Chapter One : Meeting Mr. Walton

Daniel didn’t seem to notice Alissa as he quickly hugs Gregory but when his eyes landed on hers, it was open wide in shock and his mouth was slightly open, revealing his perfect sets of porcelain white teeth. Alissa stood there, frozen to the ground. She couldn’t move her body and continue to stare at the sight in front of her.

His dark blonde hair was still the same as it has always been when they were a kid. His perfect nose, his bright blue eyes, five o'clock shadow with his pretty lips has matured like fine wine, making him turn into a greater adult version of himself and his father.

Daniel Vann Walton. Even his name exhumes wealth. He has his mother’s features. Greek features and his father’s blue eyes. The word handsome has nothing against him. He was absolutely gorgeous.

“Alissa?” He spoke of her name. His voice sends a lightning thrill down her nerves. He moves closer to her but Alissa responded by moving backwards. Her body shivers but seeing Gregory concerned stare resting on her, she took a deep breath and tell herself to calm down.

She moves closer to him and nodded, offering her hand and hold his. Like thousands of bugs crawling all over her body, Daniel’s face which mirrored his other half except for Clarke's dark brown hair scares her. That very face is always present in every dream she has and every tear she had shed.

“Hello, Mr Walton. My name is Alissa and I will be accompanying Mr Gregory for the meetings.”

Daniel frowned at her words and tried to speak more but Gregory stops him.

“Now, now. Why are we all standing here? Alissa, Daniel, come take a seat. They’ll be serving refreshment after this so come on.” Gregory, like a kid who has never meet his friends for years, pulls Alissa and Daniel in each arm to sit. Talk about awkward, she wanted the floor to swallow her.

It didn’t help with Daniel continuously staring at her and making her nervous.

Good, God!

...

It has been three long and devastating years since Daniel has last seen Alissa. No more was the shabbily dressed girl with her messy short hair who now sat across him in the board room. He can't help but stare at her, astounded by her maturity, blossoming into a fine young woman. Not that she wasn't beautiful before but the way she looks now is like she was trying to put out a statement.

Daughter of an illegal immigrant married to a local man, Alissa looks nothing like it. Her eyes, good God, her green eyes that contrast her fair skin. Caramel-brown hair no doubt from her mother cascades down her back like silk. 

From how she was fidgeting in front of him and trying to avoid his eyes shows how much she does remember him as he had remembered her. 

No surprise there since they are both legally husband and wife. Though their union was not based on love, his little dove have always brought a smile and warmth inside his chest.

Was it her innocence or her humble personality that attracts him to her? He didn't know but one thing for sure, she belonged to him and he has a paper with a family priest to prove it.

Well, pastor Jacob isn't too fond of the arrangement but being his uncle, he felt pity towards the child she was carrying at the moment.

Being a Walton, it was necessary that the child must be legitimate and not born out of wedlock. Pride is the number one thing his parents would sacrifice their lives for. Including making sure his twin brother not getting punished for his mistake.

Seeing how petite Alissa had look now, he is still shocked at how Clarke would be so cruel to hurt her but he wasn't that surprised by his deeds. Daniel and Clarke is the opposite of each other. While Daniel is all about study, hard work and achieving success, Clarke has always been the life of party and made sure Daniel would be the one to cover up for all his mistakes.

When news broke out in the family of Clarke's crime, his father had forced him to marry Alissa to make sure the baby she carried won't be illegitimate as soon as Clarke left town.

His father, a strict and proud billionaire could have easily look for his brother but his need to shut the news quickly due to the upcoming election forces him to cover for Clarke's mistake.

He never wanted to do that at first but when he had visited Alissa four months after the attack, she looked so broken and so small with her small tummy curved as she holds the next heir of Walton's fortune.

After marrying her, he has mostly ignored her existence because a part of him was awkward and she was not allowed to leave his home with the fear of paparazzi disturbing them.

Thinking about her child made his stomach drop. All eyes were on the man presenting in front of them but Daniel's eyes were glued on Alissa. His thoughts return to her baby, the poor child who he had seen after Alissa had to be cut open when she fell from the stairs.

His nephew didn't survive and the news didn't sit well to her. She had disappeared from the hospital a few days after her surgery and how she had survived the trauma from the loss and pain was shocked. 

Most of all, when her mother had killed herself due to depression, it became the last news that has set her fate. Away from his fucked up family. Yet again, she had run because he had misunderstood her and say horrible things to her.

You are nothing but a cheap whore that had taken advantage of my brother and scream rape. Trash like you should rot. Leave, I never want to see your face again.

The things he said was spoken out of anger but it was no excuse for once he realised the whole truth, he had run to her but things took a drastic turn. Now here he is, after three long years, meeting her and he knows that it was a sign from God. It was time to mend his mistakes.

When his partner, Umar touch his shoulder, he turned abruptly and see his lips moving, whispering to him that it was his turn to stand and give a word or two.

Daniel nodded and stand up to stand in front of everyone. He also took a peek at Alissa who nervously played with her pen and push her hair behind her ear. He chuckled softly. She was nervous about him and it made him happy for God knows why.

"Good day everyone. As you all may know, I am here to represent Walton's Publishing in regards to this merger between our two companies. Starting from today, we will be known as Walton & Ross in which I am very happy and very excited to announce after years of doing this and it gives me great pleasure to be here today and launch this simple yet important meeting.

I wish nothing but the best to all teams. Thank you again and I hope that we can all work together to achieve the same goals. That is all I have to say and I wish you all the best of luck."

Daniel ended his speech and he was served with a huge round of applause in that room. Everyone was already well aware of the news and all seem content by what has been discussed earlier except for him since he was distracted by a certain someone.

...

"You done jotting down everything?" Gregory asked while packing his stuff. 

"Yeah, almost done. I got to go to the washroom after this so you can go down first. I'll be with you in a sec."

Gregory nodded and walked by Walton's employee next to him and heading towards the door. Alissa can feel a glare glued behind her back. She was also aware of who is staring at her at that moment.

"Where are you going?" He asks without looking at her.

"Excuse me?"

"You can drop the act, Lisa. No one is here."

"I beg to differ, Mr...Walton. I hardly know you and I find it weird you are speaking so casually towards me when I have never seen you before."

He grinned, " Playing dumb I see? Moments like this makes me miss the little girl, so timid and innocent and easier to speak with than the girl who thinks she can make a fool out of me.

She gasped, " How dare you speak to me this way? Who do you think you are_"

He moves closer and made sure they were close, " You damn well know who I am, wife. Or have you forgot such important info after years of running away?"

She felt tears in her eyes and turns to walk away when a hand grab ahold of her arm. She felt her body being pulled back into a hard chest. She can feel the hard surface behind her and it made her blush.

"I have missed you so much, wifey. You and me, we have so much to talk about and I can't wait to go into details."

His playful tone made her body grew cold. Her strength was deteriorating and she panicked. He noticed it too so Daniel releases her and tries to apologise but Lisa had already run away and left him all alone. 

His whisper with gruff tone was the only thing that fills her mind. The exact voice of the man who had wronged her years ago. One thing for sure, she would never forget his voice. It will forever be embedded in her nightmares.

"Happy birthday, angel."