~ Daniella ~
“Come guys! It is a group picture now!” Standing beside the podium, I shouted, straining my voice enough so that all Fancy Pants members could hear. Hired by Suri and Amano to be their wedding event coordinator, I had contacted a famous photographer in L.A. to capture the video and photos during the private event. The line-up of picture taking starting from the small entourage, parents and relatives had just finished. Now, it was the Club’s turn.
Vincent, Karl and Alec were already in the dais, congratulating the newlyweds while Enrique was busily talking to one bridesmaid who was Suri’s distant cousin.
Erik was sitting in one of the front pews in the chateau chapel, silent and rather too relaxed. Of all of the members, he was the one who hadn’t stood up and expressed his greetings. Well, at least not yet as Suri and Amano had been continuously surrounded by the jovial crowd.
I straightened and rested a
I ____(state your name)______ of legal age, and a rightful resident of _____(state your address)_____, do hereby solemnly pledge myself before the Fancy Pants Club President, its Honorable Officers and its Witnesses to practice faithfully my duties as a Member of the Club.I hold the care of its activities as sacred and I will come to assist the officers with loyalty and honesty.I will not knowingly permit harm to come to my fellow members.I will not partake of, nor administer any unauthorized fancy events or parties without the written or expressed consent of the President.I will hold all personal matters pertaining to the private lives of the Members in strict confidence.I dedicate my mind, heart and all abilities to the Club.I shall do all in my power to show in myself an example of all that is honorable and good throughout my membership.And lastly, I will
~ Daniella ~“Put me down!” I yelled, my voice straining, but my order fell on deaf ears as the stranger continued to lift me as if I weighed nothing and marched down the stairs of the center stage.I flung my hand in the air and squirmed from his hold, but he tightened his arms even more, insisting the bridal-style position he had put me in.“Put me down I say!” I ordered again, this time feeling myself in panic yet in deep blush.We passed the spacious dance hall, disregarding the look of surprise in my team’s eyes. I gave them a silent look of help, but it seemed they were too engrossed with the drama that they failed to see my desperation.“Wrap that damn wound of yours with the end of your blazer, woman. I don’t want it dripping blood in the floor, ” he grounded without looking at me.His face, although fine-looking, was set in a hard scowl. He was angry over something or proba
Oh, God. He knows my name! He knows my name!Wait. Why does that stranger know my name?I asked myself that a couple of times already since I returned in my guest suite. After having myself treated inside that clinic -slash- spa, I thought I wouldn’t get haunted by thoughts of that manipulative guy, but I guess I was wrong.God, his glittery face kept on poking at my brain telling me to do this and to do that. What the heck! Who is that man anyway? Why does he boss me around and why does he know my name?There, I asked it again...Anyway, I am standing now in front of a full-length mirror assessing myself. Many of my friends say that I am gifted with a curvaceous body. They said to flaunt them whenever necessary and to flaunt them with the right dress. That’s the reason why I’m wearing a white lace knee-length dress now. The neckline is low but just enough to provide a small peek of my clea
As I saw him approach my table, I felt heat rush my face. My heartbeat quickened, my back tensed and my feet shot tingles up my leg. The people around me seemed to disappear and all that’s left is this man looking at me with an unreadable face.For a moment, even though the light was dim, I saw his brows twitch and his eyes thinned as he saw me, but it was so brief, so fast that it felt like I was just dreaming it. When he arrived in the table, he didn’t care so much as to say ‘hi’ or ‘hello’ or even some damn greeting to acknowledge my presence. He just walked straight and sat in his seat that was at least two chairs away from me.I gulped hard. I wonder if he still remembers me and that incident we had this afternoon.“Ah, so Ms. Wild Woman is my escort, ” he then said without a head’s up.Yup, he still remembers me alright! But of all the nicknames he could pick out, why that?I hauled a deep bre
Sweet, delicious revenge. Sweet, delicious revenge. Sweet, delicious revenge...The words kept echoing in my head.Did I just transform into a stereo? Because I swear I turned mute when the president said those threatening words to me. I couldn’t say anything. Damn, I couldn’t make a caustic comeback! I just sat there, stoned, looking blankly in the stage with my neck tingling due to the closeness of his mouth.“But don’t worry, I won’t collect it now, ” he said, giving me a false sense of security.Yeah, right. Like that would make me feel at ease bastard!“Com’n Ms. Rosecraft, smile. Your face looks constipated.”He pulled away and straightened in his seat. I heard him chuckle lightly then and that’s the time I was able to pull myself out of my momentary mute spell. Glaring at my plate, I was battling whether or not I should shove my half-finished lamb chop on his mouth. Or maybe
