Chapter 8

I can't really explain why but the mood in the room felt heavy, very heavy, even though it was just my mum and I, and we were getting ready for tonight. Actually, she was the one helping me prepare for tonight because she was already dressed. She looked mighty flawless, in fact, she looked like she was the first lady with the designer pencil dress that she was wearing paired with white gloves which she had taken off as she attended to me.

My dress on the other hand, was much more extravagant and grand than the simple sophisticated pencil dress that she was wearing. It was almost like she and I were going to attend two different parties, with her going for some high tea and me going for a ball meant for the rich and famous.

This wasn't one of the dresses that I bought. I found this in here when I came back from the spa and a red note along with several boxes of diamond jewellery and pearls, and I knew it was from Octavious.

"I feel like there's something wrong and everyone's keeping it a secret from me," I finally voiced as I looked at my mother who seemed so lost in thought. Various expressions cross her face as I watched her comb through my hair and make sure it was bone straight and perfect.

If there was anyone that could do make up, it was my mother. She had the capability to create this natural look that was far from it. It enhanced your beauty by a million points and as I looked in the mirror, it looked like I was attending an award ceremony and I would be the host of the show or something to that magnitude.

"What's going on?" I asked her, being more assertive now because I was tired of the tantrums and the guilty look in my mother's eyes whenever she looked at me, "I need to know and I won't get ready until you tell me what's wrong."

She stopped straightening my hair and simply placed the device down before she slowly crouched down and sat on the floor, placing her hands on my lap as she took my hands in hers, "I need you to look at me, Nastassia," my mother said, her voice filled with desperation, "I need you to look right at me," she pointed at her eyes and I looked at her.

Her eyes turned glossy as she held my gaze, "you're so beautiful, my baby," she said, her voice cracking as she slowly raised a hand to brush against my cheek lightly, "you're so...so beautiful," she paused, "that it's a curse."

"What are you talking about?"

She didn't answer me, instead her eyes went to look at the ring around my finger that I wore for as long as I can remember. She looked at it with such an intensity that I was sure she was trying to break it off my finger or set it alight, "Nastassia, you've grown into a fine young woman...one that I am so proud of," my mother said and I laughed.

"Proud of? Mum, I haven't even started my life, yet. I haven't even gone to college yet, hell, forget college, I haven't even graduated high school. What is there to be proud of?" I asked her and she laughed lightly, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"I will always make decisions in your best interest, Nastassia," my mother told me as she looked up at me, trying to tell me something with her eyes, "I would die protecting you, as a mother would die protecting her child. Do you know that? I need you to say it verbally, tell me that you know that I would do that."

"I do, mum, I know."

"But, baby, even you know there are certain things that I can't protect you from. There are things that are so out of reach and out of my power that no matter how hard and difficult of a fight I put up, it's only futile."

"Mum, what's goi-"

"I need you to listen, Nastassia," she said, gripping my hands tightly, "just listen, don't talk. I need you to listen. Listen," she told me forcefully and I looked at her, stunned.

"I want the best for you, Nastassia, only the best for you. Perhaps you won't see this now...but to be honest, even I'm not too sure if I see it but I want you to know that I love you, I love you more than life itself. I love you so, so much, and I promise to always be there for you. Whenever you need me, I'm here. I will be here. I will travel at the speed of lightning to get here. Do you understand that?" I gave her a nod even though I found her words strange. Where was this all coming from? I was so tempted to ask but I didn't want to upset her.

She nodded, satisfied before she stood up and gripped my hands, covering them in her kisses, like she would do when I was a kid,  "let's get you ready," she said in a whisper as she held my hands and made no movements.

I looked at her, "mum, we have to get ready. Octavious said we had to be down at 19:00 and we're already ten minutes late and I haven't even put on the dress and taken pictures yet."

She nodded and laughed lightly, letting go of my hands as she walked to the bed and picked up the dress, holding it up and I looked at it in awe, "wow...look at that dress. It's gorgeous, mum."

