Hi, My Sweet Valine
Valine sighed and cast her gaze at the window, overseeing the tall buildings outside of the penthouse. Bryan was benevolent and Brielle was so cute. She felt carefree with them. It was a pleasant thought. Humans don't realize they exist and don't have a clue about the complexities of mates. She wanted to live with them and not be tied to a pack or to an evil woman.
It was her escape. The world of humans was her escape.
However, she needs to face her harsh reality. At that moment, she couldn't get away. She is desperate to locate Mistress Rose and makes an appeal to change the person she has to work with. Even though freedom was just a step away from her, she needed to turn her back once again because if she fled from her obligation, someone would be held accountable. And she doesn't want that.
"You are kind. You have a lovely and cute little girl. The idea was enticing". Valine sadly smiled. "Yet I can't. I have a world beyond this little getaway I made. I need to go back to someone"
Bryan couldn't resist inquiring. "Do you have a boyfriend or a kid?"
"No, much more complicated, '' Valine replied dismissively. She doesn't have a boyfriend, but she has a soulmate that doesn't want her. She doesn't have a biological child either, but she has a child that depends on her back in the hellhole she has been in.
A lot of invisible chains were tied to her hands, more than she needed to concede. Consuming each egotistical choice she wanted to commit. Her past, Mistress Rose, and her mate.
Bryan concealed his disappointment by smirking. Clearly, he just likes a complicated woman, but he likes complications. He leaned close to the counter and got himself drowned in the green eyes looking back at his hazel one.
"I like complexities, so it's fine, '' he said.
Valine maintained eye contact with him, not astounded. Men generally do these things when they attempt to take action and Bryan was quite the same as the men who ended up liking her. Yes, she heard the rather loud voice of his assistant earlier, revealing some lists of his orders. And she had no intention of dragging the man into a deeper hell where he would later doubt love.
"But this is the kind of complexity that you never experienced before" she stood up. "Thank you again for everything, but I decline the offer."
She didn't wait for his reply and ambled to the room she was in.
"The clothes in the paperbags in your room were yours", Bryan reminded before vanishing to his room.
Valine locked the door and a tear went away from her eyes as soon as she was alone. Bryan was kind. It would be great if her mate was like him. However, he was not, sadly. She quickly brushed away her tears and got to her feet. She picked up the black and white paper bags that were next to the bed and took the contents out of them. The white bag contains the gold-colored dress she wears in the bar and the red jewel accessory Mistress Rose gave her.
She put the jewel on the bedside table, intending to give it to Bryan to repay his help, and got the black paper bag with a yellow dress inside before going to the washroom.
....
Valine assisted Brielle with cleaning the toys that they used. The babysitter and the housekeeper, who had just returned from early shopping, were conversing in the parlor.
After she took a shower, Brielle came to her room and requested that she play with her, which she gladly accepted. Bryan told both of them in a little while that he would leave for work and would most likely show up later in the early evening. She anticipated that he would be different around her from the discussion earlier, yet it seemed like he didn't care about her comment, since Bryan actually grinned and reminded her to take care.
The light tap on her shoulder pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Would you like to watch a movie while my nanny bakes cookies for us? We have a theater room here", Brielle said enthusiastically. For a seven-year-old, the young lady was exceptionally brilliant.
"I would love that" Valine stood up and put the crate of her toys in the corner before holding the child's hand.
"What's your favorite cartoon? Mine is—" Brielle was cut off when a middle-aged woman rushed to them as soon as they got out of the room.
"Brielle!" The babysitter immediately pulled Brielle back to her room, while meandering, cheerfully said "Your mother called that you needed to go to the company because she was there and your dad let you two spend time together."
Brielle, who was excited at the possibility of her mom wanting to meet her, ran inside her room and changed.
"Sally?" Valine thought aloud, causing the nanny to halt on her steps, turned to her, and nodded.
"Yes. Sally only occasionally asked Brielle, yet she called right now and wanted to meet you and Brielle at Mr. Smith's company!" the lady screeched in amusement, realizing that the kid she was taking care of would be blissful.
Valine glared. "Me and Brielle?"
