Chapter Eight: What are you doing here? #

The weekend passed, and there was no contact from Alex. It was Monday, and Aliya woke up to a ring of the parcel. She opened the elevator, and it was her bag left with Alex. Aliya called Shireen in tears.

“Hey. How are you up so early?” said Shireen, still sleepy.

“Hey. You need to come over right now.” Said crying Aliya.

Shireen got up with a jerk. “What happened?” she asked.

“Please come over right now. I have asked Naz to pick you up.”

“Ok. See you soon.”

Shireen got up and was there in twenty minutes. When she came up, she found a crying Aliya hugging her. There was an open bag on the floor with clothes and stuff.

“Hey. What happened?” asked Shireen.

“Alex broke up with me. He sent me the bag that I had kept at his place.”

“Did you talk to him?”

“I tried to. Alexr sent me a text,” said Aliya pointing to her phone on the coffee table.

“Come, let’s sit on the couch,” said Shireen moving to the couch. She picked up Aliya’s phone and read his text.

Aliya: “Hey. I just got my bag. What’s going on?”

Alex: “Aliya. You are a great girl, and I will never forget our time together. But I need to focus on me, and you need to focus on your future. I think it is best we parted ways. Hope you will understand and move on.”

“That bastard!” said Shireen with anger. “Forget him. He doesn"t even have the decency to face you.”

Aliya was hysterical. By afternoon she was all cried out, and they were drinking scotch.

“I don"t even understand what happened. At least he could tell me the reason.” Said Aliya.

“Do you think it started at the party?”

“I don"t know. I need to know the reason.”

“I understand. It’s Mom’s tea party tonight. Let me call her and tell her I am not coming.” Said Shireen picking up her phone.

“No. Go. Please. I am not pleasant company right now.”

“There is no way I am leaving you. Be right back.” Shireen went to the other room to talk to her mom. When she came back, she looked like she had seen a ghost. She sat down on the couch next to Aliya.

“Aliya,” Shireen said with dismay in her eyes. “He has a new girlfriend.”

“What?”

“My mom told me I shouldn"t miss the tea party because Alexander Knight’s girlfriend is coming. I am so sorry, honey.”

Aliya was sitting there with a straight face. She sat like that for a minute, and then she got up. She took off her Chanel ring and placed it in her palm. She formed a punch around it and struck the tv. This scared Shireen, and she called Ben.

Ben arrived and bandaged Aliya’s hand. Nothing was said for half an hour.

“Aliya. Go to London. Leave all this behind. See your parents, and have some fun.” Said Shireen breaking the silence.

“Shireen, that is a great idea. Would you come with me?”

“To London?”

“I will arrange the tickets.” Said Ben getting up.

“Come with me, and we will have fun together. We will return in a week, and then we can study together for SAT.” Said Aliya getting up.

“Let me ask my mom.” Said Shireen.

They were off to London in three hours. Aliya tried to look happy, but her eyes were sad. They shopped, went to bars, had tea, and soon it was time to leave. She was hugging her mom and crying. Her mom tried to ask her if something was wrong, but she shrugged it off. They were across the Atlantic when Shireen asked, “Do you feel better?”

“Honestly. No. I know why Alex broke up, but it hurts.”

“It will hurt for a while, and soon it will just be a memory. You cannot lose focus. It is time to prepare for SAT and write our college essays. We need to start immediately.”

“Shireen, you are right again. Let’s start tomorrow. But tonight, we celebrate. The last party.”

She asked the flight attendant for champagne; they were drunk when the plane touched down in Seattle. She dropped Shireen home and then went to her flat. She went straight to her bed. She woke up at seven the following day after sleeping for sixteen hours. She took a shower and took out her books. The flat was clean, and there was a new tv. The next few weeks were spent deep in books, with Shireen and Aliya quizzing each other. They had decided to take the SAT in October, and there was a lot to prepare in four months. They had picked the same schools and were writing their essays, ensuring they were unique. Shireen was applying for journalism, and Aliya was applying for maths. Since the first day of high school, when Shireen had talked to Aliya, they had decided to go to college together. They were aiming for at least near each other. Since the significant schools were clustered around the east coast, they were confident they would remain close. It was August, and it was unusually hot and dry. Aliya was studying, sitting on the couch on the terrace, when Shireen was cooling off in the pool. There was calm in the air. Suddenly Aliya’s phone rang.

“Hello.” Said Aliya.

“Hi, Aliya. This is Graham Knight.” There was no voice from another side. “Hello?”

“Yes. Hi. I am sorry. I wasn"t expecting you.” Said a startled Aliya.

“I am in town and would love your company for dinner tonight.”

“Yes. Absolutely.”

“Great. I will pick you up tonight at seven.”

“Yes. Of course. I will be waiting.”

“Bye”

Aliya was waiting in the lobby. She was dressed in a black dress that ended just below her knees. She was wearing high heels with her hair tied neatly in a bun. She looked like she was going to a board meeting. Graham got out to greet her, and they were off.

