Chapter 3 Unfamiliar Feelings

In the jewellery store, Elena had selected an extravagant necklace with a similar set of earrings.

One of her friends was trying to select a pendant suiting her taste with the help of her partner.

The pair exuded a vibe that of a sweet lovey-dovey couple catching the attention and adoration of the crowd around them.

While Elena and one of her friend were busy trying jewellery, her other friend was constantly staring at a bracelet.

Gathering all her courage she asked a sales executive, "Can you please tell me the cost of this bracelet?"

Her eyes that mirrored the glimmer of the bracelet dimmed down the moment the heard it's exorbitant price.

Her face fell, but she couldn't take her eyes off it.

She still continued staring at the bracelet, feasting her eyes in its opulence as a tall figure loomed over her and the voice echoed in her ear,

"Liked something?"

She was taken aback for a moment due to the sudden approach.

Her shock was conspicuous the way she kept her hand on her chest and heaved.

Her eyes were slightly widened and cheeks flushed into a soft pink hue with every passing second matching her floral pink dress.

Alec began to stare at her angelic eyes as she continued to look at him with the same startled expression. Her breath steadied as she composed herself.

"I'm sorry Mr. Wilson I didn't notice that you were standing behind me." she said bringing Alec back to reality.

Clearing his throat Alec said, "I didn't mean to startle you"

"Umm.. it's okay. I'm fine." she replied.

Alec continued to stare intently into her deep brown eyes that seemed to lure him into their depths.

"You haven't answered my question yet." Alec paused staring at her confused expression and then he continued,

"I asked if you liked something?"

"Uh, no. I don't plan to buy anything".

'That's not an answer.' Alec thought and a smirk escaped his lips.

An uncomfortable silence ensued between them. She lowered her face sensing that she did not belong to an affluent place like this.

A selfdepricating smile grew on her lips as she grasped the ironic circumstance she was in.

The smile disappeared as she lifted her head,

"I'll be waiting for you people outside.", She said and started to head towards the door.

However her steps were stopped into an abrupt halt as she sensed a strong force around her wrist.

It was Alec, holding her wrist with a vice grip as his apologetic eyes bore into her.

She turned back and gazed at him with her eyebrows raised.  For a moment Alec felt uneasy in the pit of his stomach under her scrutinizing gaze.

This was for the second time someone had made Alec feel something he hadn't felt all his adult life.

He let go of her hand and retreated his and evaded his gaze to reduce the tension between them,

"Why don't you help me select something for myself?" He asked.

She thought she had no choice but to agree to his simple request since he was the groom.

She gently nodded and asked, "What kind of jewellery do you want, rings, bracelets?"

"Anything will work" Alec replied resuming to his cold self yet there was a tinge of indulgence in his usually indifferent voice.

It was just a bunch of simple words but they sent chills down her spine.

Apart from being a cold and domineering businessman, Alec was also an handsome man. Breathtakingly handsome for that matter. So much so that ladies couldn't take his eyes off of him.

The woman in front of him felt the same predicament. For one moment, she couldn't help but steal glances at his God Like form, but for the next, she felt like his presence was too overwhelming forcing her to turn her gaze away.

For the love of God! That man was to be her friend's groom. What was she even thinking to look at him with that sort of admiration. She berated herself before returning to the present.

"Okay, how about cufflinks then." she said and walked straight to the cufflinks section to avoid his gaze.

She kept looking at different cufflinks keeping her eyes lowered again to avoid direct eye contact.

For Alec, it felt like she was too emersed in selecting the best for him.

Taking her sweet time, she picked a pair of cufflinks that were diamond shaped with black stone studded in platinum.

"These will suit you well," she said, handing him the cufflinks.

Alec extended his hand to take them.

Time seemed to stop as his long fingers brushed against hers and their eyes met creating a  spark.

However the moment was short-lived as the salesperson interrupted, "Ma'am, it's an exclusive piece of jewellery, with special kind of black onyx stones. It's only one of kind."

She was surprised to know that her choice was so exclusive.

Seeing the price of the cufflinks she was shocked.

Her eyes remained as wide as saucers, while Alec commented, "You seem to have an opulent taste".

Pressing her lips, she lowered her head in embarrassment, only to raise it back as Alec firmly announced,

"I'll buy it."

She raised her chin to meet his soulful eyes. A radiant smile grew on her lips multiplying her charm by thousand folds.

Alec felt the corners of his lips slightly curve up.

Was that a smile, on his ever stoic face?

God! What was this woman doing to him? That too two days before his wedding.

Alec felt a wave of overwhelming emotions consuming him. He stared at her as the chatter from behind turned incomprehensible.

"El, help me with these bracelets." Elena said out loud.

Both of Elena's friends hurried to her side.

Alec stood fixated at his spot, Is her name Elizabeth? He thought to himself.

If so then the guy with her is her husband not just a boyfriend.

Waves of rage coursed through Alec heart as he reached that realisation. For some reason he even felt disheartened, which made him wonder, what other unfamiliar feelings would this woman arouse in him in the future.

Would she be the source of eternal bliss and pleasure for him or would she be his doom?

Or was she just another insignificant presence in his life?

May be that was it. May be all he felt for her was only infatuation.

It was easy for Alec to assume that. To trivialise the storm in the form of an unnamed woman that would bring forth a chaotic farrago in his life which he himself would summon.