Turning her body in a different direction, Aaliyah posed stiffly, her gaze meeting another pair of familiar eyes that worked like a calming pill on her system. The shock of seeing the boss himself was greater, and Aaliyah could hear her heart drumming in her head.
“She is looking at you,” Samantha cooed in Volkov’s ears, but rather than answering her, Volkov kept looking at Aaliyah.
“Something is wrong.” Volkov stood when Aaliyah turned around and left.
She was looking at him, but for some reason, she didn’t react to him. He would’ve felt good seeing she wasn’t weirded by his presence anymore if she didn’t have that anxious look on her face. It felt like her mind didn’t even acknowledge his presence.
When she entered and started walking like a queen, he was proud of her. Everything was going fine until she posed. Could it be that she saw someone in the crowd? The mere thought of her fearing someone or someone threatening her made Volkov clench his fist as he felt anger building inside him.
“This is the best part here. Katherine had shown me this dress, and I think it would look perfect – Mr. V is something wrong? Do you not like it?” Mrs. Costa asked, and Volkov looked at the hand that was grabbing his, making her retreat awkwardly as she smiled stiffly before sitting down, her gaze following his back.
“You know it’s forbidden to touch him without his permission, don’t you? Were you trying your luck? Could you at least think about your marriage before doing something so shameless?” Samantha raised her brows at Mrs. Costa, and the latter bowed her head in shame.
“I am sorry, Miss Samantha. It was unintentional,” Mrs. Costa said, and Samantha scoffed before standing and walking towards the back exit, knowing all too well Volkov would make his presence known soon.
“Aaliyah! That was great. You just need to go on the stage one more time,” Katherine’s words were like distant whispers in her head as Aaliyah pressed her lips into a thin line before she pushed Katherine away from her way.
“Aaliyah! Is something wrong? Where are you going?” Katherine asked, confused, not going behind her as she needed to tend to other girls.
Taking deep breaths, Aaliyah supported her back on the wall to calm her heartbeat.
She closed her eyes to forget about his smirk, biting her lower lip.
‘Aaliyah, don’t let that man win over you. He enjoys your anxiousness, and that’s what you are giving him. You can’t let him have this power over you. It was in the past. You are not the same girl as before,’ Aaliyah told herself before she stood straight, ready to go back.
As she turned around, she widened her eyes when someone held her hand from behind before pulling her.
“Hey, you okay?” Ashton’s voice rang, and Aaliyah felt like growling at him.
“Geez, Ashton! Is that how you ask for someone’s well-being? By scaring them even more? I was inches away from pulling out my knife on you,” Aaliyah gritted her teeth.
“I am sorry. I was just worried because I saw how troubled you looked on the stage,” Ashton said, and Volkov, who was standing not far from them, lit his cigarette before taking a whiff.
“I am fine. I need to go for the final walk,” Aaliyah jerked her hand away before leaving, making Volkov squint his brows as he looked at Ashton, who was gazing at his hand that was grabbing Aaliyah’s hand with a lost look on his face.
As a man, he knew exactly what was going inside this boy’s head, making his brows twitch before he took a final whiff and extinguished the remaining.
“I want to see the CCTV footage,” Volkov ordered someone on the phone.
If his assumption about Aaliyah fearing someone was correct, he should be able to find the man in the CCTV footage.
“Thank God you are back. You will walk with me along with Jennifer. These two dresses are the highlights of my show,” Katherine deliberately ignored Aaliyah’s look because she didn’t want to ruin her mood before she ushered the girls to stand with her. She will just have to ask her after the show is over.
“This is it,” Katherine put a big smile on her face as they walked to the entrance before linking her hands with the girls, making everyone stand and clap for them as Katherine bowed.
“What a marvelous collection we had here. I am sure everyone loved it. It’s hard to keep everyone’s gaze on your collection when you are the last in line, but Miss Katherine Gold did it beautifully with the Black Beauty collection. She deserves a large round of applause,” The host said, and everyone clapped even harder while Aaliyah’s gaze searched the crowd for that man.
She wanted to know if he was still there to torment her, but when she didn’t find him, she relaxed a little before smiling.
“You did excellently, all of you. This was all possible because of your efforts,” Katherine gushed backstage, and Aaliyah rolled her eyes at her sister, who was giving credit to others.
Walking back to the room to get into her casual clothes, Aaliyah quickly changed before hanging the dress on the hanger for the makeup artist to take it later.
“Katherine, the dress and the heels are in the room. I am leaving now,” Aaliyah briefly said to Katherine, who was basking in the glory of her show before she walked out.
“Aaliyah, sweetheart. You can wait with me in the car. I will drop you home before going to the hospital,” Laura said, but Aaliyah wanted to leave the place. She could see that Laura would stay more to support her elder daughter.
She didn’t want to look like she was jealous of her sister’s achievement by acting so sore, and that’s why Aaliyah left the place alone.
She knew her friends had already left. Ashton was called by his father because of something in the coastal ring, and the other two left for whatever reasons she was unaware of.