“Thank you so much for accepting my dinner proposal. I am sure this must have been very difficult.” Aliya was quiet. “I don"t have big enough words to extend my apology. Alex did not tell us. We came to know on Wednesday, and I flew in. Elizabeth is devastated. Despite what happened or what might happen, I would like to form a friendship and offer any help I can. Because I would like to learn more Latin phrases.”

“I appreciate the kind words.” Said Aliya smiling. “And absolutely. My parents adore your family, and I would be honored to keep the tradition.”

“That is great. You don"t have to be formal with me. I am American at heart. I drink coffee and say, dude.”

Aliya laughed. “Sure. I would love some more recommendations for reading. Just looking at what happened is not enough. One must truly analyze the outcome of all the possible scenarios to value the outcome.”

“Did I tell you that?”

“Yes. But I lack the creativity to think of all the possible scenarios.”

“It’s not so much creativity, but the experience. That is why my grey hair matters.” Said Graham pointing to them.

Aliya smiled. “Where are we going?”

“You are in for a surprise. It is a bit of drive.”

Forty-five minutes later, they were at a prominent private property. Aliya could not see anything past the door and the high walls. There was an intercom before the gate. Graham took a card out of his wallet and scanned it. The doors opened. After a long driveway, they were at the main house. They got out of the car and walked to the door. The doorman greeted Graham.

“Where are we?” asked Aliya.

“This is one of the elitist clubs in Seattle. I will introduce you to a few of the greatest minds in this country, and we will have dinner.” There were senior executives from Amazon, Nike, Microsoft, and Google, to name a few. Graham spoke very highly of Aliya. They took a tour around the clubhouse, and they sat for dinner.

The server came with a menu, and they ordered.

“How is your preparation going?” asked Graham.

“It’s on schedule.”

“The tax tip you gave Mr. Rohansberg worked like a charm. He has been eating my ear to get you an internship. It will be great for your resume.”

“That is very generous, but I am unsure how to contribute. That was just a one-off thing.”

“You are too modest. You should call them and see if it is a fit. He will appreciate your honesty. A recommendation from him will carry much weight.”

Graham told her stories of his career and asked about her travels. Aliya acquired valuable knowledge on life and career. They sat at the chairs by the fireplace and drank brandy to finish the evening.

“This evening was delightful. Thank you so much.” Said Aliya holding the snifter.

“Pleasure was all mine. Please stay in touch, and Elizabeth’s invitation for tea is still open.”

They finished the brandy, and Graham dropped her back.

It was Saturday morning, and Aliya woke up to a text from Alex.

“Aliya, I know I have hurt you and cannot apologize enough. There were some misunderstandings and my ghosts. Please meet me to listen to what I have to say. Even if you never see me again, I want you to hear my side. Waiting for you!”

Aliya was almost tempted to reply. But she called Shireen and told her about the text.

“I don"t know what to tell you,” asked Shireen.

“He broke my heart. Why is he asking to listen to his side now? He had that chance, and he didn"t use it. A text was enough for his side when he wanted to break up. He closed the chapter. He has a new girlfriend. Why does he want to talk now?”

“Maybe he wants to clear his conscious.”

“Nobody wants to clear their conscious. They want to bury the past. Unless he wants something from me, there is no reason to talk. Alex’s father was here last week. Is it that his dad asked him to apologize so their relationship with my parents is not affected? That is low.”

“No, no. That is good. You represent your family. Dress up professionally and set up a meeting. Where would your parents meet?”

“At the client’s office. Alex’s office is at his home. He has a lab, and that is where he works.”

“Uhh, you would not want to go there. He.. uh..”

“Spit it out.”

“Alex and his girlfriend live together.”

“Ah! Why not? I want to see what she looks like.”

“Here. I have a picture.” Said Shireen taking out her phone. “She is the one on the left.”

Aliya looked at the picture. “She is pretty. Blonde and tall. I am nothing like her. What can you tell me about her?”

“You really want to know?”

“I want to know.”

“Let’s get some champagne, and I will tell you.” Said Shireen getting up and getting a bottle. They got comfortable on the couch, and Shireen began. “Her name is Veronica Writhe. She is from New York, and Ashbys hired her to do PR for their Vineyards.”

“What vineyards are in Seattle?”

Shireen shrugged. “They met at a party. He asked her on a date before the night ended, and they have together every night.”

“When was this party?”

“Ummm, don"t break the tv.”

Aliya smiled with disappointment. “While we were still together.”

“You remember, on the trip, you told me that Alex is not texting back.”

“That early! Okay. So what? I was his safety blanket. If he could get with this girl, then he would dump me. Or I will still be here.”

“Look, forget about it. Alex wants a life of going to parties and dinners. You hate that. They are out every night. She can"t stop talking about the parties, the galas, art openings, the brunch at Mayor’s house, or I don"t even remember. That is not you. Even if you didn"t have security, that is still not you.”

“I am not thinking about that. I want to close this chapter and move on. I thought it was closed, but now Alex is opening it. I would ignore it, but his dad was here, and they knew my parents. My parents don"t know anything about this. I want to contain this. Maybe he wants to ask my dad to build his girlfriend a new home. I am fine if he doesn"t talk to my dad about us.”

