< 2 months later >

Without words, it was clear how much their relationship had tightened in such a short time. Valarie felt like she had never felt before and it was a mutual feeling for Dimitri as well. They were like ring on finger without even having a proposal. 'The power couple' Kyle described them as though Valarie denied them being an official couple at all.

She trotted into his office bearing gifts. Dimitri smiled as she rested his own cup of coffee on his desk and some French pastries.

"Ahh finally you feed me" he said.

Valarie snorted. "That's only because there was a buy one get one free offer. "

"Dammit. There you go crushing my special moment."

"Woops. I guess you are not all that special after all." She joked.

"Haha. How did you sleep last night? How are you this morning. "

She rolled her neck and glared at him.

"Dimitri you slept next to me last night and you woke up with me this morning. Wasn't it a peaceful ride?"

He grinned "Well I am just making sure. You have quite a blank morning face, it's hard to tell."

Valarie scrunched her nose and shook her head. "Eat up. You have tons of paper work to do today. I'm working with some models for the bridal wear designs. You better keep that suit in tact because you'll be choosing the dresses."

"Are you going to wear a dress too?"

"Me? No way. I have no business in weddings any time soon."

"Haha you mean I have no business seeing your dress before time" he joked.

Or was it half of a joke? She rolled her eyes and took a sip of her coffee before modelling out to start her day's work. She buried herself in the design room to do what she did best.

Kyle went to Dimitri's office to retrieve some files that Valarie had asked him to get. Dimitri actually greeted with a smile. Kyle leaned back and raised his eyebrows.

"Well, well, what do you know. The devil has teeth. When I saw that dear Valarie was falling under your spell, I was about to beech slap you but I must say, I am really impressed. I have never seen her this happy before. She is glowing. Everything about her has heightened. Her energy, her smile, her work ethics. Of course she'll still deny the full reality of your relations but I can assure you that she has already drank all of your magic potion."

"Magic potion?"

Kyle rolled his eyes." I was speaking figuratively. The change in you is your magic potion. I no longer see you drooling over women like a lion looking it his first meal in weeks. Your constant acidic state has clearly been neutralised."

"Well I guess that makes Valarie the Alkaline solution then."

A smile played upon Kyle's face. "Yes she is. I'm just wondering though, what took you so long? Like she has been here all along yet you've never noticed her."

"It's not that I haven't noticed her. I've noticed her from the very start. She was the only woman to stand up to me and put me in my place whenever I deserved it. This might sound funny but I was actually afraid of her. I was afraid to open myself to her because she made me feel different to how other women made me feel. Vulnerable and all that mushy gushy stuff that I think I'm not supposed to feel. I have a reputation to upkeep you know?"

"Oh you don't have to worry about that. The world knows how much of an ass that you can be l ready. That's something most people won't forget. As long as you don't hurt Valarie, I see no problem here."

"Hmm, I see you and your little Jake have threats. It's good that we are all on the same page for something though. We care about Valarie."

"Yes so if you care about her, you better not hurt her. My eyes are on you. Anyway, you better hand over those folders before Valarie kills me. She is waiting."

Dimitri slid the files across the table towards Kyle. "Go before she flips out. I'm not ready to get on her bad side."

"Haha. Neither am I."

Kyle took up the files and left. He spent the next hour helping Valarie jack the models up in their gowns to be analysed by the man himself. Three out of the six she created were to be chosen. Valarie lined up the models and started the show. Dimitri feigned his 'business face' and played a brutal critic. Valarie kept scoffing. He wasn't giving her an easy time at all.

In the middle of the judging, a knock was heard on the door. Dimitri paused the session and allowed the person to enter. One of the secretaries walked in.

"Sir, sorry for the interruption but your father would like to see you in his office now."

"Tell him I am busy and I will check him in a bit."

The woman frowned. "I don't think he will allow that. He really expressed his urgency and he said that you should come to his office right now."

Dimitri sighed and ran his hands throw his hair.

"I'm sorry about this ladies. I will summon you again when I get back."

