7. Strangers

Autumn's POV

The GALA

The more the days passed, the more the reality of getting married reached maximum possiblity. But unlike the first two days I spent in rage and denial, the past three days leading up to Reece's birthday gala, I've been a lot better....I think.

Thanks to Gia for her brilliant idea, which I didn't quite think of even if it was an easy option and solution.

Like I sticked to, I refused to google Reece Hayes. Call me names or whatever but I honestly wanna see him physically with my own eyes and fix that image I have in my head of him.

"We're here miss Autumn." Fred says, gaining my attention from the magazine I was reading. We stopped at a condo, where Gia stays.

"The event starts at six, so be here by seven." He nods curtly before I stepped out. My bodyguards both follow me closely as we walked into the building.

Today is the day of the gala. We will be getting all glammed up by Gia's team in her house. I already had two dresses that would be perfect for Gia and Lola. So I spent the past three days working on mine.

We entered the elevator and in no time we got to Gia's apartment. My guards stayed at the entrance, while I went in.

Lance was in the living room, his focus on his laptop with a coffee mug on the coffee table. It didn't take seconds for his eyes to meet mine, causing him to almost choke.

I called him to meet me here earlier and I could literally hear the fear in his voice.

"Boss." I could visibly see the beads of sweat resting on Lance's forehead as he walks to me. He walked beside me like a love sick puppy as we made our way to Gia's room.

I know he has been in a terrible state since the scandal and the frightened look he has in his eyes told me, he would breakdown any second if I just snap at him.

Thankfully, I have bigger problems at hand.

"Have you gotten me booked for another shoot?" I asked straight away and he wipes his forehead nervously.

"Your Vouge Italia shoot has been cancelled," Lance speaks way too quietly, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. I paused at the information, although it was expected.

I gave him a plain unamused look for him to go on. "But Saint Yves didn't." His eyes highlighted before dimming back gradually, "They just postponed." He adjust his glasses for the hundredth time.

"So it's basically still cancelled." He desperately avoids eye contact with me. I've had three managers before Lance, I fired two and one resigned.

Lance has been the first and only one to stay up to two years but am having a feeling his resignation letter will be turned in soon, that's if I don't fire him first.

I looked away from him, sighing before entering Gia's room. The information was actually useless. I just have to face the fact that am the world's biggest villain and I need to own up to the shit I really did.

"Have you tried on the outfit?" Gia's eyes came up from her phone to me, as her makeup artist and hair stylist both did their work on her.

"Yes I did and it's perfect. Thank you." She smiles and I laughed lightly.

"Anything for you and of course it'll be perfect, I made it." I point out proudly and everyone laughs.

"Where's Lola? I thought you guys were supposed to come together?" Gia looks to my back in search of Lola.

"Yeah we were supposed to but she got called. Hospital emergency." Gia nods in understanding.

Lola is a surgeon, so her work is really demanding and well....stressful. But she loves it, so am happy for her. Although, she's naturally a person who hates stress and anything work.

"She'll be here an hour before we leave." Gia states.

"Surely."

___________________________

As expected, Lola came just an hour before we left for the gala. Her glam was kinda rushed but the professionals did their thing and she looked really beautiful.

We all did.

Lance, Gia, Lola and I were currently on the road, going for the gala.

"So are you ready to meet him?" Lola breaks the silence in the car, her red matte painted lips spread in a thin smile.

"It's more like is he ready to meet me?" Lance looks at us with confusion but didn't speak.

"We never know but you might actually get to like him." I scoff at Gia's input.

"I doubt that." I looked out the window. I could see the sun setting from my view, the sky turned darker as the day went by.

"This is what those female leads in movies or books say. You know the characters who turns from enemies to lovers?" I roll my eyes at those fictional quixotry.

"We are strangers guys." I elaborate to them but it was pointless.

"It doesn't matter. Everyone is a complete stranger till you know each other enough not to be strangers." I stare at Gia like the complete freak she is.

"When did you become such an expert in love?" Gia shrugs at Lola.

"Doesn't matter. Am just being supportive and positive to my bestie." Now I know she's really crazy.

"I don't know about enemies into lovers. But I sure do know it'll be strangers to enemies." I grinned and they both laughed.

"You're gonna skip the friends and lovers part?" Lola tilts her head, her silky hair following her head movement obediently.

"Never gonna get to the lovers part and the friends part is basically irrelevant." Of course it is. Who knows how things will play out between me and this Reece guy?

