Mystic Bar

Damn it!

Ashley flocked all of her potential, good-to-go, dresses on the bed. It was the first day but she was on the verge of going mad.

She picked up the first dress. It was a plane beige coloured maxi, a pretty one but much better for a casual outing.

Ashley bit her lip and shook her head. Throwing it away, she picked up another.

It was black in colour, the most eternal. The dress was really beautiful but it was from a few years back. It was too short on her now.

Had it not been for the length, Ashley would have put it on. She threw it away as well.

Just as the pile of unfit clothes got big and bigger, the urge to cry also increased. This was mentally exhausting!

Before this, Ashley had to never worry about the clothes. She could decide in a jiff what she wanted to wear.

This time was different though. Ashley was neither getting ready for herself and nor for Michael. She did not want to appear pleasing in his eyes.

It was an act. She had repeated it countless times in her mind. Whereas on one hand, it gave her a relief, on the other, it rose the stress of the dress.

The very reason it was an act of being the girlfriend of one of the most influential CEO's of future, she had to be presented just like that.

She needed to look like a long-time, happy girlfriend of an extremely rich boyfriend. Rather than someone who was just hired yesterday!

Ashley grabbed her hair, almost pulling them out of roots when her doorbell rang. Her neck twisted to the clock, it was half past five.

Just as she opened the door, there was no one. She took a step outside to look when her right foot bumped into a hard cardboard box.

"Ouch!" She grabbed her toe where a sharp pain had bursted. "Who the heck kept the box here?!"

Wait a second.

Why was it here? Whose was it? Ashley crouched down and looked at the name of the receiver.

Ashley Parker.

It was for her. Dubiously, she picked it up and brought it inside. Unwrapping it, she was enthralled to find a beautiful dress inside with a pair of matching heels.

A card was there.

'Get Ready By Sharp Seven.'

Quickly, Ashley understood who must have sent it. Keeping the card aside, she took out the dress.

It was a light-blue, bodycon dress, meant to hug her curves. A thin strap supported the corset like upper design. She put it along her body, it went to mid of her thighs.

Ashley was happy to see the dress but...

Couldn't they have sent it a little earlier or at least gave her a heads up that the dress would be delivered?!

That way she wouldn't have gone rushing all around to find anything suitable.

The corner of her mouth twitched but she collected the dress carefully and went to get ready. Maybe the proposal was not that bad infact.

If she were to get to wear such beautiful dresses for the next three years, the ones she did not even dare to imagine on her before, Ashley shouldn't complain.

By the sharp seven, as stated clearly in the message, Ashley stood out if her building. A car pulled over a the exact time.

Rechecking it on her watch, Ashley would not deny that she was surprised. They were damn punctual on time.

This time the door opened and there was Steve on passenger seat with a new face on the driver's. One look and there was simply irritation adorned on his face.

Steve opened the backdoor for her, "Good evening, Miss Parker. Kindly get inside."

"Thankyou." She muttered and made herself comfortable. Honestly, she couldn't really sit fully comfortably.

"Miss Parker, we will reach the Mystic Bar within half an hour." Steve began with his pointers.

Ashley would really appreciate him, at least he was letting her know the bits and pieces rather than straight away throwing her directly into the situation.

Although even Ashley knew it was all because they did not want their plan to be ruined in any way.

However, she would appreciate it even more if Steve could leave his robotically structured voice behind. Otherwise the doubts that appear in her mind, quickly settle back because of his mechanical tone.

"The guests present would be the higher-ups of the company. The major investers- both domestic and foreign are also to be expected."

At this moment, a frustrated groan came from the driver's seat. Steve paused and even Ashley looked there.

"Could you speak with a bit more interest? Stop speaking like those nerds who have been told to read a literary paragraph!"

Her brows naturally formed an arch. This time Ashley wanted to look at Steve and nod her head along in agreement.

Sir, please! Just a little more interest! Just a pinch more!

Ashley did not know who exactly was this man. But if he could speak in that tone with Steve, the left-hand man of Michael, he must not be anything less in status.

Then...Ashley eyed him, why was he the driver? From the looks of it, could he be forced?

Steve, the next second began just as he was reading before, smoothly ignoring the person on driver's seat. "Miss Parker, what we expect from you is to silently tag along with our boss."

Ashley slightly nodded. What else could she even do amidst the strangers?

"As if she got any other option." The man on the driver's seat again muttered.

Ashley moved her gaze once more to him. Who was this person? His thoughts matched hers a lot.