Michelle stepped out of Ford's Villa hurriedly, she still had tears in her eyes.
"Let me drop you." Mark offered to drive.
He didn't help or comfort Michelle everytime so that she didn't become over-dependent on him.
But now he knew she was feeling vulnerable and couldn't manage to drive by herself.
As he drove he offered Michelle a cigarette, she tried hard to light it as she sobbed, however she couldn't manage to and threw it.
When they reached Alwils Villa, Michelle's eyes were still teary.
"Michelle, gather yourself. We don't want anyone becoming suspicious do we?"
She didn't care about anyone or anything when her heart was overwhelmed with emotions about her family.
She perfunctorily nodded to Mark and stepped out of the car.
When she entered Alwils Villa, She saw Alec standing at the door, he had his jaws clenched and eyebrows furrowed,
"Where were you?" he asked in an authoritative tone.
El, whose mind was occupied with completely different emotions, ignored Alec and walked ahead.
Alec grasped her hand tightly and pulled her closer. "Where were you?" He asked again, gritting his teeth.
"At..at the Ford's Villa."
"Why?"
"Grandma Alexandra called me." she spoke in a low painful voice.
Loosening his grip on her hand he said,
"Don't go there without informing me."
Giving a slight nod, El freed her hand and hurried upstairs.
Her demeanour was stubborn and audacious which Alec found strange.
El rushed into the study and locked herself in. Although she would hate to agree with this, knowing that her father was in the same city, she felt much safer and fearless.
"Open the door El." Alec flared.
"I want to be alone." She said ignoring his angry tone.
She took out a cigarette from her handbag but remembered her promise to Alec that she wouldn't smoke. She threw it and buried her head on the table and cried with agony.
"Open the door El." Alec gritted through his teeth.
Unwilling to enrage him any further, El opened the door.
Alec was furious the way she ignored him,He pinched her chin between his hand and raised her face.
He intended to unleash his fury on her but his anger suddenly vanished when he saw her teary face.
Looking at her eyes in pain he loosened his grip and moved his palm to her cheek.
"What's wrong, Love?" He asked as his expression changed from fury to concern.
"It's nothing," she said in a low voice and wrapped her arms around him.
"Tell me" Alec rubbed her back.
Yet she stayed quiet, she couldn't tell him anything even if she wanted to. Her lies still burdened her and she cried harder.
"Please don't leave me Alec." She whimpered.
"I won't, Love. I'll never leave you." He replied softly.
"You promise?" She looked up and asked him.
He looked at her adorable face which had turned red because of all the weeping, she looked like a little girl.
"I promise." Alec said and kissed her forehead. However, he was perplexed about her strange behaviour.
Two days later, when El was at NF&D she received a text from Alec,
'It's mother's birthday today. There is a party, I'll have to be there early. You can join us after work.'
'Do I HAVE to be there?' she replied.
'Yes.'
' But I don't want to. I bet she doesn't want me there either.' With every passing day El was getting more Frank and stubborn.
' Irrespectively, you are family so you have to be there. Don't be late.'
Alec was aware of Carolyn's aversion towards El and about the rumours people might create given El's absence.
'I won't be coming.' El replied adamantly.
'I'm not giving you a choice. BE THERE.' Alec replied.
Despite Alec's stern words, El didn't intend to go.
Completing her day's plan, she reached Alwils Villa, expecting no one there.
She stepped in and started to walk to her room,
"Miss El." Dwane stopped and she clutched the railings and slowly turned to face him.
He was dressed in a tuxedo, under the dimly lit atmosphere, he looked elegant, with his exquisite facial features, his lips were slightly pursed with his sharp jaw and straight nose bridge.
His aura was both chivalrous and intimidating.
Any ordinary girl would quiver at his deep and intimidating voice, but the woman in front of him was Michelle Ford. She looked straight at him and said
"Mr. Farehya"
raising her eyebrows slightly as if she questioned him for stopping her.
"Alec has asked me to accompany you to Mrs Wilson's party and we are already late."
"You shouldn't have waited for me Mr. Farehya. I don't intend to go."
"Why?" He asked coldly.
"She doesn't like me nor do I. She is always on her quest to find another bride for Alec in front of me and always berates me because of my background." Her voice fell as she completed her sentence.
Both El and Dwane were silent for a moment.
"I'd rather be strangled by you than attend Carolyn Wilson's birthday."
El smiled bitterly, she almost gave away her cover to Dwane.
He eyed her suspiciously,
'Something feels different about her from the past few days.' Dwane noticed the slight changes in her demeanour yet wasn't able to put his finger on it.
'Is she taunting me for talking about strangling Michelle?' he thought.
Before Dwane could say anything, El rushed upstairs to her room.
Dwane stood there, slightly perplexed. He only had to have her drive along with him to the party and yet he couldn't do it.
He felt weirdly helpless. He thought it would be a no-brainer to have El accompany him when Alec asked him to do it.
'Why am I even bothering myself about it, it's so trivial.' he told himself.
However, he couldn't stop feeling confused about the situation in front of him.
'Should I leave now? She said she doesn't want to come, so I can't drag her forcefully there.' Dwane rolled his eyes.
He heard his phone ring, it was Alec's call.
"Where are you two? What time will you be reaching?" Alec hurriedly spoke.
"We are still back at your place, your wife is refusing to come along? She is in your room right now" Dwane replied.
Alec massaged his temples in frustration,
"She has been impossible for the past few days."
Dwane heard a click sound and El stepped out of her room, she was all dressed up.
"She is here, we'll be there soon." He said and hung up.
He looked up at her as she walked down the stairs. She was wearing a plain dark midnight-blue dress with a light chain around her neck.
The modest chain had a sapphire locket adorned to it, raising its elegance.
Although her attire was simplistic she looked like a pristine goddess in it, devoid of any malice.
Dwane's eyes were fixed on her as they consumed her charm.
"Let's go?" She asked him, breaking his focus.
Getting out of his daze, Dwane nodded.
"What changed your mind?"
"Someone's waiting for me there." She replied as they walked out.