As she neared a cafe, she felt someone following her again. Aaliyah walked by a car to see who was following her in the side mirror and smiled when it was whom she wanted.
Well, isn’t this an opportunity handed on the silver platter? That’s what she wanted. Now that he has stalked her and made her life hell, she will not give him the satisfaction of seeing the fear in her eyes.
Quickly turning to the less busy side of the city with alleys, Aaliyah placed her hand on the gun as she kept walking to seclude him.
He has been doing this for two years, and she will take revenge on him now. This boss will not live another day to torment her. This is the time. Aaliyah told herself to stay motivated as she kept walking.
As she turned the corner to the dark alley, she brought the gun out of her pocket before hiding it behind her as she waited for the boss to arrive.
The footsteps were nearing her.
One, two, three. She pointed the gun at the man, widening her eyes when she noticed who it was.
“Aaliyah,” Volkov spoke gently, his gaze falling on her trembling hands holding the gun.
“Mr. Volkov,” her voice was barely a whisper as she tried to look behind him to see if the boss was coming, but Volkov held her face and forced her to look at him.
“When I am here, you don’t need to search for any other man. I am enough,” Volkov looked her in the eyes before smirking.
“Enough to torment, scare, allure, arouse, and please you,” Volkov spoke each word with a promise while rubbing her lower lip with his thumb before taking the gun from her hand and stuffing it in his pocket as if it was the most normal thing to do.
He could sense that it shocked Aaliyah, and she wasn’t acting like herself. If not, Aaliyah would’ve already retorted, but right now, she was quiet, as if her mind was somewhere else, and he didn’t like the feeling of it.
He took advantage of the opportunity and kissed the corner of her lips, and whatever daze she was in immediately vanished as she looked at him wide-eyed.
All her attention was on him now. Just like how he wanted and liked.
“Mr. Volkov! What is wrong with you?” She gasped, touching her lips, and he chuckled at her flushed cheeks.
“Gather your attention perhaps,” He said mischievously.
If she could remember how passionately they had kissed before and how she rubbed herself into him before tearing off his shirt, she wouldn’t act like this. Volkov smirked at the wild thoughts.
Throwing her on his shoulders like a sack of potatoes, despite her wish and flailing of legs, Volkov walked back to the auditorium hall in large strides.
Dimitri has already informed him that Aaliyah’s mom and many other guests have already left, and Katherine and a few more clients were the only ones in the hall.
Aaliyah pounded her fists on his back, but it felt like only her fists were hurting with no effect on his back, and seeing he had no intention of letting her go, Aaliyah let him take her wherever he wanted.
He was probably the only man who had the power to do so. No matter how strong Aaliyah was, she always felt weak in front of him. Not the weak who would lose in a ring in a fight, but the weak who would open her legs if he tried something.
“Stupid girl. Who told you to run away in seclusion when you felt stalked? Did you want to become a murderer?” Volkov spoke after a long time, bringing her out of her imagination, and her cheeks flushed when she realized where her thoughts were taking her again.
Placing her on the audience seats gently, Volkov sat on his toes in front of her, looking up at her.
“Miss Aaliyah, what a -” Dimitri started with a smile, but Samantha held his hand right in time before Volkov shot a death glare at him, making him retreat.
“Aaliyah, didn’t you leave already? Why do you look so disheveled? Did something happen?” Katherine asked, confused by Mr. V’s presence with her sister.
“Sweetheart,” Bryce walked towards Katherine, and she beamed at him before they kissed in front of everyone, making Aaliyah look away, her gaze landing on Mr. Volkov, who was looking at her with interest.
“What?” She mouthed, and he just shook his head.
“Bring the ointment,” Volkov spoke, and soon the ointment was placed on his extended hand.
Volkov gently removed Aaliyah’s boots and looked at her legs, which were now becoming swollen and couldn’t help but want to curse his friend’s girlfriend, a. k. a Aaliyah’s sister, for this.
“Bryce, what is Mr. V doing with my sister?” Katherine hushed after they gained their composure, confused by what was going on.
It was during one of the modeling consignments when she had seen and met Bryce for the first time. That time she was modeling in the Paris fashion show, and Mr. V was one of the important clients there, just like he came today as the important friend of Mrs. Costa.
Though he was young, Katherine heard he was not someone to be tinkered with. He has a solid background people don’t even dare to talk about.
Naturally, Bryce and Katherine felt attracted to each other when her manager introduced her to Mr. V and Bryce at that time. They shared contacts, and that’s exactly how their love bloomed.
The only thing she knew about Mr. V was that he was Bryce’s friend and boss. That was the most she could talk about. His name wasn’t something that could be taken casually in the market. His name came with royalty, and the royalty with the danger of death.
Seeing the same men whose looks could kill and bury someone 6 feet under holding her sister’s foot as if they were some kind of precious gems, Katherine didn’t know how to react.
If Mr. V could invest in her shows, they would be one super hit overnight, but she knew to keep her personal and professional life separate. However, the main question was still lingering in the air like the elephant in the room.
What was Mr. V’s relationship with her sister?