Alex Gray
"That's huge!", Aleena exclaimed. She turned around to thank Sofia but she was already walking back.
"Hey, thanks! What's your name, by the way?", Aleena asked Sofia.
Uninterested in any conversation, Sofia looked back and said, "Sofia", and went downstairs.
Aleena thought that was a little weird but teenagers are usually moody so Aleena didn't pay much attention to it. She went on to explore the room and looked through the window. There was a beautiful garden outside the mansion with a couple of gardeners taking care of it. After sometime, her luggage had arrived in the room so she decided to take bath and change.
She bathed and walked out of the bathroom, wrapped only with a towel. As she stepped out, she saw Argus sitting on the bed with some papers. Before she could say anything, Argus lifted up his head from the papers and looked towards Aleena.
He stands up immediately and asks, "What are you doing in my room?"
"This is where I was brought on your orders. I should be the one questioning you", Aleena replied.
There was silence for a moment as Argus contemplated that it was not Aleena's fault. Aleena stood and couldn't help but notice the unbuttoned shirt that showed Argus's collarbone and a little bit of his chest. He had rolled his sleeves which showed off his wrists with veins popping up.
Argus caught Aleena noticing him and walked towards her.
"Hey, wait! Why, why are you coming closer?", Aleena asked while being uncomfortable with the increasing proximity.
"Done checking me out?", Argus questioned looking directly into her eyes.
"What ! I wasn't checking you out", Aleena replied.
Argus realized that Aleena was slightly shivering due to her wet body covered only by a towel.
Argus turned around and said, "Change quickly. I have something important to discuss".
Aleena thought he was going to leave the room but she was wrong. She saw him going near the door only to lock it and sat on his study table facing the wall.
"You aren't leaving?", Aleena asked.
"No. You have ten minutes. Change quickly. My time is worth more than anything", Argus said arrogantly.
"Of course. It's worth more than someone's privacy", Aleena replied back. She knew that there was no point in arguing with him so she started to unpack her bag and dresses up quickly. After she was done, she asked him what he wanted to discuss.
"Thanks miss, for taking two minutes less. Appreciate it", Argus said looking at his watch.
"Now you are wasting our time. Come to the point", Aleena said.
Argus turned around and walked up to her. He took a deep breath and then told her that he had to make the contract papers but for that he had to ask her something. He sounded death serious.
"What do you want to know?", Aleena asked him.
"What is your name? I need to mention it in the contract papers", he asked.
There was a moment of silence in the room before Aleena spoke.
"You don't know my name yet?", Aleena questioned. She couldn't believe he didn't know the name of the girl he just married.
"What's there to be surprised about? It's not like you are a popular celebrity or something", he said.
"But it's not like you are deaf either. You didn't hear the priest announce us as husband and wife?", Aleena spoke.
Argus tried to recall that moment and remembered that he was just too lost admiring Aleena's beauty at that time and didn't hear the priest's announcement.
"I might have been thinking about my upcoming business plans", he replied.
"So what is it?", he asked again.
"Aleena Hilton. Aleena with double E", she replied.
"Okay, Aleena with double E, I am off for now but you will see me soon again", Argus said and picked up the papers from the table that he brought with him.
Argus left and Aleena sighed relief seeing no one in the room. She grabbed her phone and saw her notifications flooding with messages from her two friends.
"Reached"
"How is the place?"
"What are you doing?"
Seeing so many questions, she simply decides to conference call both of them.
Meanwhile, the news and photos of the their wedding had reached to the people of the country. The news channels displayed headlines of the Billionaire marrying a commoner. While many girls were heart – broken with the news of their dream man marrying someone, many just ignored it.
However, the news was of great significance to someone.
"Country's most wanted bachelor, Argus Wilson, the billionaire took vows on 22nd of this month, breaking the hearts of many."
The news was going on in the background while a young man was working on his laptop.
Whatever the anchor uttered didn't seem to bother him at first, until, he mentioned whom Argus married.
"When asked, Mr. Wilson revealed that he met Aleena Hilton, his wife, in a bar. It was also when he decided that he wanted to spend the rest of her life with her".
The shiver of shock went through his body and his eyes lifted from his laptop screen to the television. With his raised eyebrows and frowned forehead, he watched the news only to see if it was really the girl he was thinking about.
"Aleena Hilton?", he said under his breath.
He said nothing but a wicket smile appeared on his lips.
On the other side, Aleena and her friends too were discussing about the news of their wedding.
"He must have known by now", Aleena said to his friends.
"He is a busy man. We can't be sure of it", Ryle said.
"Sooner or later, he will know about it", Luna said.
"I can't wait to move ahead though I am little overwhelmed with so many emotions right now. Everything happened in a blink of eyes. I am married, I am living away from my parents and you two – everything seems blurry", Aleena said.
Hearing Aleena speak with such uncertainty, Luna and Ryle were furious. They reminded her how they planned everything and now they were way too ahead on their path to return back.
"I don't want to step back, guys. I was just overwhelmed. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten what happened three years back. Everything we planned will happen, very soon", Aleena reassured her friends and herself.
"That's more like our Aleena, Aleena Hilton", Luna said.
Before more conversation could take place, there was a knock on the door. Aleena cut the call and went towards the door and opened it. It was a servant. She informed her that the lunch was ready and asked her if she wanted to have it in her room.
She thought that since there was no one in the mansion apart from Argus and she herself, it would be better to have it in the room itself.
"I will have it here", she replied.
Just then, another servant came and informed her that Argus has called her down to have lunch.
"So he's commanding me now", Aleena thought in her mind. But responded saying that she will be there.
She walked down the stairs and found Argus sitting on the sofa.
"I know you must be hungry. Come, let's have lunch together", Argus said and offered his hand to hold Aleena's.
Aleena hesitated at first but then, Argus came closer and asked her to do as he said. Aleena obeyed him and held his hand. Argus took her to the dinning table and sat next to her. They were served and left alone by the servants.
"Why are we pretending to be a real couple?", Aleena asked him.
"Well, we are a real couple for the coming six months", Argus replied while having his pasta.
Aleena looked at him, a little irritated.
Argus put his fork down and said, "It's a show. We just have to pretend to be in love".
"Even inside your house?", Aleena asked.
"Yes, even inside the house", Argus replied. "We have to be careful of the walls and the ceilings too, they can hear", he added.
They finished the lunch and Argus returned back to his office while, Aleena took a walk in the garden. So, many flowers yet her eyes were stuck only on the white lilies that were blooming and spreading its fragrance.
She walked closer to the flowers and gently cupped them and admired them. But within seconds, she drew her hands away and her breathing became faster. Her face turned red and rage was evident on her face.
"I hate my favourite flowers, and it's because of you, Alex Gray. I am coming for you", Aleena said.
Who is Alex Gray? What has he done for Aleena to hate him?