The Enemy's Puppet

Chapter Three

Inside Hazel Styles' room, the first thing one notices is the contrast between simple and loud, which is portrayed by minimal white furniture and the loud red theme of the room.

The queen-sized bed covered in red and white colored bedsheets was placed at the extreme right of the room where a photo frame was hung of her cuddling her cats, facing the natural view through the floor-sized window that opens to a wide terrace. The walk-in closet at the other end of the room, next to the washroom.

On the wall by the bed was a book shelf filled with romantic novels by some amazing writers. Beneath the shelf was a cosy little gazebo-like place made for her two beautiful babies, her cats; Luna White and Zoey Zara.

Every room in the mansion except for the guest houses had beds for their precious cats, but the two of them were mostly found in Hazel's room.

The terrace has a little white netted gazebo, hung with red L.E.D lighting, with a soft mattress to sit and read on one end. The other end has both natural and artificial plants for aesthetic.

Inside the room, facing the floor-length mirror, behind the walk-in closet, stood Hazel Styles, wearing her self-designed glittery red halter neck, backless netted evening gown with red velvet elbow-length gloves, and red heels adoring her pedicured soft feet.

With hair in a high evening bun, nude make-up paired with blood red lipstick, Hazel looked eye-catching, stunning, flawless and ready to step into the new year with just as much grace.

Checking herself once in the mirror, Hazel left the room, to go downstairs, since she was already late, as usual.

Reaching the last stair step, she found a hand in front of her. Looking up, she smiled, placing her palm in Lucas' palm, to let him lead the way to their people. It was just a small gathering with friends and family.

"Hazel, how are you little girl?" greeted their aunt Helen, who was, although almost double their age, was happily single with looks that could steal any one's eye. Has a bit of an overbearingly sweet tone and flirts with almost every man.

Hazel smiled, hugging her back, as she answered, greeting back, "I'm all good, Helen, how are you? And, I am not a little girl anymore. I'm all grown up. Almost graduated."

Another thing about Helen? She hates when anyone calls her Aunt or aunty, and hence, just Helen.

"Great, as always. And you'll always be a little girl for me baby. Also, you look ravishing tonight, love" Hazel smiled again, expressing her gratitude for the compliment before greeting the others.

-

"It's almost time everyone!" announced Michael, and everyone cheered, gathering on the terrace, waiting for the countdown and fireworks to begin, and the new year to arrive. The energy was beyond words, the excitement and hope beyond measures.

Stepping into the new year not only meant new beginnings but also, new hope, new relationship tangents, and a new You. A year so hauntingly unknown, but welcoming and warming anyway.

"Annddddd... TEN." so began the countdowns, as everyone cheered. The waiters made sure to hand each one of the guests drinks to raise a toast at midnight.

-

"NINE" The Styles' and their guests cheered, as they stood in their backyard. Hazel and Lucas are holding Zoey and Luna in their arms, covering their ears softly to protect their sensitive ears from the loud noise. The Balcony had an open view to all of Paris, since the mansion was situated on the outskirts of Paris.

-

"THREE! TWO! ONE!" The couples snogged each other's faces, while best friends hugged each other, raising toasts, as they all shouted, "HAPPY NEW YEAR!!"

"Happy New Year everyone, do enjoy the after party," Michael announced, and the environment was filled with loud party music with disco lights flooding the terrace.

"Happy New Year, Mom-Dad" wished Leon, who walked towards them after greeting his friends.

"Happiest New Year, boo" Leon chuckled at the nickname he was sure she was never letting him forget about. He hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"Happy New Year, Son" Michael wished him, and enveloped him in his embrace too.

"I'll be going now, my friends and I are visiting my penthouse to celebrate new year." He informed them and the parents nodded.

"Inform me if anything goes wrong, I'll handle it." Michael's protective father in him spoke and Leon nodded knowingly, and greeted them goodbye, before grabbing his friends, who also wished their parents, and left.

It was a ritual for the Martins; they would always welcome new year together, before splitting into their own ways, to their own parties, to their own groups.

Leon was their only child and hence, was the apple of his parents' eyes. Always getting what he wants. Always pampered, and supported through right and even wrong. His parents, mostly his dad, had taken an oath to get him out of the trouble he had invited on himself since he was a blessing to the couple.

Sofia, on the other hand, was a lenient but morally correct mother. She made sure that after Michael rescued their son from trouble, she would explain to him the difference between right and wrong in that situation. One of the major reasons is that Leon has developed the conscience to decipher wrong from right. Although it can be a little late sometimes.

-

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!!" Everyone shouted, and cheered, as midnight arrived in Paris, and the fireworks hit the sky, bursting into different shades and sparkles of different shapes.

