Chapter 14: Chapter 14
Somebody was touching her and at first, the body that was unable to move and a half-unconscious state made terror and helplessness strike yet did monsters feel so warm as if it was only a fleeting moment of the graze and caress that she never wanted to end. Alaina moaned once again and the soft feeling of the fingers massaging in her hair paused.
"With me here, who dares even look at you.....go to sleep little princess, you are safe in my abode."
Was that meant to be reassuring...a male voice so rich and deep like a silver dagger dipped in fruity honey, how dare she sleep in presence of an unknown entity who could have harmed her and took advantage of her perilous state....or was he god?
The way he rubbed her cold fingers with his palms transferring his warmth and for once kissing them as he muttered something along the lines..."so tiny like a doll" before there was a long silence like the person realizing that he wasn't meant to have such feelings for herself.
Night passed and when Alaina woke up in the morning nobody was in the room, the guards stationed outside were replaced by three female staff members of the hotel that knocked first and got in to inform that their firm had informed Maximus Storm in the night itself that his daughter was not in the position to leave to which he had sent additional ten guards and also was already waiting in the lobby to receive her.
"Miss shall we help you dress?" The Russian heiress did not understood why the female staff members treated her as such yet when she nodded the women arranged for all of her necessities.
While all the things were said and done, the chocolate irises looked at the room one last time before leaving only to find an ice blue rose without kept at the corner of the bed.
Her breath hitched when she recalled what the voice whispered at last.
"We will meet again little love."
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Axiom Academy
Russia
'The Welcoming ball' was a legacy of Axiom Academy to accept talented students across the globe. From the privileges, it provided to the name of its students and various connections that could be established through an institution as such were numerous propelling young heirs to attend.
Maximus Strom, Alaina's father strengthened Axiom Academy's pillars with time while his brother Reece Strom contributed his life towards the Academy as a teacher and principal.
Although Cally's father also enjoyed his childhood and teenage years as its scholar, he was never interested in continuing their legacy- Valace Strom didn't wish to be a part of his brother's world, he had plans.....plans which were very different from them.
Students here were children of most influential business tycoons, though the Storms remained the undisputed Kings among them, this Academy was much more than business for Maximus Strom.
The ballroom with its marble flooring of rich black color was complimenting its golden embroidered walls which were draped with ebullient red curtains, a set of gold chandeliers adorning the high ceiling of the room. Mahogany wood tables lay across the room, draped with golden covers.
Alcoholic drinks were strictly prohibited, overrated expensive wines from the finest vein yards and most elegant food, beverages and fruits which were deemed as an extravagance even among the richest were meant to be served.
In all, it was a display of the royalty of Storms.
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Storm palace
Russia
"Cally, you are going to look gorgeous, although you are naturally beautiful."Alaina's mother Sandra was currently designing Cally's dark blonde hair flowing in waves over her olive skin, with bright blue eyes, the girl looked a beauty worth rivaling.
Sandra displayed nothing but kindness and love to Cally. As a woman of such a household she was bound to be proud and humble yet the one thing that attracted various gazing looks was the simplicity with which she carried her beauty, Sandra was once a friend of Valace Storm and he had wanted her for his own self, a kind of obsession that does not fade away but is simply hidden in shadows.....that was what he felt for her yet the one to win that woman's heart was his brother.
"Thank you, Aunt Sandra, I don't know what will I do without you."Sandra just kissed her head and passed an affectionate smile.
But Cally was bitter
if only in your position my mother would have been there, I would have really been happy instead of hiding my fury.
Her thoughts echoed.
"Dear, I and your uncle will arrive later at the ball, you and Alaina can go together. Will you please tell her that she needs to go to the office first and talk about the speech to Reece, we are already running late."
"Will do aunt, no worries" she stated and took a sigh of relief, Alaina's father kept persisting them to give speeches, either it would be Alaina or her and she was in no mood to make the glory of Strom empire rise with her hard work.
Cally couldn't wait to see it fall.
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Axiom Academy was decorated lavishly to leave everlasting first impressions on the students and their mentors attending for the first time, Alaina was the one to manage the event as well as prepare the guest list, heirs that could provide her a strong backing were included along with influential friends and acquaintances that might prove to be useful in future.
In the game of attaining the noble position of a CEO, people and feelings took a backseat and the ones offering advantages were selected first. Following the footsteps of her father, the Storm princess excluded the young masters and ladies that were embroiled in latest scandals to avoid any controversies as it would be a big step before her nineteenth birthday where she would be given the post of joint secretary.