She nodded her head, agreeing with me, "and it's all for you," she said with a smile that I was certain wasn't real, "let's get you into it."

I excitedly took off the silk robe, only dressed in my underwear as I let my mum help me into the dress. She tugged on the corset at the back and the dress fit snug like a glove as I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked amazing.

"Damn..." my mother breathed out as we looked at my reflection in the mirror, taken away by the dress that made me look like I was worth a billion dollars.

"Mum, I thi-" there was three consecutive knocks on my bedroom door before the door was opened and there stood my Godfather Octavious.

He wore a black tuxedo that was tailored to his body as though it were meant to be his skin, with a black bow tie around his neck and the white colour of his shirt underneath. His fingers as always had those rings all over them, and the expensive wristwatch could not be missed.

His eyes met mine, before they slowly took me in as he took slow, casual, confident strides towards me. He stretched out his hand, and I placed my hand in his as he gave me a satisfied smirk, bringing my hand to his lips before he planted a soft peck on them, "you never fail to take my breath away," he croaked out in his raspy hoarse tone that had my insides turn in excitement and desire.

I blushed, enjoying the attention that he gave me that I knew I shouldn't be getting at all but it was hard to stop this.

His eyes moved to my mother's, "it's alright, I'll enter the dinner party with her," he told her curtly before he gave her a nod and looked back at me, stepping even closer to me and my feet felt rooted to the ground.

"Are you going to tell me what this night is about?" I asked him as I placed my hand on his bicep, enjoying the feel of his hard muscles under my tiny hands. His biceps were half the size of my head and he was so much bigger than I was.

He wasn't the tallest man in the room, he wasn't standing at 6'4 or even at 6'0. He's at 5'10" and I used to love making fun of his height even though he was nothing less than intimidating.

He was such a force that held such a powerful, alpha, male aura around him that he demanded respect and even the tallest of men bowed to him. There was something about Octavious that was dark.

I was 5'6" and with heels on, I stood at eye level with his nose.

"Hm," he let out a low hum, looking me over with his eyes before he nodded and l wrapped my hand around his bicep, snuggling closer to him, "let's take a walk." 

~~~

The halls were empty as we walked side by side. The dress trailed far and wide behind me and I loved the way that it made me feel inside. I felt on top of the world- like, I was the wealthiest most beautiful woman in the world.

Especially as we walked through the hallways of a mansion that must have been the size of the white house and the halls were decorated with statues, portraits, fountains and gardens. Everything about this home let me know that a lot of money went into it. And I knew that Octavious was wealthy, if the extravagant birthday gifts were anything to go by, but I did not think it would be to this magnitude.

"So, are you like the president of Matlock?" I asked him with a light laugh, "I mean, you live in a mansion that's the size of a town," I pointed out.

He gave a small nod, looking down at me for a second before he looked straight ahead and led me to wherever, "yes, I own Matlock and everything on it. It is my island, my own little country."

I let out a low whistle, "oh, I had no idea. So is this like your inauguration or something like that?"

"Something like that," he responded as we turned down a hallway, "it's a celebration...an introduction."

"Introduction?" I repeated with wonder,  "what are you introducing?"

"It's more like, who am I introducing, my star," he continued on as he adjusted his bow tie.

"Uh, ok. Who? Me?" I asked him but he didn't answer me, just looked right ahead, "well, Octavious, are you going to answer me? I'm dying in suspense over here. Oh, are you making my dad a vice president or something like that?" he chuckled, shaking his head.

"Something like that."

"Ok, you told me you would tell me tonight, Octavious. I've been in the dark this entire time, don't you think I deserve to know?"

He nodded as we stopped in front of two massive oak doors that were guarded by men wearing all black suits, "you do deserve to know, my star," Octavious turned his head to look at me as he gave me a quick wink, "it's an engagement party."

"Engagement party? Who's getting engaged?"

"We are," he responded, "now, smile for the cameras," he told me and the doors were swung open and I was met with a crowd of people and flashing of cameras.

~~~