Reluctant Desires

Chapter 6

Fiona’s POV

I woke up to chaos.

Not the bad kind, though—the bubbly, giggly kind that instantly put me on edge.

Stepping out of my room, I was met with the unusual sight of Amy and my little sister, Finnete, setting up for something. Laptops open, phones buzzing, voices overlapping in excitement.

I narrowed my eyes. “What the hell is going on here?”

Amy grinned without looking up. “Good morning to you too, sunshine.”

Finnete barely acknowledged me, too busy tapping away on her phone.

I folded my arms. “Finn, aren’t you supposed to be at school?”

That finally got her attention. She turned to me with the most innocent look—one I knew better than to trust. “I… took the day off.”

I blinked. “You took the day off?”

She nodded. Amy snickered.

I shot Amy a glare before turning back to Finnete. “And why exactly did you take the day off?”

Finnete shrugged. “Because you’re finally leaving your cave and going to an event, and that’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Someone had to supervise the transformation.”

Amy grinned. “She’s not wrong.”

I exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of my nose. “You skipped school for this?”

Finnete waved me off. “Aunt Loveth already called in for me. Don’t be dramatic.”

Dramatic? This child had no idea who the real drama queen was between us.

Shaking my head, I made my way to the kitchen. Coffee first, then I’d deal with these two troublemakers.

As the coffee brewed, I grabbed my phone, hesitating for a second before finally checking my socials. I hadn’t opened them in a while—mostly because I knew the moment I did, I’d be met with a flood of new orders.

And, just as I expected—

Boom. New notifications. New orders.

I sighed, but thankfully, I already had most of the requested pieces in stock, so it wouldn’t be much of a hassle.

From the living room, I could hear conspiratorial whispers followed by bursts of laughter.

Suspicious.

Walking back in, I found Amy and Finnete still completely immersed in their planning.

Amy looked up, eyes twinkling. “So, here’s the deal—our makeup artist is coming in later this evening, but first, we’re getting our hair and nails done.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but then I glanced down at my nails and—yeah.

They looked atrocious.

Amy smirked. “See? You can’t even argue.”

I sighed in defeat. “Fine.”

Amy clapped her hands. “I knew you’d cave.”

Finnete beamed. “This is going to be fun.”

Fun for them, maybe.

For me? It was going to be a long, long day.

Time was moving faster than I liked.

Amy and I had to be at the venue by 8 PM, which felt ridiculously early for an event like this, but since she was an employee, she needed to be there ahead of time. Fine. I wasn’t about to be the reason she got in trouble.

Finnete, on the other hand, was way too prepared. She had packed her bags the second I agreed to go, making sure she wouldn't be the one holding us up in the morning.

Our first stop was the restaurant to drop her off.

The moment we stepped inside, we were hit with the warm, intoxicating aroma of freshly baked bread, sizzling spices, and slow-cooked sauces. My stomach rumbled in appreciation.

Before I could even blink, Finnete squealed and bolted towards Laura.

“Aunt Laura!” she yelled, launching herself into the older woman’s arms.

Laura chuckled, squeezing Finnete tightly. “Ah, my favorite child!”

Amy groaned dramatically. “Seriously? Every damn time.”

Laura shot her daughter a teasing smirk before turning back to Finnete. “How have you been, my love? Have these two been treating you well?”

Finnete grinned. “They try, but you know how they are.”

I laughed as Amy clutched her chest like she’d been betrayed. “Et tu, Finn?”

We spent the next hour chatting, catching up on random things, laughing at Amy’s exaggerated expressions whenever she was conveniently ignored by her own mother.

By 11 AM, Amy and I finally left for our hair and nail appointments.

The salon was only 15 minutes away, and from the moment we stepped in, the customer service was top-notch. The staff greeted us with warm smiles, offering us drinks as they guided us to our seats.

Amy, ever the perfectionist, took charge immediately. “Her nails need to be elegant but simple. She crochets, so nothing too long or dramatic.”

I rolled my eyes. “I can talk, you know.”

Amy smirked. “And yet, you let me handle it.”

Fair point.

Eventually, we settled on a classy almond shape, middle length, with nude and white tips. It was subtle, but gorgeous.

For my hair, they styled it into soft, cascading curls that framed my face perfectly.

By the time we were done, it was 4 PM. We needed to be home by 5 since our makeup artist would be arriving soon.

As we stepped through the front door, I breathed a sigh of relief—the artist wasn’t here yet. That gave us enough time to freshen up.

Amy, however, had other plans.

She strutted into my room, carrying a luxurious-looking garment bag and a small clutch. Placing them on the bed, she turned to me with a smug look.

“Alright, time for the big reveal.”