“That makes sense. Do you think he wants his ring back to propose to her?”

“They are worth billions of dollars. He drives a two-million-dollar collar. I don"t even know where the ring is. I threw it at the tv. Ben will know. Let me call him.” Said Aliya getting up and calling him.

Ben arrived. “Hey, Ben. Do you know where the ring is that I threw at the tv?”

“Yes. I placed it in your safe along with the earrings.”

“Alex texted me.” Said Aliya giving him her phone. “Our theory is he wants to smooth things over so that his relationship with my parents is maintained. What do you think?”

“Are you considering a meeting?”

“Yes. My parents don"t know. I want to return to the point where we never met. He can have a professional relationship with my parents and no relationship with me. Where can we meet?”

“Public place in daylight. Paul and I will accompany you. I will stay behind you, but you will not be alone with him. You will give him the location thirty minutes before the meeting. Do not eat or drink anything.”

“Should I invite him here instead?”

“No. I want you to have the flexibility to leave. When would you like to meet? I will call the hotels and arrange a private conference room.”

“I thought there was no risk in a meeting in public.”

“There is no risk when people don"t know who you are. There is a calculated risk when you meet your friends because they are your friends. But you are not on good terms with Alex. We need to be extra careful.”

“Okay. How about Saturday next week? 2?”

“Okay. Do you want me to get the ring from the safe?”

Aliya was thinking. “No. I hate it now but might not feel the same way years from now.” Aliya took a deep breath. “Saturday in two weeks at 2 PM. Let him wait. I will not reply until you have confirmed. And Ben, take your time.”

Ben nodded and left.

“Remind me never to cross you.” Said Shireen taking a sip of champagne.

Aliya smiled. “I went to dinner with his father last week and felt powerless and confused. Why are they trying so hard to mend the relationship with me? What do my parents have on them? Alex and I met by chance, and I asked him out. Either this is a brilliant long con, or I am missing something.”

“There is the obvious answer. Alex wants to get back with you.”

“You told me he lives with his girlfriend. He now wants to cheat on her?”

“Maybe they broke up. I can ask around.”

“Yes. I want to go completely prepared. Ben is doing everything to protect me physically, and I need to protect myself mentally.”

“I need to go back and talk to my mom. If anything happened, she would find out.” Said Shireen getting up.

“Thank you.”

Aliya drank the rest of the champagne and fell asleep. She woke up the following day to a ring.

“Aliya, we have a problem.” Said Ben walking in with a file.

“What happened?” Asked Aliya shaking her head to wake up.

“Veronica Writhe, Alex’s alleged girlfriend, doesn"t exist. Alex filed a police report against her. She tried to steal something from him and escaped with his car. The car was found abandoned about fifty miles away. Police are looking for her, but she doesn"t exist. This is the police file, and his statement is in it. I will make you some tea while you read.”

Aliya sat on the couch and began reading.

“May 13: I went to an art exhibition and met the person Lezabel. She invited me to a party on Saturday night and brunch on Sunday at the Rothby place. May 17: Lezabel introduced me to Veronica at the brunch. Lezabel did not seem to know her. Winston Ashby officially introduced himself and told me he had hired her for his vineyards. Veronica told me she was from New York and had moved here after working in investment banking. We started dating, and she stayed at my place.

Today, July 29, I got a call from the office at 1 PM. They needed me to sign some papers. Veronica was in my bedroom. She had arrived a few minutes earlier from work. I told her that I would be back in an hour. I forgot one of the blueprints that I had to submit as part of the deal. I turned his car around in ten minutes, and when I went to my lab, Veronica was sitting at my computer with a laptop plugged into it. She tried to be casual and explained that she wanted to finish her work. I tried to call 911, but she threw something at me. I dropped the phone. She tried to run with the laptop, but I tore it from her hands and threw it against the wall. The call was already placed by then, and she decided to run. I stayed on the phone and didn"t move until the police arrived.”

“Did she steal anything?” Aliya asked Ben.

Ben gave her tea and sat next to her. “Alex checked the logs on his computer. She was trying to access blueprints of a fuel engine, but I stopped the download mid-way. Graham Knight sent her laptop to the Microsoft lab, but it had a timer software to wipe everything. They are trying to recover it, but I don"t have high hopes. That is why Graham was here last week. The security check only checks the person’s background. A full check requires forty-eight hours at least. I strongly recommend that you not meet him until she is caught and we know everything. She was a professional. Someone hired her to target Alex. They will be watching him.”

“Can you find out who did this?”

“I do not have that capacity. I would have to involve my superiors. If you want.”

Aliya cut him. “No, no. No superiors. This is not our problem unless I make it our problem. Thanks, Ben. Thanks for looking out for me.”

“Always.”

“Ben, do you have a file on Alex?”

“Yes. We have a file on everyone who comes through the security. Alex has no arrests or any illegal activity. This was his first flag.”

“What else does the file contain?”

