The entire night Nicholas contemplated doing what Maxwell suggested. Would it work? Would she finally fall for him? No, he couldn’t stoop so low. He would give her some space and meet her after a few days when he was well enough to move about freely. Although his heart wanted to meet Alyssa and demand an explanation for breaking her promise to him, he tried hard to restrain himself.
For the next two weeks Nicholas concentrated on his health but not once did he stop thinking of Alyssa. It surprised him that she didn’t call him even once. Although he had resumed work the day after his release from the hospital, he refrained from visiting Alyssa or calling her. It wasn’t because she was staying at her brother’s place but because he needed to rethink his strategies with her. With his need to have her again in his arms, driving him crazy, he knew he had to try another way to approach her. He cared little about Alexander’s wrath, but he cared about Alyssa’s opinion of him.
He had engaged Jake many times to keep track of her whereabouts over the last three weeks. She had settled down at her job and had actively helped Eva with her wedding preparations.
With Maxwell and Eva’s wedding coming up, he waited eagerly to meet Alyssa, who was the maid of honor. With a smile on his face, he drove past Bellevue hospital on his way home from work. The wish to see Alyssa was so strong that he did not know how he steered the car into the parking area of the hospital. Getting down, he went to the administrative office at the backside to check up on Alyssa.
“Ms. Van Every has taken leave for five days. She’ll be back on Monday, sir,” informed the receptionist. Nicholas was very disappointed, but he thanked the woman and walked out of the hospital. Why did Alyssa take a five-day leave? The wedding was on Saturday evening, so she could easily have worked till Friday.
Feeling frustrated, he drove over to Alexander’s apartment to meet her. He was determined to meet her whatever it took. He had given her two weeks to contact him, but she hadn’t even taken an update on his health. It seemed as if she was eager to break all ties with him, but he wouldn’t allow that to happen. Parking his car, he climbed out and walked towards the security guards.
“Is Ms. Van Every at home?” he asked.
“No, she left in the morning with her luggage.”
“Thanks for the information,” said Nicholas and strode angrily towards his car. Once seated, he called Sienna to take an update on Alyssa.
“Alyssa and Eva are at the Parkview Hotel for Eva’s pre-wedding bash. Mom and I’ll be joining them in an hour,” Sienna informed him excitedly, but Nicholas seethed with anger. While he was looking for her all over the city, she was having fun at a hotel with her friends! After disconnecting the call, Nicholas drove over to the Parkview Hotel to see Alyssa. He would confront her by any means. How could she just ignore his existence? The chemistry they shared, the magic between them, was no joke, nor a one-time fling to be forgotten so easily.
Alyssa gazed at her reflection in the full-length mirror of the suite room at the Parkview Hotel, where Maxwell had a booking for them. It was his idea that they all give Eva a pre-wedding bash. They all contributed to the event, generously wanting Eva to find the happiness she really deserved. With her step-dad giving her access to her bank account again, money wasn’t an issue with Alyssa now.
She glanced at a stressed Eva who stood at the window, ready in her blush pink off-shoulder gown and felt a tug at her heartstrings. It seemed as if Eva was still waiting for something or someone to appear miraculously. She knew her friend still wanted Alexander and although Maxwell was a wonderful man; she wasn’t happy!
“Shall we go, Eva?” she asked softly. Eva turned to look at her and smiled sadly, her eyes lacking their lustre, her cheeks had lost their glow. Alyssa held her hand and led her out of the room.
“Forget him, Eva. He won’t come.”
“I’m not waiting for anyone but I was thinking about my parents. I wish they were here to walk me down the aisle.” Alyssa sighed, as this was the first time her friend had missed her parents, but there was nothing she could do about it.
“Aunt Claudia loves you, Eva, and she has offered to walk you down the aisle of her own free will. I think that’s far better than forcing your parents to do it when they haven’t ever taken any update on you.”
“Yes, you’re right. I’m lucky to have aunt Claudia care for me so much. She has done a lot for me so far,” said Eva. It was true since Nicholas’s mom went out of her way to plan this wedding, buying her all her wedding fineries, and declining Maxwell’s offer. Eva thanked her again and again but she just waved her off.
They went down the elevator to the banquet hall to wait for the rest of the guests. No one had arrived yet and Eva went out to the adjoining open terrace to breathe in the fresh air. Their friends were about to arrive soon while aunt Claudia and Sienna would arrive together. The rest of the guests were all Maxwell’s family and friends, most of whom Eva had already met. They were easygoing, fun-loving people despite being filthy rich. Unlike Alexander’s parents, his parents loved and accepted her unconditionally as one of them. However, more than them, it was Maxwell’s honest and kind nature that overwhelmed her and she couldn’t deny his offer of a stable future. It might be a loveless marriage, but it was better than living alone, waiting for a miracle to happen.
“Maxwell’s family is here, Eva. Aren’t you coming down to welcome them?” said Alyssa, bringing her out of her reverie.
“Yes, I’ll be there in a minute,” said Eva as she wiped her eyes and walked inside the banquet hall to face everyone without showing the hurricane swirling inside her. Alyssa excused herself and went to the washroom to freshen up. With Eva’s sad eyes haunting her mind, she hardly noticed Nicholas striding angrily toward her.
She collided with him and looked up, flustered and shocked, at seeing him suddenly here. “You? What are you doing here, Nicholas?” she gasped as he grabbed her arm to stop her from disappearing again.
“I’ve come to get you, Alyssa. How long will you escape me?” he hissed while she gaped at him. It was true that she had been avoiding him for the last two weeks. It wasn’t completely because of Alexander’s threat, but had something to do with her own reaction to him. She knew he didn’t love her and there was no future in such a one-sided relationship based on pure lust. So the only way to control herself from agreeing to his indecent proposals was to avoid him. Although there wasn’t a single moment when she didn’t miss him, it was working till now.
“Why would I need to escape you?” Alyssa tried to extricate herself from his grip but his fingers tightened all the more.
“Don’t lie, Alyssa. You broke your promise to me.” Alyssa looked away, unable to hold his gaze. She knew she had, but how could she tell him what exactly she was feeling? “I waited for you, hungry, unwell, but you didn’t come home. You didn’t even call to ask if I am alive.”
“It’s best we stay away from each other, Nicholas.” Nicholas scoffed and pulled her along toward the other end of the corridor. “Where are you taking me? I have to go back to Eva’s party.” However, her protests fell on deaf ears as Nicholas took her straight to the elevator.
“Nicholas, let me go. My friend needs me.”
“I need you more.” She gaped at him, wondering what exactly he had in mind now. The elevator went down while Alyssa panicked, not liking the desperate look in his eyes.
“Nicholas, we can talk later, after the event. Please, I need to go.” She pushed at him, but he didn’t release his hold on her arms.
“We’ve talked enough.” Alyssa gaped at his determined face. What did he mean by that? He led her out of the hotel to a car and pushed her inside. Before she could react, he followed her in and the car started speeding away.
“Where exactly are you taking me? Can’t it wait till Eva’s party is over?” she cried, reaching for the door. Nicholas caught her and pulled her flush onto his lap, imprisoning her there.
“No, this time I’m not listening to a word you say,” he gritted out while Alyssa gaped at him. Where was he abducting her? Had he gone crazy?