Calliope even if was allowed to attend the event still had a presence that was coercively dimmed, she almost mingled into the background of the crowd and was not paid attention to by the reporters. It was to her surprise when different people greeted her and asked to join them making her feel an ounce of unfathomable emotion, if she said yes then her dignity would remain and she might not appear as a fool that was unfitting but on the other hand those groups were the ones she was already aware of and could not possibly give her any benefit.
Even though the ones who had no business with Alaina could not perceive her way of working but Calliope understood, the day the Storm Princess was drugged at the Artificial Intelligence ceremony had already made her suspicious that it was Cally's doing. With a face that morphed into an ugly expression, the woman could hardly suppress her scowl when she was asked to take a seat beside the others.
Alaina that day was supposed to get drugged, show her shameless attitude infront of the media and get ruined....that was the only way that Cally could climb over her destiny and snatch everything that must have originally be hers.
"The arrangements are quite fine, everything is just looking dreamy." a girl Sasha chatted with other girls withdrawing the woman's attention towards them.
"Indeed it is breathtaking."
The words were swallowed as they took in a man walking through the doors and surprisingly it had gotten quite in the ballroom.
He was the definition of handsome.
Sand blonde hair seemed to be perfectly swiped to one side, amber color shining like honey with a gentle smile dancing on full pink lips and when he walked it was like a ray of sunshine was sprinkled on him. Black suit enveloping him like a second skin showing off his muscular form as the blue eyes winked towards the table of girls who were gawking at him and they seemed to go jello at his acknowledgment while others were swooning with their eyes wide and jaw slacked.
The ones that could break free from the charm saw others following the man as well, Glittering cocoa hair with chocolate brown eyes and a rugged body made women swoon feeling that it was difficult to decide who was more magnanimous.
The brown-eyed male behind his two friends was almost invisible mingling into the background and appearing invisible to the eyes of others like a wallflower. Loosely fitted clothes that looked out of place, one could take a look and see that he was not particularly gifted in the looks department, belly fat along with a mop of brown hair- too ordinary in all sense of the word. While his other friends were already talking to other people, he appeared to be too quiet and had a comforting presence.
Alaina who by now had been attracted by the silence of the people raised exquisite long lashes that were earlier kissing her cheeks to search for the eye of the storm.
Honey eyes diluted the two magnificent males and instead clashed with brown irises looking serene and gentle of someone who was neither too loud nor attractive to have had her mind conquered, it seemed to have shaken her...that intense spark that was there a moment ago disappeared when she blinked as if an illusion.
If only she had known
Before the mightiest of hurricanes the weather remains calm.
Alaina breathed deeply, massaging her forehead.....she was hallucinating but she did not have time for this.
While Alaina was too tired thinking about all the things that had happened and was hoping for a rest Calliope's azure blues irises clashed with my cerulean of the man who had shaken the ceremony up. His sweet smile burned Calliope Storm's heart and her cheeks got flushed.
A loud cheering made the attendees focus onto what was being announced.
"moi pozdravleniya (my greetings) dear friends." the Storm princess had walked up the stage, her voice commencing the crowd laced with elegance and authority as she gave a brief speech about Axiom Academy and it's foundation.
Now as the princess was descending the stairs she truly looked like an angel.
Brown waves held by a silver hairband enhancing the simple red lace gown with a heart neckline.
And as Cally looked towards the man who had for now captured her heart only to find his eyes were wide taking Alaina in, but as soon as she came closer his gaze left her. He had an undecipherable look on his face as if he could not understand something yet choose to remain silent. He looked like he couldn't believe what he saw, the expressions screamed of awe.
"Cally" Alaina unbothered by her cousin's glare greeted dryly before stopping infront of her and sat down, drowning herself in the various conversation with others. "the boy there, he is watching you, very intensely infact"
Her heart was beating erratically since the moment Alaina had seen the person- how can someone be that gentle and still remind her of danger. She looked towards the trio snapping her neck only to find a blond watching her yet the one she had thought of was immersed talking with others.
Moments passed and the said person with his friends had made his way towards their table.
"My greetings Strom princess"
She held gazes with the blonde approaching him yet the eyes strayed to the brown irises behind
"And who this might be? "
"My name is Ryan, and this is my friend Tyler Kingsman."
Cally introduced herself yet the one who was approached remain silent. Delicate fingers trembled when she looked behind Tyler asking the person who had stared her with those complicated feelings.
"And you?"
"You can call me Ace princess." And Alaina did not understood why she felt as if the voice when he called her princess seemed to have been heard before.
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