“Nothing more.”

“That is it? Not even travel records? Or Education or tax or finances?”

“No. We confirm the identity and ensure they are not on or were previously on a wanted list. You can"t tell anyone about this.”

“Okay.”

Ben’s phone buzzed. “Shireen is here to see you.”

“Send her up but stay here. I asked her to ask around if anything happened to Alex.”

“Okay. Let me get her.” Ben got up and brought Shireen to the flat.

“You would not believe what I have to tell you.” Said Shireen walking in.

Aliya handed her the file, and Shireen read.

“Wait. May 17. We weren"t even on the trip yet. We had exams.” Said Shireen, reading the file.

Aliya nodded.

“Lezabel is as shocked as everyone else. She is eccentric and a leech in selling but not diabolical. Ashbys have left Seattle. They sold their mansion and have been rumored to have moved to Europe. Do you remember the dinner invitation you got a few weeks back?”

“Yes. Ben lost nights of sleep to figure out how they knew me?”

“Alex told them. Amanda Bishop bribed Naomi with a case of wine, and she sang like a canary. She told Amanda you returned from Germany with a gold medal in the Olympiad. Instead of sending Dom Pérignon and Noka chocolates, you would have met Alex and his girlfriend if you had gone.”

“Alex should not have done that. Who is Naomi?” asked Ben.

“She is our classmate, but I took care of her. My mom talked to her mom, and she is grounded forever.” Said Shireen.

“I go to school, Ben. People know who I am.”

“Shireen, do they know she has security?” asked Ben.

“No. Amanda read Aliya’s letter out loud and wanted to set up Aliya with her son.”

Aliya laughed. “Then they definitely do not know about my security.”

“What was in the letter?” asked Ben.

“I have it.” Said Aliya getting up and getting her laptop. She read it out loud. “I am flattered by the invitation of which I am not worthy. Alas, my time is occupied elsewhere. But that should not hinder my elation from being expressed in your gracious company. Would you please enjoy the champagne to toast your triumph for a successful dinner and chocolates to sweeten any bitterness I might have caused?

With immense regret,

Aliya Hunt”

“That is fine.” Said Ben. “We will be on high alert. Shireen, let us know if you hear anything about Aliya?”

“Yes. Now the talk is all about Alex. Aliya had her five minutes, and it is all done now.” Replied Shireen.

“Good. Let’s keep it that way. I will inform Naz and Paul. Anything else I should know?”

“No. We will be studying. I am not going anywhere until school begins.” Said Aliya.

“Okay. I will be downstairs. Call me if you need anything. Aliya, limit your calls and online presence until I know more.”

“Wait. In light of this, why would Alex call me?” asked Aliya.

“That question does not concern your security.” Said Ben.

“We are friends.”

“We are not friends. My job is to protect you.”

“You know my menstruation cycle. Pretty sure we are friends.” Said Aliya.

“We are not. If there is nothing else.” Said Ben getting up and leaving.

“How old is Ben?” Shireen asked Aliya.

“Twenty-one, twenty-two. Why?”

“I have always wondered. Ben is hot. Are they not allowed relationships?”

“I don"t know. I am not allowed to ask them any personal questions.”

“Does it make you feel better knowing Alex is destroyed? What an idiot!”

“No. Surprisingly I feel bad for him. I have my security protecting me, and he is all alone. Ben had advised me not to meet up with him, and I respect his opinion. Let’s get back to studying.”

It was the following week when Aliya got a call on Saturday morning.

“Hello, Aliya. This is Elizabeth Knight. How are you?”

“I am well. I hope you have been well.” Replied Aliya politely.

“Yes. Alex told me that you hadn"t accepted his invitation to tea.”

“Yes. My security has advised me against the meeting, considering the latest events. My parents do not know about the relationship, and I assure you it will not impact your relationship. I am not involved with my parent’s business, and as you know, they have their criteria. Whom they accept as a client or what project they accept is entirely up to them. I have no sway over them. I do not need an explanation or apology. I can assure you that I will not impact your life. If you could relay it to Alex, I would be much obliged. He does not need to worry about any repercussions from me. I am sorry for what happened to him. I had no hand it in. I am not a revenge person. I am a let’s move on because there are many worries in the world, person. Please let him know to focus on his life, and I hope the best for him. I would love to help him, but that would be handled by senior security, and my parents would be informed. I am not comfortable with that. I am sure the Seattle police are doing great and following up with everything. I want him to be safe, but I have my family and their trust. I am alone here and can only do so much against their wishes. I do wish him the best.” Said Aliya without taking a breath. Aliya heard no answer. “Hello?”

“Yes. I am here. I will relay it to Alex. Thank you. We wish you well.”

“Thank you. Goodbye.”

“Bye.”

“Did you even breathe?” asked Shireen, who listened.

“I have been thinking about it ever since his text. He chose someone else, so he does not want me back. He would only want to talk because of my parents or need my help. He hurt me badly, but I don"t repent for asking him out. I also learnt a few lessons about how cruel people can be. The only thing I would change is not to be involved with anyone from my parent’s circle. Things can get cloudy very quickly.”

