CHAPTER 86: NOT MY FIRST TIME
CHAPTER 86: NOT MY FIRST TIME
LILY’S POV:
“Mi lady”, Nikolai said as he held the door for me and I smiled widely.
“Thank you!”, I said and got in, he closed my side of the door and got into the driver’s side.
As we were both inside the car, I couldn’t help but notice how handsome Nikolai looked. He wore a navy blue suit that fit him perfectly, making his eyes sparkle like bright blue stones. His dark hair was messy in a charming way and he smiled slightly, for a moment, I forgot to breathe.
He looked amazing and I felt so lucky to be spending the evening with him. As I sat down, I couldn’t stop sneaking glances at him, my heart racing with excitement for our date.
“Where are we headed?”, I asked.
“Shhh… it’s a surprise”, He replied and I chuckled.
He drove down the road with his left hand on the steering wheel and his right hand on my thighs. I didn’t flinch or move away from his touch as I was already used to him.
Nikolai moved his hand upward my thigh and my insides curled.
“What are you doing?”, I asked.
“Nothing”, He replied in a heartbeat and very natural with his eyes still on the road. I smiled and looked forward into the night sky.
***
Nikolai turned the steering into a very tall and beautiful building, I almost gasp at the view in front of me. It was a five star hotel.
“Wow…”, I unconsciously said in awe. He parked the car in front of the building and a valet was on standby. Nikolai got out of the car and opened the door for me like a gentleman.
“Welcome sir”, The valet bowed and collected the keys from Nikolai.
Nikolai held my hand and took me inside the building, I couldn’t help but feel conscious of the way I looked. Don’t get me wrong, I was wearing the blue dress Nikolai got for me, paired with the heel, but in me, I felt like this isn’t my place.
Everyone I saw there were all looking expensive and elegant, of high class and caliber, I felt like I didn’t belong here.
I clung really close to Nikolai and had my head lowered, I watched our feet move in unison and I smiled to myself.
“Welcome Master Vladimir… will it be the VIP section?”, I heard someone say and I raised my head to see who it was. It was a young man who was probably in his 30s, he was tall but not as tall as Nikolai.
“Yes Jeffery”, Nikolai replied and the man nodded, we followed him to the said ‘VIP section’.
‘Nikolai must be frequent here since he knows the usher’s name’, I said in my head and scoffed. I couldn’t help but feel a sting of jealousy knowing that I might not be the only woman Nikolai brought in here.
I suddenly lost interest and appetite in this whole date, Nikolai’s hand around my waist was adding to my anger.
We entered the grand restaurant of the hotel and everyone had their eyes on us, I saw as people whispered to themselves, some stared in awe, some in disgust at me while saying something to their partner and some just smiling.
But no one dared say anything to Nikolai’s hearing.
Jeffery took us to a quiet side of the restaurant.
“Here we are Master Vladimir… I will get the waiter to come attend to you sir”, The Jeffery guy said.
“Thank you”, Nikolai replied and the man left. This was the VIP section and here I thought it would be away from all these gossip mongers. But at least it was private.
Nikolai pulled the chair for me and I sat down, still a bit annoyed that Nikolai was frequent here. The table had a red satin cloth spread on it with red wine and white rose flower on it, the decoration was beautiful.
He sat opposite of me and a waiter came and took our orders. Nikolai ordered for me and soon our food arrived.
Nikolai poured the wine for me and then for himself, we clicked our glasses together.
“You look very beautiful”, Nikolai said and that was all it took for my heart to melt. I felt my cheeks burn and my insides do a backflip.
“Thank you… You look really really handsome”, I complimented back.
“I know”, he replied with a wink and we both chuckled.
***
We ate and drank our wine while conversing about different things, the future mostly. He smiled more often and I was happy I was the reason.
We finished our meal and it was dessert next. I was already tipsy from the wine and the dessert was amazing, I just kept stuffing my mouth.
“E-excuse me, I want to use the re-restroom”, I stood up and staggered, Nikolai immediately stood up too.
“Let me come with you”, He said.
“No no! I’ll… I’ll go alone”, I responded and excused myself.
I didn’t know the direction of the restroom so I asked a waiter there, she directed me and I thanked her. I splashed water on my face and dried it with some wipes and went on to retouch my makeup.
I heard some ladies conversing while entering the restroom.
“I know right! even with the expensive jewelries and dress, she still looks cheap!”, one said.
“Tell me about it!”, The other added.
“She must think she has hit the jackpot hahaha”, Another said and they all laughed.
They must be talking about someone they really hate because it was so obvious in their tone. I finished and headed for the door. I was about placing my palm on the door knob but someone opened it from outside.
‘Must be those girls’, I said to myself.
I could see the color drain from their face and I looked puzzled, it was as if they just saw a ghost.
“Uh– hi”, The first girl said to me but I didn’t respond, I just smiled tightly at her and walk past her.
I felt someone grab my hand and I turned sharply, it was the same girl. I aggressively yanked my hand back from her grip.
“Excuse me!”, I said to her.
“Oh, I’m so-sorry…”, she apologized.
“Did… did you overhear what we said?”, the second girl asked me and I furrowed my brows, trying to decipher what she meant, then I remembered.
“About the cheap girl you all hate?”, I responded with a scoff, folding my hand to my chest. They all look more scared then before.
Why were they worried? Are there scared I will tell on them to the girl? I don’t even know who she was.
The second girl tried to grab my hand but I avoided it.
“Pl-please forgive us! We were foolish to say all those nasty things about you”, She said and that was when it hit me.
‘They were talking about me?…’, I asked myself. But I don’t even know who they are to say such hateful things towards me.
I raised my brow at them and chuckled, they instantly got more terrified.
“Please! Don’t tell Nikolai Vladimir about this! PLEASE”.
“He is going to have our head!”.
“I swear, this will never happen again!!”.
They all got on their knees to beg and the third girl had tears in her eyes. I didn’t know what to say to them or what to do.
“You ladies said all those awful things at my back but when I am standing here physically, it’s tears I see! Wow! Jokesters of the century”, I laughed at them.
“We are so sorry”, they said.
I sighed and left them. I wasn’t planning on telling Nikolai, it was a minor issue and Nikolai doesn’t need to know what happen.
I walked back to our table, still murmuring to myself about those bitches at the restroom. I looked around for Nikolai. When I saw him, my heart skipped a beat, Elena was talking to him.
Nikolai wasn’t smiling or chatting with her instead, he looked angry and uncomfortable. His arms were crossed, and his jaw was clenched tight. I could tell he didn’t want to talk to her.
“What the fuck is she doing here?”, I muttered to myself.
I walked quickly towards them, my eyes fixed on Elena, I wanted her to know that she wasn’t welcome here.
When I reached Nikolai’s side, I took his hand in mine, I leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. It was a gentle kiss, but it was also a strong message. I was telling Elena to leave him alone, to back off and not bother us anymore.
“Oh hello Lily… lovely seeing you two here”, Elena said.
Anastasia was standing by her side but she wasn’t looking me in the eyes, instead she looked scared and uncomfortable.
“Hi Elena, I didn’t know you come here”, I replied like this wasn’t my first time in such an elite restaurant.
Nikolai looked at me and smiled fondly at me, he turned back to Elena, his expression still cold and unfriendly. I knew that he still hated her, and that he didn’t want anything to do with her.
“No no Lily. This is my third time here, the first was when Nikolai asked me to be his girlfriend… and the second was when we celebrated our first anniversary”, Elena said.
The tight smile on my face dropped and I felt like pulling her hair.