It was Nora's first time inviting her parents over for dinner and she honestly wanted to back out 45 minutes before they arrived.
Her parents were known for their peculiar punctuality, whether I was business meetings or family dinners.Ivy had decided to stay in the room throughout, she was sure nobody would complete dinner and she was so right.
"Incase you there's reason for an SOS number, I'll remain in the room, if your mum throws a fit just scream and I'll be done in a sec." she had said.
But just seeing her parents alight from the car made her want to use her SOS call, but doing that would ruin all she had worked so hard for.
She rather consoled herself, 'nothing had to go wrong this night', saying this she prompted herself to go towards them.
Mr&Mrs Storm came down from the Rolls Royce Cullinan, her mum looking expensive as usual, one look at her dad and she knew immediately that he wasn't thrilled to be there.The varley took the car immediately and turned to the garage.
She greeted her parents and Lint, their driver for as long as she could remember.
While going inside, she thought to herself about how lucky they were, it had been over 2 months since she laid her dining table, she mostly took her meals lying in bed, that they should appreciate at the very least
.Halfway through dinner, her mum finally broke the heavy silence and asked the question everyone was curious about, making exaggerated signs about her discomfort.'
'I'm very sure you didn't invite us here to show us around Nora, cut to the chase, I'm very busy.
"'Too busy for your own daughter I guess.' Honestly, She didn't know where her confidence was seeping from.
'And you don't think you're grown up yet?' she asked almost immediately.'
'I never ask you guys out for anything because you're always so busy and this one time you can't wait to not see me' She replied with almost too much anger.
" I think you are too old to be throwing tantrums when things don't go your way" Mrs Storm said.
" Tantrums?!" Nora said like she couldn't believe her mum.
" Tantrums..."
'Nora….'.Her dad spoke for the first time that evening.'I need you to get to the point right now, we didn't come here to sit around all night.
'I was hoping we could reach a truce' Nora finally says.'I mean it's my future we are talking about here, the least you can do is let me have a say in it I'm not asking for much you know'.
'That's exactly my point Nora, you can't even do much.' Her father says.'I have listened to you both all my life , I have followed every rule, every order, but this… its just too much, this is my future, what I'll deal with when you both are gone, its about my happiness.'Well newsflash Nora, your happiness won't hold Nova Terra together, so get your act together.' Her mum added.'And face it Nora, Knox Wilder is really the best you can get.' Her dad said getting up'Goodnight Nora' He ended.'Try and touch this house though; the décor is horrible' her mum added.
*******†*.***************..*******************
Knox Wilder stood in his grand garden, smug looking, for a narcissist, the look was a usual one, people around him had become so used to it for a long time. He just received an email and displeasure replaced that smug look almost immediately. For 2 months, He poured money, connections , contracts, and business proposals into the Nova Terra Group of companies, wiping out anything that threatened their prestige. To him it was a game of chess and he had his strategy mapped out and every piece in his favor.
But when he received Nora's cold and crisp email " I'll prefer if we remained business partners, but I will not marry you Knox Wilder."
The cloud of anger that followed was brutal, gos jaw tightened , his hands curled into fists , and the air of control he emitted cracked immediately.
After sometime, his smile returned a dark twisted smile ," ..so chess is now boring, Cat and Rat it shall be then." He said under his breath.
*********.********..******************..********
" Nora had left the house angrily, Ivy couldn't even calm her down, she had her emotions all over the place and Ivy understood that she needed alone time, so instead of following her, she let her be."
But Nora didn't know she was actually being followed, after receiving her email, Knox asked the top tech guys in his company to find Nora and when he had her location, he followed her, cautiously and slowly in his black Porsche.
As Nora kept walking she felt hungry and she stopped at a convenience store to get some snacks, after settling for chocolates and nuts she went out of the store into a dark alley that was normally used by everyone.
Halfway into the alley, she felt the hairs at the nape of her neck rise and she suddenly noticed she was the only one in the alley, scared she turned to go back but bumped into an unfamiliar body.
" Hey gorgeous" he said and Nora looked into the eyes of the last person she wanted to see. Knox Wilder, alone in this creepy alley.
" You honestly didn't think am email would cut it right?".
" Tell me you're wiser than that gorgeous."
" Move" Nora said, trying so hard to hide her fear.
He hissed and grabbed her wrists digging his fingers in them," You are MINE!"
" Let me go" she struggled but he held on till a minute later, he let her go and she turned fleeing, After leaving the alley,she staggered back, clutching her wrist where his fingers had dug in. She thought he was gone—until her eyes caught the reflection in the glass. Knox was still there. Smiling. Watching. Waiting."