Today is the second day of his exhibition. And he looked dazzling in his dark blue velvet shirt that I bought, with black trousers and he wore a bangle that I bought too. He slipped his hair behind his ears like usual, cute. And I wear a matching dress with him. He bought me a dress in light blue with a small florals design which makes me anxious to wear it. The square neck design shows too much of my skin, as the waist cut highlighting my curves. The length is a perfect thought. It's not overexposed, but it's my first time wearing something like this. To attend an event.
I looked at my small side braids which took me thirty minutes to braid, clipped them behind with my small white hair claw, clipping both of my braids behind, letting my long wavy hair fall, reaching my waist. I put on light makeup, enough to make me look healthy.
I glanced at him who staring at me with his arms folding, eyeing me getting ready. He is smiling before he changed his expression and pouting.
"You look too beautiful…" he said, pouting. He looked expressionless and I couldn't read his mind at all. Not even his voice.
"You don't like it?" I looked back at the mirror. I think I look decent, at the least.
"No, princess...sometimes you need to listen attentively. I said you look too beautiful," he said, walking closer to me. He wrapped his hands around my waist and kissed my neck. "Too beautiful, it's blinding." he rested his head on my shoulder, looking at me through the mirror. It's cringed me.
"Darling. I love it so much that I could eat you right now." He whispers right next to my ear,. I frowned though. It's scary when he said that. I should run away from him."Baby...I love you so much."
And I blushed at that. I could see myself getting red, not only my face but my ears and neck too! God, he's killing me. What if I get high blood pressure at age twenty- six?
He let out a chuckle, which annoyed me, finally turning me to face him. I just staring at his chest, unable to lift my eyes to meet his.
"Why are you looking at my chest?" he asked, I know he is teasing, and he gaped dramatically, crossing his hands around his chest. "Pervert!"
I looked at him with a frown and scoffed. Say a man who said creepy stuff to his girlfriend. How dare him! I slapped his arm, overpower, making him whining, and my hand's burning. We both groaned in pain.
"Ready?" He asked, still rubbing his arm. I nodded and grabbed my handbag, and ready to go.
Another challenge of the day, using the lift. He let go of my hand as soon as we stood there.
"Today, you need to treat me like a stranger when you're inside, okay? You need to set your mind that you're using the lift in public and other people get into it. Men at most." he started to brief. I nodded as I understand. He suddenly passed me a pepper spray. "If anything happened inside, especially when you're not with me, use this. Spray right into their eyes, and then you need to kick them at their groin. Okay?"
I nodded and staring at the pepper spray. Kick at their groin. Noted.
"Carry this all the time." I nodded again. "Answer me, princess." I looked at him, he sounds a bit stern.
"Yes, I understand," I said. And the lift open, and he gets into it first. I took a deep breath and get into it. As the door closed, I could feel the air thicken and I slowly choking.
I immediately played with my necklace, counting one to ten, but let my eyes wide open. And suddenly the lift stop and the door open. Two young ladies entered the lift and the silence grows louder.
So far, I'm okay. I think. The lift stops again and one man gets inside. And the lift stopped again at level twenty, three men came in. I moved closer to Ayden, and he pushed me to the corner, he knows that I getting uncomfortable.
He held my hand and bent a little. "Good job, baby. You did it." He whispered. I couldn't help but smile. It's only halfway through though.
And we arrived at the underground parking lot and we both got into his car. I snooze the whole ride. Completely out. I think I sleep a lot these days. Too much, and I haven't got any nightmares.
And when I opened my eyes, I looked around and found out that we were right in front of the gallery. I looked beside me and he sleeping too. I glanced at my watch and gasped. It's noon. How long did I sleeping? We out at eight in the morning and now it's twelve! Is it over already?
I slowly shake his shoulder and he opened his eyes easily.
"Good morning, princess," he said with a huge grin.
"Why didn't you wake me up, what about your exhibition?" I asked him, feeling guilty. Aren't he is the star of the show?
"Ah...it's fine, I was already here yesterday. And it's lunch hour. We still got times." he said, shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.
"You're the star of the show!"
"And you are the star of my life, sweetheart," he said, winking one of his eyes. "Did you get a good sleep?" he asked, stroking my neck gently.
