Chapter 7: Birthday Surprise - Part 2

"What's the status?" I answer.

"She's doing very well, young master." Gilbert's voice answers, "In fact she's awake and up walking around." I pick up the uneasiness in his voice.

"What happened to her, Gilbert…" I ask sharply.

"She's…" My butler sighs, "She's gone. The security cameras caught movement in the west side of the mansion. Upon closer inspection, it was Miss Marie leaving the perimeter." We're currently going through all the CCTV's in the area but there hasn't been any sightings of her yet."

I clench my jaws together. What is she doing in her condition. What happens if she suddenly faints in the middle of the street? What if another accident is waiting for her somewhere in the city?

"Get everyone out in the streets and search for her." I order, "Update me when you find her." I hang up. She's going to be in so much trouble with me. I'll get in trouble if her sister finds out she's missing.

"Marie…" I stalk back inside the ballroom. I find Adonis talking to the Alister family. Their daughter in particular bats her eyes at him, inching her body closer to him. Divine in the other hand is outside the circle chatting with the birthday boy.

"Adonis dear, why don't you and Emily go somewhere private and get to know each other?!" Grandma Delilah suggests. Adonis looks at Emily with an uninterested look.

"Grandma, I don't have a reason why I should get to know Miss Emily. In addition, she is not my type." He pulls away from her hold and dusts himself, "I already have a fianceé." He walks out the circle and grabs Divine by the waist, "Grandma. Grandpa. Meet Divine Young, my fianceé."

Divine slightly opens her mouth in surprise, before retracting it into a dazzling smile just as quickly.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you both." She tips her head down in greeting.

"Oh, I didn't see you there dear. My bad, these eyes of mine are old." Grandma Delilah forces a smile on her face, "I'm Delilah, Adonis's grandmother." She shakes her hand, "It's nice to meet my grandson's fiancée… considering that I never knew he even dated much less have a fiancée out of the blue… Tony did you know?" She pulls away and looks at her husband.

"Umm… yeah. I did hear that little Adonis is seeing a beauty. I was just not informed that he already proposed to her." He chuckles. That's a lie, I thought. But Grandpa Tony knows what he's doing.

"Oh, I guess I was the only one left in the dark." She says stiffly. Tension briefly filled the circle, before Divine's self introduction.

"Sorry for not informing you or grandpa. I asked Adonis to not announce our relationship until I'm ready." She puts on an apologetic smile and bows a ninety degree and comes back up, "My name is Divine Young. It's nice to have finally met you both."

The Alister's daughter glares at her. She's going to be trouble, I thought. Grandma Delilah purses her lips in a fine line to show her dislike.

"It's nice to meet you Miss Divine. Say… who are your parents? What business do they run? What college are you attending?" She inquires.

"Um… my mother passed when she gave birth to my sister and I. My father passed away when I was ten. My father was a businessman, but I don't exactly know what he deals with…" Grandma Delilah crinkles her nose, "But I'm majoring in Architectural Engineering in S University."

"That's an interesting field." She looks at her boredly.

"I attend the same university, Mrs. Melevski," Emily butts in, "I'm majoring in Business Management for a Bachelor's degree and minor in Musical Arts. My father is paying for my schooling, so all I have to do is focus on my studies and get A's." She boosts.

"My how wonderful!" Grandma Delilah claps, "Look Adonis, you need someone who knows the ins and outs of a business." She says quietly. She then looks at Divine, "How are you paying for schooling dear? That University is very expensive."

Divine just smiles, "Full ride scholarship."

"That's amazing!" Mr. Alister's son, Raymond Alister Jr. jumps into the conversation, "That means you're super smart and talented if you were given a full ride in our school!"

His sister throws a jab at his side to hush him.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. I turn around from the circle and pull it out quickly. I look down at the message.

I'm on my way, The message says.

"Landon."

I type on my phone, questioning the sender, Who are you?

"Hello?"

My phone vibrates again. This time, there were several bank statement notifications.

You have spent $300 in XXX today.

You have spent $250 in XXX today.

You have spent $450 in XXX today.

Someone has one of my credit cards, I muse.

"Landon"

I look up to see a girl in dark blue, strapless dress, her hair black with blue highlights and smoky eye shadow. She stands in front of me, calling out my name.

"Finally, I thought you were ignoring me." She smiles at me. I look at her uninterested. My phone vibrates, You'll see.

"Excuse me, but am I supposed to know you?" I ask bluntly. She's disrupting me. She continues to smile,

"My name is Stella Hughes, my father works at the Research and Science Institution in the city." She introduces herself.

"Would you look at that. I see you have already met Stella." Grandma Delilah appears next to me. This time the circle is focused on me and this girl.

