5

All Rights Reserved.

©️ 2021 Princess.

Uploaded 2022.

The day of the charity ball came quicker than she had expected. And Eric called her a day before to tell her that she should pack light. She had no idea they would travel she thought it would be here, but then again his whole family are worth billions. She also called her family, Lindsay and Alex that she would not be around till tomorrow. By ten am, Eric came to take her to the airport where his private plane was waiting.

While he drove to the airport, she said.

"Where exactly are we going to?"

"What? You think I am going to carry you somewhere and murder you?" He said in his deep voice filled with amusement.

"No!......yes" she said after a while which made him let out a laugh.

"No I am not going to murder you, we are actually going to Athens , it is a gallery the is hosting it"

"we are going to Greece!"

"Yes we are and we will be back tomorrow, it's starts by ten this evening"

"More like in the night , we are so going to be tired after everything"

"You can say that again"

"I would actually like to try the food though"

"Maybe one day I would take you to eat in my restaurant" he said as if he was asking for pepper.

"You have a restaurant!?" She yelled and he laughed.

"I guess I didn't mention that"

"No you didn't. I thought you only had a Cafe"

"No I don't, I have do not only have a cafe here in Canada but also in Italy, London, Paris and Nigeria"

"I had no idea. Even on the internet there was hardly ever any......"

"That's the point, I don't want people going to my Cafe or restaurant to criticize or just because of my father"

"You really wanted this"

"I did, but don't tell anyone other

They got to the airport twenty four minutes after ten. After they boarded the plane and they were finally in air they had their breakfast. After breakfast they both caught up with some work on their laptops. Since Emily had nothing else to do she slept off. For almost then hours they were on the plane, then they finally arrived. They went to the hotel first to get ready.

Emily took out the red evening gown Eric got her and put it on. She stood in front of the mirror admiring herself. It was so pretty with the thigh high slit , the open back and it was armless, she felt so daring. At least she had a shawl, she thought. After Emily finished putting on her dress there was a knock on the door.

She opened the door and saw a lady with a makeup box. And figured she was the make up artist.

"Oh...thank come on" Emily said and ushered her in.

"Thanks now we gotta be fast Eric is almost ready" she said opening her box.

"Oh okay" she said and sat down on the chair. She watched as the artist brought out various makeup beauty products, which were all item beauty by Addison Rae.

"You must really love her products"

"I do" She said and started doing her magic on Emily's face. Almost and hour later they were done. They finally left the hotel by nine fifteen and arrived at the venue by ten pm on the dot.

The limousine pulled up to the end of a long red carpet, Emily shrank.

"You didn't say anything about a red carpet, cameras and a million people staring. Eric, I can't walk in these shoes in public"

"If I'd mentioned it, you just would have worried." Eric took her hand and gave it a brotherly squeeze.

"And you think this makes it better"

"I'm with you this time. You just smile and look pretty."

"It's hard to look pretty when your nose is flat on the floor, which is where mine will be if I have to walk the length of that carpet in front of all of them"

"I'll be holding your hand."

"Can I take my shoes off?"

"Not unless you want to attract extra attention. Smile" Hayden instructed as the car door was opened from the outside and a burst of light filled the car.

"Leave the rest to me.' Emily stepped gingerly out of the car and was immediately blinded by flashbulbs. Her lips fixed in a rigid smile, she took one look at the yelling crowd, and would have shot back into the car but Eric fingers handcuffed her wrists.

'Walk. Rise your head. Lift your chin slightly-better." He issued a stream of instructions and encouragement, his hand holding hers tightly as he walked her down the red carpet and into the gallery.

"Now you can relax."

"Are you kidding?" Emily stared nervously at the priceless artefacts.

"I won't relax until I leave knowing I didn't break anything."

"If you do break something, no one will dare comment" Alekos said smoothly.

"I'm an extremely generous benefactor. And, no, before you ask, that doesn't give me warm, fuzzy feelings."

"I don't think even I'd get warm, fuzzy feelings about a painting,' Emily confessed, craning her neck as she looked at the art on the walls.

"Why do you support a museum in Athens? Why not the museum in Canada?"

"I do support the museum in Canada. Come with me, there is someone I want you to meet, I think you meet him last time . He is a really close friend of mine" Supplying her with a drink, Eric led her through the elegant throng of people towards a man who stood admiring a painting. She took a sip of her wine trying to calm her nerves. She really didn't want to meet Hayden

"Johnson." The man turned and Kelly saw that he was elderly. His white hair was swept back from a face that was still handsome, despite his years. She let out a breath of relief when she saw that it was not Hayden.

'Eric.' His expression brightened and there was a brief exchange of rapid Greek before Eric drew Emily forward and introduced her.

'Ah." Johnson smiled at her, a knowing look in his eyes.

"So we are surrounded by priceless works of art but still Eric manages to arrive with something more dazzling on his arm." He lifted her hand to his lips.