~ Daniella ~I chose not to return to the Fancy Pants Club table anymore. Since Rohan is there to accompany the president, I think my presence and services are not needed any longer. Being away from that man is relieving. It is like being in a beach after a long stressful day in the city. It calmed me ultimately and alleviated my worked up brain. I’ve noticed since I met the Club president, I have been too racy with my thoughts and...imaginative. I wonder if he gets this kind of reaction with other women.Well, probably, yes. With that egocentric and aloof attitude of his, it wouldn’t be a surprise.Aside from being away from Mr. Erik, another thing that calmed me is listening to the violin piece being played right now.It is a romantic piece entitled Allegro Moderato composed by Antonín Dvo?ák, a famous musician in Czech. I have heard of this piece countless of times when I was small, back whe
~ Daniella ~“So who are those men in the table with you last night Dan?” Ericka asked me the moment we were alone in our cubicle. The rest of our friends (my team) were in the dance floor shaking their booties and grinding with other men. Mason, Ericka’s beau, went to the bartender station to order some flaming margarita for us. We are in a night club called Lotus Spade in upper downtown, outside of the fabulous Beverly Hills city.It is our last day here in the city since tomorrow we will return to New York. Good thing Ms. Elaine granted us an extra day stay in the chateau, all expenses paid by her and her husband. Since it is a Saturday, after taking care of the wedding decorations and flowers for the whole day, we decided to celebrate our successful and trouble-free wedding event last night by coming in this club. It is also timely that it is mine and Ericka’s nightout day.Everything in the reception went as planned (well... ex
~ Daniella ~Thirty minutes passed by after Vincent’s call. When I returned in the cubicle, my friends were already there waiting for me including Ericka and Mason. They didn’t ask me what’s up and they didn’t even show any curiosity with regards to my phone call.They probably thought it was just my mom asking for a report about yesterday.Different topics were brought up while we drank our margaritas, but most of it was all about the company’s possible next wedding events. I can see in their eyes that they love their work. Well... I do too and enjoy it very much. I could never see myself working in another job other than this.As I look around the dance floor, I saw something very odd. The people who were with us in the dance floor were more hyped up than earlier. Their dance moves were wilder and for me, I think it bordered on ridiculous. I haven’t been in clubs that much, so I found these scenes a bit odd.
~ Daniella ~“Come guys! It is a group picture now!” Standing beside the podium, I shouted, straining my voice enough so that all Fancy Pants members could hear. Hired by Suri and Amano to be their wedding event coordinator, I had contacted a famous photographer in L.A. to capture the video and photos during the private event. The line-up of picture taking starting from the small entourage, parents and relatives had just finished. Now, it was the Club’s turn.Vincent, Karl and Alec were already in the dais, congratulating the newlyweds while Enrique was busily talking to one bridesmaid who was Suri’s distant cousin.Erik was sitting in one of the front pews in the chateau chapel, silent and rather too relaxed. Of all of the members, he was the one who hadn’t stood up and expressed his greetings. Well, at least not yet as Suri and Amano had been continuously surrounded by the jovial crowd.I straightened and rested a
~ Daniella ~It was the second day in the hospital when I opened my eyes. The first face that greeted me then was my mother, holding my hand that was free of an intravenous line. She sobbed quite vigorously. I had to try to calm her through a squeeze of my fingers on her flushed cheek. We talked after she quieted down and I was informed of everything with regards to my condition.Miraculously, I survived the car crash without any fatal injuries aside from some glass lacerations in my legs, bruises, a broken left wrist and a head concussion. The doctors wanted to make sure everything of my body processes were stable so they needed me on hospital bedrest for the next two weeks together with my scheduled wrist surgery.I was fine with that and stayed as per recommendation, but as the days passed by I noticed something was missing.Not one Club member visited me.No Erik, Vincent, Karl, Alec, Enrique, A
~ Erik ~Death had circulated my life since I was born. First was my mother, second were the strangers that Hyde had killed, and third were the Iopata dogs that I killed during our Club operations. I had known of death, too acquainted with it even that seeing a lifeless body unaffected me.The death of Rohan as expected didn’t have that much impact amidst him being a good friend of mine, but it reminded me greatly about what Daniella, my precious Sweet Rose, would soon face if she continues to get tangled up with the dealings of the Club.She was already drawn into danger because of Nikola. Experienced considerable amount of trauma due to what happened in the Iopata Mansion and Rohan. I don’t want those to happen again.Shit. I don’t want her to suffer or get hurt again.That exactly is the reason why I kept any news from her regarding Iopata and Nikola. I had instructed Karl, Vincent and the others
