CHAPTER TWO

Chantelle's POV

At the dining hall, we sat at both ends of the table. The table was big enough to take about twenty people, I kid you not!

When I was younger, I wondered why he preferred this to a smaller table, then I concluded that he didn't want to be near me. Maybe because I was a brunette like Mamɑ̃ and my piercing blue eyes reminded him of hers.

He couldn't make it more obvious that he loved Mamɑ̃ more than me.

The sounds of cutlery clinking on plates echoed in the room for what seemed like hours. He seemed to be eating well, munching and sipping his wine without any care in the world. I stirred food on my plate and I could barely swallow as the cold atmosphere in the room made me uncomfortable.

I distracted myself by looking around the room. If he was not going to start a conversation, I wasn't either.

By now Isabella was done with her shift, but for some reason, Sandra Becker who was to take over was nowhere to be seen and I felt suddenly alone. I took in the room. Nothing had changed since the last time I had been here. The paintings on the wall, the same faces of butlers, servers, and bodyguards…

My eyes landed on a handsome buff guy whom I had not noticed before standing behind Father with an expressionless look on his face.

He was beautiful.

He reminded me of how the romance books I'd read in the past described their male leads as having the body of a Greek god. His chestnut-colored eyes landed on mine, and they seemed to see right through me, as they stared at mine— but it was only for a brief second before he turned his face, his face remained expressionless, else for a tick that moved in his jaw.

I rested my elbows on the table and just stared at him… He seemed to notice I was still staring because he shifted uncomfortably.

“Megan Miller, hands off the table!” George Miller chided, pulling me out of my reverie. “What did you learn in that school of yours?” Father continued mumbling something else I couldn't hear from across the table and I sighed and took my hands off the table.

He was the only one in the entire universe who didn't call me by the name Mamɑ̃ had given me, Chantelle. He stuck with Megan and it always found a way to upset me.

“Finally, you say something,” I said as I stared at my plate, all appetite gone now.

He ignored me and dropped his cutlery, touching his lips with a napkin.

He looked at me, and then I saw that he had aged incredibly in the past six years. He still seemed very put together and sophisticated but a few wrinkles had appeared on his face. Even though Father was probably the worst, I still felt for him sometimes and I felt like he worked too hard. He was just in his fifties but looked older.

“I heard you went out yesterday and got attacked by some unknown assailants.”

The shock on my face must have been visible because he continued with, “I presume you don't remember what happened last night…” It sounded like a question but he didn't wait for me to answer as he continued his monologue, “Do you realize how much of a risk you put yourself in yesterday? You are the only child of George Miller of Miller Industries! My heir! My weakness!” He said the last line with a bitter tone in his voice.

I huffed, “Oh please! As if you care! For all I know you are waiting for something to happen to me so you can feel less guilty about being a terrible father.”

His eyes shone with something I couldn't place.

Was he hurt? Not possible!

“Effective immediately you will be assigned a new bodyguard.” All traces of the look I thought I had seen were gone.

Mr. “Greek god” stepped forward.

Father never put men in my security detail except for my driver Kelvin. He only did that because Kelvin was ugly as hell.

What was he thinking, dropping this gorgeous man into my lap?

He knew that once I smiled at them or said some compliments to them that no one would normally say to them, they fell in love with me and would even go against Father for my sake. All of these things I did to upset Father.

It was odd but I refused to acknowledge it.

I scoffed, looking at him, “Is that supposed to be a punishment?” I leered at the new bodyguard from head to toe. If this was meant to be a punishment, I would enjoy it.

“Punishment? You were attacked, Megan! Why don't you take things seriously?" He said in a hard tone. “As much as I think Jordan, Becker, and Logan are doing a great job, you're back home where the threats will be more deadly.” He sighed. “I want you safe. Do you know how upset I was when I kept hearing of how you acted in college?” He shook his head and said under his breath, though I heard him clearly, “If only your mother was here…” His face was downcast but only for a second.

It took all my will to not flip him off at that very moment. He knew how hearing about Mamɑ̃ made me feel and he had mentioned her on purpose.

I know what it seemed like, he was a cool dad and I was a spoiled brat. But no matter how nice those words he said sounded, I couldn't believe them. He had destroyed our relationship a long time ago. If this was his way of mending it, I was not ready to bend.

“Jace Hudson, Team leader for Megan Miller's security detail.” Mr. “Greek god” spoke up as if he couldn't sense the tense air. He sounded like he had rehearsed what he intended to say.

“Chantelle”, I corrected.

He gave me a questioning look.

“My name is Chantelle,” I repeated and sighed. By now I was feeling mentally and physically exhausted. I was still jet lagged and I was not yet adjusted to New York timing. It was noon here but I wanted so badly to sleep. I knew I was supposed to wait it out for my body to adjust but I wasn't ready to.

Mr. “Greek god” stepped back as Father was about to say something else, but I was done talking as I was downright ready to sleep on the table.

“I'm done eating.” I left the untouched plate on the table and pushed back my chair.

I walked off before Father said anything else.

My new bodyguard fell in step a few meters behind me and I felt him staring at my back. All the exhaustion seemed to evaporate.

I like it when men look at me with admiration. Looks like this new one wasn't any different.

Father's decision wasn't so bad after all.

Mr. “Greek god” would be eating out the palm of my hand very soon. So I intentionally added an extra sway to my hips and then I stopped walking.

He probably wasn't expecting it. I turned to look him in the face, with the smile I knew made guys fall head over heels in love with me plastered on my face. His Adam's apple bobbed as he stared at me with those dreamy chest-nut colored eyes, I instantly felt my cheeks flush.

I almost did not know what to say as I stood in front of him because his handsome features and height made my stomach do a dance.

Those arms, so sexy and so well built— I was in a deep state of lust at this point. He must have seen the look in my eyes because he looked at my lips then and clenched his jaw as if he was trying to restrain himself. I bit my lip and flipped my hair to the side for good measure.

His eyes suddenly withdrew from my lips and gazed intently into my eyes unblinking.

Then I said, “You know I eat guys like this for breakfast, right?”

Without so much as a hint of shock in his voice, he replied in the sexiest voice I had ever heard, “I've been told.”