Anastasia's Point of View:
"Why would you date Cillian Sullivan? He honestly looks like crap."
I almost choked on my food as I heard him. How the fuck did he know about my ex?
I looked at him and met his confused gaze. "He—He doesn't." I managed to say as I literally coughed.
"Come on, Anastasia. If he's your definition of handsome, then I must be a God."
I rolled my eyes. "Can we not do this in the middle of the day?"
"You'd rather do it at midnight? Sure. Come to my room." He smirked.
I exhaled. God, and I have to ask him to meet my parents. He will definitely fuck that up just for the fun of it.
"So when are you planning to open your company?" He asked after a couple of moments.
"Hopefully by the end of the week. I've got the resources, the building and a team."
He nodded. "Registration?"
"Obviously done. Everything's taken care of."
"Great. I wish you the best."
I slightly raised my eyebrows. Did he really wish me well with no hidden motives?
He looked at me and chuckled. "You know, considering, I'll be your first model."
"Yeah, right," I said and exhaled.
"What's the problem?"
"Hm?"
He smirked. "You're so easy to read. What's the problem?"
"Nothing," I looked down. No problem, to be honest, expect the parents part. How would he know about that?
"Anastasia," He suddenly called in a darker tone and I looked up immediately. His piercing eyes, well, pierced into mine as he held the eye-contact dominantly. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, it's just—uh, well, I have to ask you a favour."
"You mean the third favour since we met, like, yesterday."
I let out a dramatic frustrated tone and exhaled. "My parents want to meet you."
"But like even you haven't met me yet."
I chuckled. "Well, we've been dating for three months and I just moved in with you."
He cocked his head to the side and shook in disbelief. "Really?"
"What else was I supposed to say?"
"Ever heard of truth?"
"Ever heard of family issues? No. Valencian is the perfect family," I muttered and looked down. Everyone knew how happy the Valencian Family is. The perfect power couple who got married even after so many problems and still live a happily ever after to this day. Xavier Valencian's diamond son and daughter. Everyone knew of them as the picture perfect family.
"It's not so perfect," He muttered under his breath. I looked up at him but he looked away. "Do we really have to go?" He looked back at me.
"Yeah, I think so," I said.
I guess he did have family issues. I mean, I know that his family practically forced him into being my boyfriend but I thought everything else was perfect.
"Fine. This weekend?"
I smiled. "Sure."
"We have to go back to the States?" he groaned. "God, I should just drop you off."
I rolled my eyes. No one can make me feel bad for this man.
"Sure. My parents made me dump Cillian anyway, otherwise I wouldn't have left him. I'll probably date him in secret again." That was the biggest lie I could have ever told.
He looked at me interestingly and chuckled. "Really?"
"Obviously. He's not that rich. My parents can't stand me marrying someone like him," I added to my lie and then stood up. "I'm done."
His lips were curled up in a smirk as he looked up.
"You should start the agency tomorrow. We have to leave Friday night."
I smirked. "Sure. I know you can't wait to be photographed."
"Baby, I'm photographed each second I'm outside these walls," He stood up and walked over to me. "It's you, I'm worried about."
"Worried?" I raised my eyebrow and stepped back to make a distance.
"But as I said," He shrugged as he picked up the glass of water and took a drink, "If you take my side publicly, so will I."
"What are you even talking about?"
He smirked and left the mansion in the next ten seconds.
____________
I took a deep breath before heading back to my room. I did not have enough energy to go out or do anything like that.
As I laid down on the bed, I started thinking about what Andrew said. Was he jealous when he asked about Cillian? But why would he be?
Trust me, I knew I would make him fall in love with me eventually.
But not this soon, he couldn't have already started to care about me or my exes. Something was definitely up and I wasn't gonna be blind toward it.
I received a message which brought me out of my thoughts.
"Blue dress or red?"
I realised it was the first text between Andrew and me. I smiled.
"What?" I texted back, "For what?"
"You're wearing something new to your parents' place. Now, blue or red?"
"How about no dress? I want a top and jeans." I smirked. I knew that would probably frustrate him a bit.
"I was happy when I read the first four words before it turned really awkward in my head," He replied and my eyes widened. God, I didn't notice I said it that way—
Come on, Anastasia, turn it around. Oh, yes.
"You were happy about that, huh? Really bad because it ain't happening any time soon."
He took a moment before texting back. "So what kind of top do you like?"
God, did he really just change the topic like that?
"Crop tops. You don't have to buy me anything by the way."
"Yeah, I won't. Talk to you later, I have some work."
If he won't, why did he literally text and ask me? Damn, he's stupid; or he thinks I am.
"Okay," I texted back.
And sure enough, after half an hour of silently just resting in the room, Stacy knocked and entered my room: "Someone has sent something for you, Miss."
I smiled and took it from her. The note on the box read, "I didn't buy it. My credit card did, though. I can set up a meeting with it, but I'm afraid it won't be much of a conversation."