Tessa's fist was vibrating, she was here to conquer the heart of the highest-ranked person, but she wasn't a fool who wouldn't be able to detect a trap.
She expected something like this to happen, she knew some of them were here for fun, and they had no intentions of getting to know anybody, but she didn't expect something like this.
This was a crime, taking advantage of people, meanwhile they would get nothing.
She wished she could smack him on his face, but she had to control herself.
'He is a king of war'
Tessa faked a half smile.
"You are correct, Mr Xavier, but I am not that desperate in getting married, and I won't marry someone like you, because you don't understand what it means. You are after tools, and I am not a tool"
Alexander's smiling expression slowly changes to a poker one.
"Would you care to explain properly, Miss Wood? Marriage is the coming together of two people for a mutual benefit"
Alexander walked to Tessa.
"You want power, fame, respect, and money. I can give you that, but I want someone who can quench my endless desires"
He stopped close to Tessa and moved to touch her hair.
"Unlike those women that came to my doorstep, I proposed a marriage contract to you. You are different, Tessa. I see you as the woman that can satisfy me"
Tessa stopped Alexander's hands from touching her.
"It's not mutual benefit, but mutual love"
She looked into Alexander's eyes, the respect she had for him had all vanished, and now she no longer cared if he was a king of war or not. He was wrong!
"I say you are just laying traps for prey to fall in, but I am no prey. I am a predator!"
Tessa gave Alexander some distance.
"I reject your proposal"
She bluntly said. She turned away without waiting for his response.
"Tessa Wood. I would remember the name"
Tessa stopped in her tracks, but she left without looking back. She could sense the anger in Alexander's tone, even though he tried to hide it, it seemed she just made an enemy.
She came back to the party floor, but she wasn't interested in the party anymore, not after everybody saw her leaving with Alexander, it would feel odd to enter without him.
Tessa was stressed out, she kept thinking about what Alexander said, how could she sell herself so short, she had up to a month to get married, and her father didn't state she must marry a king of war, she just had to marry a military person that was all.
Given the family situation, she had to marry somebody powerful so the family could bounce back.
Tessa took the long corridor and found herself in an open space on the second floor.
It was off-limits, according to the caution tape, but she went through it anyway. she approached the parapet wall, it seemed today was over for her.
Tessa placed her mini bag on the parapet wall, she brought out a lighter and a packet of cigarettes.
She planned to give this to anybody she found interesting, not knowing she would be the one to claim it.
Everywhere seemed cold, perhaps she was thinking about Alexander's last statement, how dare he threaten her. She took it as a threat, it was a threat.
Tessa placed the cigarette on her mouth and tried to light the lighter but it wasn't working.
Perhaps it was because she had never done it before, this was her first time, and it was the only thing that she felt could relieve the rubbish she had just gone through.
Tessa continued trying until somebody voice was heard out from behind.
"Let me try"
A young man's footsteps were heard, he approached Tessa from the darkness, his face was visible when he reached Tessa, he was taller than Tessa, probably 185cm tall.
His uniform was brown, and his hairstyle was low cut, like a newly recruited military boy, but he wasn't a boy.
He was well built, his muscles weren't massive, but they nicely followed his shape. His amber eyes were somehow glowing, penetrating to be precise.
Although he was putting on a uniform that covered his physique, Tessa could tell that he was in shape, he looked strong and different. His haircut made him look very young and inexperienced, but with another glance, he was glorious.
Tessa couldn't help but continue to stare at the young man, she believed he would be around her age, unlike Alexander who seemed older, this man would be twenty-five or twenty-six.
She was twenty-four.
"Smokers are liable to die young"
He took the lighter from Tessa's hand to light the cigarette, Tessa was still in a daze by his appearance.
He wasn't putting on a mask, his fair face was mesmerizing, his red lips were somehow calling for a closer look, she saw his teeth when he talked, it was all white.
Tessa finally woke up from her dazzling state due to the smoke gathering in her mouth, she blew the smoke away and muttered.
"Thanks.. for the lighter"
She hands the cigarette packet to the young man.
"I don't smoke"
He rejected Tessa's offer straight away. Tessa thought about his earlier words and burst out laughing.
He doesn't want to die.