He walked up to Valarie when the models left. "Sorry babe, you know how my father is. I will call you guys back when I get back. By the way, great work!"

His lips lowered to kiss her softly and he left for his father's office.

A chilling air was felt as soon as he entered. His father stared him with brewing eyes not even his could compare to.

"You called for me?"

"Sit!" his father said with aggression laced in his voice.

Dimitri furrowed his brows and took a seat sceptically. He could already sense that this wasn't going to go well. His father clenched his teeth and laid fisted hands on the table.

"Do you know what I called you here for...son?" Nikolai questioned.

"By the look of my obviously confused face, what do you think?"

His father's face was almost blood red now.

"What was your purpose of going to the Chase's residence?"

"What sort of question is that? Business of course. I went to sign the contract and I did."

"Yes? Did we discuss you having other plans besides the contract?"

Dimitri paused. "No."

"Are you sure you didn't preoccupy yourself with other things while you were there?"

"No. I just went to sign the contract and that's all."

Nikolai chuckled and rose from his seat. He walked calmly over to him, picking up a folder from his desk on the way.

"You just went to sign the contract? You just went to sign the f*cking contract right? So then what the f*ck is this?"

He slammed the folder down on the table next to him. Dimitri was startled by the crackling sound his powerful palms made. He furrowed his brows and picked the folder up from the table.

"What the f*ck is this?" he questioned after scanning through it.

"The result of 'just' signing the contract. I gave you one job. One f*cking job and just like old times, you couldn't keep that 'thing' in your pants."

"Dad what are you talking about? I'm so confused."

"You are confused eh? Well let me enlighten you then. Mr. Chase came over to my office upset this morning. I thought that maybe a loop hole in the contract was the matter but I was so wrong! Instead he came here bearing news that his daughter is pregnant and you are the f*cking father!"

Dimitri's eyes widened. "No way. I don't know what they are talking about. I had nothing to do with that skank of a daughter he has. Something is definitely wrong here. Tell her to go find the man who impregnated her because it isn't me."

"Are you trying to tell me that you did not f*ck that girl like all the others you had no hesitation doing it to?"

"Yes. I had nothing to do with her while I was there. This is bullshit!" he flung the pregnancy results down on the table.

His father chuckled, sarcasm clearly entwined. He leaned over and picked up an envelope from his desk.

"You know what's funny? She told me that you were going to do just that, deny it. The girl knew you so well that when you called her into your room and offered to bed her, she had to put measures in place to ensure that you don't take advantage of her. Son...No scratch that, you are not my son. My son has morals and values. Boy, open this. Maybe it might jog your memory a bit and you will remember that you did a lot more than nothing with that girl."

Dimitri almost ripped open the dreadful brown envelope. His eyes widened as he discovered what was inside. He stood to his feet, like a rocket shooting up into the sky. Her brows furrowed and blood boiled beneath skin. Confusion consumed him and the realization that the nightmares he had been having for the past few weeks were not actually just dreams at all.

Pictures at all angles of Leanna and him full in the act. He had no memory of falling hard to her ways yet the pictures painted a thousand different stories. The worse part? He actually looked like he was enjoying it. His disoriented, oblivious self could be mistaken for a man high on ecstasy to anyone who viewed it.

He spun around enraged to walk towards the door but his father stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Where the hell do you think you are going? I am not done with you yet! What? Are you upset that you couldn't cheat your way out of it this time? You are lucky that your mother has not seen those pictures. It's disgusting! For so long now I have been trying to get you to settle your ass down and man up but I guess my wish have come through in the most unfortunate way. You will not shame me or your mother. You will earn up to what you have done and take on the responsibility you should. I will not have our names tarnished for your foolish act and have you be written down in the books as my son who have so abandoned his unborn child because he chose to play games. You will marry this girl before word of her pregnancy gets out."

"No. F*ck no. I will not marry that b*tch!"

"Yes you will do as I say. You hear me? You will tie the knot with her. This is what you get for not keeping that 'thing' in your pants under control. This is how you will commit!"

