Chapter 73: PLEASURE

We arrived back at Xender's family house; it was almost noon. The house seemed empty, but I still decided to sneak in. The only rooms I know my way around in this house are Emily’s and Xender's rooms as a child.

I need to get rid of these dresses if I don't want to draw more attention to myself. I entered Emily’s room and decided to use her bathroom.

When the hot water hit my skin, I felt the tension that had built around my body loosen up. I felt my body relaxing as I enjoyed the hot water doing justice to my skin.

Once I was through, I wore her bathrobe and walked out of the room. I was starving; I don't even know where the kitchen is.

“Held downstairs if you are looking for the kitchen; they just served a feast at the dining table. I'm thinking it is in celebration of Emily’s child.”

“Can you at least show me the way?” Siofra led me to the kitchen, where I helped myself with some food and water. I ate until I got tired of eating.

I was so tired that my eyes were beginning to close on their own. I went up to Xender's room and laid down.

“Aren't you going to ask me about Seth?” I find Siofra's question a disturbance.

“Go away; I'm trying to rest. I'm so exhausted.” I mumbled out.

“Okay, I will wake you up once Xender gets back.” I saw Siofra covering me up with the bed cover before I let sleep take over.

Xender's POV

I was the first to leave; I needed to go home and wait for Alda. When I got back, I asked for her, but none of the workers claimed to have seen her. I got a little disappointed and worried at the same time.

I pace around the sitting room, waiting for her arrival. I got more worried and anxious as the minutes went by.

“Sir, I saw someone upstairs, a lady with blonde hair,” one of the chefs reported to me.

“Where?” 

“In the room next to Miss Emily’s.” I rushed upstairs immediately. I found her sound asleep on the bed. How long have you been sleeping while keeping me worried? I sat besides her and stared at her sleeping face.

What are you hiding from me, Alda? I wish you could trust me enough to open up to me. But I have decided to trust you instead. Seeing her wet hair and the bathrobe she was wearing, I could tell she just got out of the bathroom.

I gently brushed my hand against her face, and her eyes came open. I didn't mean to wake her up.

“Xender? You are back already.” She pushed herself into a sitting position.

“Yeah, I have been waiting for you. I saw your note.

“I'm sorry I left without a word.”

“It's okay; I understand. Come, let's find you something to wear, or you might end up with a cold.” I took her to my room and went through my wardrobe, grabbing her a set of new t-shirts and sports pants.

“Here, change into this.”

“Thank you.” She took the clothes from me and went into the bathroom to change. When she came back, I couldn't help giggling at how big the clothes were on her body.

“I look like a teddy bear,” she complained.

“No, you look cute.” I walked up to her with a towel and started drying her hair. I caught her a couple of times staring at me. From the expression on her face, I could tell she wanted to say something to me.

“Why aren't you asking me any questions?" She asked. 

“About what?” I wasn't planning on letting her know I was aware of what she was referring to.

“About where I went yesterday,” I paused and stared at her.

“You are the one that told me to trust you, so I'm just going to trust you until you are ready to open up to me.” I said to her, staring at her deeply in the eyes. There was this tension between us as we locked eyes.

My glance fell on her lips as I brushed my hand against them. I wanted to kiss her so badly. I gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, my fingertips grazing her skin. My heart raced as I leant in, and my lips met hers in a soft, sweet kiss. The world around us melted away, leaving only a gentle touch and the promise of something more. I wrapped my hand around her waist, pressing her body against mine.

Our kiss deepened—a slow, sultry dance of lips and tongues that left us both gasping for air. I felt lost in the warmth and taste of her mouth. I wanted more, so I slipped my hand into her cloth and brushed my hand against her breast.

She let out a cry, followed by a moan. I traced my fingertips up and down her back. When I pulled away, we were both gasping for air. I buried my face in the crook of her neck as I kissed and sucked on her neck skin.

“Xender” Her voice was filled with pressure. I carried her up, wrapping her legs around my waist. She wrapped her arms around my neck as she kissed me, sucking my lower lips. I was losing the last control I had in me. 

“Alda, we need to stop.” She pressed kisses on my face down to my chest. I let out a groan as I carried her to the bed, laying her down.

We were both struggling to catch our breath as we stared into each other's eyes. I saw the same fire I was feeling in her, but I couldn't do it. I don't want her to think I only want to get into her pants.

I smiled at her and pressed a kiss on her forehead, then the tips of her nose, and then her lips. I wrapped her in my arms, loving our closeness.

“Why did you stop?” She asked, looking up at me. I didn't know what to say to her.

“Not today, Alda; I want cuddles. Now let's sleep. Emily is bringing Elara home this evening, and I'm sure my parents are literally going to throw a party to celebrate it. Let's just rest before the party starts.”

She buried her face against my chest, wrapping her arms around me. I pressed a kiss on her forehead before whispering to her to go to sleep.

Alda's POV

I woke up to find myself alone. Where is Xender? I wonder if the party has started. I can't go to the party looking like this. 

“Finally, you are awake. I nearly thought you were dead,” Siofra said, appearing from nowhere.

“Tell me, what is happening downstairs?”

"Okay, fine, let me feed you in. The party is almost about to start, and little Elara is so cute. Guess what?”

“What?”

“Mr. Armstrong literally invited everyone he knows, so you better not think about going downstairs looking like that.”

“You mean looking like a teddy bear?”

“Whatever. Xender left you a little gift. I can't believe I caught you guys making out,” Siofra said, avoiding my glance.

“You were watching us?” I asked her.

“What? Hell no, I just mistakenly walked in and saw something that...” I covered her mouth before she could say something more.

“I will really like it if you respect my privacy,” I said, trying to hide how embarrassed I was at that moment.

“Well, maybe next time try to warn me beforehand. Go get dressed; we need to go.” I couldn't hear a thing she said since my hand was still pressed against her mouth.

“I'm sorry, but I can't hear you." She glared at me, pushing my hand off her mouth.

“I said go get dressed; it seems your ex-husband was invited to the party.” I froze on hearing what Siofra said.

“What?”

“I was also shocked, but it's an opportunity. I have an idea—a better way to get Seth exposed,” Siofra said. She had a wicked smile on her face.

“Okay, tell me all about it.” I sat down on the bed, making myself comfortable.

“Remember the day you told me to read his mind?”

“Yeah, that was just yesterday.”

“Oh, why does it feel like it has been weeks? Anyway, I figured out that he already sent people to gather every piece of information they could find about you, but none could give him a reasonable answer.

Which left him suspicious about you. If we are going to expose him, then we need to make you go public. Let's make the world know about you while driving Seth crazy, and the only way we can do that is by convincing Xender to accept Seth’s business proposal, but on the condition of you being the model and the face of the brand.”

I didn't quite understand Siofra at first until I pondered everything she said.

“If I go public, people will get curious about me, and then they will discover that I look exactly like Mr. and Mrs. Barnard's daughter, and that can be our first step in exposing Seth.

“Exactly.”

“That is a smart move, but I need to talk to Xender.”

“Talk to me about what?” Xender asked, pushing the door open. That had me startled; he walked in and kept looking around the room like he was expecting me to be with someone.

“Who were you talking to?” He asked, looking confused.

“No one; I was just talking to myself." He frowned, shrugging his shoulders.

"I thought you would be dressed by now. I just came to let you know that Mr. Sebastian might be coming to the party. Do you think you can handle it?

"I can handle it; as a matter of fact, I have an idea on how to remove the mask Mr. Sebastian has been wearing. It's time we show the world the real Mr. Sebastian."