"You are funny, seriously. it's hard to find a military man who doesn't smoke"
"Well, I am not brave enough to shorten my lifespan"
The man faced the parapet wall, Tessa stared at him for a while before she quenched the cigarette and placed it on the parapet wall.
"Who says I am brave"
She glances at the man's uniform, she doesn't remember the rank of those putting on brown, or perhaps Jeremy didn't tell her about the brown color.
It must be lower than the Mayor title, that would be a very low-rank for her.
Despite knowing he was a low-ranked military personal, she was interested in him, not by his looks, but something seemed odd about him.
"I am Tessa Wood"
Tessa extends her right hand to him.
"I am Klaus... Klaus... Walker"
He accepted Tessa's handshake
His slow response made Tessa smile fully, she believed he was shy, she doesn't doubt her beauty.
'I am probably the most beautiful woman he had ever seen'
"I am sorry, but what rank are you? I think I have forgotten"
Klaus put on a half smile.
"Private. It's the lowest rank in the military, the lowest among the special units"
Tessa was surprised to hear he was the lowest among the lowest, he doesn't look like an incapable person, she believed he could be compared to Alexander, if not more, although Alexander looked well refined, Klaus seemed unique, well, it's not about the build-up.
She just hates Alexander, she shouldn't compare a king of war to a private.
"It doesn't matter the rank anyway, you served this country with your heart, just like anyone else"
"They did better, imagine what kind of things Alexander did in the war. I thought you were with him, why are you here"
Tessa felt like she hit a wall, all right everyone saw it, even this young man saw her with Alexander.
"He and I don't work, he has a different perspective of how things should work, and I have mine"
Tessa looked at the buildings ahead.
"It doesn't matter if others did better, just know your little contribution helped in winning the war, and it also saved the lives of many people on the battlefield"
Klaus paused, staring at Tessa, perhaps her word struck him on his chest, perhaps it was because she was daring enough to leave king of war Alexander, or he was lost by her beauty.
Maybe everything.
"I think you are right"
Klaus joined Tessa in looking at the building ahead, his phone sounded, it was a text message from someone.
"I should get inside, I am waiting for a friend"
Klaus bowed his head slightly and turned to leave.
"You should go inside too, so people won't think you have been with king of war Alexander"
Tessa nodded to his words.
"I would"
She watched the night sky for a while before she turned to head back inside, Klaus was right, people would think that she was with Alexander, and it would ruin her chances because people would think something happened.
Tessa entered the party again, the feasting event was over already, and it was time to dance. Her entrance got everyone's attention again, more like they were waiting for it to surface.
Tessa was immediately approached by five head commanders, the king of wars stayed back, they were with somebody already.
Some commanders stood up but they didn't come too close like the head commanders.
"Would you be my partner for the dance"
They all extended their right hand to Tessa. Tessa wasn't happy that the king of war stayed back, Alexander ruined her plan, but a head commander wasn't that bad.
She should pick her taste among them, Tessa wanted to move her hands when somebody sounded from behind.
"Would you be my dance partner? Miss Tessa"
Tessa's eyes widened when she heard the voice. It was Alexander again!
Alexander stepped to Tessa's front, his movement caused all the head commanders to back away. they dare not get in the way of a king of war.
Alexander's cheeks moved, he had an evil smile.
"I guess, I am your only choice, Tessa"
Tessa squeezed her fist, she knew the game Alexander was trying to play, trying to push everybody away from her, making her feel his superiority.
To hell if she accepted his offer, Tessa's eyes moved around the premises, and her eyes captured Klaus, he was standing behind some mayors, he seemed to be isolated from the party like he didn't care, but his eyes were on her.
He was looking at her.
Tessa saw herself moving to him, she would've choose one of the head commanders from earlier, but they were not men.
A real man would stick to what he wants, not run away because of a superior being.
Tessa reached Klaus, her movement was followed by everyone, they didn't understand what she was doing, leaving King of war Alexander's hand hanging in the air.
Although he was quickly crowded with women, his eyes and all the men's eyes were on Tessa.
Tessa reached Klaus. she extended her right hand to him.
"Klaus Walker, would you dance with me"
For some reason, she believe Klaus was a real man.