"I invited Stella here to meet you, since you both are studying in the same field. Plus you're single," She grins, "Tell Landon what you're majoring in dear." She nudges her to talk.

"Um, I'm studying for a doctor's degree of Applied Sciences and minor in Psychology in S University."

"And she goes to the same university as you dear!" Adonis's grandma claps.

"You seem to be a very hardworking, smart, young lady, Miss Hughes." I compliment.

"Call me Stella, I'm the same age as you, Landon." She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.

My phone vibrates in my hand, I'm here.

"Just call me. Doctor Vincent." I said, she looks over at Grandma, troubled.

"Oh let her call you Landon, honey. Why would you want to be called by such a dry title…"

"Pardon my rudeness, Mrs. Melevski, but I would rather be called 'Doctor' between two people of the same profession and in business." I narrow my eyes, "My name is only reserved for…"

A glass shatters my statement. The circle and I turn around at the disrupted sound.

"Who's that?"

Coming through the doors, was a lady in a glitter gold black colored evening gown. Strapless, heart shape top with a slit between the chest down to her waist and a slit down on one side. What used to be her long black hair was replaced with a short, curled, platinum dyed tip hairstyle. Her alluring dark black-gold smoky eyes were glued on mine, never breaking eye contact.

"What a babe."

"I wanna get her number."

"Damm, I'd like to get laid to that."

Her heels click the marble floor as she makes her way towards the circle with elegance. She grabs a wine glass on her way just before standing right in front of me. She smiles,

"Sorry for being late. I helped myself to do a little shopping for the party." She says procuring out a card with my name on it.

"Thanks for the card, Landon." She teases. I shake my head at her. Unbelievable.

"Hold it for me." I said, putting my hand on her lower back, "You're in big trouble for sneaking out in your condition. Expect your punishment later." I whispered. I turn around to the curious eyes behind me.

"Happy Birthday, Ray. I wish you the best on your special day." Her eyes finds the birthday boy. Ray blinks a couple of times and looks between Divine and her.

"You both look so much alike, yet different. Nice to finally meet Divine's twin." He walks over to shake her hand and steps away.

"Good evening, Mr. Alister and Little Miss Emily. The party is gorgeous." She compliments the two. "And hello, Mr. and Mrs. Melevski it's a pleasure to meet you two." She walks over to the two elders and gives them a hug.

"Oh…" they say speechless. Marie retreats back to my side. I chuckle to myself, what an actress.

Stella frowns but musters a smile. She steps forward, "Hi, my name is Stella Hughes." Her hand sticks out for a hand shake.

Marie assessed the girl in front of her before smiling.

"Marie Young. It's nice to meet you, Miss Hughes." She catches her hand with hers. I can see how hard Marie grips on Stella's hand before letting go.

"Just to let you know, please refrain from using Doctor Vincent's name so casually. He doesn't like it." Stella smirks at Marie. Marie looks at her and me, bursting in laughter.

"That's a good joke." She laughs, "I have never once called MY MAN 'Doctor Vincent'. That's just weird. Right Landon?"

"…"

I slightly nod next to her. Stella looks at me for an explanation, "What's your relationship with her?"

"My fiancée."

"She has every right to call me by my first name." I pull her closer next to me. I take a quick peek at her reaction for calling her as my fiancée, but she just smiles.

"I feel so left out." Grandma Delilah smiles tightly. Grandpa Tony pats his wife's hands, "Don't be sad, honey. They probably just want to keep their relationship a secret as well."

After a few minutes talking amongst each other Adonis, Divine, Marie and I excused ourselves.

"Marie!" Divine links her arm with her sister, "What the devil is wrong with you! You should be resting. Is your head okay?"

"There's nothing wrong with me. I just got bored laying in my sick bed. I heard there was gonna be delicious food here, so I came." She cheekily smiles.

"Whatever." Her sister laughs.

"So…" Marie's attention turns to me, "What's this whole 'fiancée' deal about? I don't remember you proposing to me."

"Yeah, what's the big idea, Adonis." Divine questions him. Adonis blankly stares at her, "This is your punishment for property damage."

"And what's that?" She inquires.

"My face." He deadpans.

My attention was taken away with something poking my chest. I stand still and look down as Marie intrudes my bubble space, "What's your excuse?"

"I paid for your dress, make-up and medical expenses. You're in debt to me."

Marie gasps and looks away, "You're so shameless. I didn't have my card on me. I just so happened to find your card laying around your place. So, that's your fault."

"So it's my fault that you stole from me? I could file you for theft." I passively threaten.

"Y-you…" She stutters, then stops and takes a deep breath.

"That's a good joke, Landon! How can you threaten me! I'm your fianceé." I watch her straighten my neck tie before linking her arms with me, "Come on let's grab some food. I'm hungry."

The girls drag us to the food section.