Men Are Prada Shoes

CHAPTER 7

ALINA

Ever since what happened at my apartment, it felt like David has been keeping his distance from me. Maybe he was still upset that I refused to accept his money, which honestly made no sense to me.

I paid him for his work. That money was something he earned through Voss Bags, so why would I take it back simply because my business was struggling financially for a while? If I started depending on David every time the company faced money problems, then there was no future for the business. I wanted Voss Bags to survive on its own, not because someone kept rescuing me whenever things became difficult.

Letting out a tired sigh, I pushed myself out of the chair, slipped off my robe and dove straight into the pool, forcing myself not to think about the rent of this penthouse over my head.

The stress of that alone can make me collapse.

“Elevator incoming,” Xia, my AI assistant, announced through the speakers.

I already knew who it had to be. Only Serena and David had access to the elevator passcard.

A few minutes later, I spotted David through the glass walls. His eyes moved around the penthouse as he searched for me before finally heading toward the pool house.

The door swung open and he stepped inside. The moment he saw me in the water, his brows pulled together in disapproval.

“Why are you swimming when it’s freezing outside?”

Rolling my eyes, I moved slowly toward the edge of the pool, letting the water cascade off my skin as I walked. It dripped from my neck, tracing a cold line down my chest and over my stomach before sliding lower. My bra clung uncomfortably from the water, offering minimal coverage… not even the n****e was safe… I could almost see the pink skin around it.

David’s gaze stayed on my face the entire time, refusing to wander even a fraction lower. Without saying a word, he reached for my robe from the nearby chair, already anticipating what I was about to do.

I stepped closer to him, then rotated slightly so my back was toward him, silently allowing him to help. His hands brushed against my shoulders as he carefully helped me into the robe, pulling it around me, adjusting it properly, making sure it was secure before letting go.

Once it was on, I smoothed the fabric down and stepped away.

“I thought you didn’t want to meet me?” I drawled as I walked past him toward the lounge table.

There was a wine glass waiting there. I picked it up, swirling the liquid slowly as I turned slightly away from him.

“That’s not true,” he said immediately.

A small, humorless smile tugged at my lips “You’ve been avoiding me.”

“I haven’t bee_”

“Don’t lie to me,” I interjected, my voice dropping into a hiss. “You know I hate it.”

I lifted the glass to my nose, inhaling the scent of the wine before taking a slow sip.

David exhaled, clearly restraining himself. “I haven’t been avoiding you,” he insisted again, stubborn as ever. “I’ve just been looking for the right way to create a meeting for you and I think I’ve found one.”

“Oh,” That immediately caught my attention. Turning, I slowly strutted back toward him. “Go on.”

“Not only did I find a way for you to get closer to Sterling,” David continued, “I also found a way to fund your bags, and maybe even secure that office space we’ve been talking about.”

A slow, satisfied smirk tugged at my lips before I could stop it. That was the kind of progress I had been waiting for.

“The Sterlings are big fish,” he added, his tone shifting into something more business-like. “If you’re going to make them believe your luxury brand story, then you’ll need more than just ambition. You’ll need presence. And that starts with having a proper office space that looks the part.”

I tilted my head slightly, watching him with narrowed eyes.

“Are you going to tell me the plan?” I asked, rolling my eyes in mild irritation. “Because you’re clearly stalling.”

A quiet chuckle escaped him. “I’m not stalling,” he replied.

Before I could respond, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph, stepped forward and placed it into my hand.

I lowered my gaze to it.

A young man stared back at me from the image, handsome in a careless way, the kind of face that probably got him everything he ever wanted without trying too hard. But even though I studied him closely, nothing about him registered in my memory.

I frowned slightly.

“Who is he?” I asked, still examining the picture.

“Alex Wember,” David answered.

The surname made me pause for a second. Wember… I recognized that name, but the first name didn’t ring any bell.

“Who exactly is that?” I pressed again, handing the picture back to him.

“Oliver Wember’s illegitimate son,” he explained. “He likes attention, he likes showing off… and he especially likes pretty women.”

As he said the last part, his eyes drifted over me slowly. “I’m certain you’ll be able to capture his attention,” he added.

My expression tightened immediately. I didn’t like the way that sounded… or the way it made me feel.

“I don’t like him,” I said bluntly.

There’s something sinister about his eyes… something that feels very unwelcoming to my spirit.

David let out a low chuckle as he slipped the picture back into his pocket.

“You don’t have to like him, Alina,” he replied. “You just need him.”

I exhaled slowly, lifting my glass and finishing the rest of the wine in one go. The alcohol burned slightly going down, but it helped steady my thoughts. Setting the empty glass aside, I began to walk toward the door with slow, confident steps, fully aware that David would follow behind me, and he did, just as expected.

“So what exactly am I needing him for?” I asked without turning back.

“The Old Sterling is having his 70th birthday,” he began, his voice taking on a more strategic tone, “and Alex here has been telling anyone who cares to listen at the club that he’s going to represent his father at the event, and _”

“You want me to be the plus one,” I cut in, finishing his words before he could.

David snapped his fingers lightly with a chuckle, clearly impressed.

“Bingo,” he said. “You go to him, keep him entertained, keep him interested… get the half a million from him, then walk away after the party. Clean and simple.”

I let out a soft breath, my mind already working through the angles. If someone had too much money to throw around, I didn’t see any reason why I shouldn’t benefit from it. Business was business.

Still, one thing mattered more than excitement.

“What’s the way out?” I asked, slowing my steps. “I always look for a way out before I go in.”

Vincent Sterling is the only exception in this rule. His reputation was spotless, almost untouchable in the business world. A man like that didn’t leave room for mistakes.

But I’m not worried, I’m going to create an opening for myself.

When David didn’t respond right away, I turned around to face him, my eyes narrowing with suspicion.

“What’s the way out, David?”

He hesitated.

That alone was enough to irritate me.

A small wince crossed his face before he finally spoke. “I haven’t found one yet,” he admitted. “But I will.”

I scoffed immediately, shaking my head.

“So you want me to walk into this blindly?” I challenged, folding my arms across my chest. “No exit plan? No safety net? Nothing?”

David stepped forward slightly.

“I will find one before the party,” he promised quickly. “I swear. I just need a little more time.”

His hand lifted slightly, reaching toward me, but he stopped short like he wasn’t sure if I would accept the gesture.

“I’ve never failed to protect you,” he added, his voice softening just a fraction. “And if there’s anyone willing to do anything to keep you safe, you should know by now… it’s me.”

For a moment, I said nothing.

I looked away from him instead, pressing my tongue lightly into my cheek as I tried to stop the frustration building inside me. My mind was already running through risks, outcomes, and possible traps. I hated uncertainty. I hated depending on promises.

Taking a slow breath, I finally spoke again.

“I’m going to take a huge leap and trust you on this,” I said quietly. “Hopefully, we both don’t land ourselves in trouble.”