Chapter Ten (UNEDITED)

--Kindly put your playlist here—

"Love is like a wind. You can't see it, but you can feel it." - from: A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks

Tristan's POV

*** Wellington, New Zealand

"Excuse me sir, Mr. Xander Valiente is on the line." My secretary said over the intercom.

Xander Valiente. He'd got a nerve to call me after what he did to my sister. If he was sensible, he should hide his damn face from me. I was capable of murdering him at the moment.

"Tell him I'm in a meeting."

"Yes, sir."

"And Leah, if he calls again, tell him I'm out of the country."

"Um... okay sir. I'll do that."

Now that Mia was slowly recovering from the accident, there was no way that I would let Xander Valiente near her again. Over my dead body.

The following day, my secretary told me that Xander Valiente kept on calling the office asking to talk to me.

"He was asking for your sister sir. He wanted to know if she's here in New Zealand. This morning, he called again. He was angry when I won't give him your cellphone number. He said if he'll find out that you're hiding Mia, he'll make sure your life will be a living hell."

I smirked. Stupid asshole. He'd got a nerve to threaten me when I was the one who could sue him after what he did to my sister. He abandoned her while he was partying with his mistresses in Brazil. He treated Mia like one of his mistresses.

The following night, I was out for a date. I had dinner with Andrea Alonzo, a well known model in New Zealand. We just finished our meal and were getting to know each other well when Xander Valiente appeared in front of our table.

"Well... well... well. I thought you're out of town, Mr. Latsis."

My temper flared when I saw him. He was what I expected – the face of a player. Suave, neat and everything was in place. But I also noticed that he was a male version of Stella. Damn it.

"Mr. Valiente."

"Right. I've been calling you and you never returned my calls. You knew how desperate I was in seeing Mia."

"I'm a very busy man."

"Busy? HA!" He gave my date a malicious stare then focused his lashing eyes back at me.

"If you don't mind, we're having dinner here. Whatever you want to say, ask my secretary for an appointment tomorrow." I snapped at him.

"Bullshit!" His voice rose and I could sense the other diners in the restaurant observing us. "Where's Mia."

I stood up and faced him squarely. "Look. I don't know where Mia is."

"I know you're hiding Mia. Where is she. I need to talk to her." He was raising his voice now. I could smell alcohol on him. He was drunk.

"Hey. Come on. Let's talk outside." I raised my hand and signalled to my date to wait for me.

Xander Valiente followed me outside. The moment we were alone, I turned to him.

"Where's Mia." He asked again.

"I told you. I. DON'T. KNOW."

"You're her brother. She turns to you whenever she's in distress. Stop lying man, tell me where she is."

"I don't know where she is. And if ever I know, you're the last person that I'm going to inform." I said, provoking him.

"Fuck you man! I know you're happy now. This is what you want, right? Why can't you accept the fact that we love each other!"

"Love? Are you sure she loves you? If she did, she wouldn't have run away. Maybe she saw the real you and realized what an asshole you are?"

I didn't saw his fist coming and hit my right cheek. I felt the plain, like my jaw broke. The bastard.

I touched my lip and saw blood on my fingers. Damn him!

I punched him hard on his face twice then on his stomach. I stopped when he fell on the ground. He was groaning with pain, but at the same time crying. I've never seen a grown up man cried so hard, ever before.

"I love Mia so much. Please I'm begging you. Tell me where she is. I need to talk to her. I need her back. I can't live without her."

"Sorry man. I wish I know where she is." Was all I said before I left him.

****

I was in New York for a week for a business joint venture. One evening, I watched a play with my client's daughter when I saw Stella at the lobby. She was very astonishing as always. Gorgeous and strikingly sexy in blue dress. Her long wavy hair was falling down her back. She was with her parents. As usual, the obedient daughter. I wondered why she never dated Eros, when she was going to marry him.

I was not watching the play. I was watching Stella the whole time. She was seated at the side of the balcony, opposite to where I was seating.

I didn't know what came over me. When I saw Stella stood up from her seat and went outside, I followed her. Something magnetic like a force of energy pulled me onto her. It had been a long time since I saw her. The mere sight of her made my pulse race. I couldn't believe that she still had this effect on me.

I found her in the bar. The bartender gave her a glass of red wine. She sat on the stool and sipped the wine. She looked so pale and fragile sitting there. She didn't look fine.

"Stella."

I saw her body jerked up at the sound of my voice. I made her nervous.

She rotated the bar stool and faced me, so poise and regal with her chin up. "Are you stalking me?"

I grinned. "I was about to ask you that."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "How's Mia?"

I didn't reply. It was better not to say anything. She wouldn't believe me anyway. I sat on the bar stool next to her.

"I miss her." She said, then sipped her wine again.

"I'm sure she misses you too."

She nodded. "Xander is a broken man. He can't accept the fact that Mia left her. He won't give up. He's still looking for her."

I shook my head and exhaled heavily. "They are not meant for each other."

"How could you say that?" Her eyes were flashing at me angrily now. "They are in love."

"Love is not the basis for marriage. It's compatibility. It's obvious that they are opposites. Your brother is worldly and Mia is very conservative. Marriage won't work for them."

She rolled her eyes. "Haven't you heard that opposite attracts?"

"That's physics. It doesn't apply in people's feelings."

"It does. The other person fills up for what the other doesn't have. They complement each other. It makes their relationship more exciting, interesting and not... boring."

"I don't think so. A couple should have the same taste in music, in food, hobbies, their behavior and anything. That means compatibility. If they have a lot in common, there relationship will be peaceful, no arguments and they get along very well."

"What?"

"It's true. I've known a lot of couples who ended up in divorce because they are totally opposites."

"Well, I've known a lot of couples who are totally opposites, but their marriage works out."

"That's impossible. Look at us, we are opposites. We couldn't stand each other. One minute together, we are already arguing."

"I'm not arguing with you. I'm just making a conversation." Her eyes were like bullets aiming at me.

"Conversation? Not anymore sweetie. I could read your mind. You are thinking of slapping me or throwing that wine in my face."

"Oh! It's useless talking to you. I came here for some fresh air... and now you're giving me a headache." She stood up and went back inside to watch the play.

Stella was a stubborn girl. The type of girl that I always avoided. But why was it that I just couldn't get her out of my system. Everytime I saw her, I got excited. I felt so much alive and there was an ultimate rush deep within me.

Uncontrollable.My body is uncontrollable whenever she's around.    

___________

Check my other completed story, Invitation To Sin

Sizzling hot love story of Ares Niarchos and Rachel White. You will surely love it.

Invitation To Sin

By: Neilani Alejandrino a.k.a. sweetdreamer33

Rachel fell madly in love with Ares Niarchos when she was eighteen. She thought he was her future... her forever. Despite others saying Ares would never even notice a low-class girl like her, she refused to listen. For her, Ares was different. He was a real prince charming, a perfect guy with a beautiful heart.

What happened when she finally realized that Ares was not prince charming material... and in fact the exact opposite of the man she thought he was?

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