Chapter 18
2060 Words
Chapter 18
Messed feelings
Third person pov:
Ana and Alex walked back toward their friends, the echo of applause still ringing in the grand hall. Crystal chandeliers shimmered above them, and everywhere they passed, guests paused to congratulate them. Smiles followed them like light.
“Well done, Alex!”
“What a beautiful performance!”
“Such perfect coordination!”
Ana felt overwhelmed. She kept her gaze low, fingers clutching the edge of her gown as if grounding herself in reality. This wasn’t her world—ballrooms, applause, expensive perfumes—but for tonight, she had survived it.
Jen was the first to reach her. Without warning, she pulled Ana into a tight hug.
“You were amazing!” Jen squealed.
Fin joined her immediately, wrapping Ana in another warm embrace. “Graceful,” he said sincerely. “Your performance was pure grace, Ana. We loved it.”
Before Ana could even respond, Jen hugged her again—tighter this time.
“Ana, you won the competition, girl!” Jen declared proudly. “I’m so proud of you.”
“O-okay, Jen… stop,” Ana laughed breathlessly. “I can’t… I can’t breathe.”
Everyone burst into laughter.
Meanwhile, David, Zack, and Nick surrounded Alex, pulling him into a group hug so sudden and tight that he nearly lost his balance.
“Hey!” Alex protested, trying to step back. “Do you guys want to kill me?”
Nick laughed, giving Alex a friendly tap on the shoulder. “What are you saying? After such a long time, we finally got to see you dance. We were just over-excited. How can we kill you when we’re celebrating you?”
Fin turned to Alex and hugged him firmly. “Bro, you kept your word. Thank you. Love you.”
Alex smiled, shaking his head fondly at his friends.
Jen’s eyes sparkled mischievously as she turned back to Ana. “You know,” she said, lowering her voice dramatically, “if you perform even once at university, every boy on campus will run after you.”
Fin nodded in agreement. “She’s right. We couldn’t take our eyes off you while you were dancing.”
Jen leaned closer to Ana, whispering teasingly, “All the men here are drooling over you. Do you know that? If you want, you can select one of them as your lover.”
Ana immediately raised her head, eyes wide in embarrassment. She pushed Jen lightly. “Stop it, Jen!”
Then, in a softer voice, she added, “I don’t even know how to dance properly. If Alex hadn’t supported me, I wouldn’t have been able to move on that stage. If you want to praise someone, praise Alex—your brother. Not me.”
Alex, who had just taken a seat beside her, stiffened slightly. Jen’s playful words echoed unpleasantly in his mind. The idea of Ana being admired—wanted—by others stirred something sharp and unfamiliar in his chest.
Ana turned toward him and extended her hand gently. “Thank you, Alex… for supporting me.”
Alex looked at her hand for a moment before taking it. His grip was firm, protective. Instead of sitting back down, he stood up.
Everyone noticed the sudden shift.
Something about Alex’s expression made the air tense.
Ana sensed it too. She wanted to pull her hand away, to ask him what was wrong—but the seriousness in his eyes stopped her. She remained silent, trusting him.
Across the hall, Kate watched everything unfold.
Her face burned with anger and humiliation. She hadn’t just lost the competition—she had lost her dignity. Her dance partner tried to console her, but his words fell on deaf ears.
Alex walked toward Kate, his friends following closely behind.
“Hello, Kate,” Alex said lightly, his tone almost teasing. “How’s your leg?”
“Alex—” she started.
He raised a hand, stopping her. “Kate, if you want to win a competition, you must play fair. If you try to fool others, you’ll be the first one to lose.”
He glanced pointedly at her leg.
Kate straightened, masking her panic. “What are you talking about? I tripped because I wasn’t concentrating on the dance.”
She stepped closer to Alex, taking his hand dramatically. Her voice trembled as she spoke, eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
“I was only thinking about you,” she said emotionally. “What if you lost? Ana can’t even dance properly. I couldn’t bear to see you lose. So I chose to lose instead. I put aside my pride… for you.”
She rubbed her eyes, pretending to cry. “At least now you should understand how much I love you, Alex.”
The silence that followed was heavy.
Ana stood frozen, shock flooding her senses. She hadn’t expected Kate to stoop this low—to twist the truth so shamelessly.
Alex pulled his hand away firmly.
“Stop it, Kate,” he said coldly. “I saw everything.”
Her breath hitched.
“You tried to make Ana trip. But you slipped instead.”
Murmurs rippled through the group as understanding dawned.
“Kate, how could you play so low?” Jen said sharply.
Kate looked around, realizing she had lost the crowd.
Alex stepped forward, his voice calm but commanding.
“I, Alexander Black King, always make the right decisions—and I always protect the people who belong to me.”
He paused, his gaze unwavering.
“We don’t choose friends based on status or power, but on character. And I believe Ana has far better character than you.”
The words struck Kate like a slap.
Before leaving, Alex added one final warning. “Never try to harm or insult my people again. This is your last warning. Keep it in mind.”
With that, Alex turned away. The others followed him without looking back.
After the party, the families of Alex, David, Zack, Nick, and Jen gathered for a private dinner. It was tradition—an intimate affair reserved only for family and those considered close.
As the evening drew to a close, guests began leaving.
“I should go now,” Ana said softly.
Jen frowned. “Why are you leaving? I already told you—we’re all going to dinner.”
