Chapter One

MIRA

Stepping out of the car, Mira ignored her grandmother's glare as she rearranged her sunglasses in her hair. The short dress she had on was showing so much skin than her grandmother could ignore.

"I remember telling you to change that dress."

"No can do" Mira muttered under her breath and flashed the old woman a tight-lipped smile.

"What did you say?"

"I'm jetlagged" Mira's smile widened as she gently took out a white cat that was lying beside her in the car.

All of her actions seemed intentionally seductive. The simple action of picking up the sleeping cat or how she flipped her hair out of her face and pulled out her phone from the bag slung across her shoulder.

The old woman could only shake her head and walk away towards the house. She had more pressing issues. Issues like how her son got married to a woman she has never met, and the important part is that the woman has a grown-up daughter.

Leona Ryders couldn't wait to see her son's new family. It was no surprise that Archer could hide such a big thing from her. If not for what happened to the daughter, she would still be in the dark about the whole issue.

"That stupid boy, so much for keeping his personal life private. I'm finding out about my son's marriage with some random person through the internet, really good!" Leona hissed in annoyance before turning towards the house.

"Nana, the fabric company just sent an email". Mira called after her.

"You know what to do. I'm going to rest. I have a lot to do tomorrow"

Mira bit back a sassy reply, she only grunted and walked off to her room. She couldn't understand why her grandmother was so stressed about what was done. Her uncle had been alone for so long, he needed a partner after all.

Placing the cat in its bed, she threw her phone onto her bed as the housekeeper rolled in her bags.

"Leave them there". She wanted nothing but to get rid of her dress and run a cold bath.

"I want some pistachio chocolate and vanilla ice cream". She didn't forget to order some midnight treats as she would be working late, again.

***

Scrolling through her phone, her hair tied up in a messy bun atop her head. Mira had messy papers filled with designs in front of her, but she hardly cared about them.

She was patiently waiting for the next day, to see her cousin again after a long while. Not because she missed him, they have been keeping in touch with each other for the past few years.

It is because of Him.

Mira had spent the past years resisting every urge to talk about him whenever she talked with Lucian. The last time she tried to meet him was a disaster she didn't want to think about. She wanted to forget about him, to move on. But she realized it wasn't possible, at least not yet.

So, she decided.

Go with the flow, love as she wishes and go for what she wants. She came back this time with overflowing confidence, and was very sure of herself this time.

Get him or make him get her.

Losing wasn't an option.

Mira wondered what he looked like after all these years apart. Does he still wear the stoic face around like the world owes him? Did he grow taller if possible?

Counting now, he should be almost forty years old. Forty! Does that mean he has salt and pepper hair now? Mira never believed he was fifteen years older than her, he looked nothing like that.

Allen Lincoln looked no older than twenty years when he told her he was thirty. She could still picture his bland expression as he told her off when she summoned the courage to confess her feelings.

"You are just infatuated. It will fade with time" he said.

"No! I like you! I'm not infatuated or whatever you call it..."

"I'm thirty years old. Being together with a fifteen year-old is not possible" he interjected calmly.

"This... But I...You like me too, right? You smiled at me, and you never do that to anyone else " Mira couldn't believe all her fairy tale dream was crashing down right before her.

"You make good coffee" he shrugged, adjusting his glasses.

"So, you don't like me?"

"Liking you the way you want will make me a pedophile "Allen tucked his glasses up his nose bridge as he spoke, the action tugging Mira's poor heart.

"You have to like me! Lucian is with Alexis, and they're doing just fine " Mira didn't know what else to say, this wasn't how she pictured the moment.

She imagined he would simply nod at her, maybe flash her a tight-lipped smile and probably pat her nicely done hair. She imagined everything else but what was actually happening.

Allen looked like he was holding back a snarky remark, he let out a soft huff and ignored the fuming teenage girl standing in front of him.

Mira couldn't hold back her tears, the man didn't give her any more attention. He typed away on his phone with full concentration.

"That bastard" Mira huffed out and rolled over on her bed and stopped herself from texting Lucian to ask about the said person who never ceased to occupy her straying train of thought.

Mira was dozing off when she remembered the small Polaroid camera tucked away in her closet. She shot out of the messy bed, causing her cat to meow in annoyance. Her rummaging through the drawer for the camera woke the haughty creature.

Thankfully, it hasn't been thrown out by the housekeeper yet. The pictures were still in the camera holder, they were pictures she of Allen took without his knowledge. Everything was in place.

The tall man folded in his seat with a laptop in front of him, his dark hair neatly groomed with a slight part at the side. He never tolerated any slight messiness in his dress.

Another picture of him when he took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, obviously annoyed at whatever was on his phone.

Another one of the rare moments when he smiled was the day Lucian completed his Butterfly project. That was the second time Mira caught a smile on his face. The first was when he took a sip of the coffee she made him, his face morphed into a surprised but pleased smile.

That was the moment something bloomed in Mira's immature heart. Eight years on, Mira couldn't get rid of the feelings, so she decided to indulge in it.