"It feels sore, huh? I couldn't find the neck pillow," he mumbling, looking at the back seat. Of course, you couldn't find it, I washed and dried it.
"Not really, did you get a good nap?"
"Yeah, as long as I'm with you…" he mumbled. "Well, let's go inside shall we?" I nodded. Unbuckle my seat bag and grabbed my bag with me. He turned off the engine and get out of the car. I did the same, fixing my dress and hair. I looked at the dark window to check if my makeup still looks good.
I think I'm still good, and he then held my hand and we walked to the entrance.
Anxiety started to rise when I saw some people taking photos of us. Clicking sounds entered my ears and I tried to hide behind him. I thought it's 'lunch hour'.
By the time the clicking sounds stop and we are both already inside the gallery. The insides are different from before. It looks more elegant and expensive. The walls were filled with huge frames and people were amazed by the photographs.
"Mr Winter." I glanced at the familiar voice, it's miss Susan. "You are here. You will be on stage after lunch hour," she said, glancing at me with a small wave. I waved her back.
"Anything happened before I came?" he asked, sounds so stern. You know, the bosses voices.
"Everything went well, just a few clients, reporters, journalists, and sponsors come by and asking for you. I told them, you will be hereafter lunch since you weren't well yesterday."
I stunned. Reporter and journalist? And sponsors? How successful is he? I know he is a professional photographer but what the hell. He is out of my league. Completely out!
"Okay. Uh...princess. I'll be doing some of my works, I will be right back, okay. And remembered, if you feel unsafe, use the thing I gave you just now. If you need anything, just asked her to help you. She will be around. Okay?" he looked at me with gentle eyes, his finger pointing at Susan. His voice changes are on point too. He was all stern and cold when his talking to Susan and he was a total softie when he talked to me. Wow.
I nodded and smile at him.
"Okay, I will just look around. You don't need to worry."
He stared at me for few seconds and hugged me as if it was the last time.
"I will be right back, baby." He said, taking a small run to somewhere. Leaving me and Susan alone.
"And I will be right there if you need me, Miss Iyves. I will be at the concierge desk, right over there. And if you're bored, come over. We can talk there since I have to sit there." she said, all chatty. I looked back in the direction she pointed. Why would she be there, isn't she's a secretary, right? I thought that she will be stuck around Ayden for the whole day.
"Alright...I will look around first. Thank you, Miss Susan." And she hugged me and I don't know what to do except hugged her back. She finally walked to the concierge desk and sent me a tiny wave. I never know she's such a friendly and cute person. I'm felt heat on my face, I'm shy. Haha.
I slowly walked and observed his work. As I expected, he has golden hands. His photography looks like a painting, especially the view photographs. Simple, and beautiful.
I walked behind the wall, there are more photographs that I hadn't seen before. And I kept wandering around, staring at the photos and reading the description and I stopped at one frame. Not too big, not too small. A medium-sized frame.
It's a closed eye, with a mole on the eyelid, with platinum lashes. It's obvious, who that eye belongs to. I felt like heat rushed to my face and I quickly looked down at the description.
'Morning' is the title.
'One morning, I woke up and saw an angle next to me. With her unmatched lashes with her dark hair, I figure it out that her lashes are her natural colour. It's beautiful as the sun hit her skin, and the lashes look shimmering. The more I looked at her, the more my heart beat faster. The more I looked at her, I realised she has a mole on her lid. It would be invisible when she opens her eyes. I loved the fact that only I, maybe I, was the only one who knows about it. And as she flickered her eyes opened, I lost inside her deep ocean eyes, a pair of eyes that filled with a whole lot of story. She is my love. My mornings and nights. My heartbeat. She's so beautiful. My love.'
I unintentionally touched my eye as I read it. I looked up again and couldn't help but have mixed feelings. I felt like I was touched and about to cry. Happy, but sulky. I don't know how to feel about the photo though. He didn't ask for permission. The description makes me smiles, faintly. Probably I have a wide smile on my face too. I don't know. So he even put one of my photos here, huh?
