2 : Her Nightmare

Past, it is a very tricky place to be in. While sometimes past may hold a very dear place in someone's heart, for Alissa it wasn't even close to being pleasant. 

Although there were parts of her life that she would never want to forget, the past that the stranger mentioned was definitely the one she would happily want to forget.

The reason was - She was never given a chance to prove her innocence. It was rather a very strange turn of events when she was blamed for the mistakes she never did and then was sent to France to study after looking at the worst outcomes and strange turn of events.

Her father, the chairman of Evans Group was rather a strict man when it came to reputation and public appearance, thus when the things took turn for worst, her father, without any hesitation sent her as far as he could. 

Then her life was abruptly started in another country away from the people she knew and away from the people she loved. It was never her decision to make and thus she had no option but to abide with the rules her father had set for her.

Four years at the University Of France was a designed destiny for her. With a bitter taste in mouth but with hopes for a good future she started living there.

Alissa was a shy girl, but when she came to France she found a new style for herself. Talking to people, making friends and trying different things became her forte. 

Four years passed by without any hitch and she graduated as an academically successful student of the Fashion Department. Future looked bright and golden for a person like Alissa. Her father, back at home was also satisfied by her performance. 

She started networking with the high society of France, making clothes and painting dreams on dresses ; she was at the peak of her career.

Though she never expected things to come tumbling down jut in a fraction of moment, but they did. They crumpled down and fell on the floor leaving no hope what so ever for Alissa.

And then she was there, getting ready to meet some stranger at some strange inn.

"Hmm... he said Boraza Inn, right?" She thought to herself as she finished her last bit of touch up with the lipstick and closed it with a tick.

She had wore her best red dress and black heels that always made her confidant. Though there were many questions and doubts hovering over her mind like a dark cloud, she had no option but to ignore them and make her way to the inn. 

Just for a momentary purpose, she took a brief look at the letter again pretending that she was attending some kind of wedding or a party and trying to feel positive.

But then, as soon as she opened the letter, she thought- "What wedding and party? This man's handwriting is so rubbish that I feel like I am going to pick some kid at kindergarden.. huh? " disappointed she slammed the letter inside her bag and left the apartment.

Checked for the keys once more after closing the door and - "We are good to go." She motivated herself to not go back inside her house, constantly reminding herself of the brutal after effects she might have to face.

She took the elevator and took it down to the parking lot.

She hadn't driven her car anywhere in the last ten days, and she didn't want it even then, but the man's voice inside her ears kept giving her creeps.

She entered inside the car without any delay and decided to take off. And yet again, she was reminded of the question - "The venue is Boraza Inn, right?" It was as if she felt something was not right.

She entered her destination in the GPS of her car and took off, but the word stuck with her and demanded an answer from her rather witty conscious.

"Where have I heard it before?" She kept trying hard to remember the name but she was at no luck despite the destination spot coming closer and closer.

"Was it a place we went for our field trip? Was it some kind of a meeting place?" No answer was popping up even after thinking for too long. "I know that I have entered that inn once, but when and why?" She finally decided to give up as she slowly saw the huge structure of the building coming into her sight as she drove.

The gates, the colour of the building, the tress planted around it's veranda ; everything seemed so familiar and then she realised it.

Then she realised why she came there in the first place.

"Alissa, this is the best place to hangout if you ever want to have a day to yourself. We used to come here a lot as kids, so it's great that we have you now with us." A female voice echoed in her ears as she drove and entered inside the premise to park her car.

The voice that she couldn't have forgotten, the cheerful expression on her face, and then the man who sat along with them.

"That's right." She mumbled to herself as she got outside from the car and walked to the entrance slowly, as if each moment she had experienced there was flashing in front of her.

"That's right. This is the first place I ever came with her." She entered inside and looked up at the big and beautiful chandelier hanging right above her.

"This was the place that Lorraine brought me when she said this was her SECRET LAIR." A brief chunk of memory that she didn't even knew was part of her consciousness anymore, felt like it was suddenly thrown on her face.

Though the name was Boraza Inn, it was a grand hotel that had the capability of accommodating various customers at the same time. 

The lobby was immersed in the golden lighting that separated it from the outer world and made it look like some kind of a royal palace.

There were many people in the lobby, enough that saying - The lobby was bustling with people, wouldn't be a strange comment.

But even when she was among so many people a voice whispered to her from the back - "You are asked to follow me." The person said. "Ah!" She let out a small surprised scream and turned around.

She found a rather indifferent looking bell boy who stood there behind her with an expressionless face. 

"Boss has invited you straight to the meeting room." He gave her the details of his presence. 

She nodded her head as she knew exactly who might have send him. She agreed to follow behind him without saying anything.

They both took the elevator and took it to the top executive floor, a place only officials were allowed. She was surprised, "I thought that the man would be some money lender or loan shark, but surprisingly he seems to be working with the core members of this inn." She let her thoughts run freely, as she had no obligation to talk to the man beside her.

They arrived and the elevator doors opened with a ting. He quitely kept leading her to the room and she followed him behind without any interaction. And in no time they stood there in the front of the giant and decorated door.

It opened slowly and she looked forward to going inside, but as she gathered her courage to greet the strange man who might very well be sitting inside, she saw him. An unexpected person, the one she never even thought would show up at a place like this and so abruptly in front of her.

It him - The person who once felt like a heartbeat that was trapped inside her heart. A person who made her heart flutter along with the spring breeze, he sat there with a cold face and indifferent gaze.