3 : Contract Marriage

Boraza Inn, a place that can very well be titled as 'The Graveyard Of  Her Good Memories', as being there did not give Alissa any kind of joy. Instead it was like she could feel her breath draining with every step she took.

But as she was trying to find some kind of optimistic way or more like a silver lining to her grey cloud, she did appreciate that the man sent a bell boy to pick her up right in the lobby.

She was surprised but she appreciated the effort to sent an escort. And in no time they reached the room.

A magnificent door stood in front of her. It was giant door and had the decorations of mighty dragons descending from the heavens carved in what seemed like timbre wood.

She looked at the door briefly and then it opened. She had many expectations to who may have been the person to reach her in that way.

Loan shark, money lender or some enemy from the fashion world that she might have hurt with her sharp words when she was on the top of her game as a designer, she considered any possibility there was - But then her eyes locked with his.

A gaze that she was familiar with once, but now seemed so diffrent. An indiffrent expression painted on his face and his face resting slightly on his hand.

He sat there in the middle of the room on a table and had two buff men standing beside him. Shivers ran down her spine as she looked at those men in black suits. She assumed that they would also be having some guns hidden in their suits.

She decided to walk inside the room elegantly. "So what if he is the guy who called me, I won't be getting faze by the feelings of past." She made a decision for herself and took the seat in front of him across the table.

Not a single expression on his face changed as she walked in and sat there while her heart was beating like a crazy woman. She remembered every part of him clearly and he showed no signs of recognizing her.

"I made a decision still, I can't seem to stop my heart." She thought and placed her handbag near her feet on the ground.

"Why did I expect anything? After all in his eyes, I am the criminal who killed his love, Lorraine." She took a deep breath and looked in his eyes.

His ice blue eyes hadn't changed a bit, although since now he didn't wear any spectacles like he used to, it seemed a little odd - "But his eyes shine the same way." She thought. 

As she was trying to greet him first, one of the big buffed bodyguards slammed an envelope on the table.

"Oh!" She let out an involuntary response since she was caught offguard by his sudden action. The man sitting across her didn't even budge.

An awkward silence was going to take place on the room when Alissa said - "Guess you do have a love for white and boring envelopes." She made a very lame statement and he took his hand down.

A small smirk took the way of the indifferent expression he had on his face until that point. Alissa felt like a burden was lifted from her shoulders as she saw his smile, but before she could greet him first, he said - "You are as shameless as you were when you fled eight years ago Ms. Evans." He made a statement and stood up from his seat.

A small relief that had appeared on her face after seeing him, disappeared with a fraction of second.

"What do you mean?" She asked pretending to be bold and strong.

He walked towards the window on the side of his room and then outside turning back towards Alissa. He seem like he didn't care to answer.

So she asked again. "What do you mean Mr. Stalza?" She asked the question once again. And he turned with an annoying expression on his face. 

She was caught off guard by his reaction. "What is it with him?" She had no option but to think for herself.

"I guess that you are not only shameless but what most people would say - annoying as well." He threw his words, sharp like spears.

She couldn't take it anymore and said. "If you've called me here only to insult me with you knife like words, I've harmed myself enough with memories." She said in a pretentious bold voice knowing well that she would've sounded too timid or maybe even on the verge of crying. 

"So if there is nothing else I will gladly take my leave Mr. Stalza." She said and swiftly got up from her seat with her handbag.

"And I must say that you are still assuming things for your own self, thinking that the world revolves around you." He made a claim with a notorious smirk and an insulting tone to his voice.

"Logan?!" She screamed and turned towards him. "I appreciate the fact that you've been thinking about me, but I know apart from all the things you are saying to me now, I know where your hate is coming from." She couldn't help but get emotional atleast a little bit standing in front of him.

He looked her in the eyes, he gaze sharp enough to peirce through her heart and rip apart her conscience. 

"Alissa, I truly tried to practice welcoming you with a good smile. But I guess the past you left me with, just had stolen my smile away" He said.

Whether it was sarcastic or genuine, she couldn't quite make it out for her heart was shivering from the overwhelming waves of emotions crashing her heart.

"The past, yout actions - Do you think you could get away and forget about it?" He asked her walking towards her and pushing her against the wall behind her.

"You? Logan?" She whispered to her own self as if she was desperately trying to push him away away asking him to stay away, but she couldn't say a word loudly and instead was cornerd by him.

He looked down at her as it felt like she was successfully trapped in between his arms with nowhere else to go. She didn't even dare to look up at his eyes, but he didn't stop staring at her face.

"Lorraine Jones..." he said the name she wanted to avoid for so long.

"You cannot forget her name, ever." He warned her as he gritted his teeth.

"You cannot escape your past Alissa, you cannot. So don't even try. I will make it so that you don't ever forget it." He warned her and took his hand back to himself.

He took a brief glance at her face and then walked towards his table. His men with the gun and the bell boy still stood there in the room. Just they stood so quitely, that someone might even make a mistake thinking they are not there. 

"You snatched away the love," he spoke as he took the envelope in his hands, "You snatched away the feelings, so now I'll make it so that you would never get to experience them. "He said it and looked at her with a smile on his face.

"What?" Her face looked like she had heard something ridiculous. "See, I know that Lorraine was a very important person to you, but what do you mean by whatever you are saying?" She asked trying to make the light of the mood.

"Here are the papers." He slid the envelope towards Alissa.

"What are these?" She asked instinctively taking it in her hands.

"Contract for the marriage." He said with a casual shrug.

"The what?" She panicked and furiously opened the envelope. She didn't knew how to exactly express what she was feeling, and thus only one question escaped her mouth - "Why me?"