There's even a 'NOT FOR SALE' sign which means he just hang it up as a display.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" I frowned when I heard a rough voice next to me. I glanced at that person who was probably 40's or 50's. Old man. He was in ethereal. "My wife has unmatched lashes too. It's unique."
Now, I feel awkward. Is he talking to me? He glanced at me with a smile. Then his smile faded. But not long, he pulled the smile back.
"What do you say, miss?" he asked. I looked at the photo again. Couldn't help but smirk. Beautiful?
"Probably," I said, as we both quietly staring at the photo again.
"She should be here, she probably begging for the coordinator to buy it." He let out a chuckle. "She was on her holiday."
I smile. His voice is gentle. Must be a loving husband and father.
"Maddie?" I turned my head to the familiar voice. He glanced at the man who stands next to me, "Sir Cromwell. I'm glad you came. I thought you wouldn't."
Sir Cromwell laughed. They both shake their hand and even hugged each other. Ayden glanced at me with the manliest smiles, then he looked at Sir Cromwell, as his hand wrapped around my waist.
"Introducing to you, the girl in the photo." Sir Cromwell looked at me and the photo in turn. He pulled smiles and laughed.
"She was the one in this beautiful shot?" He asked.
I'm buffering.
"Yes, gorgeous, right?" Ayden said. Sir Cromwell just nodded then he furrowed. As his hand slowly gestures to his eye, he looked at Ayden with confusion.
"Woman. Mascara," he explained. And until that, I finally digested what the hell they're talking about. I smile bashfully when Sir Cromwell looked at me.
"Ah, I see! Get it!" He scrunched his nose, which is funny to see an old man do that. But he still looks fit, lean, probably. Wearing a suit too.
"Maddie, this is one of my clients, Sir David Cromwell, and his wife is my sponsor. Sir Cromwell, this is my future, my love of the life, Maddison Iyves."
"Hello, sir. Nice to meet you." I greet politely. He frowned a little. Nodding.
"Hello, I'm David Cromwell. I never know I would speak to your love of the life, Ayden," he said, chuckling.
"Trust me, Sir Cromwell, I don't even expect it.'" Ayden let out a chuckle. And I just smile. I don't know if I should talk or interrupted them.
"Ayden!" The three of us snapped and looked at the voice that interrupted us. It is Leah, the lady. She smiled smugly, and walked toward us, as she touched his shoulder, nodded her head to Sir Cromwell, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. I still think that her dark skins are gorgeous! She is gorgeous.
I glanced at Ayden who looked at me with a flustered look and slowly pushed her hand off, moving back a little and standing next to me.
"I'll be on my way first. See you again, Maddie." Sir Cromwell said, winking, and walked away from us, mesmerising the photographs.
"Oh, your maid's here too?" she said. I smiled at her. Excuse me? I am his love of the his life!
"She's not my maid though," he said, sounding a bit irritated.
"Housekeeper, my bad," she said, giggling. "Ah, you need to be on stage. The auction starts soon. You need to talk before the event starts."
"Can't you just talk then? I'm busy with interviews. And I need to see Lord Evans right now." he said earnestly.
"Sure! I will," she said, looking at me with a...so not a friendly gaze. I preferred Miss Susan. "Have fun, uhh…"
"Maddie," I said lightly.
"Right, have fun Maddie," she said, walking away from me. Catwalking. I glanced at Ayden who was frowning, staring at her intensely.
"Is she one of your fling?" I blurted, drawing his eyes on me. "Did you guys fucked?"
"What? No!" He said, sternly. But he averted my eyes. I get it already. They did. They did!
"Okay," I said, slowly walking to see more photos. And I could hear him stepping behind me. "You know, you owe me something and you didn't give it to me yet."
"I know, I already asked Kevin to send one copy home. Don't worry about it," he said.
"Ah." I stopped and turned around with a smile. He looked at me in hard to read face. "Thank you." I blurted. I forgot what I wanted to say, I didn't even know why I'm thanking him.
"About Leah...I...you don't need to worry about it."
"Uh-huh. My mom used to say that." I said, ah, shit! "Of course she didn't mean it."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
At that moment, I realised that I just said something mean. But, I just saying the facts. At this moment, my trust issues switch just flipped on.