"Do you know her?" Atlas asked Theo, as he looked from him to Aveline.
"I think I do. She looks so familiar." His eyes squinted in scrutiny of Aveline's face.
"Aveline, do you know Theo?"
"No," she answered too fast, and with a little too much vigor.
"Are you sure? Why did you react like you had seen a ghost if you didn't know him?" Atlas, eyed her cautiously, doubt heavy in his eyes.
"I just didn't expect you or anyone else other than Mr Nelson to be in the living room," she explained carefully, her voice a little shaky.
"You really don't know me?" Theo asked again just to be sure.
He felt really deep within that he had seen her somewhere before. He just wasn't sure if it was someone who looked like her, or it had really been her.
In addition to his dilemma, he couldn't even recall where he had seen the person that looked like her, or allegedly her in this case.
"No, I don't," she answered with a little more strength in her voice this time around.
Her toes curled inward, as she silently prayed that they just dropped the conversation.
It was good that her life was a mystery in many ways. There were just some chapters that should never be opened.
"If you say so then. I guess I should officially introduce myself to you," Theo walked over to Aveline and stretched his hand. "I'm Theo Charming. Atlas best friend." He smiled his usual charming smile all the ladies loved.
It wasn't the smile that touched Aveline, and made her feel at ease. It was his eyes.
People didn't know this. She didn't know how she knew it either. But one could always tell the kind of person a person was by their eyes.
"Nice to meet you." She accepted his handshake.
He swiftly covered her hand with his, and dragged it to his lips.
Bending his head, he placed a gentle kiss on her hand.
"I like her," he said immediately he let go of her hand, and turned to Atlas. "She's gorgeous," he added.
Atlas rolled his eyes. "You'd like a sack of rice with breasts and—"
"Atlas?" He clutched his chest, faking hurt.
Atlas ignored him, and walked straight to Aveline. "Come with me." He didn't stop but walked past her.
She smiled nervously at the men in the room, before excusing herself to follow after Atlas.
He was already in her room observing, when she walked in.
Atlas was so invested in his memories, he didn't hear Aveline come in.
There was a brief time Faiza had stayed in the room.
He recalled returning from his trip and seeing traces of her everywhere in this room. His instant anger when he told his team to get rid of everything she owned.
He had not returned to the room ever since, until now.
Perhaps, that was the reason he gave the room to Aveline.
A demon had briefly claimed the room. Maybe it was up to an Angel to purify it.
He sniffed Aveline just then, and turned around.
"How long have you been standing there?"
"I didn't want to interrupt you," she said.
"Interrupt?" He lifted a brow.
"It looked like you were in your head."
"You can tell?"
She bobbed her head. "I'm in my head a lot of the time too. There's always a look in the eyes. It's all in the eyes," she replied with a smile.
Her dimples deepened, drawing his attention to it.
Aveline swiftly turned her face to the side, immediately she saw his gaze lower.
His nose turned. "What was that?"
"Nothing." She shook her head, feeling the onset of a slight panic.
"Look at me," he ordered.
"Please no."
He hissed, and took a step forward that closed the gap between them.
Roughly, he lifted her chin so her face was directly facing him. "What's your deal?" He asked.
"Nothing." She kept her eyes lowered.
He thought for a few seconds before it hit him. "Your dimples are cute," he said.
Aveline's heart skipped a beat, and before she could stop it, her eyes sought him.
"They're a deformity," she said.
His frown deepened. "Whoever said that to you?"
"Laura—Craig–at different times," she laughed bitterly. "In the exact same words. Maybe I should have realised on time that were—"
"Fucking behind you? Yeah, it's usually not that hard to hide. Maybe you're slow. It takes only a slow person not to look at a mirror and see that the dimples on their face makes what is already perfect even more."
Aveline's eyes widened. She wasn't sure if Atlas was insulting or complimenting her.
It also didn't help that his very rough fingers were still on her chin.
"You don't have anything to say for yourself, do you? Then listen carefully. We're going to the Sinclair mansion where we'll be staying until after the wedding. Now my father is cool with a lot of things, but my mother is a little bit more possessive."
A sound slipped from her throat out before she could stop it.
"What was that?" He pressed.
"Nothing." She shook her head.
He eyed her in disbelief first, but blinked and continued. "Anyway, the story is simple. You're from a middle class family who deal in art. We met on my trip to France and have been in contact for a year. You just moved to the States hence our reconnection. I didn't want to waste any more time looking for someone else when I had found the perfect woman in you, hence the quick engagement. We're hopelessly in love. Got it?"
Aveline struggled to keep up with his moving lips.
The fact he had come up with all of that on his own was even more fascinating.
"Wow," she blurted.
"Explain?"
"None of it is true," she finally put her thoughts into words.
"Of course it isn't. That's the point."
"So what happens when I'm asked to talk about my life growing up in an artistic family?" She asked, both deeply fascinated, and curious at the same time.
"What did you think of the painting in the living room you were so invested in?" He counter asked.
"Simple yet provocative," she answered in a heartbeat.
He bobbed his head, and let go of her chin. "Ses? You're all set. Not many would have been able to capture the essence of that painting. Also, Theo can give you some pointers. He actually is an art curator."
"Yes he is," Aveline thought, a brief memory crossing her mind.
"What are you thinking about? I'm not a mind reader to read your thoughts, Aveline. You have to speak up."
"Can you be sincere with me if I ask you a question?" Her voice was so soft and disturbed, it made him pause for a second.
She was doing that again, although unintentionally.
Sometimes, she exuded an energy that made him want to protect her.
He cleared his throat to get rid of such absurd thoughts. "I can be sincere," he replied.
"Okay. Is it going to be difficult? The two days in your family house. Is it something I can easily bear?"
Atlas chest tightened. He wanted to lie and say it would be a breeze. But he knew his family. Nothing was easy when it came to the Sinclair's.
"No. But if you really want the money, you'll have to deal." He walked away immediately, stilling his stone cold heart from the Intrusion of Aveline.