Chapter 14: The Director

Azalea Johnson's POV

We were running toward the door as I don't know what was Alex thinking right now. Maybe we would sneak out like the teenagers and make out in a dark place. hell, I would even allow him to do what he wanted with me but something stopped us as Alex drew a sharp breath.

"well, Alexander MacWatters, as I live and breathe. I thought I never see you again. Where have you been, hiding from me?" A voice interrupted my daydreaming of what Alex might have done or could be doing right now if we did not stop to greet this woman.

"Hello, Aria. How are you?" Alex said as he looked at her. She was stunning, nonetheless. It made me feel insecure in my skin right now. She was tall and gorgeous, not to mention blonde with sparkling green eyes, like Emerald.

"So, who's your friend there?" She asked me as I was shifting behind Alex. He just remembered that I was behind him as he was gripping my hand.

"ah, yes, I would like you to meet my fiancée, Azalea. Darling, this is Aria, my—"

"his ex," she said as she shook my hand. I nodded at her. Alex sighed.

"I was meant to say, colleague," he said as he looked at Aria. She tilted her head.

"Colleague, girlfriend, hoping to be his bride but I guess I was ambitious," she joked as I was smiling uncomfortably with her joke.

"well, it's nice to see you, we better off now," Alex said as he was trying to get out of this awkward situation. I was hoping that she would not stop us but I guess I was hoping too much.

"What? We don't hang out together now? I thought I could find you here since you haven't been reading your email. Your funding has been approved," she said as her eyes were glowing with delight. I could not tell if she was hoping that Alex will stay with her and ran along to some private meeting that I was not going to be invited.

"Well, my boss said that you were an established, scholar and scientist. It would be a shame that you would not get funded and your thesis was so nice that it blew our minds. That's why it got approved," she said as she was touching Alex's upper arm. A pang of envy was running through my course as I looked at her hand. But I reminded myself that I only tied to Alex because of the contract that we made.

"what about the new ones that I just sent out two days ago?" Alex asked her as he pulled me by the waist before I was standing next to him. Aria was looking at me as I was an eyesore but she kept her face stoic that Alex might miss it.

"maybe we should talk in private about that matter and of course, it was pending as you just sent it out. But I will make it my top priority now," she said before Alex smiled at her.

"thank you, Aria. That would help my research and my colleague a big favor," he said as he was gripping my waist tighter.

"who's your colleague?" She asked him. He was about to answer before I cut him off.

"it was—"

"I should probably go. My dad said I need to be home by 11 PM," I said as I looked at Alex. He arched his eyebrow at me while Aria was looking at me weirdly.

"you still live with your parents?" She asked. I don't know if it was supposed to be offended or just out of curiosity.

"I'm home for the holiday but I will be on campus tomorrow," I said as I looked at Aria. She arched her eyebrow like I was some kind of low-class citizen than her. I gritted my teeth inwardly before Alex tugged me beside him.

"well, we better go. I don't want Riley to be mad," Alex said before Aria was about asked another question, we were already out of her sight.

"why don't you want me to introduce you to her as my colleague?" Alex as me as we were heading out of the mansion. I was breathless as he was dragging me out of the crowd. I was never a crowd fan.

"well, if you recall, she was your ex meanwhile I am your fiancée. Don't you think that it would be strange if suddenly we announced our engagement right after you send the proposal for funding a new project and magically, I was your colleague and fiancée!" I said as I went inside the car as Alex was holding my door before he closed it and went to the driver's side.. he got in before he started the ignition. He sighed.

"well, if anything, it was not intentional. It was merely a coincidence," he said as he looked at me with a smirk. seriously, if I ever get a chance, I will slap that smirk off his face but he looked like a devil with that smirk so I let him keep it. For now.

"just…let's just go home," I said as I looked outside the window before Alex drove off from his parents' mansion. I saw someone was standing outside the balcony of the mansion. It was the director.

Once we were parked by the side road in front of my parents' house, Alex killed the engine but did not move to open my car. I was about to get out of the car before he stopped me.

"Lea, about Aria—"

"it was ancient history and stop calling me Lea. We're not that familiar yet," I said even though my heart bloomed at his voice calling my nickname. He turned to look at me before he smiled.

"well, I hope that we might be tomorrow. Care for another date?" He asked me. My heartbeat faster as I looked at him from the side view. I can see that he was sincerely asking me out. I laughed.

"we're already engaged and will be wedded. Do we have to go for another?" I asked him as he was rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, this time I want it to be open on campus. It might help me to get the attention of my friends and colleagues that I was no longer available. You did not know that your fiancé was quite famous," he said as he smirked at me. I rolled my eyes but the pang that I felt earlier when Aria around came back to haunt me.

"like I care if you got asked for a date," I said as I went outside of the car. I did not wait for him to get the door for me as I know that he would likely to press me to say yes to the date.

"Lea, wait," he called after me before I was stopped by him when I was about to get the door.

"you forgot your handbag," he said as he gave me my handbag. I thanked him before I sling it onto my shoulder. He did not move as I was about to get inside.

"do you want coffee or something?" I asked him politely as I know that he might think otherwise but this was my parents' house. He cannot do that here. He smiled.

"well, since you asked—"

"my parents might be up and if you don't mind to be asked so many questions or anything like that I would suggest you go—" I babbled and babbled as I did when I get nervous. I knew that this whole facade was supposed to make me ease with him as I know that he did not have real feelings for me but I kind of wished, and hoped, that he did have for real, this time.

"Lea," he said.

"what?" I replied to him. Cursing myself when I know that I have let him use that nickname to call me.

"Have a good night. Maybe I can stop for coffee later, at your apartment?" He asked me as he looked at me, arching an eyebrow. I blushed.

"if you want to, sure," I mumbled to him which made his smile even wider.

"that would be lovely, my darling," he said as he took my hand and kissed my knuckles. He was making eye contact when he kissed my hand and suddenly my body was on fire. I want his mouth on something else that I have been waiting for the whole night.

"Well, see you tomorrow then," I said as I was fumbling to get inside before he pulled my wrist and my body crashed into his. then, I felt it.

His mouth on mine.

It was all overwhelming at first but I responded to it. It was like second nature to me. Like my body knows that Alex was the one, the only person that can make me feel this way inside out.

he licked my bottom lip and I gasped, taking the opportunity to slip his tongue into mine. We were fighting for control but I know that I was losing the battle. Later on, I just let his tongue roamed my mouth. We were French kissing each other. After a while, we broke the kiss and I feel at lost. I wanted it again.

"I have been waiting to do that since I first saw you tonight," he said as he rested his forehead against mine and he was closing his eyes. then, his ocean blue eyes were gazing into mine.

"see you tomorrow, my love," he whispered before he went back and pushed me into the house before closing the door. I heard footsteps faded before I touched my lips. His kiss still lingers and I think something was permanent in my heart as Alex left me.