Chapter 16

Alicia watched the lady in pink walk towards them with her amber eyes gleaming with happiness and her lips widened, she approached Asher wanting to give him a hug but her face soon turned sour when Asher walked away from her to greet his father,

'Isnt he too arrogant?' Alicia asked in her mind as she saw the pretty lady frowning a bit, the lady suddenly looked towards her side and Alicia offered a smile but the lady didn't smile, she looked displeased by her appearance.

"Asher son, how have you been?" The man that had the overbearing aura spoke with a deep voice that sounded just like Asher's. The father and son hugged each other, Alicia could tell that they looked similar, their aura, their eyes and body structure except that the man was older and had gray hair.

"Fine father, you didn't say you were going to come along with them" Asher responded as a smile flashed across his face, that was the very first time Alicia was seeing his smile and she couldn't deny the fact that he was charming.

Asher also greeted the duke and led them both to the dining table to discuss what they were here for while eating. Isabel soon joined the table, she wanted to sit next to Asher but was surprised when he said, "Someone is sitting here, Alicia come" Asher said as he patted the sit next to him. Alicia looked awestruck, what was he doing? him calling her to sit next to him was something she had never expected that he would do.

"Why don't she use the chair, I can sit next to her" Argued Alicia because she didn't want to sit next to her master and eat next to him even if he was the one that proposed the idea.

"No come sit here" Asher spoke curtly not welcoming any arguments from her at all and Alicia went to sit next to him while Isabel sat next to her father that was opposite them, her face had flushed red in embarrassment.

The meal was served and everyone started eating, Alicia tried to control herself in front of everyone especially when she was feeling the gaze of both Asher and his father who looked at the girl and his son curiously.

Alicia was surprised when Asher had put vegetables into her plate and had told her to eat it, why did he do that? she didn't say he could. Anyways she ate it.

When they had finished eating, Alicia slowly stood up wanting to clear the table but Asher pulled her to sit down as he wrapped his arms around her waist that made her heart skip a beat, he leaned closer to her ear and she could feel his hot breath on her ear that wasn't making her think straight anymore, she could feel glares coming from the lady that sat next to her and even though she tried pulling herself away from Asher, the guy pulled her back to him.

"Don't think of complaining about what I am going to do with you today, you took advantage of me before didn't you?" He asked her as he tightened his hold around her waist.

"B-But you punished me already" Complained Alicia as she tried to get away from him but his arms were strong, that held her captive without releasing her.

"Ehem..." The duke coughed to grab the attention of Asher who was busy with the girl beside him, the duke wasn't really happy that Asher was playing with someone else other than his daughter that was going crazy for him. They even went as far as coming here to discuss the wedding between Asher and Isabel, of course Asher wasn't aware of it.

"Father look" Isabel jerked her head at Asher and Alicia who were busy mummuring something to each other and Isabel wasn't really happy that Asher was enjoying his time with another woman other than her, she could even see him smiling. something that he never does when he came their mansion.

"It's alright Isabel, take it easy" The father said as he cleared it to grab the attention of Asher and Alicia. Asher had the expression of being annoyed while Alicia was thankful that someone had made Asher stop what he was whispering to her, he was enjoying it but she wasn't, she felt suffocated.

"Oswald I believe you and I have discussed about this and we both have reached the agreement of joining this two together" The duke directed his attention to Asher's father who nodded, "Why don't you make it clear to your son because my daughter has agreed without any conditions" The duke said.

"Asher, the reason I'm here today with Isabel is that we've agreed to get you both married to each other, you are already twenty eight and Isabel is just twenty years old and is ripe for marriage, I believe we had an agreement that if you turn twenty five and haven't gotten a wife for yourself, I'll take over the responsibility since your mother is not here..." The man spoke, his voice sounded bitter on mentioning his wife who had left him but anyways he continued, "You are already twenty eight and the woman I suggest for you is Isabel that is sitting right here, she is beautiful, smart, elegant and can take proper care of you and I am sure she would make a good wife" The man spoke, although he knew his stubborn son wouldn't agree to what he just said because right now he looked annoyed and irritated.

"I don't want her and I'm not going to marry her" Asher spoke harshly that made Isabel's face that was happy a while ago to fall. she looked saddened that he had rejected her like that.

"Asher the date has been fixed already and the venue is here, get yourself prepared to welcome your new wife" His father said as he stood up from the chair and dusted his leather jacket.

"What? No! maybe you are the one that's going to marry her because it's certainly not me, I already have someone in mind" Asher spoke arrogantly and loudly to gain the attention of everyone in the mansion, even his mother who was resting in one of the rooms couldn't help but smile that her son had rejected the offer, she knew who was in his mind and that even made her smile widened.

"Who?" Oswald asked with his brows raised up and his arms folded across his chest, he knew his son too well, even though he was very handsome not many people could approach him, ladies even stayed away from him so how would he have someone in mind if he himself doesn't approach them because to Asher, they were all stupid, useless, fragile and stubborn, they were wicked example was his mother who had left him, he tried not to remember that vicious woman.

"It's her, Alicia Quinn" Asher responded as he pulled her forward to wrap his arms around her waist not bothering to look at the surprised look on the girl's face on the mention of her name.