“Okay. One thing I hate about this. They are ruining our Saturdays. We are finally done with our summer classes, and we have what, three weeks before school begins? Why are they ruining our last free weeks?”

Aliya laughed. “Nothing is ruined. We still have all day.”

“I have a feeling it is just the beginning. There is another phone call on the way or another text on the way. Do me a favour. If he or anyone else from his clan calls on his behalf, just freaking meet him and decide. I cannot take this anymore.”

Aliya laughed. “Relax. I have enough champagne that you won"t remember this morning.”

They were drinking when Aliya’s phone buzzed.

“Son of a bitch. Tell me that is not Alex.” Said Shireen with frustration.

“It is Alex.”

“I am calling Ben. I want Ben to shoot Alex.” Said Shireen getting up and going to the intercom.

Ben came upstairs. Aliya showed him the text.

“I talked to my mum. I am not asking for any favour. I don"t need you to sort out my problems. I don"t want anything from your parents. All I want is for you to listen to me. You might have read a file, but that is not everything. There are things only I can tell you. I will come anywhere you want, anytime you want. I will strip down to nothing if your security wants. Please meet me once, and I will never ask anything of you again.”

“Shoot him,” Shireen said to Ben. “Give me your gun; I will shoot him.”

“What do you want to do?” Ben asked Aliya.

“Saturday 2 PM. Two weeks. Let him stir.”

“Okay. Everything remains the same.”

“If you asked me one question about Alex, I would punch you. I don"t care if Ben kills me after that.” Said Shireen.

“Maybe I should stay here.” Said Ben.

“Don"t worry. She will be asleep in two more glasses.”

Days went by, and Ben confirmed the place. Aliya texted back Alexander. “Saturday at 2 PM. I will let you know the place.”

“Yes! Thank you.”

It was Saturday, and Aliya texted him the place as she left in her car. She and Ben were waiting in the conference room when Alex arrived. Her posture was formal and tense. She gave one slow nod to acknowledge Alex’s presence as if he was not worthy of her words. She had entered the negotiations dressed in a slick black pantsuit with leather boots and neatly tied hair.

“Hi. Thank you so much for agreeing to meet me.” Said Alex taking a seat. “I want to start by saying that I don"t want any favours from you. I want you to hear my side.”

Aliya did not reply. She wanted to listen. She came here to listen. But looking at him made her angry. She felt childish because she thought she was more mature than that. But her feelings disagreed with her. She was fuming.

“It started at the office party. When I came out of the conference room, I walked past another conference room and overheard some remarks about you. I thought they were mocking your age and laughing at me for dating someone so young. I cut that weekend short, so I could talk to my lawyers if there were a morality clause or anything that would render the contracts void. I misunderstood. They were not mocking you. They were praising you. I went to another office party, and everyone wanted to thank you.

Then I went to an art exhibit, which you know already. No one could have told you I never stopped caring about you. If you can"t trust anything else, believe this one thing I never stopped having feelings for you. I never stopped thinking about you. One day Veronica and I were walking in the park, and an old Asian lady was trying to sell ripped CDs. She looked tired and old, and Veronica just walked by. I remember that when we were going to the symphony, an older man was selling books, and you bought all of them. I miss you at the moment. I missed you at every moment.

I went to a dinner in July. I knew that you were invited and I was nervous about seeing you. I had no idea how you would react. But when I arrived, you weren"t there. I sat there and listened to your accomplishments and well-thought-out note. I laughed when the hostess talked about setting you up with her son. You are commanding and brilliant. And like a lightning bolt, the revelation hit me that the people surrounding me were not. I longed for a story from history or just any intelligent tale. I was tired of listening about assets and money and vacations and just utter bull shit that was uttered around me. I looked at Veronica, and she looked at me with a smile. I knew in my heart that I had made a colossal mistake.

I was never the popular guy. I had no friends. No one invited me anywhere. I had more invitations than hours in a day for the first time. I was so stupid. I was having the same conversation over and over again. I was stupid for thinking that if everyone wanted something, it must be good. I was so stupid. I had decided that I needed to break up.

The dinner was on Saturday, and I dropped her home. I was collecting my thoughts and had to work that week, so I decided to talk to her on Friday. She felt I was about to break up because she just showed up on Wednesday and wanted sex. She removed her clothes, and I told her I had to work and couldn"t do this. Finally, and thank lawyers, I got a call from the office that they needed the blueprints and for me to come in and sign the papers personally. I just ran. That is how I forgot the blueprints because I was trying to get away from her.

She never met my friends. I never even told my friends or my parents. My friends think you are my girlfriend. They have no idea what happened. Dad came to know because I had to tell him to change his accounts in case Veronica asked. I was never sure about Veronica. I didn"t even know if I liked her or I liked the attention I was getting because of her and who I was.” Alex snickered in disgust. “Who I was. That is so wrong. The attention I was getting was because of my dad. I used to hate that. I used to be afraid of that, and now, like a complete charlatan, I was embracing it.