"No!" Dimitri refused. "I will not!"

He made an attempt to walk out but his father grabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him backwards with so much force that he almost stumbled to the floor.

"Look, I have done almost everything you have ever asked of me before but I will not do this! I will not marry that lying whore!"

Nikolai swung a meaty hand that connected an electrifying shot to his left cheek. Dimitri fell back onto the floor completely dazed.

"Now you listen to me you little shit" Nikolai said while walking up to him.

"Whether you like this girl or not, you don't have a choice. Her father and I are already making arrangements for the wedding. They will be coming back over soon to chat. Thank you for making me proud. Now get out of my sight!"

Dimitri got up from the floor enraged. His mind was a dynamite, seconds away from exploding. Frustration built to a critical level. He had no recollection of what happened the night before he left those lying people's house but clearly he had been coaxed into some evil plan. His lack of memory only made it more difficult to figure out how exactly things had gotten to this stage. What sort of silly game were they up to? Quite frankly, it was not funny.

He went back to his office to think it through. Dimitri was under clear panic and Valarie was the last person he wanted to see yet the fates never ceased to stop spiting and granted him exactly what he did not want.

His body turned to stone as he walked in his office to see Valarie stacking files neatly on his desk. It was as if he had stared right into Medusa's eyes. He stiffened his body and tried to keep composure.

Valarie could sense something was wrong from a mile away. She narrowed her eyes on him and observed his features. The time she had spent analysing him to pair him with other women had surely paid off. She could tell when his mood changed the minute it did.

"What's wrong?" she questioned.

Dimitri forced a smile. "Nothing" he managed.

"What did your father want?"

He paused and choked on the answer he was about to give. "Just some misunderstanding. But I'll get it sorted out. "

"What misunderstanding?" Valarie asked.

She could tell that it was something of great importance.

Dimitri ran his hand through his hair. He walked withdrawn towards her.

"It's just some pretty f*cked up shit. Someone is playing a horrible joke on me and it's really not funny."

She was entirely confused but completely tuned in.

"Um you are freaking me out just a little bit. What joke and by who? You aren't being clear. Just tell me."

Dimitri cupped her face in both of his hands and leaned into her. He trailed kisses down her forehead and to her lips. His hands snaked around her waist and he peered into her eyes.

"Do you trust me?" he questioned, his voice croaking as he spoke.

It only made Valarie more nervous and her hairs stood on end.

"Yes of course I trust you. I wouldn't sleep next to you with both eyes closed if I didn't."

"You do know how much I care about you right?"

"Dimitri you are freaking me out. Yes, I know and I care about you too, so much. You have made me really happy these last few weeks and proven that my reasons to doubt you were futile."

He pulled her closer to him and sniffed her hair.

"Promise me something." He spoke into her ear.

"What is it?" she questioned.

"Promise me that you will believe me."

"What? Believe you? Believe you with what?"

"Just promise."

She had no clue what he was talking about but his voice was a plea in itself.

"Fine, I promise I will believe you. Now tell me what it is that you are worried about."

Fate had written a perfect script. The timing was perfect yet completely bad. The door creaked and a nightmare walked in broad daylight. Dimitri turned around to see who had walked in and an already burning fire ignited into massive burning flames. His eyes darkened into a demon like glare as he looked upon an unfortunately familiar face. He tucked Valarie behind him and stepped forward.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he said between clenched teeth.

Pearly white teeth revealed under a perfect smile. Leanna stood tall in the doorway, looking like she never had before. She was dressed decently in a loose dress that stopped at her knees.

"Hello Dimitri" he greeted with a smile.

"What have you done? What the f*ck have you done?"

She chuckled. "What have I done or what have you done? I pretty much just laid there when you made love to me."

Valarie's eyes squinted in confusion. "What is she talking about? Who is she?"

Leanna's eyes shifted over to Valarie and smirked. "I think I should be asking that question."

She tilted her head to the side "Who is she Dimitri?"

The audacity of this woman.

