Chapter 4

Alexander's POV

I went back to the club the next day in search of her.

I don't even know her name, how do I find her?

Surprisingly, it wasn't a difficult search. I think she is quite famous because they all know who I was describing.

But I was shocked with the response I got.

"She doesn't work here anymore." The manager said, his head bowed to the ground.

"What!" How is that possible? Why? Is she okay?" I couldn't stop myself from asking questions.

She is the only one that can save me from this doom.

"She quit her job yesterday, sir and didn't give a reason." He said, wondering why I would be searching for a mere waitress.

"So how do I find her?" I demanded, my voice laced with desperation.

I stared hard at him, my eyes burning with anger. I looked like I might explode if I didn't get the answers I needed.

With fear in his eyes, and his head bowed to the ground, he stammered. "I…I…don't know sir." She said she won't be working for long, so I didn't get any details." He was visibly shaking and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

I hissed and left the club.

Finding her won't be a challenge as I have all the resources. I just have to do it discreetly so my dad won't find out.

"Why would she leave so soon? I remembered telling her not to let's cross paths again, but she should have waited a little longer. Was she that scared?"

I chuckled at the thought of how cute her expression was the night I left her.

I dialed my assistant's number. "Hey, Larry, I need everything on Layla Torres, immediately."

"Okay, boss." Came the Curt response from the other end.

After ten minutes, my phone rang. "What did you get?" I asked.

"She is 25. She lives at Fremont East, downtown, and she frequents a hospital close to their house to visit her sick mother who is currently down with cancer. She is still in college and she works part time at a bar.

"Okay," I nodded. "Good job, Larry. Where is she currently?"

"She is currently at school sir." He replied quickly.

"Okay, thank you. Meet me at the private villa." I hung up the call.

I wore a hood and a nose mask to shield my face so people won't recognize me and take pictures for the media.

"Where to boss?" My driver asked.

"Don't worry, I don't need your help. I will drive myself." I replied.

I pushed him aside and entered the car.

I sped to her college, my heart racing with anticipation.

What has come over me? Why am I this desperate? I wondered.

When I arrived, the hallways were bustling with students. I was glad they didn't recognize me, it would have been a problem if they did.

I walked straight to her department as Larry already sent me the details.

I waited patiently for her to be done with her class as a professor was currently in her hall.

An hour later, the class ended and students started coming out.

After minutes of waiting, I saw her coming out with another lady and a nerd looking guy.

I held her quickly by her arm and she turned around, shock written all over her face.

"Hi, Layla." I said, forcing a smile.

I don't think she has recovered from the shock, she stood still, staring at me as if I were a ghost.

She wasn't expecting to see me at all.

Her shocked expression immediately changed to anger as she yanked her arm free and stormed off.

"Hey, Layla, wait! I need to talk to you." I called out, chasing after her.

Everyone's attention was turned on us, and I felt my face burn with embarrassment.

She stopped suddenly, and I collided with her. She pushed me away, her eyes blazing.

"What do you want?" She spat.

"I just want us to talk." I said, trying to catch my breath.

"About what?" She snapped, her face twitched up angrily.

"Let's go to a quiet place, come with me." Surprisingly, she followed me quietly, her eyes fixed on me with a mix of anger and embarrassment.

I took her to my car and I drove off to my private villa. The tension between us was palpable.

As we arrived at the villa, Larry greeted us. I led her into the grand building, where a row of workers bowed to welcome us. I had arranged this to impress her, but she seemed unimpressed.

Has she experienced luxury before? I wondered, because she wasn't marvelled.

We sat at the dining table, surrounded by a variety of dishes. For the first time, I saw her clearly. Her beauty was breathtaking, a true masterpiece of nature. Her eyes, a deep hazel green, sparkled like emeralds in the light, fringed with luscious lashes that added to their allure. Her nose, small and slightly upturned, gave her an adorable, pixie-like quality. Her hair, a rich, chestnut brown, cascaded down her back in soft, silky waves, framing her heart-shaped face and accentuating her porcelain skin.

I began to eat, but she didn't touch her food. Her face scrunched up in anger. "Why did you bring me here?" she asked, her voice stern.

"Can we eat first? I'm hungry," I replied.

"You interrupted my day just to feed me? Did I say I was hungry? You think I'm some poor girl who can't afford to eat?" She slammed.

I apologized, trying to calm her down. "I didn't mean it like that. I thought we could talk while eating..."

But she cut me off. "Get to the point! I have a sick mother to care for."

I took a deep breath. "Let's get married," I said, trying to sound casual.

The room fell silent. The only sound was the chirping of birds outside. Her eyes widened in shock, and her face paled. "You must be out of your mind," she hissed, standing up to leave.

I stood up too, "Just hear me out."

But she wasn't listening, she stormed out of the room.

This wasn't how I planned it to go.

For the first time, l felt frustrated and defeated.