When we went to the office party, I introduced you as my girlfriend, Aliya Hunt. I couldn"t wait to ask you to be my girlfriend. I never asked her to be my girlfriend. I never introduced her as my girlfriend to anyone. The word didn"t exist. The moment never came. I was ashamed of my action and who I had become, and I didn"t want to face anyone.” Alex had tears in her eyes. “I am sorry I didn"t talk to you about what happened at the party. I am sorry I felt ashamed when I should have been proud of you. I am sorry that I broke up with you. I am sorry. I am so sorry.” Alex broke down, crying on the table.

Aliya and Ben looked at each other. Ben rolled his eyes. He pushed the tissue paper box towards Alex. “Alex, I am sorry for what happened to you, but we need some information. How did the person know Aliya’s address to send her the invitation?”

“I don"t know.” Said Alex wiping his tears. “I did not give it to her. She said something about gifting a box of wine bottles to someone.”

“How did they know Aliya was here?”

“That is my fault. Someone asked me about our trip to the Philharmonics, where her security was helping her get through the crowd.”

Ben looked at Aliya.

“Oh boy!” Said Aliya, swallowing. “They were being friendly and funny.”

“We are not your friends. We are your security. We will talk about this later.” Ben said to Aliya. “Thanks for the information, Alex. We would appreciate it if you didn"t discuss Aliya, as you can compromise her security and life.”

“Yes. Of course. I instantly knew I made a mistake when I said her name. I am sorry.”

“What about your non-girlfriend? How much does she know?” Asked Ben

“She knew that Aliya was my ex. That is it. She was too self-involved to care about anyone.”

“Did you get anything off of her laptop? Do you have an update from the police about anything, a match on the prints or DNA?”

“Nothing from the laptop. It was wiped clean. They didn"t fingerprint anything. Why would they?”

“You don"t know? Veronica Writhe doesn"t exist. Someone hired her to target you.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Alex, you are worth two billion dollars at least. Why didn"t she want to marry you and get half that money? She slept with you, day in and day out. She was living in your place. Did you take a trip anywhere? Did you see her ID? Did you talk to her family? Do you know anything about her? What school did she go to? What was her childhood? Where did she work?”

“No. We never talked. We were always at parties or discussing what parties we were going to?”

“I have to call this in,” Ben said to Aliya.

“Fuck!” said Aliya with frustration. “Could you keep my parents out of it?”

“It would not be up to me. Was there anything about Aliya on that computer?”

“No. All our pictures are on my personal laptop or in my email.”

“Didn"t your computer require a password? How did she know?”

“My password is three parts. One part is in the key pass, one is in this key, and the other is in my head. I don"t know how she cracked it. I don"t even care. I will give her whatever she wants. What I want is you.”

“I am sorry.” Said Aliya with confusion.

“I will be outside.” Said Ben getting up.

“Aliya, I cannot apologize enough for what I did. I am so sorry. I know you can"t forgive me, and we can"t return to where we were. But do you think that maybe we can have a new beginning? I have missed you, and I have missed being honest and missed being who I was with you.”

“I don"t understand. What do you mean by new beginning?”

“It would be great if we could date again.”

“But we just dated, and you decided to end it. You cheated on me. That is how.”

“I never cheated on you. I did lie to Veronica when she asked me if I was single. But I never asked her to be my girlfriend. I did not sleep with her until we were apart. I.”

Aliya cut him off. “Doesn"t matter. You broke up with me. That is it.”

“Aliya, I am an idiot. I have made a huge mistake, but please don"t let that one mistake ruin our great time together. I never stopped caring about you. I never stopped thinking about you. The parties, the dinners, the dates; I missed you everywhere. And that told me how special you are to me, and nothing and no one can take your place or even come close to what you mean to me. It was always you, just you. Relationships are not logic-based. They don"t have variables that model the relationship. They defy the rules and boundaries because they are based on feelings, the unknown knowns of the world, where you feel it inside you, and once you feel it, once you know it even when you do not know its reason, it is the known known. I am not playing games with you. I am a human being who was late to realize his feelings. I am flawed. For me, my feelings for you are the universal truth. I know them in my heart to be true, even if I cannot prove them to you right now. I am not plotting anything. I don"t want anything from you except you. I am sitting here pleading with you. I don"t care about anyone. I don"t care about my life, car, or anything I own. The most important and the only important thing right now is you. Ask me anything; I will do anything for you. I will wait as long as you want. I will never stop trying. I beg you to give me a chance to make you see how I feel about you, to give you the happiness and respect you deserve, and to remove the pain I caused. Give me a chance to restore your faith in me, in us. I will stand by my words if you stand by me.” Said Alexander crying.

Alex took a red velvet box from his coat and placed it on the table.

“I can"t accept this.” Replied Aliya getting up.

“It’s not jewelry. It is something particularly for you. Please. And please think about it. I will wait for you at Le Jeune Amour Saturday at 7. I will wait there every Saturday until you show up. I will not bother you, but I will never stop waiting.”