I know for a fact, there's no love when something is being forced to happen. Especially Love.

"Okay what's going on here? Who are you guys talking about?" Lance's curious face was as high as Lola's thigh slit.

"Autumn is getting married." Gia announces mindlessly, causing Lance to drop his phone abruptly, while Lola chuckles at his expression.

"T--t.." He picks his phone up but his wide-eyes were still on me.

"To who?" Even if he's my manager, I didn't feel the need to tell him. Maybe I should've told him earlier but it doesn't matter now. The news is gonna be everywhere soon.

"Reece Hayes." Lola drops it causally. I thought he couldn't get anymore slack-jawed but he proved me wrong.

"You mean The Reece Knox Hayes?" He questions still dumbfounded.

Gia chortled,"Yes."

"Like the person's birthday gala we are going to right now?"

"Yes." Lola chuckles lightly in response.

"The hot billionaire daddy?"

"Yes Lance. I am getting married to Reece Hayes. Is that enough answer for you?" He shuts his mouth at my disclosure.

Reporters, flash lights from camera's, fans screams, drew our attentions as we got closer to the filled fronts of the hall where the gala was taking place.

"This is always so exciting." Gia lets out a squeal and Lola groans.

"And this is always so exhausting."

I only inhaled and exhaled deeply. I already know people are gonna ask me a ton of shit, say a lot of shit to and against me but like the mature, responsible, unbothered person I am, I will ignore them.

We came to an halt in front of the red carpet. A bodyguard opened the car door and Gia stepped out first. Her outfit is a ultramarine body fitted suit jacket. It stopped mid-thigh and has a cut-out in the middle and the shoulders.

The dress complimented her slim model body. Her jet black straight hair was packed in a low pony tail.

Lola followed after. Her dress is maroon coloured. Well fitted, which brought out all her curvy assets, a deep v-line at the cleavage and a very high slit at the left side. Her wavy long honey brown hair flowed freely behind her back.

I look at my designs everytime and I am indeed proud of myself. But what do you expect?

I am not one of the best designers in the world for nothing.

I came down from the car with the help of Lance ahead of me with his hand held out, cause frankly it was kinda of a struggle. My dress is ground length, so it's not a piece of cake.

"Autumn Snow!"

"Gia Huang!"

"Look over here!"

Reporters questions erupted clamorously, lights flashing none stop as we pass through the crowded front.

"Why are you here tonight Autumn Snow?"

"Are you and Reece Hayes in a relationship?"

"Where is Kaden Bryce?"

"I've you found a new boy toy to cheat on?" The random question causes me to pause in the middle of the red carpet.

You know how these people are Autumn. Don't give them what they want.

Resist the pressing urge to punch whoever the fuck they are.

I resume my walk till we got to the place we stood to take pictures.

"Gia who are you wearing tonight?" I smile at Gia and Lola who stood beside me, a little distance between the three of us. The cameras clicking none stop taking our pictures.

"Elle Dynastie." She responds proudly. That's the name of my brand. Gia then turns to me with a winning smile.

"Aka Autumn Elle Snow." She comes to my side, along with Lola, giggling like the little maniacs we are.

"Lola Lopez who are you wearing tonight?" Lola responds with the same thing, arising murmurs in the crowd.

The expectation of people was for me to hide or go on hiatus or something because am blacklisted now but I will never do that. That will give them the upper hand and that is the last thing I plan on doing.

"This fuckers think I will ditch my best friend because of a stupid scandal. They can all rot in hell." Lola and I burst out laughing but no one had a clue of what Gia said obviously.

Gia covers her irritation with the smile she's been showcasing throughout the night.

"I love you Gia!" A fan screamed from the crowd.

"I love you too." She yells back, blowing a kiss before we left the red carpet to the main entrance of the hall. Lance followed behind us closely.

Celebrities of different kind were present. Actors and actresses, politicians, billionaires and millionaires, artist and many more. The place wasn't over crowded but they were a good number of people.

Attention is something I don't seek because I attract it wherever I go. The eyes of people lands on me the more we walk further into the moderately but beautifully decorated hall, which consisted of black and gold.

The lights in the hall only enhances the glitters on my dress, making me the center of attraction.

I like the feeling all too well.

The envious and jealous looks on women's faces is something I am well acquainted with. Some whispered and murmured between themselves and I know it was majorly about my scandal.

I was so lost in my thought that I didn't notice two tall men approaching us. Two really good looking men might I add. They were both in formal designed suits.