~ Daniella ~Nikola, if he somehow survived the mansion’s explosion and fire, must have been bidding his time. For five consecutive days, not one news of him or Iopata arrived. It was as if the man never existed. Karl had been constantly on surveillance with Iopata’s associates, but nothing significant came to the Club’s attention. With Sergio Svaneti gone, it was possible that Iopata had gone down too, six feet below the ground with its evil and destructive ways.But amidst the lack of threat, Erik’s recent possessive attention on me had quadrupled. Well, he was already one before but since the events in the Iopata Mansion, he had not let his guard down.Just as he said, he made me stay in his underground office, which by the way was an understatement. The office looked like a bachelor’s pad complete with everything a normal house needed. There was a kitchen equipped with the necessary materials and appliances for cooking. There we
~ Daniella ~Fire.A thick wall of it in the main foyer welcomed me and Erik when we reached the grand staircase. A quarter of the north wing facade had been destroyed leaving me to catch a glimpse of the garden wreck outside. Black smoke belched out from the rubble and whipped like a tornado in every direction. The atmosphere turned hot because of it. Very hot and it screamed a promise of suffocation.Panic climbed up my throat just seeing the situation before me, but Erik looked unaffected. He gripped my hand even tighter and pulled me to manage the stairs.He must have gone out of his mind, but with Nikola and Hyde possibly seeing us when we passed the open door of the drawing room, it was understandable. There were no other options available but to move forward.With my free hand, I covered my mouth to block out the thick smoke. Erik seemed too engrossed with getting us out that he didn’t care d
~ Daniella ~With Erik with me, I didn’t care much where we were. Even the fact that we were in Nikola’s bedroom. His bed. His sheets. His all. It didn’t affect me and it seemed Erik didn’t mind too.My legs still looped around his waist when he crossed the space and guided us to the foot of the bed. There, he laid me, but I didn’t climb up. I just stayed at the edge, lying but with my knees bent and legs spread to receive him.With one knee forward, he joined me, lining himself on my body and stooping low to lap on my heaving chest.I shoved aside his suit jacket and slipped my hands inside his abdomen to feel those hard, flexing muscles. Yes, I would have wanted to make love with him totally naked, but we were still playing with fire, under the enemy’s roof and in the enemy’s cold bed. In just a push of the door, we could be found out and I know it would be a bloody result.So, I just set myself c
~ Daniella ~Mr. Svaneti strode first out of the balcony with us following behind him. He had a noticeable limp in his left leg and he supported it with a metal cane engraved with the symbol of Iopata.As an old man, he wasn’t really someone to be feared with in terms of physical strength. It was possible that all the admiration, respect and submission under his rule came from his previous conquests in life. I don’t second guess his capacity to kill someone though, and I don’t second guess that he’d even feel guilty after it. No matter the warmth he showed me earlier, Mr. Svaneti as the Iopata Boss meant that he was the one responsible for all the misfortunes of many people.If I am to contemplate on it, his sons, yes, his sons were better fit to be feared by many. Not only do they have the blood to wreak havoc, they also have the youth, strength and intelligence to do so.It is just fortunate
~ Daniella ~The car ride going to Iopata’s safe house was a silent one. Of course, as expected of the son of a mafia boss, it wasn’t just a car ride. It was a limousine ride complete with goons wearing black suits as our bodyguard. There were four of them escorting us riding in a different shady vehicle, all armed and ready in case there’s a threat to their boss’ life. Mr. Startsev and Luca were nowhere to be seen, but I had a feeling I’ll be seeing them in our destination later.Sitting far to the left away from Nikola, I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to argue with his plans anymore.Earlier when he said that he will introduce me to his father as his fiancée, I vehemently opposed him and did it by not standing from the bed. Guess what he did after that? He pointed the same gun at me and threatened to fuck my lifeless body after I die. I was of course frightened to the bone and stood up as quick as I could. I saw a sinister smile
~ Daniella ~Clad in a well-ironed suit, Erik stood before me. He had an amused grin on his face, barely visible, but still there and he studied me from head to foot as if it was his first time seeing me.If it wasn’t for the chains that stopped me, I would have leapt into his arms and embraced him right then and there. I instead just stood still with my left hand pressed against my bounding heart and my right hand restrained by the cuff. A part of me was relieved that it was him, but a part of me was confused too.“You’re the boss?!” I exclaimed with furrowed brows, but I bit the inside of my lip thereafter when I thought that maybe my question came out wrong.“Wh-what is the meaning of this?” I inquired the second time. A tornado of questions attacked my head as I waited with bated breath for his answer.What came out from his mouth however cleared all of it in just a snap.“Danie