"She is my girlfriend. Now what the hell are you doing here?"

"Your girlfriend?" she snorted.

"Honey, what game have this man been playing on you? Have he not told you about our relations?"

"Dimitri, what is she talking about?"

"Nothing. It's nothing. She is crazy! Get out of my office now!"

"Um, that's not going to work this time. Usually I would leave when someone order me to but that's not going to happen now that I am carrying your child."

Valarie's little heart skipped a beat. She heard exactly what Leanna had said yet she asked again for clarification.

"I said, I am carrying his child. That's right Dimitri, I'm pregnant. Seems like the contract is not the only deal you came to seal."

"I don't believe you. I clearly remember casting you out of my room and I refused you every time you came onto me so-"

"She came onto you?" Valarie cut across.

Dimitri spun around to look at her and ran his hand through his hair. "Yes, when I went on that trip, she came on to me a few times." He sighed.

Valarie folded her arms "Hmm that's something you failed to tell me. What else haven't you told me Dimitri?"

"I didn't say anything because nothing happened. I refused her every time and I didn't lay a finger on her."

"You are right. You didn't lay just a finger on me. You did much more than that."

Red hot colds were growing under Valarie's feet. She glared at Leanna. She wasn't one to go back on her trust that easily. Besides. She had just promised that she would believe him. Perhaps it was just a sick game this woman was playing. Valarie looked right at him.

"Dimitri tell me what she is saying is wrong. If you had no relations with her there, then why is she making such allegations against you?"

Leanna modelled a few steps towards them.

"Think about it, why else would he hide the fact that I came on to him? It's because it was a mutual thing. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him. Oh and he forgot to mention to me about his little 'girlfriend'. From how that night went, it felt like I was the only one that existed in his world. You poor, poor thing, he had you fooled. Now you are to stop whatever relations you have with him. My father is not an easy man. He does not have a problem with my pregnancy but rather if the father of the child abandons me and bring shame to our family. I am pretty sure that the son of Nikolai Osbourne is not a low life, dead beat father who would abandon his child even before he or she is born. "

Hot, sticky liquid pooled around Valarie's eyes. She was still in denial. This couldn't be true. Dimitri promised to never hurt her. He told her that she was the only one he thought about, the only one who could make him feel like a complete man. Was it all empty words and lies to claw his way into her world to add her to the list of women that he had alrerady claimed? She couldn't believe what Leanna was saying. It couldn't be true. She needed more proof yet more proof would be the worst thing she had ever asked for.

"Ahh. Tut, tut, tut. The poor girl looks confused. Would you need me to enlighten her Dimitri or would you prefer to just tell her the truth?"

His mind immediately clicked back to the pictures that she had sent to his father. If Valarie only saw those...

"What scheme are you up to Leanna?" he asked between clenched teeth.

"What happened on that trip Dimitri? Tell me!" Valarie pleaded.

He paced the floor in frustration. "I don't know. I can barely remember what happened."

"Hmm, first you say nothing happened, now you suddenly can't remember what happened?" she questioned.

Her voice started turning to acid. He was not doing a good job convincing her that he was innocent. Valarie's mind began to play on the possibility that what Leanna was saying was true. The thought sickened her and she could already feel her chest turning into eggshells.

Just as she had asked for, more proof arrived. Nikolai walked through the door, still in his alpha state. Valarie had seen him angry before but not like this. This was an entirely different person. There was no sign of that sympathetic pleasant soul to be found. His face was hard and his eyes stared straight at Dimitri. He spoke with unshaken authority.

"It is confirmed. I had our family doctor test her just to make sure that it was true, and it is. She is pregnant and the age is just about the time you have last been at their residence. I have just spoken to her father and it is finalised. We both will not stand to have you bring shame on our names. You are now engaged to Ms. Leanna and it is final. I do not want to hear a word of complaint about it. That will be all."

Valarie's jaw pried open in utter shock. Her body trembled from the news she had just heard. Already her heart was disintegrating and soon there will be nothing left but an empty hole where it once was.