Mila's breath got caught in her throat as she collided with a formidable presence. The room seems to shrink as her gaze lifted, meeting intense eyes.
"A... Alex....what...are.... you...doing...here?" Mila stuttered in surprise.
"I ask you first," Alex replied, his voice deep and steady, reflecting his composed demeanor. His brows furrowed slightly, a sign of his curiosity. "Tell me where you are going, and I will tell you what I'm doing here.... alright?" His tone held a note of insistence, pressing for clarity.
She tried to sidestep him, but his firm grip on her arm prevented any escape. Mila's heart pounded in her chest as she felt the weight of his hand, a tangible barrier to her freedom. "Let me go, Alexander. I need to do this," she pleaded, her voice trembling with urgency. Her eyes searched his for a glimmer of understanding, silently begging for his cooperation.
His grip tightened slightly, and he shook his head. The set of his jaw indicated his resolve. "You're making a mistake, Mila. Running away won't solve anything."
Tension hung in the air as they stood locked in a silent struggle. Mila's determination clashed with Alexander's steadfast resolve.
"Inside my room, now, Alex!" Mila exclaimed, seizing him by the arm and hastily dragging him inside. She shut the door behind them making sure no one had seen them.
A flicker of amusement danced in Alex's eyes as Mila's impulsive action took him by surprise. Mila, noticing his playful reaction, asked with a confused expression, "What?"
"Nothing, just that I have waited so long for you to drag me into your room," he said he's smile widening.
Rolling her eyes, Mila retorted, "Ohh, please, Alex. You're in love with my sister. Now come on, focus. Please, tell me what you're doing here?" Her voice held a slightly raised tone emphasizing her impatience and the seriousness of the situation.
"No Mila. I said you first, " Alex stated firmly, making his way towards the bed and taking a seat on the edge.
Mila couldn't hide her concern as she looked at Alex. She knew that no matter how valid her explanation was, he would never easily let her go.
"Come on, cupcake. We don't have all night, and I need a good explanation," Alex pressed, his worry evident in his voice. "I'm truly scared for you."
"Okay, I'm on my way to Singapore, and I need to get to the airport quickly otherwise, I'm going to miss my flight...." Mila anxiously explained but suddenly she paused noticing a familiar name Alex mentioned, "Wait...What did you just call me? Where did you hear that name, there's just one person that calls me a cupcake and..."
Cutting her off, Alex stood up from the bed and walked towards the door clearly seeking more information. "Good one, but no! You have to elaborate on that, otherwise, I'm going to go straight to your dad."
Feeling the urgency in his tone, Mila pleaded, "Okay, okay! Please, just listen. I will tell you everything, but just don't go to my father."
"I bought a dance studio in Singapore to teach dance classes to special needy children, I really want to do it, you know how much I love dancing and working with children."
"I understand your passion for dancing and your desire to work with special Children, Mila but have you considered everything you have to give up here? Your career, your family, your sister, and the project you've been working on together, they all matter. Remember your father has been preparing you to take over the family business, everything he has built up for you? Are you just going to leave it all behind? And then what about the prophecy?"
"No, No Alex," Mila responded firmly, her voice tinged with a hint of frustration. "I'm not leaving everything, and I'm still going to help my sister with everything she needs. I will never leave my family behind, and I know my responsibility towards my father's business, which I will continue to fulfil. This is just something I need to do. Please understand that." She sighed the weight of her emotions palpable in the air.
"Tell me the truth Mila, is it because of him? Alex pointed to a collection of photographs taped to the edge of Mila's dresser's mirror.
Alex's pointed question struck a nerve, causing Mila to avoid eye contact, her gaze remained fixed on the photographs as her eyes welled up with tears once more." damn, "she whispered softly, " not again...I didn't know I even had any tears left."
Alex felt his heart ache for Mila as he gently moved closer, his hand cupping her cheek. Lifting her face, he made sure she met his gaze. "Mila," Alex said with determination in his voice, "please answer me. Are you planning to search for him?"
Mila turned her head and stared at the ground, her voice choked with emotion as she responded, "No, it's not because of him and I'm not going to search for him. He's gone, he's dead Alex, we all saw it happen. This is really something I want to do for myself.... I need to do this, please, Alex, try to understand."
Alex took a deep breath, his concern evident in his eyes. "Alright Mila," he finally replied, his voice filled with resolve. "I'll help you get to the airport in time but, promise me to keep in constant contact. Your father won't take this lightly. I need to know that you're safe because you're walking into dangerous territory. Tristan's father still believes you're responsible for his son's death, and if he discovers you in his domain, he won't hesitate to kill you, so promise me you'll stay safe.
"I promise Alex, I'm aware of the risks and thank you, you and Anna are the only ones who truly understand me. But we should go before my father wakes up," Mila said softly. With those words, she stood on her toes and embraced Alex's large frame tightly, cherishing the warmth of their connection.
"Alright, Mila, enough of this before I make up my mind and keep you here." He released her from his embrace and headed towards the door. He cautiously peeked out into the hallway, first looking left and then right. "Alright, the coast is clear. Hurry up and go straight to my car. It's parked right in front of the house."
Mila hastened down the stairs and made her way through the living room. Opening the front door, she hesitated for a moment. Glancing back at the massive family portrait hanging in the living room, she whispered, "Goodbye, Father and Mother." With that, she stepped out into the open. Spotting Alex's black Mustang, she hurried over to it. Opening the trunk, she swiftly placed her luggage inside and closed it, making sure not to make any noise that would alert her father's guards, who seemed to be positioned everywhere. She then went around to the passenger side door, opened it, and jumped in, patiently waiting for their departure.
Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around Mila from behind, preventing her from screaming. A hand covered her mouth, silencing any sound. Frozen in fear, Mila couldn't move. Then, a familiar voice whispered in her ear, sending chills down her spine.