My gaze remained lowered as the figure sitting on the sofa remained silent. His eyes were completely concealed behind a stylish pair of sunglasses, but the angle of his face indicated that he was looking directly at me.
I lifted my head when I heard the sound of his sunglasses being placed on the table, and I cautiously looked at him. My eyes widened and I gasped audibly, feeling a sudden weakness in my knees. Our eyes locked, and the enigmatic charm emanating from his gaze was magnetic and irresistible.
His eyes made feel weak just as Jordan's eyes made me feel back then in Lunar Palace.
After a few seconds, the corners of his lips curved into a mesmerizing smile.
"Hi, Lia," he greeted, and I remained speechless, still unable to tear my eyes away from him.
"I told you, didn't I?" Orion said confidently, and I shamefully lowered my gaze, overcome with a mix of emotions.
Orion was the first person to send me a friend request on social media four years ago when Rachel bought an Android phone for me and created a social media account on my behalf.
I reluctantly accepted Orion's request, and we soon began chatting every night. He would often send me different kinds of pictures of himself and ask me to reciprocate, though I never did. Sometimes he would call me on a video call, but I never accepted his call.
As I noticed a growing excitement within me every time I saw his messages, particularly when I was feeling down, I began to limit our conversations. Eventually, I mustered the courage to share the story of my childhood innocent love with Orion.
In response, Orion brazenly declared that he would marry me and help me forget about my childhood sweetheart whom I had been waiting for. I got annoyed and disillusioned, so I promptly blocked him.
However, Orion was persistent and created another account to send me a friend request. Despite his efforts, I staunchly refused to accept it. I missed our late-night conversations, but I knew it was the right decision to distance myself from him.
A few days later, I got a message from Thalia's Author Page which had about three hundred million followers. She became my idol and source of inspiration. I reached out to her through messages all the time and to my surprise she responded all my messages. Over time, Thalia became my closest confidante and my guide in life and I forgot about Orion.
I never knew Orion meant what he said about marrying me until I stood face-to-face with him. I summoned courage and spoke.
"Shouldn't you have come in per....." My voice trailed off when Orion stood up and began to walk towards me with a slow gait.
"You never stated in the advertisement that the person must come in person, did you?" Orion asked, standing before me. There was a glint of humor in his tone.
His presence was overwhelmingly powerful, and his enticing masculine scent filled the air. His commanding stature dwarfed me, even though I stood at a height of 5'10".
Every muscle on his chiseled frame strained against his tight shirt, accentuating his mesmerizing hot physique. At that moment, I found it hard to breathe and lost the ability to speak. Feeling overwhelmed, I swiftly turned my back to him and leaned against the wall.
I felt trapped when Orion placed his hand on the wall, blocking any path of escape. His gentle chuckle sent shivers down my spine as he reached out and delicately brushed my hair with his fingertips. Leaning closer, he whispered in my ear. His voice has a soft melody.
"Let's go to the sky lounge. It's already 4 pm, and my guests are eagerly waiting. We have much to discuss tonight," he said, his words enveloping me and I saw myself being controlled by it.
As we walked side by side, my heart began to race, overwhelmed by a sense of inferiority despite the expensive gown I was wearing to meet up to standard. Orion glanced at me occasionally, squinting his eyes and curving his lips, creating a confusing and disorienting effect that almost caused me to lose my footing.
Outside the room, a group of ten heavily armed bodyguards stood in the corridor, waiting for Orion and me. A wave of apprehension washed over me as soon as I laid eyes on them, and my heart dropped into my chest.
As I glanced down the long corridor, I noticed a tall man approaching, accompanied by his own entourage of bodyguards. He held a phone to his ear with his left hand while his right hand held a gorgeous lady. He was deeply engaged in conversation, smiling mischievously as he walked.
As he drew closer to us, his mouth fell open, the mischievous smile that was on his face suddenly disappeared and his eyes widened in surprise or disbelief. His grip on the phone loosened, causing it to slip from his hand and shatter on the floor.
His gaze bore into me with an intensity that I found impossible to withstand, filling me with fear and causing me to instinctively flee back to the safety of the room. Orion made no attempt to stop me, as he too seemed perplexed.
It had been ten years since I last saw Jordan, and I had no idea what he looked like as an adult. When I left Lunar Palace, Jordan was only fourteen, but even then, he had shown signs of being tall. It crossed my mind as I sat on the bed in confusion, "If this person is Jordan, then why is he holding another girl who is not Kayla Damien - his fated mate?"
As I pondered over this question, I couldn't help but wonder if forgiving him for breaking his promise to me and wishing him and Kayla a happy engagement would be wise. But no matter how much I questioned myself, I couldn't find any answers to the swirling thoughts in my head.
Thirty minutes later, the door of the room creaked open, and I felt a shudder run through me. My eyes were fixed on Orion, who stood tall at the entrance. His face remained expressionless, and I slowly stood up, continuing to stare at him in anticipation. I yearned for him to tell me who that person was, but he seemed to revel in my confusion.
As I stood there, my gaze lowered, and my ears flickered with anxiety, I couldn't help but murmur, "Who is he?" Orion began to walk towards me, his actions prolonging the suspense that enveloped me.