Ivan previously, but he twirled me and let me go, I ended up bumping into Roman. He saw through my dull mood and I had to convince him that it was just the large crowd that overwhelmed me." I said shrugging and with the look on my dad's face, I could tell he knew I was lying but said nothing about it.

"Alright." Dad said as he glanced at Ivan briefly and then me again.

"Are you okay now?" He asked me, and I nodded at him.

"I am. I've thought everything through, and I'm still willing to pretend to be Ivan's fiancé." I stated firmly as my dad gave me firm nod.

"Good. Don't worry though sweetheart we're trying our best to solve this problem." He assured me, making me smile faintly at him.

"Okay. Thanks dad." I said smiling lightly.

"But we will have to arrange a dinner with a few important members in celebration of your engagement. And since all of the family is here, it's only normal to do so." Uncle Mikhail added, making me nod at him.

"I understand. When will this dinner be?" I asked him.

"This Saturday. Wear white." He said, making me nod thoughtfully at him.

"Okay. Can I leave now?" I asked looking at my dad who nodded at me.

"Thea, wait." Alex's voice stopped me as I looked at him expectantly.

"Yes?" I asked him.

"I need you to come to the office from tomorrow onwards, when your classes end." He told me, looking at me for any expressions but I gave away none.

"Okay.. What for?"

"It's time you started coming. You know why." He said raising an eyebrow, making me nod.

"Yes. I'll be there. Anything else?" I asked them and noticed how Alex loosened his tie before looking at me sympathetically.

"We've changed your major to business. You'll be taking accounts and economics along with it." Alex told me, making my eyes widen.

"What? Why? Why would you do that?" I asked him baffled as he ran a hand through his hair and looked at the others for help.

"Thea sweetheart, it's for the best." Uncle Karl chimed in, making me clench my fists in anger.

"No. That's what you think. He would never have let anything like this happen to me." I said now furious as Alex got up from his seat.

"He would have done what was best for you." Alex said sternly, making me glare at him.

"Yes, he would have, but keeping in mind my opinions, what I wanted as well. Not just what was best for me." I argued.

"Heather Solonik Elias, you will do as told and that is the end of it." Alex snapped as he hit his hand on the wooden table, making me flinch as I looked at him incredulously.

"Ale-.." Zephyr started but was rudely interrupted.

"No. It's time she started taking her responsibilities seriously." Alex said sternly, making me scoff at him.

"Wow. Way to tell me I haven't done anything for you guys." I scoffed as I folded my hands across my chest and watched as Ivan got up from his seat and approached me.

"Don't fucking come near me!" I snapped at him, making everyone stand up abruptly at my tone, because they knew nothing good happened when I became like this. Never anything good.

"Heather dear, calm down." Uncle Karl said softly, making me roll my eyes

"Calm down and what? Let him tell me how I'm supposed to live my life? What's next for me? Actually getting married? Producing an heir?" I spat venomously as Alex rounded his desk and pointed a finger at me.

"You will keep your voice down Heather if you know what's good for you." He said lowly, making me step closer to him.

"Or what? You'll shoot me? Go ahead." I gestured to my self.

"I wish I really died that day instead of him." I hissed and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind me as I made my way to my bedroom.

I took off my dress and slipped on my silky nightwear and got into the covers, letting the tears fall freely as everyone's words rang in my mind.

This wasn't what I had planned for myself. This was never the plan. I was to live a happy life, get married to someone I actually loved. Not let these men rule my life as if I were a toy.

Two hours had passed and I was nowhere near asleep. I just couldn't, and I had no idea why as I tossed and turned. Suddenly the door of my room was opened and Zarina walked in wearing her pajamas with her brows furrowed.

"Zarina? What are you doing here?" I asked her as she climbed onto my bed and leaned against the headboard, sighing deeply.

"I can't sleep, and from the looks of it, neither can you." She said looking at me as I sat up with my back against the headboard.

"Yeah." I said fiddling with my fingers as she grabbed the remote and turned on the television.

"Want to watch something?" She asked me opening Netflix as I shrugged.

"Sure, why not?" I said and we scrolled through for a good ten minutes before we decided on a romance movie and played it, not knowing when we fell asleep.

* * *

"Wake up sleepyheads, you're going to be late." Zephyr's voice came from my doorway as I groaned and looked at him, squinting my eyes,

"What time is it?" I asked him as I noticed Zarina fast asleep next to me.

"Time to get up because you're already running late as it is." He said before walking out of my room as I groaned in annoyance and reached for my phone on the nightstand and turned it on, gasping when I saw the time.

"Shit!" I muttered as I jumped out of bed.

"Zarina wake up we're late for college!" I shouted at her and saw her stirring.

"What? What time is it?" She asked me.

"8:30 am, now hurry the fuck up!" I shouted and immediately she got out of bed and ran out of my room to get ready.