I raised an eyebrow as I unzipped the bag.

The dress inside stole my breath away.

A black, shimmery gown with a dangerously high slit that ran up to my mid-thigh. The back? Completely open.

I glanced at Amy, already knowing what she was going to say.

Before I could lecture her on spending too much money, she gave me a look—the kind that screamed Don’t even think about it.

I sighed. Instead of arguing, I wrapped my arms around her in a hug.

“You really went all out for me.”

Amy softened, hugging me back. “Of course. Someone had to drag you out of that cave of yours.”

Before the moment could get any more emotional, the doorbell rang.

Makeup artist.

Amy practically shoved me into a chair as she explained exactly what look she wanted.

“Red lips, bold. Black smokey eyes, but with a silver shimmer in the corners.”

I gave her a wary look. “Are we sure about this?”

Amy waved a dismissive hand. “Trust the process.”

By the time the makeup artist finished, I barely recognized myself.

I looked… bold. Powerful. Not the usual, comfortable version of myself.

Amy, admiring her work, grinned like a proud mother. “Damn. If you weren’t my best friend, I’d be hitting on you right now.”

I rolled my eyes but smiled. “You’re impossible.”

After Amy finished her own makeup, we took a few pictures—mostly because she insisted we needed ‘receipts’ for i********:. Then, we ordered a ride. As we stepped out, my heart raced a little. Tonight was going to be interesting.

The venue was drenched in gold light—almost obnoxiously so. It felt like the organizers were desperate to make an impression, throwing elegance to the wind in favor of something loud and blinding. As soon as we stepped in, Amy grabbed my arm, dragging me through the crowd toward a group of her tech colleagues.

I didn’t mind at first. They were friendly enough, and I had to admit—the wave of compliments that hit me was a pleasant ego boost.

“Damn, Amy, you never told us your friend was this gorgeous.”

“She’s been hiding her from the world. Selfish.”

“Fiona, right? You look amazing.”

I gave them a polite smile, murmuring my thanks, but then… the conversation shifted. Tech talk. And just like that, I was lost.

Amy, of course, was in her element, laughing and engaging in whatever nerdy jargon they were throwing around. Meanwhile, I just stood there, sipping my drink, nodding along like I had the faintest clue what they were talking about.

One guy, Richard, had been particularly persistent with his compliments.

“You really do stand out tonight,” he said, voice smooth, eyes lingering just a little too long. “And I mean that in the best way possible.”

I forced a smile. Richard was nice, attractive even, but I could already tell he wasn’t for me.

Good company? Sure.

Anything more? Not a chance.

Amy, however, had other plans.

She kept introducing me to every guy within arm’s reach, practically auctioning me off like I was some prized possession up for grabs.

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Amy.”

“What?” she said, feigning innocence.

“I’m not a charity case.”

“Oh, come on, I’m just helping you… expand your options.”

I sighed, but I couldn’t deny it—I was actually enjoying the night. The energy in the room was electric, the drinks were flowing, and for the first time in a long while, I felt free.

That was… until it happened.

A sudden chill ran through me, sharp and cutting, like an invisible force had just wrapped itself around my spine.

I froze. My body recognized it before my mind did.

He was here.

The devil in a three-piece suit.

I turned my head, and there he was—tall, commanding, exuding an aura so cold it made the already chilled room feel like ice.

What the hell is he doing here?

I grabbed Amy’s arm, panic flickering across my face. “Tell me you see him.”

Amy turned to look, and instead of shock or concern, her expression turned dreamy.

“Oh. My. God.” She fanned herself dramatically. “That man is dangerous levels of hot.”

I stared at her. “Seriously? That’s your first thought?”

“Excuse me, but have you seen him? The height. The suit. The aura of ‘I could ruin your life and you’d thank me for it’ energy? That man is a menace.”

I scoffed. “Menace is right.”

Amy’s eyes suddenly widened with realization. “Wait a minute… you’re twinning with him.”

I blinked. “What?”

She gestured between us. “Black shimmery dress. Black three-piece suit. You two are literally matching. It’s like some kind of twisted fate.”

I rolled my eyes. “Half the people here are wearing black, Amy. It’s not that deep.”

But even as I dismissed her, my mind couldn’t ignore it.

I could still feel his eyes. Heavy. Calculated. Unrelenting.

The way he had looked at me that day at the restaurant—it haunted me.

He didn’t have to say a word, and yet, he spoke volumes.

The message was clear.

I see you.

I let out a frustrated breath and turned away, determined to enjoy the rest of my night.

“Amy, let’s find our seats. This thing is wrapping up soon.”

As we moved toward the seating area, I still felt it.

That persistent, burning gaze.

And when I dared to glance back, my breath hitched