Chapter Seven

Kierra's POV

I wasn't emotionally ready for what I saw yesterday. When I saw him, I think my heart stopped beating back there. I had seen someone who was supposed to be dead. "But how?" I asked myself.

Was I given the wrong information then? It had to be, I shook Aden's hands yesterday. He was standing right in front of me. He was real.

I couldn't forget the way he looked at me yesterday. I have never felt so weak under someone's gaze. The way he called my name was so natural and sweet. Did he know I had applied to work in his firm? He didn't look surprised to see me.

I hope I get to see him alone and ask him questions I need to find answers to. He had to explain to me what triggered and who helped spread the rumor of his death.

And most importantly, he might have had an idea or must have heard stories related to my family's demise. I could use his help to search for answers.

But I had to stop myself from thinking we were going to be as close as we were in the past…

"Kierra, Aden is your boss now, so you shouldn't be too free with him." I reckoned 

" You have to watch him to find out if he is still the same sweet boy he was ten years ago," I advised myself.

Sleeping has become like a hard chore since yesterday.  He was occupying my thoughts. I didn't plan for this, not after one week of traveling back to Kenvy.

Aden and I were always together in school or we were with his best friend Cassel.

When I first transferred to the school, I made no friends immediately. 

It was after two terms in the school that I got close to Aden and Cassel. But before we became friends. I had always had eyes for him.

I sat in front of the glass, he sat behind the class. Whenever other kids went around causing one problem or the other, Aden was on his seat quietly reading a book or he would be talking to Cassel—his friend.

He was the first male student I noticed, right from my first day but I pretended not to notice him. It was hard not to notice, it was really hard.

My first physical contact with Aden was when we went to a camp our class organized. He got lost in the woods and I helped his friend Cassel find him. Cassel introduced me to Aden and that was how we gradually grew to like each other.

He was quite handsome even at sixteen, with a set of red eyes that confirmed he was indeed going to be the Alpha one day. Just like his dad. His hair was as dark as the night sky. He had features you couldn't ignore.

I can remember vividly there was this senior student who beat up Cassel. That student's name was Mike. He was a notorious kid in school and a bully. 

Aden got furious when he saw Cassel —his friend, injured and in pain. He went after Mike and gave him the beating of his life. Mike was much older and taller than Aden, but Aden wiped his ass. 

It was indeed a pleasant sight, seeing a calm and cool boy turned into a fighter to defend his friend. At that moment I believed Aden had a pure heart.

My first kiss with Aden was on my birthday when I turned sixteen, two months before my world fell apart.

He told me he had a present for me and instructed me to meet him at our usual meeting place— Kenvy Central Park. 

We met at the park, and he asked me to follow him to a place. He said he wanted to show me something. We got to a place where we began climbing a highland. In this spot, one could see the entire city of Kenvy.

"It's beautiful from up here," I told him

" You should see it during winter, it's more beautiful, " he replied.

I never knew a place like that existed in Kenvy. It seems he likes visiting this place. He told me we could come here more often to spend more time together and I agreed. 

He brought out a pearl from a jewelry box that glowed in the moonlight and told me to turn around while he put it around my neck.

"It was beautiful," he complimented.

But I told him I couldn't see how gorgeous it looked on my neck. He said he got it covered.

 He quickly brought out a little mirror. He was a thoughtful guy.

I know it must have cost a fortune, but I had to turn it down even though it was beautiful. He insisted I should keep it. I smiled at him and appreciated the gift. 

It was during this moment he chose to kiss me for the first time. I was caught off guard. But that was the best feeling in my life. He told me he loved me. I couldn't say a word after his love declaration.

I was delighted to hear this but disturbed as well. I told him I was scared to love him too.

" Why are you scared, Kierra," he asked 

" What if after a few years, or even at this moment, you find your mate? What becomes of us?" I asked worried

"That's simple. I will reject her. It's you or no one."  He hugged me

I haven't looked back, ever since. I agreed to love him unconditionally. Until I was forced to run away from Kenvy and heard the terrible news of his passing.

****

"Good morning Miss Kierra, hope you had a great night." The receptionist greeted me while I walked past her.

I answered her and thought to myself. " Huh, Great night. yeah, she could say that"

Sincerely I was happy, after a long time. Something in me felt alive. But a thought told me not to be too excited.

What if he had found a mate and he was married now? 

"What will you do, Kierra" 

I pushed out the thought 

" But he said he would reject her," I was trying to reassure myself.

Why was I trying to get my hopes high?  I needed to be realistic.

 He made this promise to me before I left Kenvy. And ten years is a long time to wait for somehow.

Sensing that I was getting too excited for nothing, from happiness, I turned sad. 

"Kierra, don't let your guard down. Your mission here is to find answers not to fix your broken love life" I warned myself.

"Ooh you are here already," Menessa asked as I stepped out of the elevator and into the walkway to my office.

It seemed she had been waiting for me. Was surprised to see her waiting outside her office with her back resting on her office door.

"Good morning Menessa, is anything the matter" I walked toward her 

"Were you waiting for me?" I asked 

"No, not me," she said with a smile.

"Then who is," I asked 

"The Boss—Alpha Aden" Menessa uttered.