Amelia 

"Amelia," I looked up from my fresh bowl of fruits to see Karl standing there with a cup of steaming coffee for both of us.

"Not having an appetite today?" He asked sliding into the seat in front of me eyeing the breakfast spread he had prepared. There was a fluffy omelette, scrambled eggs bacon, and much more but I just picked the fruits.

"Want something else? I can surely make something," I cut him off with a shake of my head.

"No, this is already enough," I looked at him with a small smile. "I'm just feeling a bit sick," I saw the worried look on his face.

"Girl problem," I added trying not to raise much concern and having to answer a lot of questions because of it. Karl nodded looking towards me before taking a sip of his coffee. I liked Karl. Even though I feared love I knew it was almost close to love for what I felt for him. I didn't want him to worry unnecessarily for me. I had woken up remembering the past. The memories were fresh as if they had happened moments ago. I prayed to be forgiven to all for I have sinned.

Somehow I had been able to reach a part of life where I had everything. I was thankful for it but the past seemed to be always haunting me. Knocking over the door reminding me that it was right there trying to guilt trip me into everything.

"Do tell me if you need anything," he added drawing my attention from my thoughts towards him. One look into his eyes and I forgot about my worries. He sipped his coffee as I stared at him his eyes at his tablet now.

"I know I look hot when I shave," he teased without looking up from his tablet making the heat flush to my cheeks. I was ogling him openly and that too without a shame. Looking away from him I looked at the bowl in front of me. I felt a movement beside me and before I could turn my head to look at what was happening. My chair was being pulled by Karl towards him and I was shocked by this action of his.

"Now you can look at me closely," he teased once again as my eyes turned to look up at him. He was staring at me with an adoring gaze and I wanted his eyes on me for always. His attention made me feel more than I was worth. The weight of my sins had always pulled me down but one look from Karl and I could forget it all. I wanted him to see the real me, the person who I was deep down and there was no denying that if anyone knew me it was only him. We worked together, breathed under the same roof, and were in sync from eating together to accompanying each other. It was as if we were a couple, almost a couple.

"Karl," his name slipped through my lips as a whisper. His eyes went from my eyes to my lips and then back to my eyes. His tongue poked out to wet his lips and suddenly it was me who was doing the same as Karl. My eyes moved from his eyes to the lips and back to his eyes. We were close. I could inhale his scent and I was sure he could smell me but could he smell my desire too? My eyes went back to his lips and all I could think was that could he smell my desire.

"Amelia," his hand moved from the table as I held my breath. I wanted him to make the move, it was all I needed for him to do. He looked at me as if silently asking me for my consent.

"Yes," I was permitting him to do whatever we were building ourselves toward. His fingertips moved to my lips and I don't know why I did it but I wetted my tongue only to catch his fingertip between my lips. My heart thrummed against my chest and I had never thought I could feel this much for someone. Feeling his hand at the back of my neck I moved mine from the table to his hair. Everything was a blur of the moment. It was our own desires that had us moving on our own. 

The first thing I felt was his lips on mine. I could taste the coffee on his lips as he kissed me fiercely. I had never felt like this. There was this deep ache inside of me that needed to be satiated. Every time I looked at Karl I could feel it but it felt like I could no longer ignore it. His hands pulled on my hair making me arch my neck. His lips trailed sweet kisses over my jaw to reach to my neck. I could feel him, all of him as he touched me. His hand was moving over my body but I was just busy relishing in the feeling of what I felt. I wanted him, wanted to taste his lips, drown in the feels of his lips over mine. Pulling over his hair I put my lips over his and kissed him with what I felt. Our tongues met and I felt the explosion of passion behind my eyes. I could drown in the taste of his.

"I need to stop," Karl whispered between kisses pulling his lips away from me. I saw a pained expression cross his eyes. I was high on emotions and lust but I still had my consciousness. I tried to move away from him but he just held me, wrapping his hands around my torso.

"You are an addiction," he rasped out as he looked into my eyes. I just smiled at his words catching my own breath. "If we continue, I don't think I will stop at all," he added as his fingers touched my lips.

"So I just want to hold you for a bit before I go upstairs to have the coldest shower I can before heading to the office," he joked as I felt his hard-on poking me. How he held me, his hands around me, his fingers over my lips, and how I couldn't stop looking away from him made me question whether I was ever in love. The things I felt with him were never like before.

"Maybe I would need one too," I teased away with my hands wrapped around his neck. Somehow it felt natural.

"Or maybe you could release the pent-up energy on your own," he teased holding me closer while all I could do was blush over what he was saying.

