The moment Elias's gaze locked with hers, Alexia turned—too casually—breaking eye contact as if she doesn't know them and she continued conversing with her business associate.
"It didn't even seem like she was looking at me ," Elias sighed with a hint of relief .
While Eryx mysteriously continues looking at Alexia's direction with a piercing gaze, highlighted by long lashes of his and slightly arched brows at the man beside her admiring Alexia's beauty.
"You always manage to bring alluring attraction and precision into every room you walk into, Ms. Alexia Cray ," the man speaks out aloud with more than respect smoothly from his lips "Frankly, it's very rare to see that kind of brilliance wrapped in such effortless grace."
The compliment, sugar-drenched and smug, echoed across their space.
"Shut it." Alexia said, with her cold clipped and razor-edged tone.
The man went silent instantly. She tilted her head slightly at him, eyes glinting like frost under flashed bright light.
"If you're done wasting breath, we can continue."
Even the other business associate beside her straightened like they'd been slapped with silence. The man excused himself for a moment after the reminder of his original place.
Eryx's lips curved into a knowing smile and Elias pulls out her remaining query.
"Why are you both dressed differently today?" Elias tilted her head looking both Eryx and Alexia's outfit side by side. "You two always are in a specific attire of workplace but today's look seems relaxing. Is there something I am missing out. " Eryx with smug on his face . "You know," he said nonchalantly looking at Alexia with longing eyes, " I am bored today so I just dressed up casual and romantic and speaking of Alexia is just representing her Co. color." Take a hint Ella" asfinishes up winking his eyes.
Elias looked up Alexia closely and blinked as she felt in love with Alexia's surreal outfit as she had clad herself in a dusty rose dress, a sheer blouse bloomed—its flowing sleeves embroidered with delicate vines and patterns and lace-trimmed cuffs adding a romantic victorian vibe. Her long, flowing pleated skirt swayed gently with her every movement—echoing something… forgotten.
Suddenly Elias's mind got deepened with force pulling her into a void. Then, she saw pendant covered in blood.
The pendant—she'd seen it before.
But not that she was wearing. But the gold plated vintage one.
Her vision blurred, as she saw a swallow bird on a pendant and suddenly she was somewhere else entirely.
A dark room of her workplace. A woman unconsious on the ground, and a man beside looked at her. And then—A bark. A flash of blood. A faceless man. A gunshot.
"Elias?"
Eryx's voice snapped her back.
"Are you alright", Eryx voiced out with slightly concerning face.
She gasped, swallowing hard as she blinked her way back into reality.
"That pendant.." she gestured. "That's not her usual one."
"Yeah! You're right?" Eryx said looking at Alexia neck lovingly in his own thought.
"Where did it go? Then" Elias speaked out aloud. Eryx brushed it off scratching his back neck ,"She gave it to me to hold for a bit earlier. Said it didn't match the dress. "
"Look " Eryx showed off that same vintage pendant draped over his muscular hand like snake "It's right here".
Elias suddenly gets pressed deeper into her mind, —until suddenly, a vivid image struck her like lightning. The same event, the same moment. Alecia, standing with the same business associate, wearing the exact same dress—but this time, unmistakably adorned with her signature vintage pendant.
She gasped. "Eryx," she said urgently, "give me her pendant."
Startled, Eryx instinctively stepped back. "Pendant! You mean this" he asked, voice low but firm showing off in his hand.
"I can't do that. Alexia is... sensitive towards her personal item you know already. Is something wrong.
Eryx breaks off his concern and pulls out his phone,"But If you want it, I can buy same as this one from somewhere but not this. " to cheer her up.
Elias tries to see the face of a man who was beside the woman body as it suddenly flashed out in her mind.
Meanwhile Eryx kept calling her out.
"C'mmon, are you there?"
"Why are you zoning out,nowhere every sec'nd?"
Just then, Eryx caught sight of Alexia making her way to boutique, her presence impossible to ignore.
"There she goes", Eryx signed letting the air out with knowing face as it always happens between them.
Without missing a beat, he turned to the nearby staff and signaled.
"Take a rest, Alright! "Eryx gently patted her head and her connection broke down. Seeing her consious back, he stepped back and went along with some business organizer waiting for him.
Elias slapped his cheek as it was driving her consious," Don't think about it, it's nothing. "
"I'm just over thinking " Elias repeats the word to put up herself focused and the staff finally approached Elias. The staff offered her a gentle, respectful nod. "Miss Elias, it's time. Please come with us."
Elias looked up the staff hesitated, glancing down at her hands before slowly rising. Her heart thudded with a mix of nerves and curiosity. She followed them quietly, entering the boutique shop nestled in the heart of the mall.
It was large than other shops, tastefully luxurious—soft lighting, white floral arrangements for soothing atmosphere, and shelves lined with Alexia Co.'s signature designs. At the center, beneath a delicate golden chandelier, stood Alecia herself. Guests, who just won her mystery experience starts to woo seeing her and asked for her permission to take selfie with them. She posed for photos unbothered, greeted elders, and offered handshake to each one of girls who approached her.
Elias stepped in silently, slightly forward to cover her face with her dog. The boutique was already filled with chatter and Elias trying not to draw attention, she slipped into a seat in the corner.
Then Alecia lifted her glass, and her voice rose above the soft music.
"Thank you all for being here," she said, her tone gracious yet poised.
"This event was arranged at the request of someone very special to me—not for business, but for something more meaningful."
The crowd grew quiet, intrigued and Elias puts off her thought whom might be special to her despite being orphan.
Alexia snaps her fingers and the staff members moved around the boutique, handing each guest a fancy glass of an expensive champagne.
Elias accepted hers, bowing her head slightly handed with care.
Just then, Alexia's gaze shifted subtly toward the boutique's front window. Outside, across the open hallway of the mall, Eryx stood by the glass railing, leaning back, sexy ease,with a one hand casually tucked in his pocket. With the other, he signed a brief message, just for her eyes.
Five minutes left. Next meeting is waiting.
Alexia held his gaze for a moment, a flicker of something unspoken passing between them. Then she turned back to her guests, her smile never faltering.
But Elias had seen it—the private exchange, the hidden urgency behind Alexia's grace.
Soon, Alexia excused herself saying sorry excusing herself and left behind a manager, a poised woman who stepped forward to take charge.
She left the boutique with Eryx by her side, his attracting presence drawing even more attention as he smiled back at the lookers. Their presence sparkled whispers among the girls lingering nearby.
One girl called out filtateously," Is that her boyfriend?" and shake her head in joyness seeing them and Gossip fluttered like butterflies—curious, eager enough to hear from outside.