Liana~

It was past 2 of the midnight and sleep was nowhere around me.

Until now I had been thinking it's one of my old uni friend behind the emails and sudden gifts but not after what I recieved today.

No friend of mine would ever tattoo my name on their chest and now anyone who's behind this, is someone really psychotic.

Who the fuck gets tattoo on their chest of someone's name whom they've never met before?

Whoever it is, I wish to never face them in real life.

Curiosity takes over me and I again grab my phone to have a last look of that picture.

That's what you've been saying for the past 1 hour.

Fuck it!

Grabbing my phone from the other side of the table, I tap on the email and zoom on the image. My heart beat quickens and the grip on my phone tightened this time.

The image is clear when I zoom in the centre. It's dark but clear enough for me to figure out the design of tattoo.

It's a fucking tattoo of my name on someone's chest. I see the name 'stella mia' above the initial letter of my name tattooed on his chest.

I recall the memory of receiving mails and black roses with the exact name.

How come I was so naive and accepted them thinking it's one of my uni friend?

The worst could've happened and still might happen. The person behind this is aware of my workplace and location.

Even when I'm trying to shove all the worst possibilities down, it keeps arising even more.

My eyes hurt from continuously staring at the screen, I turn off the lights and keep the phone aside, cover myself in the duvet until sleep engulfs me.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

"Are you done Liana?" Natalie's impatient voice comes from the other side of the door.

"Five minutes" I shout and put on my pearl earrings.

Natalie's dad had arrived yesterday midnight in the City and he was staying in his apartment. I had called Asher to accompany me through this to which he thankfully agreed.

Taking a last glance of myself in the mirror, I fix my emerald green spaghetti sleeves dress which has a side slit till my knee. Keeping my hair open I carry my clutch and head out of the room.

"Didn't you sleep whole night?" Asher's voice echoes from the hall room as I follow there.

Thinking of last night's incident, my throat dries and I gulp down the lump forming.

"You look pretty" he kisses my left cheek holding me from the waist and I pass him my usual smile.

We head out of the apartment when Natalie calls us and Asher takes the driving seat while I settle on the backseat with Natalie.

Her phone rings after the drive starts.

"Yeah dad we are coming" she says and ends the call.

"Don't leave me alone with my dad Liana" she says looking at me

"Natalie he is your dad. What's wrong with you?" I asked her in concern since this is the third time she asked me

"The whole conversation with him revolves around my future and getting settled. And it doesn't help rather I panic the whole time" she exclaims rubbing her temple with both the hands.

I bit back my smile before saying "I'll be with you"

"I don’t know what I would do without you" she exhaled before keeping her head on my shoulder.

The rest of the drive goes in silence and Asher halts the car in front of the building.

I step out holding my clutch and we all head inside together. Natalie said her dad owned a lot of property in NYC and this was one of them.

We followed the elevator and it pinged open on the top floor of the building, giving the view of the whole city.

"Fix your dress Liana" Asher whispers in my ear. I instantly look up at him eyeing the side slit of my dress which has reached a little up. I pull it down and follow Natalie outside without exchanging any words.

"You could've dressed better" His voice comes from the back and that was it for my patience.

"I never asked your opinion Asher" I say looking up at him. His nose flares and he looks at me with disappointment lacing on his expression.

Gritting my teeth I step inside and follow Natalie when the door opens.

"Dad?" She calls for her dad and after a while I hear the footsteps echoing in the room. I turn around and see a man- holy fuck, in his 40s heading down the stairs in his clad black suit, straight out of movie.

His eyes glances over all of us and for a sec I feel he is staring at me but I am not sure because he soon turns his gaze to Natalie and hugs her.

"How is my daughter?" He asks kissing the crown of her head.

"I am doing good"

"Here, meet them. My best friend Liana and her boyfriend Asher" Natalie says gesturing towards us.

I feel like I am caught off guard eyeing him when he comes around and stands a few inches away from me.

His woodsy fresh smell lingers in the hall and he forwards his hand.

"Happy birthday Liana Gray" he calls me from my full name and the way that slips from my mouth, I gather myself to not fall on the ground.

He's your best friend's dad

Godddd!!

"Ah-Thank you" I reply reciprocating the handshake.

His hands are big- rough to be precise and.. hot.

We follow him inside the hall room which also lead to his dinning room.

