We McBarrows are famous for our parties. 

It does help that my father is a prominent businessman and my mother, an Oscar winning actress. We are bound to spend money on extravagant parties, after all. We are the golden family. 

My elder brother Jeremy was my father's right hand - he was forced to take up the position, unlike me: I was left alone to pursue whatever I had interest in. It led me to a fascination for sales and numbers and ultimately, Novencorp. Being the youngest had it's perks. And Jeremy loathed me for it.

Kidding. Jeremy looooooooooves me. Love with ten o's. He hugged me when I arrived at my parents' doorstep and he hadn't let go for ten whole minutes, proclaiming his undying love for his favorite sister and how much he missed me. He even glared at Tristan, and asked him whether he was taking good care of me.

'Jeremy!' I had said, mocking a frown. 'Stop interrogating my boyfriend. And let me go, I need to get ready!'

And now, it was showtime.

I look up at Tristan. We were both dressed in matching shades of red, courtesy of my mother. I tug at the deep neckline and clear my throat nervously. I've been attending high end society parties all my life, but I never seemed to be able to let go of the fear of making a complete fool of myself in front of all those important people.

Tristan obviously catches the petrified look on my face because he begins to laugh. 

'Kay. You've been doing this since you were born.'

'I know!' I stomp my feet, mad at myself. 'I am too nervous. Why am I too nervous?'

Tristan place his hand on my waist and pulls me forward. 'You look fine, darling.' He nuzzles his nose into my neck. 

I giggle, butterflies erupting in my stomach as I feel his fingers trace patterns on my side. 'Stop. You're making me a wreck. Let's go, yeah?'

Grinning ear-to-ear, we descend the steps into our big hall, where all of the people are chatting and laughing. I feel their eyes on me as I pray not to fall. 

'Ladies and Gentlemen, the star of the day!' My Dad raises his glass of champagne. 'To Kaitie, my young girl!'

My mother chuckles modestly. 'Not so young anymore, Stratham. She's a gorgeous woman.'

I laugh nervously as people applaud, making way for me and Tristan. As we've moved down to the ground level, the attention on us has waned, and I find it easier to breathe. 

Mom fluffs her hair and hands me a glass. 

'Took too long, Tristan, dear. She wasn't nervous this time, was she?'

Tristan tightens his hold on me. 'Nothing I couldn't handle, Sienna.'

My mother pinches my boyfriend's cheeks. 'What a cutie!'

'Mom,' I say, smirking. 'I'm the birthday girl, remember?'

My mother straightens her platinum blonde hair and laughs. 'Of course you are, Kaitie. I'm just being polite. I haven't seen your parents in months, Tristan dear. How is your mother?'

Sweet talk, sweet talk, sweet talk. Meaningless, useless sweet talk. My mother obviously didn't care where Olivia was. Neither did Aunt Judy, or Uncle Horace. Brenna, mom's colleague had no interest in financial analytics, but she just couldn't stop inquiring. Natalie wouldn't give a damn for my haircut. And most of the rich, posh girls couldn't keep their eyes off Tristan.

That didn't irritate me though. They could eye him all they like, but Tristan only had eyes for me. 

All the people here reeked of upper class money, clad in designer clothes and shoes, only here to exert their superiority over other elites. It was pathetic, watching them. 

However I loathed the scene, I was brought up in one. This was my life. 

Everything was going smoothly. I was talking to someone about something - it seems so irrelevant. In short, I was bored out of my mind. I let my eyes wander around the hall, smiling at familiar yet distant faces, when suddenly I lock gazes with a pair of dark, brooding, black eyes.

I almost recoil in shock. Every nerve in my body goes into lock down, and I find my nervousness return tenfold. 

'Excuse me, ma'am,' I gasp, before turning on my heel and fleeing. I have to find Tristan. And then, my mother. What was she thinking, inviting him? 

I scan the hall for Tristan's head. I find him talking to a bunch of girls at the far right. Well, they must've caught up to him. Pity.

Before I could even take a step in Tristan's direction, he is in front of me, blocking my path.

His eyes are still as dark and brooding as I remembered them. I can see his cunning smirk in my mind. God, how much I hated this guy - the lengths I went to avoid him. And yet here he was, right in front of me, cocky as ever. 

The villain of my story.

Archer Miles. The devil.

In the flesh.

\*/*\*/