Aliya took the box and left. Aliya met with Shireen and gave details of the encounter.

“Aww,” said Shireen listening to Alex’s speech. “I mean urghhh” She quickly changed her reaction to grunt. “What should I be feeling?” said a confused Shireen as she could not decipher the look on Aliya’s face.

Aliya smiled. “You can sympathize.”

“Love is the biggest gamble of life where you bet your heart. You just need to know if the hand is worth it. From the wise writers of Sex and the City.” Said Shireen. “I am in no way defending what Alex did. That was utterly stupid of him. But he injected you into his life. You met his parents and all his close friends. But he is isolated in your life. Your parents don"t know about him. Your friends don"t know about him. Even Melia doesn"t know about him. And I found out by accident. Otherwise, you would not have told me. I know living by yourself and making all the decisions has made you protective of yourself. But not every risk can be calculated, and feelings do not follow the rules. If you are always worried about getting hurt, you will never live your life. You risked talking to a stranger in the mall and going out on dinner with him. Since then, you have been social and happy. I don"t think I would be dating Mike right now if you hadn"t helped. People make mistakes. Don"t think logically; try to feel it with your heart. Do you still have feelings for him?”

“Of course, I have feelings for him. I don"t ever lose feelings for someone in my life. I might forget about them and be mad at them, but I never lose the feeling. Trust me on this.”

“Then you have your answer.”

“But I also don"t forget the betrayal. Trust me on this.”

“Were you in a relationship that I don"t know about?”

“Yes. But not romantic. I will tell you about it someday.”

“Tell Alex how you feel. He says he will fix it, then let him try. I want my Saturdays back.”

“When is Mike coming back from Princeton?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Then I will be pleading to have Saturdays with you.”

“Will you tell Melia?”

Aliya sighed. “One thing at a time.”

“I need to go. All the best.”

“You too.”

The Saturday had arrived. It was eight. The doors opened, and Alex looked up. The tears were still on his cheek. Jacques walked in and said, “Your guest has arrived.”

Jacques moved aside, and behind him was Aliya in a red dress. Alex smiled under his tears. He swiftly got up and hugged her.

“I will give you guys a few minutes.” Said Jacques wiping his tears.

Alex had no words.

Aliya said, “Did I make an entrance?”

Alex laughed, “Oh, you made an entrance.” Wiping his tears. “Thank you so much for coming. We have a long way to go, but today will be the first step.”

Jacques came in and served them the champagne. Alex went to freshen up, and Jacques and Aliya talked in French when he returned. They decided to do a la carte menu. They both ordered, and Alex was holding Aliya’s hand.

“I can"t tell you how happy I am. How did you like my gift?” asked Alex.

“I haven"t opened it.”

“Why?”

“I didn"t want anything to cloud my judgment. I wanted to make this decision on my own, on my feelings, not on a gift. I was recently accused of thinking with my brain and not my heart. I have it with me. Would you like me to open it now?”

“Yes, please.”

She opened it, and there was a note. ‘To the one who has my heart, I give her the key to my everything." It was the key to his house.

“I should not have this.” Said Aliya holding the key.

“No. You should.”

Aliya placed the key in the box and closed it. “I appreciate the gesture, especially after everything that happened. I want to be clear. I do have feelings for you. I remember the exact moment. You stayed over at my place, and Shireen had blasted me. We were on the terrace, and you were still sleepy. You placed your head in my lap, and I thought.” Aliya took a deep breath. “There is nothing I will say no to right now if he asks. I built on a grander moment, a wider smile with every moment. Then came the feeling of being ignored on the trip. Then came the feeling of crying over a bag and a break-up text. Then came the feeling of knowing that you had a girlfriend. Then came the feeling of telling my mom that nothing was wrong. I told my mom they should come to Seattle because I wanted them to meet you. Then I had to tell her I needed to be in London. Then came the feeling of crying every moment in London. Then came the moment of one day being at peace.

I do have feelings for you. But those feelings are buried under so much baggage that I think this is the best I or we will ever be, at peace. I will not get those feelings back because everything has become tainted. I don"t want to sit in your car. I don"t want to be in your house. I don"t even…did you bring her here for a date?”

Alex was breathing faster like he was about to have a panic attack. Tears were rolling down his eyes. “Yes.” He said, barely speaking.

“I don"t even want to be here because everything is ruined. The only way I can enjoy those memories is if I think back, not if I think forward. If I think forward, it is all black. I want you to think carefully. You have all those memories of being nervous on the first date, baking a horrible cake, waking up for snow, and belly dancing.” Said Aliya laughing.

Alex laughed.

“You have nothing on top of them. But this could be the train wreck that would ruin everything for you. Please take a moment and seriously think if you want to go through this.”

Alex breathed a sigh of relief. “How dumb do you think I am? I have cried every single day waiting for you. If you don"t like this restaurant, we will never come back. I will change the house, the car, everything. I can replace anything and everything but you. I know I hurt you. I know I have done so much damage. But I am all ready to fix it. Do you want to leave now?”