Quickly brushing my teeth and combing my hair, I threw on black and white checkered shorts along with a yellow crop top and matching black and white blazer.

Putting on some lip gloss, I quickly put on my white ankle boots that had a two inch heel and ran downstairs when I saw that ten minutes had already passed.

I grabbed an apple from the kitchen, running towards the garage and scrambled into Zephyy'rs car in the passenger seat while Zarina got in the back.

Fast forward fifteen minutes later, Zephyr parked his car quickly but I was out before he could even turn it off and running towards my first class of the day, business.

I pant heavily as I make it to class and sit down in the front row and take out my laptop and books as Professor Mathews enters the class, making me sigh in relief because thankfully I'm not late.

After class ends, I get called by the professor and make my way over to him after packing my stuff.

"You called for me sir?" I ask him as he packs his stuff up and looks at me with a smile.

"Yes, I did Heather. I wanted to ask you if you could tutor some students who are struggling with the subject a bit." He said.

"Oh. Of course, I'd love to help any way I can." I said smiling as he nodded at me.

"Alright then. They usually meet up in the library on Fridays and Saturdays for two or three hours at most." He said, making me nod.

"Okay, I'm free on those days. I'll see you Friday then at...?" I trailed off, waiting for him to speak as the door to the class was opened and Zephyr walked in casually, his eyes scanning the class before they stopped at me and he grinned.

He made his way over to me and slung his arm over my shoulder and kissed my temple.

"Ready to go, Thea?" He asked me, making me nod as I looked back at the Professor.

"2 p.m." He said, making me nod.

"Alright then, bye!" I told him and walked out with Zephyr's arm still around my shoulder.

I entered my economics class and saw Zarina entering a few moments later, arguing about something with another girl. Zarina caught my eye and waved before she walked towards me with a big smile on her face.

"Hey Thea." She said as she sat down on my left and Zephyr sat on my right.

"Hey Zar." I greeted her as the teacher, Ms. Avril walked in. She was a woman in her forties and was a really good teacher, from what I'd heard.

"You heard about the new kid?" Zarina asked me, making me turn to her confused.

"New kid?" I asked her, and she nodded.

"Yeah, there's a new guy in this class, as well as business. You didn't see him there?" She asked me, making me shake my head.

"No I didn't actually... He mustn't be here today." I said and Zarina shrugged with a maybe and both of us got back to work.

Throughout the class, I tried my best to make sense of what she taught and took as many notes as I could.

I asked her for notes that I'd previously missed and she was more than happy to lend them to me.

Well at least she's nice.

Next class was accounts, and since I wasn't allowed to do anything else, I made my way towards the dance studio after grabbing a sandwich from the cafeteria.

"Ms. Elias, good to see our star student again." Ms. Dubose smiled at me warmly, giving me a hug.

"It's good to see you too Ms. Dubose." I said after pulling away as more girls piled in.

"Well, are you finally back?" She asked me hopefully, making me falter a moment before I gave her a firm nod.

"Yes. I am." I said, making her smile even bigger as she clapped her hands and motioned for the girls to get changed.

"Good, get changed then will you, we have a lot to catch up on. Although I don't think That'd be a problem for you." She said winking as she walked off, leaving me with a smile on my face as I went to get changed. Dance class lasted an hour, and I was more than happy to be there after nearly two years.

As I took a quick shower in the girls shower rooms, I put back on my previous clothes and made my way to the library as I still had time to spare until Zephyr got free, so I texted him to fetch me from there when he was done.

Smiling as I entered the library, I took out the book I was reading out of my bag and settled into one of the seats that overlooked the window, giving me a full vie of the ground at the back of the college and the people lounging n the grass and enjoying themselves.

My reading session was interrupted when someone cleared their throat, making me look up into a pair of emerald green eyes, my heart starting to beat faster at the mere sight of them as I put my feet down from the chair in front of me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him as he took the seat next to me, which was definitely too close to me.

"I own the place." He told me, propping his chin on his elbow which was now on the table in front of us, his eyes trained on me.

"I meant, why are you here, as in the library?" I said, gesturing towards the library, making him shrug.

"I wanted to see you." He answered, making me blush as I pursed my lips and looked away, focusing on the people outside when a soft stroke on my cheek made me look beside me at the man who was haunting my dreams.

"Bellisima." (Beautiful) He whispered, making me frown slightly because I didn't understand what he had just said, but I was broken out of whatever trance I was in when someone jogged in the library and stopped right in front of me, making me look up and nearly gasp.

"Are you Heather Elias?" The guy asked me, his bright blue eyes looking into mine, a grin plastered on his face showcasing his pearly white teeth and his messy brown hair tousled on his head, making him look like he just woke up.

Hot damn.

Looks like I've found the distraction I so desperately needed.