Even though his hands were gliding on her satin-soft skin, even though his eyes were trying to submerge themselves deep into her, touching upon every frayed nerve that belonged to her, she could sense that something was wrong.

And like a reflex, her palm immediately landed on his hands.

"What is going on Raymond? Avoiding it isn't going to help you in any way."

"Erm... there is nothing. Erm... a small thing actually," Raymond said while trying to graze his thumb on her thigh.

"What is it?"

She whispered into his ears, resting her head on his shoulders. She knew that Raymond hated his own father, but going against own blood and that too to the level of putting him behind the bars was something else. It could break anyone.

"Nothing serious. I mean I just wanted to know if in any way you guys knew my parents? Or maybe your parents knew mine? Any connection between our families?"

"How on earth is that even possible?"

Akira replied instantaneously.

"Just a random thought in my head."

"Can't be a random thought, Raymond. Tell me what is bothering you."

"Hm... It's my dad's will."

'What about it?"

"Approx seventeen percent of my father's assets are going to a person called Mike Peyton."

"Mike Peyton? As in my brother Mike Peyton?"

"Well, yeah !!!"

"Raymond !!! Just clear your head out. It's not possible at all. Can't be my Mike. He won't even know how your dad looks like."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. But just that the whole thing troubled me a bit so just wanted to get everything cleared up. I didn't want to assume or keep anything inside my head."

"That's good. But now tell me where were you. I was looking all around for you. And by the way, breaking news - Vikram is devastated knowing that all his money is blocked for a year. He was aiming for a chair in your dad's company."

"Well, he definitely dreams big. Doesn't he?"

Saying that Raymond softly kissed the tip of her nose. And then said,

"Sorry that you had to bear him for so long. It all ends today. The scouting company people, whom my dad had employed to be behind our back 24X7, have been already pulled out."

"For real?"

"Yup, because I signed the agreement given by him. So now he thinks I will be taking the entire control of his company. Plus Vikram has already told literally everyone that you guys are getting together. And my dad believes that you are already over me. So this is the right time to take back everything into our control."

"You think so?"

"I know so baby."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Just wait for the drama to unfold."

"Ok, then I should run back. I have already pissed Vikram to his core."

"Well tell him, the worst is yet to come."

Saying that he held her waist and lifted her up from the slab so that she could walk back to the party. But before she could leave, he whispered into her ears.

"Looks like you are wearing something black today."

She bit her lips as his words echoed inside her head. His hot breath tantalized her skin in an instant. But that fiery girl was not going to melt so soon.

So she held his collar and pulled his face closer to hers and said,

"Come home tonight. You might find me wearing 'nothing'."

"I kinda like the whole sound of it."

Saying that he softly bit her ears and then said,

"Tonight !!!"

Akira closed her eyes and inhaled that musky smell of his. There was whole impending chaos, waiting to happen in a few seconds, just outside the doors, but right now all that she could think of was him.

Shaking her head a few seconds later, as she opened her eyes, she found him gone.

So taking a deep breath she muttered,

"Please give him strength God !!!"

And saying that she came outside the washroom and saw Dr. Nelson waiting outside for her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Waiting to escort someone whom I injured."

"You don't have to do all this Jaby."

"I know, I don't. God, sometimes I even curse myself for attending that seminar in the first place. But that's how it is Akira."

His words somehow pinched a part of her heart. She knew that he had to go through a lot because of her, but she never expected that he would consider it equivalent to a curse.

"I know that I have already complicated your life. I made you break so many rules, which you probably wouldn't have. Even your life was at risk because of me."

Saying that she took a deep breath and said,

"But as you know, it all will end today. You can go back to your normal life like it was before. Like I never existed. I would love to be friends with you even after today, but if you don't want to then I will completely understand Jaby. You have already done more than enough."

Saying that she tried to look into his eyes, which she had been avoiding.

"I came here because Raymond had texted me."

He said with a blunt expression on his face and then extended his arm for her to hold as she strapped on her heels.

Once she was done, she looked at him and said,

"No matter how rude you act or behave, I know that deep down you are concerned about me. And probably you are just acting all mean so that it doesn't weird me out when we part our ways."

Saying that she walked along with him, holding onto his arm.

All that he could do was to take a deep breath and count his blessings. He knew that he had to part ways with her because he had started to realize that she had open the flood gates, which he had been gating up for so long.

He knew that all her miseries would end today. But he didn't know how to explain that it was the beginning of his miseries.