“I do, yes. But I am still on high alert when I am with you. I don"t need this key because it means a lot to you but no longer means anything to me.” Said Aliya giving him the box. “Good night.” Aliya got up.

“Wait, are you meeting me again?”

“Friday at seven. Pick somewhere new.”

“I will.” Said Alex with a smile. “Thank you for coming.”

Aliya walked out of the lobby, and Ben was waiting in the car when she saw Alex. Aliya was surprised, and she walked towards Alex. “I was just on my way to meet you at the restaurant. How are you here?”

“I want to show you my new car.” Said, Alex.

“Is that a Veyron?”

“Yes. There is also something I want to show you at home. Can you be there for ten minutes? We can go to the restaurant right after.”

“Ben, could I please?” Asked Aliya.

“You can drive if that makes a difference,” Alex told Aliya.

“Ben, please. I have never driven a Veyron. Five minutes.”

“Does it even matter what I think? Drive under the speed limit.”

“Thank you so much.”

Aliya took the keys, and they drove to his home. They walked into the living room, and she saw the surprise. It was a big framed picture of them from their first date.

“That is big.”

He came close to her and hugged her from behind. “I told you. I never stopped thinking about you. I have everything, including the cufflinks.” He said, pulling on his cuffs and showing the cufflinks. They heard a noise that came from upstairs.

“Is someone here?” asked Aliya startled.

“No one is supposed to be here.” Alex took out his mobile to call the police when he heard a voice.

“Stop right there, or I will shoot.” It was Veronica holding a gun on top of the stairs. Aliya opened her clutch and pressed the red button with her thumb. The security was alerted, and they could hear everything.

“You must be Aliya Hunt.” Said Veronica looking at the picture. “I am your boyfriend’s girlfriend, Veronica. We never really broke up.”

“What are you doing here?” said Alex.

“Finishing what Alex interrupted last time. Put your phones on the table,” said Veronica descending the stairs. “You too, Aliya Hunt. You ruined my summer. Every party, every dinner, Aliya Hunt, Aliya Hunt, and here you are again, ruining my night. You weren"t supposed to be home.”

“Veronica, you don"t need to point your gun at us. Just come down the stairs, and we can talk. We will happily pay you as much money as you need.” Said Aliya placing her phone on the table.

“Ha! You think I"m after money. How ignorant? If I were after money, I would have kept your boyfriend. What is he worth, 3 billion? Having sex day and night, I doubt you were on his mind then.” Said Veronica mocking her and coming down the stairs. She walked towards them and spoke sternly. “If you want to live, do as I say. Tell me about your security detail.”

“Just my driver. He is outside. He would not bother you.” Said Aliya. “Take Alex’s car. The keys are on the end table, on your right. The car is parked in the driveway.”

“That’s not what I have heard. You are somebody critical. Maybe even more important than this.” Said Veronica showing them the USB.

“Veronica, if you don"t leave soon, my security will be here because I am supposed to be at a restaurant.”

Veronica was looking at Aliya, trying to decide. Aliya said, “You are wasting precious time.”

“Another time Aliya Hunt. We have a score to settle.” Said Veronica, and she walked over to the end table and didn"t see the keys. “I don"t see the keys. Where are they?”

The front door busted open, and a security team came in. They shot a net at Veronica that restrained her, and the gun dropped on the floor. Aliya tackled Alex to the ground to be out of the way of any gunshots. Veronica was on the floor. There were security guards around her, and they picked up the gun. Aliya was on top of Alex, “My backup security.”

Another security team went to Aliya and Alex and took them outside. The first team searched the house and cleared it. The police had arrived and were taking Alex’s statement. She was sitting there listening to Alex, who was giving his statement. The security guards performed their checks, talked to other officers, assisting them in collecting evidence and providing their statements. She heard the humming of a helicopter coming closer. The light was on the front lawn, with a breeze entering the open front door and fluttering her hair. She shaded her eyes with her right hand and saw a silver ladder coming down through the cracks in her hand. A step was on the bottom of the ladder, and an arm was holding the ladder. A man in a black suit was hanging on the side of the ladder. When the ladder was a few inches off the ground, he stepped off and raised his arm with the elbow at a right angle to his body, clenched his hand in a punch, and moved it down like a signal to blow the horn to a trucker. But that wasn"t it. She knew the sign. It was a TAC team signal to clear out. She felt an adrenaline rush and stood up and yelled, “Magellan!”

And she ran. She ran past the guards, past the turned end table. She leaped over the fallen vase and flowers, down the two stairs, and into his arms. He threw his arms around her and picked her up in a hug. The momentum of her run had caused them to take a half-turn. During the turn, one could see the helicopter light between her feet and the grass; it was almost like she was on a cloud. His blonde hair was shining in the light. The light against his black suit gave the illusion that they both were floating in the clouds with the sun setting behind them.

He placed her on the ground, but they were still hugging with her face buried in his chest. His arms clenched ever so tightly around her that there was not even a speckle of light between their bodies. His head was over her hair with eyes closed, and he stroked her hair. I don"t know where he was, but she was suddenly twelve again.