"Is he one of them?" I still haven't seen Reece, so I don't know what he looks like.

Gia shook her head lightly, "No."

"But one of them looks like him though. Either way, am getting laid by one of those hotties tonight." She grinned and I chuckled.

It's barely two minutes and she's already planning to get laid.

I looked to my side, only just realising that Lance and Lola were not with us. Just then, they got to us.

"Well well well," One said with a smirk on his face, looking between me and Gia before his eyes settled on me.

"If it isn't The Autumn Snow herself." I offered a smile. His look held pure amusement. He took my hand carefully by surprise and kissed it.

"Gia Huang. It's my pleasure to meet you." The other one does the same thing to Gia's hand. We looked at each other then back at them a little surprised by their action and they laughed.

"Wait..." She looks at the other one closely, "Don't I know you?" He just holds a simple smile at her.

"Holy shit! You're Tru Hayes." He chuckled at that. Gia looks at me then back at him.

"That's right." It was my turn to look at him properly. It didn't click at first but now that I see him, it really is him.

"You're an Actor." The other one clears his throat, then drop his hands on Tru's shoulders.

"He is The Actor." Tru laughs at that. His brown styled hair matches the colour of his eyes. "You're Reece's brother, no wonder you look alike." Gia says with realisation.

"Where are my manners?" The other one with brown curly hair and chocolate brown eyes interjects.

"I am Micheal. Micheal Miller." Gia extends her hand with a smile. "Nice to meet you Micheal." They unexpected engage in small talk, laughing at something they think is funny to each other.

"I've heard a lot about you." I turn to Tru who came to stand at my side.

"Well I know for a fact that they're not good things." He tittered. "Trust me, the last thing I'll ever do is judge someone." He looks down at me with something in his eyes.

Even with my six inch heels, tall people are still cowering over me.

"I don't know you Autumn but I have a feeling you'll be good for my brother." He nudges my shoulder lightly.

Safe to say, I don't hate him or Micheal. They actually seem likeable.

"What makes you think that?" I arched a brow at him but he just shrugs, "Intuition perhaps." I give out an "Hmm" in response.

"Well if you really know me, you'll be trying to save your brother from this marriage nonsense." I look back to the crowd but I could still feel his eyes at the side of my face.

"Technically he's the one saving you with this marriage nonsense.....but whatever you say Autumn Snow." There was a certain way he spoke and a certain tone added to it.

At first, in this few minutes, I honestly thought he was trying to hit on me. But it turns out it was something entirely different and by that I mean, marrying his brother.

Gia and Micheal's laughter erupts time and time again. They looked like they were best friends that lost touch over the years and just reconnected.

They eventually left us when Tru got a call. Gia and I stood at one side of the hall as people went about their businesses. Waiters, waitresses, caters and the gala organisers moved around the hall with each specific purpose.

No one had taken their seat yet. They were either gawking at the paintings in the wall, the sculptures or interacting with one another.

"Where is Lola?" I shrug at Gia, who had her eyes on her phone screen. I haven't seen Lola since we came in.

For some reason, I was now getting impatient to see Reece, well mostly because of the little chat between Tru and I.

___________________________

Time went by slowly and I was beginning to get fed up with the process of things here.

"Where is he?" I swipe my head to Gia who was solely focused on her phone, an happy smile dancing on her face as she text away to whoever the fuck she was texting with.

I snapped my fingers at her, bringing her attention to me. "What did you say?" I rolled my eyes at her question.

"Where is The Reece Hayes?" I was so bored, it didn't even make sense. She drags her eyes round the room, squinting it for purpose of finding him.

"I don't know. Isn't he the celebrant? He should be here somewhere." Her phone rings, dragging her attention. She excuses herself somewhere to take the call.

A ding comes from my phone, I took it out of my purse. It was from Keith, saying he's here too.

I didn't know he was gonna come.

I was still looking at my phone when the airy waves of an intoxicating scent filled my nostrils. I felt the presence of someone behind me but I didn't get the chance to turn back before I heard the voice.

"Autumn Elle Snow."

I turned back at my name but what I came face to face with, was a well sculpted perfected body with the eight packs to go with it.

Just a black suit formal jacket with nothing underneath over him and a longer fur white coat along. My eyes traced up until my eyes meet the owner of the devilish body.

I don't know who this man is but the pair of amber eyes my eyes are connecting with right now, is making me find difficulty in speaking.

a/n:

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