"And maybe you can do the same in the privacy of your room rather than taking a cold shower," I replied back instantly as heat flushed my cheeks over my own words. I had never been this brave to say something like this and that is why I closed my eyes unable to see the expression over his face.

"I need to get up," he said and I just nodded opening my eyes. I didn't dare to look at him as I shifted back to my seat from his lap. Worry was trying to seep inside of me thinking had I been out of line. Was this too fast? Or too much inappropriate. 

"What makes you think I haven't been doing the same," I heard his reply. I could feel heat flushed over my face as I imagined the images.  My vibrating phone over the table drew my attention and suddenly I was thankful for the distraction. Lucien's name was flashing over it and I knew that it was to talk about Sasha's necklace. I hadn't worked over it, so I forwarded it to Karl.

"Did you talk with Lucien over Sasha's designs," I asked staring as he righted the crumpled collar of his shirt and I saw his eyes go wide.

"I didn't talk with him about the final designs but I did talk about the deadline which is most probably tomorrow," he completed remembering the last bit of information.

"Do we have anything ready?" I asked worry seeping into me. I knew I should have done something about it but it felt more suffocating. I could have done anything but not make that necklace.

"I think there is something I asked one of the designers to work over it. You can surely make some changes here and there. The rest of the designers will help you up in the workshop and then I can hand it over to Lucien at the workshop itself," he gave a good plan to follow. Swiping the screen I answered the vibrating phone.

"Lucien, how have you been," I looked at Karl who was busy sipping down his coffee.

"I have been really not in a good mood," his reply made me squint my eyes at Kalr who was busy looking anywhere at me. As I remembered I had done my work for the project that Karl had given me but he was lagging behind.

"And why could that be?" I was going to send something to Lucien for that piece of jewelry. God I would dish out him anything I could come up with that related to green and blue.

"Because neither you nor Karl had rsvp for today's annual charity ball," I jogged my memory for any ball in my calendar. God I haven't seen anything on my schedule.

"A charity ball, I assure you I know nothing about it," Karl stilled beside me and my best guess was that he knew about it.

 "I had really thought that you both would come and I would cash in a few deals here and there," I almost rolled my eyes at his words. Lucien and business were inseparable. "I mean the power couple together would have surely put me at a lot of advantage and raise my value besides I have some people who would like to meet you." Before I could say anything Karl pulled the phone from my ear.

"Hey Lucien," Karl got up from beside me and talked to him. I knew Karl was going to handle this but I needed to do my work. I needed to put my past aside and focus on work. 

"So I will see you tonight," I heard Karl as he came back to where I was sitting putting my phone on the table.

"I was able to buy us two days to complete the necklace. A time I would be utilizing very well. You will just have to come and give your approval nothing much more than that." He completed as he downed his cup of coffee I stared at him because I knew there was going to be more. I knew Lucien better than him.

"And we will be going to the ball tonight. I hadn't given them a reply because I was doubtful about attending but we don't seem to have a choice now. Lucien is really pursuing," he smiled at me and I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

"You know he is going to be a part of my life. He is almost like a father figure I have got,"  Karl nodded in affirmation of my words.

"Tonight I'm going to introduce you to everyone as my girlfriend rather than my partner," my heart stilled for a fraction of a second with my world coming to a halt. "And god I don't care about Lucien or whoever becomes a part of my life. With you beside me, I think I can take on the world too." His words made me feel butterflies in my stomach. It wasn't the words but just how he looked at me as he spoke those words made me feel like never before.

"Can you promise to stand beside me no matter what anyone says," he asked me and I could see the insecurity in his eyes.

"Karl, I don't care what the world says," my fingers brushed against his cheeks. "I will stand beside you as long as you want me to." He smiled at my words biting his lower lip.

"So it's final. We are going to this charity ball. I wasn't sure if I wanted to attend it or not because it was some family charity ball but I think it's the right place to be in to declare our relationship." I smiled at his words. We were taking big steps and maybe we will take a lot more.

I was looking forward to the ball but not the storm that was coming my way to destroy me.

Hey everyone, I know I have been missing for a while and god knows I couldn't do anything about it but still I'm sorry about it. I had been sick for a while and have been in need of a major surgery. I'm well now, recovering really fine. Really big thanks to the few people who prayed for me. It had been a very dark time for me and my family. I couldn't really write due to stress and sickness. I have been able to sit long enough in last few days to write this chapter. It was hard to recollect it all and decide where to begin with.

I'm really sorry if it wasn't up to the mark. The next chapter is the ball where the climax begins. I would really love to know whose point of view would you prefer for the next chapter because that is where Daniel and Amelia meet with a few others. Do let me know so I can begin the next chapter soon.

Love you all.