"Happy New year, Zoey" Hazel cuddled her cat to her chest, who purred in her arms, and watched as everyone hugged each other, celebrating the birth of a new year.

One by one, everyone hugged her too, who was standing silently, admiring the love and affection they shared, as Zoey and Luna played by themselves, near her legs.

She silently wished every bond to strengthen and be fruitful throughout the year and many years coming. She wanted things to be as smooth as they were now.

She also silently wished for the enmity of the two families to go away, for a peaceful future for all of them. And also, for her own good. For her heart, it had been wishing for something she knew was nearly impossible in this lifetime.

But wanting the enmity to stop was wishful thinking and she knew the results of the same weren't going to be in her favour.

Sighing, she smiled at the fireworks in the sky, and the smile widened when there came a firework that spelled 'Happy New Year' in the air. What a pretty sight it was.

Music started in the background, and the Backyard lights got dim, creating a cosy aura for everyone to talk and sway through the soft melodies.

Feeling a tug on her dress, she looked down to see Zoey trying to get into her dress, which made her chuckle, as she bent down to pick her up. The mischievous little angel was probably tired and required sleep in her little cuddly bed, and so did Hazel.

Informing Lucas that she was going to retire to bed as she felt tired, she scanned the entire backyard, whilst also cuddling Zoey, she found Luna sitting at the backyard entry, watching Zoey. Hazel smiled as she entered the house, knowing Luna had been following them, or specifically, Zoey.

Luna, being the protective mother figure for Zoey, was always an endearing scene for the eyes. They all knew the possessiveness Luna possessed, and felt happy, always.

Putting both the cats in their little bed beneath the book shelf, Hazel got changed real quick, and after removing her tiring make-up, she retired to bed, yawning.

It wasn't as if she wasn't a party person, she was just tired and jet-lagged, hence, she chose to sleep over meeting and partying with her old friends here in Paris.

-

There was a blaring sound of music that was playing in the Penthouse whilst people shook their hips to every beat. Some enjoyed the drinks and flirting in the bar, while some sniffed some drugs in the terrace. Some snog each other's faces, while some are involved in a full make-out session, some even having three-way make-out.

Leon sat with Scott by the bar, drinking, as the bartender attended other clients, and was talking to him whilst both having a girl attached to their hip, seducing them. Leon had made special arrangements for tonight, as he had invited DJs, bartenders, hookers, and even strippers. Drugs weren't on him, but it wasn't even denied. He believed in letting everyone have their own free will, as everyone was an adult and could look after their own self; good or bad.

"Look, I don't even know why things have turned out the way they did, but I am sure, my issues are not something I'd like to discuss while I have such an eye-pleasing appetizer in my arms." Scott scoffed and put his arm through the hooker's waist, and pulled her face to his, placing his lips on hers.

Leon shook his head with a tiny smirk, finished his drink in a gulp and picked up the girl that clung to him in his arms, before walking upstairs to his room. Throwing her on the bed, he unbuttoned his shirt, before hovering over her, to engulf both of their bodies in an act of sin, according to the bible.

Drinking her moans on his lips, he made sure to gently end the night, as he made the hooker in his bed a fan of his. He knew what he did to women. He knew his way through, and he wasn't the one to boast about it, like some narcissistic loser. His act was enough for the word to be spread.

The night went quickly, and so did the morning come. Waking up, Leon immediately unattached the hooker's arms from around his body, whose name he didn't even recall.

Pushing himself up, he got on his pants from last night, and walked downstairs, to see only a few people lying around from the crowd of hundreds that visited last night.

Concluding they must've left late last night itself, Leon ordered the butler to grab lemonade for everyone, knowing their hangovers might need it, and walked back to his room to grab a quick shower.

Today was the last day he had free before university started with the last term, and Leon had decided to use the day to his best, whilst doing some research on the clients 'The Styles' had, and the benefits they were getting from them.

Also, to create a plan of action for the upcoming month, which would include a lot of college lectures and official meetings too. It was going to be hectic, but it was going to be worth it, as, in the end, the results were going to be in his favor.

And he was sure of it, because he had faith in himself and his abilities as a Managing Director. He had faith in his team to deliver the best when given a chance, since they've been serving the organisation for years and some even decades now.

It was on him to give them the chance by getting more and more clients, who he pledged that he would get in the near future, bringing the Martin's up in numbers and pushing the Styles' organization as well as their ego down.

What he needed was to understand the tactics they'd used in the past one year to unveil their sudden success which had never happened in the past few decades.

And he was adamant about bringing even the minute details to notice, with his punctilious mind helping him. Because, for him, the challenge makes the win even more delicious.