"Even the gold of the Renaissance doesn't shine quite so brightly as a woman in love. Good, I'm pleased. And not before time, Eric Collins"

"Oh no you are mistaken, yes we are in love but not with each other she is just my date for tonight"

"What he means is that we are not in love with each other or anyone" she said hastily.

"Oh okay, yes Eric I spotted your father not to long ago he asked if I had seen you, he should be around here somewhere" Mr Johnson said. Emily felt him tense after mentioning his father.

"Thank you, I will go now" Eric said and left him.

"You know we don't have to meet him if you don't want to, right"

"And what makes you think that I don't want to meet my father" he said and hissed the word 'father'.

"That, you just hissed and you were tense when he mentioned your father".

"It's not something.....I can talk about" he said and she understood.

"It's okay, we don't have to meet him"

"No the earlier the better, I don't want him asking of me again" she nodded as then made their way to his father .

"Father," Eric said as he stopped in front of a man who looked nothing like him. The man had black hair which was already turning silver at the roots. His face was already filled with wrinkles and his smile made her shiver in disgust. And also they way his eyes roamed her body made her want to puke all over him. She turned to the woman standing beside him and realized that it was his mother.

He had seen her picture On Harper's bazaar magazine. He looked like her, she thought. He had the same color of her eyes and the hair too. Emily smiled to the woman and said.

"Good evening, Ma'am it's a pleasure to meet you this evening" completely ignoring his father. The woman looked startled as if she didn't know by she was talking to her instead of the father.

"Good evening to you. I hope you are enjoying yourself" she asked.

"Yes I am"

"Good evening , mother" Eric said and kissed her on the cheek.

"I would like to introduce Emily to you, Emily this is my mother"

"Thank you for coming tonight, Emily" his mother said. Eric faced his father and said nothing.

"Now won't you introduce your friend to me, I am your father after all" His father said which made his mother wince slightly, that no one else noticed.

"No, I won't. I heard you were asking of me. And I wanted to tell you to stop. I am here now say what you want and let us be on our way" he said and his father smiled. Something about him smiling irked her, she had no idea why. He turned to her and lifted her hands placing a kiss on them both. She wanted to yank her hand away and wash it. She forced a smile onto her face and said.

"Good evening, sir . So good to finally meet you" Gosh she felt like puking.

"The pleasure is all mine" he said huskily and she knew she had enough so she removed her hands from his __more like pried it away. Which made him smirk.

"Since you have nothing to say, we will leave you. Mother I will talk to you later, father never ask of me . I f you need me call me" he said and left them both. The was walking so fast that she had to jog to keep up with him.

"Eric slow down" she chided.

"I am sorry" he said and stopped.

"I understand. I want to get away from him too. I think I understand why you don't like him" she whispered.

"Trust me you don't, and would not want to understand" he said and took her to look at some sculptures. They were both looking at a piece when Hayden came up to them. She stiffened when he came to their side. She mummured a greeting to him and he nodded. She took Eric arm as he moved to another one.

"When did you arrive?" Eric asked Hayden.

"I have been here since yesterday. I to meet a few investors" Hayden said and Eric nodded. A lady then came up to Hayden and held his arm which made her guess she was his date to his mistress. The thought of the woman hands on Hayden made her clean h her hands l, so she hid them behind her back.

"Woah , Hayden who's this beautiful lady you brought tonight" Eric said which made the lady and his side giggle- correction screech. Damn her ears hurt, she thought.

"Hi I'm Paola nice to meet you" she said battling her eyelashes at Eric ignoring Emily completely and so Emily ignored her back taking Eric's arm and saying.

"Eric you said you....were going to...show me that other artwork" she said hoping he would take the hint.

"What art........oh oh yes, I forgot. This way" he said leading her while they followed behind. Ha take that, she said mentally at Paola.

After a brief walk Eric randomly stopped in front of a painting.

"I can't believe someone did this. Now this is talent" Eric said and she agreed.

"It really is"

"Why don't we go inside the hall for dinner, the rest are already in" Hayden said from behind them which made Eric turn , so she tried to avoid Hayden eyes as much as possible.

A couple of minutes later they went to the hall for dinner. Of course Emily, Eric, Hayden and Paola all sat at the same table because unfortunately it was four seats a table. The table had set of dishes on it , with a beautiful flower in the middle and the tiny candles were floating in water in those small cups, it was all just so amazing. The hall was so beautiful, she thought. She could not wait to tell Alex and Lindsay all about it.

She looked around awed by the chandelier hanging on the sealing, the people on the stage playing soft music, the waiters moving about with ease, if she was in there shoes she would have fainted ,she thought. She was still looking around when Paola said.

"I am sorry, I guess we didn't get to talk. I am Paola. Nice to meet you" she said and Emily could tell it wasn't.

