Chapter 14: She’s different from the other women.

Albert made a soft chuckle. " Then I don't know her cause."

Alëna gave a soft smile. " Alright Sir, I will get going." Alëna said and turned to leave.

She expected Albert to ask for her name but to her surprise he didn't say another word. She looked behind at him one more and he was just staring at her. She shook her head and then walked out of the party.

Caleb, Albert's assistant, appeared at his side, a discreet cough alerting Albert to his presence. "Excuse me, sir," Caleb said, his voice low. "Who was the woman you were just talking to?"

Albert's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the mysterious woman make her way out of the party.

"I'm not entirely sure," he admitted. "We didn't exactly exchange introductions."

Caleb's eyes flicked to the departing woman, his expression thoughtful. "I'll see if I can find out who she is, sir," he said.

Albert's eyes refocused on Caleb, and he shook his head. "No, Caleb. I don't want you to look into her background."

Caleb's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Sir?" he asked, his voice questioning.

Albert's expression was firm. "I want to leave her alone, Caleb. She seems like a private person, and I don't want to intrude on her life. Besides, She looks elegant and respectable. I think she's different from these other women who keep on throwing themselves on me."

Caleb nodded, though his expression still looked puzzled. "Very well, sir," he said. "I'll respect your wishes."

Albert nodded, his eyes drifting back to the door through which Alëna had disappeared.

He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd just let something special slip away.

Alëna pulled out her phone as soon as she was settled into the car. She dialed Mariam's number, and her boss answered on the first ring.

"Report," Mariam said, her voice crisp and businesslike.

Alëna filled Mariam in on the details of her conversation with Albert, including the confrontation with Alyssa. Mariam listened attentively, asking occasional questions.

When Alëna finished, Mariam's voice was thoughtful. "Good work, Alëna," she said. "You've made contact with Albert. Now it's time to take the next step."

"What's the next step?" Asked.

"Now that you've made contact with Albert, it's time to take things to the next level. We need to make him fall in love with you, Alëna."

Alëna's eyes narrowed. She knew what Mariam was asking her to do. "And then?" she asked, her voice neutral.

Mariam's laughter was cold. "And then, of course, we break his heart. Completely and utterly destroy him."

Alëna felt a shiver run down her spine. She had known that the mission would involve manipulating Albert's emotions, but hearing Mariam say it out loud made her feel uneasy.

Alëna took a deep breath and pushed aside her doubts. She had a job to do, and she was going to see it through.

"I'll do it," she said, her voice firm. "I'll make him fall in love with me."

Mariam's voice was approving. "I knew I could count on you, Alëna. You have a reputation for being one of the best."

Alëna felt a surge of pride at the compliment, but it was quickly followed by a pang of guilt. She was about to manipulate and hurt someone, all for the sake of money.

—-

As Alëna walked into her house, Augustine's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, you look...different," he said, taking in Alëna's elegant dress and styled hair.

Alëna smiled wryly, feeling a bit self-conscious about her outfit. "I had to dress up for a party," she explained.

Augustine's eyes sparkled with excitement. "A party? Which party? Was it fun?" he asked, peppering Alëna with questions.

Alëna laughed, feeling a bit more at ease. "It was a charity gala," she said. "And yes, it was...interesting."

Augustine's eyes narrowed. "Interesting?" he repeated. "What does that mean?"

Alëna hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But Augustine's curious expression was hard to resist.

Alëna smiled, trying to downplay the significance of the party. "I just met some interesting people, that's all," she said. "It was a pretty typical charity gala."

Augustine looked skeptical, but he didn't press the issue. "Okay, cool," he said. "I'm just glad you're home safe."

Alëna felt a pang of guilt for not telling Augustine the whole truth. But she knew that her mission was confidential, and she couldn't risk revealing her true intentions to anyone.

——-

Albert walked into his mansion, his mind still reeling from the events of the party. He couldn't shake the image of the beautiful girl he had met, the one with the piercing green eyes and raven-black hair.

As he poured himself a drink, he found himself wondering who she was. She hadn't given him her name, and he hadn't seen her with anyone else at the party.

Albert's curiosity was piqued. He wanted to know more about this mysterious woman. He made a mental note to ask Caleb to look into it, but then he remembered that he had told Caleb not to investigate her.

Albert's phone rang, shrill in the silence of his mansion. He hesitated for a moment before answering, his mind still preoccupied with the mysterious woman.

"Hello?" he said, his voice curt.

"Albert, it's Alyssa," the voice on the other end said, sounding contrite. "I'm so sorry about what happened at the party. I was completely out of line."

Albert sighed, rubbing his temples. He didn't have time for Alyssa's drama. "Alyssa, it's fine," he said. "Just forget about it, okay?"

Alyssa's voice turned sulky. "Fine," she said. "But can I at least see you tomorrow? I promise I'll make it up to you."

Albert hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He didn't want to encourage Alyssa's behavior, but at the same time, he didn't want to hurt her feelings either.