The babysitter simply shrugged and got inside Brielle's space to help the young lady, believing that Mr. Smith had given the order and allowed Sally to go.
Valine descended the stairs with her brows furrowed, not liking the uneasiness creeping into her. With a shake of her head, she ignored it and went to her room to get ready. She combed her reddish-brown curls and tucked some behind her ear. The short-sleeved yellow dress she was wearing was decent to head outside. It arrives beneath her knee. The main issue she had was it was tight on her chest, giving her bosom a pointless accentuation and showing a little cleavage. After wearing the matching strap sandals, she stepped outside the bathroom just as the knock came.
"Hello" She welcomed Brielle, who was wearing a pink dress and doll shoes remaining close to her nanny, who was holding a pink bag.
"You're so pretty," Brielle complimented.
"You're prettier" Valine held the young lady's hands.
"Both of you are extremely beautiful. But it was nanny who was prettier."
"Babysitter, we should not lie."
Valine and the middle-aged woman laughed at the innocent comeback of the little girl. The babysitter faced Valine later.
"I am Emma, by the way."
"Valerie"
Valine winked at Brielle, who chuckled knowingly, while Emma shut the door of the penthouse.
A taxi was already outside the building waiting for them. Valine and Brielle got inside and trusted that Emma would get in, yet the lady unexpectedly glanced back at the building and smiled at them regretfully.
"I forgot my cell phone in the penthouse. Mr. Smith could have called us, so I really need to get it back. You can go first. I will follow you quickly."
"No, we will wait for you" Valine fights.
"No, both of you should go first " Emma went to the driver. "To the Smith Corporation."
"Emma" Valine attempted to call, yet the lady rushed inside the building.
Soon after, the taxi began to move. She felt Brielle tapping her hand.
"Simply sit back and relax, I know where to go and see mom!"
"That is great," said Valine, with a constrained grin, despite the fact that it was not what she was thinking. She felt uncomfortable in some way leaving the penthouse.
All through the ride, Valine kept her foot tapping on the car's floor and kept an unobtrusive eye on the world outside as Brielle chattered happily next to her.
"We're here!" Brielle abruptly hollered. Her tone was loaded with energy.
It pulled Valine out of her thoughts, realizing that the vehicle halted before a tall establishment. Then the possibility of cash to pay the driver rang a bell. Her face might give away the creeping worry because the driver spoke.
"I am already paid, Ma'am."
"Oh really? That's a relief" Valine heaved a sigh of relief that made the driver laugh at her.
They got out of the vehicle and Brielle promptly pulled her inside. The guard at the entrance received Brielle and let them pass while the lady led them to a different elevator.
"This only belongs to Daddy and me. And now, yours", Brielle chuckled, pressing the 30th floor.
Valine smiled, not wanting to talk because her mind was overburdened with stress. There's no werewolf here, right? This was a company of humans. There's no way her mate will be there because Bryan knows his face. Believing that perhaps she was overanalyzing her emotions, she took a deep breath and pushed back the nightmarish scenarios playing at the forefront of her mind.
"We are here!" Brielle hauled her outside again.
Valine promptly noticed the quiet floor. The different and quiet ambiance on the floor with only two doors led her to believe that this could be the workplace of higher representatives. A solitary workspace was toward the side of the last room on the right.
"This is the floor of Daddy. He is the CEO" Brielle gladly filled in.
"He is?"
"Yep and daddy said I will be next", Brielle then, at that point, pulled her again to the other door.
As soon as they stood in front of the door, Amaris resurfaced all of a sudden and started wagging its tail again. Acknowledging what it implied, she endeavored to prevent Brielle from opening the entryway. However, she was past the point of no return, as the little girl had proactively flung the door open, revealing a very familiar man sitting on a black couch. Ocean-strong blue eyes bore into her green ones. She went frozen on her spot as she attempted to ingest the presence of the man with a shrewd grin all over.
"Hi, my sweet Valine...or '' Dimitri stood up and stepped towards his mate. " Would it be a good idea for me to say, Valerie?"
He stood before Valine, taking his large hands on her small waist, and pulling her close. Leaning forward, he sniffed her enticing scent and bent closer to her ears.
"Did you think you could escape me, mate?" he murmured darkly.