'' long time no see,Carmine'' a strong female voice cut trough the air like arrow both Leila and Carmine turn around.All Leila saw was a beautiful women around same age as Carmine,but what Carmine saw was an upcoming disaster,because there stand non other than his ex-girlfriend , Tina
Tina was Carmine's highschool girlfriend, beautiful, intelligent she was liked by everyone but she had a problem, obsession, she had a huge obsession over Carmine that almost killed a girl once.It started when a girl casually stated how handsome Carmine during football match that held two days before,However that time Tina was also there but the girl didn't saw since she was facing back to Tina, but Tina heard it. Everyone around school knew how hard Tina please Carmine, until he agree to date her, so everyone how she was over Carmine ,When Tina heard the girl's statement she was furious she throw her plate and grab that girl by her hair yanking her in to her side of wall, girl hit the wall so hard that got her ear bleeding instantly,Tina didn't stop there she pushed her to the ground and hit her stomach so badly until the girl were unconscious, there was lot of student to witness it but no one dare to intervene because of her father's high status knowing they also will be the victim,to the girl's luck Carmine was passing by the area, when he saw that he pulled out Tina furiously ,students immediately called ambulance and took the girl to the hospital,
Tina told the her type of story to Carmine where she was the victim and the girl was trying to steal him away from her ,he almost believed it until the girl's parent complained about this immediately and told them about pressing charges to the damage, that's when he saw the footage of her doings, the girl's condition was critical , with the amount of witnesses , and the cctv footage Tina's parents had to pay the for the girl's all the medical bill. after that the girl transfer to another school and also Carmine broke up with her due to the disappointment and the pressure came from family and friends.even her friends distanced their self from her, she try different approach , attending to therapy just to get a chance from Carmine, attending to his football matches, even leaving notes in his locker , since Carmine was about to leave abroad for studies he didn't care, when he left she tried everything she could just to get a chance, since Carmine had blocked her in every social media she tried to message with fake profiles, even send email....she tried until Carmine completely cut off his social media just because he want to stay way from Tina
few years until he came back he didn't hear from her until her parents tried to arrange a marriage to them, Carmines dad was thrilled until he get to know what happened in the school,since he was very careful about family reputation she refused the proposal.After Tina get to know about Carmine,s dad refusing she tried to harm herself her parents were devastated with her doing until they have to put her in mental hospital for awhile,after she was discharged her parents send her abroad,thinking she will move on and give up since then Carmine didn't knew what happened to her anything until he see her today
She's standing there, her piercing eyes were laying on Leila,carmine pulled Leila behind his back giving her a warm protecting wall from Tina,s eyes.
''What is it?''Carmines voice was calm yet stern giving firm warning
''what?can't I just great you?''her eyes were shining like she's already planning something
''I'm busy'' he told without giving much thought not even glancing at her,behind back Leila was dumbfound she didn't know why Carmine hide her from the lady
''busy with what? with your little toy?''she tell the last part more highlightedly to everyone to hear
Leila felt heat radiating through her cheeks 'was she just a toy' , 'Is he going toss her aside once she's used' those thoughts start to circle through her head,tear gather to her eye in less than a second thinking she's going to endure the same fate oneday when Carmine was bored
''she not a toy''Carmine state firmly,Leila dind't hear a word she's busy in her mind going through different versions of what will be going to happened when she was toss aside
Tina's eyes flinched at his firm statemen,he saw the fury coming through,but he wasn't about to back down
''Listen Tina, she's my girl the one I'm going to marry, you try something dirty I'll make your life hell'' Tina taken aback by his words but wasn't ready to step aside
with that Carmine pull Leila from behind interlacing fingers with her.Leila felt like she was flying by the pull.But she was to confused to to anything other than going wherever Carmine want, she was still so busy thinking about the thing that Tina told 'was she really a plaything?' , 'was she gonna throw out once Carmine get bored?' her head was spinning like world was crashing
she came back to sense when Carmine shook her for the nth time as she looked at him she saw the worry, the care, the softness she never felt, the protectiveness that offer, it was too much too sudden, too quick for fall and she wasn't sure what is Carmine try to offer.
''you, okay?'' she looked at him and nodded but she wasn't okay
'' don't mind whatever she said,she's crazy'' she snap back to look at him, she doesn't know who she was to him or what history they shared together, she was simply hurt by the thing that girl said
''you know her-'' '' she's my ex'' he cut her off not letting her finish
''oh''
so, the girl was sharing a part of his life, that was the first thing came to her mind, with that she felt like her heart is hammering in her chest like it want to come out of her, was she jealous ? , of what?, was she scared that girl was going to harm her ? she was confused
while she was busy with imagining the worst scenario in her mind Carmine pulled her in to another shop more peaceful , more secure
he looked at Leila who was still busy in her mind thinking whatever he doesn't know he looked at for a moment in amusement try to figure out what she's thinking he noted the the way her brows frown the facial expression like she's trying to solve a puzzle with a missing peace is mesmerizing. In his mind he thought she's a fairy but he didn't dare to say it out loud he flicked her forehead bringing her back to reality
'' you were gone for a while''his tone was cold but softer enough to steady her back. she flinch then looked at the man whose bending to her height infront of her,as she was about to open her mouth a sales girl walk in with a wide smile recognizing Carmine
''hello!sir, welcome in'' he slightly nodded entangling with Leila's fingers again,he pulled her with him bringing her the high end clothe section as they walk through the raw a one dress caught Leila's eyes
it's yellow sparkling dress with open shoulder and a corset that would show off her figure in right places Carmine followed her eyes searching the dress automatically, he saw the long sparkling dress, that moment he also wanted to see her in that exact dress, he pointed to the girl to bring the dress.
she bought the dress to Leila, Carmine saw how her eyes lit up like how a child's eyes lit up in the christmast morning,the joy the excitement was all there this is the first time he ever saw a girl glisting their eyes over a dress
''go try it'' he pulled her towards the sales lady who bought the dress
in the the dressing room she looked at her in the dress long sleeves, open shoulders,,the corset hugging her every curve in right places,in the long dress she felt like a princess,she walk out of the dressing room feeling confident for firsttime after how long she doesn't even know , as she walk out of the room Carmine's eyes fell onto her he couldn't take his eyes off of her, he felt like a obsessive freak wanting to keep her all to himself hiding her from the world,he shook his thought away as she reached to him, he looked her from head to toe then toe to head few times before calling the sales lady
''I want this dress from all colors'' as the sales lady rushed to sort out his command he pulled Leila towards his chest he wanted to keep her in his pocket
''you look beautiful in this dress'' his voice was horase and possessive like he's already planing to cage her and put her in his safety room
''thank you'' it's one of few more she ever speek through the day, she was blushing through the whole time she wanted to hide her face in his but felt scared the since everything went too fast and she can't figure out what she's feeling . they wandared around the store for one more hour befor checking out what they bought,there was like ten bags few was carried by Carmine himself while others were carried by bodyguards , And Leila was walking next Carmine like a princessher cheeks were flushed red like a tomato she jas more colors in her face than she had through her whole life
But, the ghost of the doubts are swirling around her, 'will she be enough?' or 'will she be the only one?' or will she be thrown away once he get bored?' those were running around her but for a moment she thoght it's better to forget it for a little while
as they reach to the parking lot Carmine's phone buzz with a notification,since it was his work phone he pulled out thinking it's something important but the person who sent it cought him off guard
it was non other than his soon to be father-in-law Victor
meet me at my mansion,tonight