Natalie sits beside him and I take a seat opposite to them with Asher sitting beside me.

I see the Buttler passing by when one of them comes around and places the bowls and all the dishes on the table.

"How are you doing in work?" Natalie's dad asks breaking the silence.

I don't hear Natalie's response because my all focus goes on to her dad who's sitting beside her. I look at his facial structure, sharp jaw and shaved beards with few of them greyish.

My gaze moves up to his hair and then I observe.. it's long. He tied them up and there's none grey.

With his broad chest, I can easily guess the toned muscles underneath his suit. The few buttons undone of his white shirt, made him look 100 times hotter.

His fingers, long and thick and the green ruby ring adorning it more.

What the fuck Liana?!

"Liana"

"Uh-yes" I look up at Natalie

"Why aren't you eating you anything?" She asks with concern lacing in her voice.

I look down at the table and see my plate filled with different dishes. How long was I zoned out for ??

"Is anything out of taste Ms Grey?" Natalie's dad asks

"Y-yes everything is perfect. Can I use the washroom?" I ask controlling myself from fumbling.

"That way" he says gesturing on the left side.

Nodding, I leave from there without making a fool of myself and head towards the washroom.

"What's wrong with you Liana?" I question myself after getting inside and shutting the door.

"That is shameful." I utter out looking at my reflection in the mirror.

Fanning my face from my hand, I try to lessen the heat raising inside my body and face turning red.

Taking a few minutes more I gather myself and open the door only to collide with someone and that someone turns out to be Asher.

"What took you so long?" He asks gazing me from toe to head.

"What's wrong with you Asher?" I ask him losing my patience.

"I was concerned for you baby" he says cupping my face in his palm.

"I am okay" I say and we get back to the dinning room. I feel the hard gaze of Natalie's dad on both of us until we take out sit.

I see the table which consists on chinese and Italian foods. Taking a bite of dumpling, I savor the taste and take another of its bite.

This tastes so good.

I stop midway seeing Asher's hand on my thigh. He taps on it before coughing a little.

"Eat slowly. Hmm?" He whispers and I understand the motive he holds behind saying them.

I try avoiding his words and  stuff the other bite in my mouth but the taste in not same anymore. So I switch to the Lasagna.

The cheese melts in my mouth after I take a bite of it. The taste was so good that I don't look at anyone until I finish the last bite of it.

"If you keep gaining weight in this way, I'll surely leave you Liana"

Asher voice makes me drop my spoon and I look up at him knowing it's not the first he used those words at me.

The taste and hunger is long gone now because what I feel right now is embarrassed.

"Make sure to lock the door before you leave" the cold voice echoes breaking the silence in the room and Asher shoves his phone inside looking up at him.

Natalie's dad walks up to us and his gaze stops at Asher for a while.

"W- what?" Asher fumbles but gets up.

I look at Natalie who's as shock as me but doesn't says anything.

"Asher what do you do for leaving?" Her dad asks.

"I work as an HOD in Political firm of NYC University" Asher says but I don't ignore the change in his voice. He sounds nervous and-

*Boom*

"DAD" Natalie yells getting up from her seat while I am still processing what happened a sec ago.

Natalie's dad is holding Asher from his collar and the very next moment he banged his head on the nearest wall.

I jump from my seat seeing the blood pooling out of Asher's head.

Before he could utter anything, he loses his consciousness and before he could fall, I hold him.

"Natalie! Get down and start the car for fucks sake" I shout, adrenaline rushing inside my body.

While I am holding Asher tighter I see her dad who has an evil smirk playing on his face.

"Take care of him" I hear him saying before he turns around and goes upstairs.

What kind of psychic behaviour is this?

I get downstairs with the help of one of the buttler and get inside the car.

"Take straight to the hospital"

Natalie nods and increases the speed of the car.

I look at Asher who's face is red because of blood and eyes closed.

I feel shit from within. It was my birthday and this is not how I expected it to turn out.

Never did I wish any worse possibilities for Asher.

"Natalie. Fast" I ask her to increase the speed.

"Just a few minutes".

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

"I am sorry lia" Natalie looks at me with guilt in her eyes.

It wasn't her. But I don't say anything.

"Can I talk to your dad?" I ask

She nods and shares me his number. I intend to talk him after Asher gets up.

One minute I was savouring the taste of lasagna and the other minute I was rushing for the hospital.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

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