"Nice to meet you too, My name is Emily"

"I hope you are having a great time, I could see how you were looking everywhere, I was afraid your head was going to fall off" she said then giggled. Emily flushed red, because she didn't know she had been that obvious.

"Well .... everything is just so..... beautiful,it was..hard not to take it all in" she said so softly that made Hayden wanted to groan out loud. She looked so beautiful in that gown. He had saw the way they were all looking at her and something wild in him water to get lose. Her curves went so well with the dress that he wanted to slide his hands up slit. His thoughts were cut off when Paola nudged him, so he tore his gaze away from Emily not before her noticed her blush.

"I think we've met before,"

"No..I don't think so, this is my first....you know" Emily said gesturing wildly with her hands.

"Oh ......now I remember, you were with Hayden , it was a meeting my father was holding and I passed by. So you work for Hayden" Paola said which made her stiffen.

"No. Not anymore "

"And why is that?"

"Can we stop with the questions now and eat" Hayden said suddenly.

"Yes please" Eric agreed.

"So what do you think about the food?" She said after he just practically told her to shut up. He really had no idea why he had her as his date when he could have had the goddess in front of him. She was one of his many flings. And her father , owning various shipping and oil was one of the most important business associate he has ever had so he really didn't want to lose that, so had to take his daughter to make a good impression. You could call him an asshole but he calls himself smart.

Relief coursed through him as Emily finally turned her attention away from him, and Hayden lowered his wine a little and swallowed as he glanced at her. She was lifting a bit of cheese to her mouth, and he watched, suddenly dry-mouthed, as she bit off a piece and chewed it slowly. The action raised yet another hunger in him he was incapable of satisfying, and Hayden felt his insides turn over with despair, watching Emily take another bite of food.

He swallowed hard as she poked her pink little tongue out and ran it over her lips,- both upper and lower, catching and cleaning away any little crumb she'd left behind. In his mind, Hayden could almost feel her lickinghis lips - and things further south on his body, parts that had not been burned and didn't really care that his hands were. The sudden clang as his wine glass hit the table and the cool splash of liquid down his suit and into his lap drew Hayden attention back to reality.

"It is delicious" he said absent-mindedly. And wiped the wine from his suit which was black luckily.

"Oh really I thought the dishes were stale, unlike the one we had at Ludovic Lefebvre restaurant in LA "

She said smiling up at him. He could hardly remember what they had that day. He just smiled and nodded. He heard Emily laugh and saw that Eric and her were both in a conversation of their own.

"You should not look so sad he would soon realize what he is missing"

Eric whispered to her.

"I ....I don't know...w"

"Don't deny it, I am glad I am not in his shoes, because boy would I want to rip my ears of from all her squeaking" he said which made her laugh out. She stopped when she realized people were staring. She glared at Eric which made him laugh to. She looked up and saw that Hayden was glaring at them.

"Hayden what's wrong?" Eric asked with amusement in his voice.

"Nothing" he said and dropped the napkin on the table and stood up then walked all the way around the table over Emily's sit and said.

"Will you please do me the honor of dancing this set with me?"

Emily looked at him stunned then looked behind to see people already pairing up to dance she turned back to him and said.

"I ...am sorry, but I really don't know how to dance" she said.

"And even if she did I was the one who brought her so it has to be me to dance with her, why don't you ask your date I am sure she would be willing" Eric said with laughter in his eyes and Hayden knew what he was doing. So he turned and reluctantly asked Paola who immediately said yes.

"Finally we can have some peace" Eric said after they left.

"Yeah" she said solemnly wishing she was the one with Hayden.

"I am sorry, I know you wanted to dance with him"

"Not really" she said laughing nervously.

"You know I don't believe that, Hayden will regret not being with you as you do. Please just give him some time"

"Yeah.. whatever" she said as if she wasn't bothered.

"Now let's eat like pigs now that we aren't really surrounded anymore" Eric said making her laugh.

"Yes please" she said and gobbled up her food. When they were done they wiped there hands and sipped some wine.

"Are you ready to leave now because I have to make my donation now and then I am willing to leave "

"Actually....yeah I am, but let me use the restroom first "

"Oh okay, just walk out then turn to your right"

"Okay "she said and left to go tho the restroom because she was so pressed. She saw ladies on the door then walked in.

Hayden was talking with Paola's father when he noticed Emily leaving the hall and was likely going to the restroom. He excused himself and followed her. He saw her entering, so he stood outside the door waiting for her to come outside, so he could finally have an alone time with her.

When Emily was done she flushed the toilet and washed her hands. She was putting her hair in order then sprayed some more perfume on her body then dried her hands. When she finally approved she opened the door to head out back to Eric so that they could leave only to be pushed back in and the toilet door locked.

She looked up to see who it was and saw Hayden standing in front of her. She gasped and said.

"What are you.....this...is the ladies room" she stuttered.

"I know that"

"Anyone could come in...and get the wrong idea"

"Let them"