“You should have dinner with your parents,” Ana replied politely.
Alex looked at her, surprised. “Why should you leave, Ana?”
The others exchanged curious glances. Alex never brought his dates to family dinners.
“Why would Ana come to dinner?” Zack asked bluntly.
Alex answered without hesitation, “She’s my girlfriend—for today.”
The words stunned everyone.
David smirked teasingly. “You never bring your dates to dinner, Alex.”
“Yes,” Zack added. “You don’t like outsiders at family dinners. Why change now?”
Alex struggled for words.
Fin stepped in smoothly. “Enough, guys. Ananya is our friend. We all want to introduce her to our parents. This is the perfect opportunity.”
Jen nodded eagerly. “Yes, Ana. You should come.”
Ana felt overwhelmed. “Why should I come? I’m not your family.”
“You’re part of our group,” Nick said gently.
Still, Ana hesitated. “This is a family dinner. I’ll meet them next time.”
“No,” Zack insisted. “You’re the highlight of today’s event. They’ll want to meet you.”
Before she could protest further, Fin and Jen dragged her toward the lift.
Inside, Ana’s nerves spiraled. 'I’m just a common girl,' she thought. :How can I face such powerful families?'
Alex stood beside her and quietly took her hand. “Don’t worry. I’m here.”
That simple assurance gave her strength.
---
Meeting the Families
The entire floor was booked exclusively for them. A large circular table filled the room, surrounded by warm laughter and conversation.
“Come quickly,” Claire called out cheerfully. “Dinner is ready.”
Fin stepped forward. “Mom, Dad, Uncles, Aunts—this is our new friend. Ananya Khanna.”
Eyes turned toward Ana.
“She’s the girl who danced with Alex, right?” Zack’s mother asked.
“Yes,” Fin confirmed.
Ana sat between Alex and Fin as introductions continued. Compliments followed—about her dance, her confidence, her design work.
“You have unique talent,” Mrs. Heyles said warmly. “A bright future awaits you.”
Ana smiled humbly. “I only do my work sincerely. The Maldives project is my first big one—but I’ll give it my best.”
The dinner passed in laughter and acceptance.
For the first time, Ana felt like she truly belonged.
---
Ana’s POV:
“Good night, Ana. I’m going to sleep,” Jen said softly before disappearing into her room.
“Good night,” I replied, closing my door behind me.
The moment silence wrapped around me, the events of the party replayed in my mind—one scene after another, vivid and relentless. I changed into my nightwear slowly, still half-lost in the echoes of laughter, music, and unfamiliar warmth.
'I never thought rich people could be this kind,' I admitted silently.
'They didn’t treat me like an outsider… they treated me like their own child.'
That realization lingered longer than I expected. Their smiles, their easy conversations, the way they encouraged me—it all felt unreal. Almost fragile.
'They are lucky,' I thought. 'Lucky to have parents who understand them, support them, and trust their choices.'
But another voice rose within me, quieter yet sharper.
'Not every family is like theirs, Ana. Some families are different… and some are far worse than yours. Don’t judge the world based on a single experience.'
I sat on the edge of my bed, running a hand through my hair, feeling strangely heavy.
Then my thoughts drifted—dangerously—to him.
'Why am I feeling this way?'
'Why do I feel… lighter when I’m with Alex?'
It scared me how effortlessly he occupied my thoughts.
'I felt like I was under a spell tonight,' I admitted to myself. 'I don’t even remember how I danced until the end. It was like he was guiding me—without words, without effort.'
My heart fluttered at the memory, and I immediately scolded myself.
'You’ve never been cared for like this before,' my mind reasoned. 'That’s why it feels different. Don’t misunderstand it.'
I nodded to myself as if someone were watching.
'To him, this is normal. You’re just a friend. He cares because that’s who he is.'
Still, my chest felt tight.
'Yes,' I agreed firmly. 'Don’t get used to being taken care of. Independence is your strength. You’ve survived on your own—remember that.'
I lay down and closed my eyes, determined to sleep.
But the moment darkness settled, ''those blue eyes appeared''—clear, intense, unforgettable.
My breath caught.
'Careful, Ana,' my mind warned sharply. 'Those eyes belong to a billionaire. A playboy. A man who doesn’t believe in long-term relationships—only temporary ones.'
I turned to the other side, clenching my fists.
'Don’t trap yourself.'
But my heart refused to stay silent.
'Don’t be unfair,' it whispered. 'He was the first man who stood up for you without hesitation. Has anyone else ever done that?'
That question struck me deeper than I wanted to admit.
'They never treated you like a person,* my heart continued. *He could have ignored everything—but he didn’t. He took responsibility. He stood beside you.'
I swallowed.
'Don’t judge him based on rumors.'
My brain immediately countered.
'If anyone else were in his place, they would’ve reacted the same way. Don’t romanticize it. He treats you as a friend—nothing more.'
I exhaled sharply, frustrated.
'What is happening to me?'
'The moment Alex entered my life, everything became chaos.'
Sometimes he flirted like a carefree playboy.
Sometimes he cared like a perfect gentleman.
And I didn’t know which version scared me more.
Finally, exhausted by my own thoughts, I made a decision.
'The best way to stay calm… is to avoid him.'
That was it.
That was the solution.
I forced my eyes shut, clinging to that resolve, hoping sleep would come before my heart betrayed me again.
---
- Writer
