58.
Amelia's POV
The car halted in front of a beauty salon and Alessandro alighted before opening the door of the car for me.
I glared at him with a stunned expression on while he just chuckled and took my hand, helping me out.
"What are we doing here?" I asked him as we walked in.
"You'll know very soon." He said, rubbing the back of my palm with a smile.
"Good afternoon, Don DeMarco. Welcome to Facial." One of the attendants greeted and another walked up to us.
"Is this your girlfriend, sir? We promise to make sure she looks like extra dazzling in just some minutes. We have the best wears just for her."
Girlfriend? Only if they knew I was nothing but his slave.
"Yeah, make sure of that. I'll pick a dress when you're done with the make-up. I'll be there." Alessandro said, moving to sit on a sofa some steps away.
"Please follow me, ma'am." The second lady gestured forward and I glanced at Alessandro before smiling and following her.
I was asked to sit on a stool in front of a vanity mirror and the next time I opened my eyes, I was no longer with a pale face but now looked like more beautiful.
Was this really me?
I stepped out of the room with the ladies following me closely behind.
"We're done." One of them announced and Alessandro looked up from his phone.
He froze the moment he saw me. I looked away shyly and when our gazes met again, he blew a kiss at me.
What was that?
The ladies led us to the dress section and Alessandro held my hand again as he walked on.
I kept stealing glances at him every time. He was acting a bit weird.
Why was his attitude so cool? Exactly like that dream I had. What if he turned to a monster again?
"Do you like this?" His question snapped me out of my thoughts and I nodded quickly.
"Yeah, this would do." Even though I didn't know what the occasion was, the dress was beautifully made with floral designs at the hem and a cord lace around the neck area.
A blue floral dress. Just the perfect one that suit my skin.
"We'll have this then." Alessandro said to the lady attendants and they nodded before leading me back to the dressing room.
"What's the occasion?" I could no longer hold my curiosity. What if it was for the elites? How on earth was I going to fit in?
"Why are you so eager to know?" He glanced at me before turning his focus back on the road.
"It's not wrong if I ask. You just dragged me out of the house without saying a word. Next, you drove to a beauty salon and now I can't even recognise myself." I replied, shrugging.
"What if I say it's a grand event?" He raised a brow as he mentioned.
I widened my brows, gasping. "A grand event?"
"Yes." He confirmed and now I knew he wasn't joking at all. "it's an exhibition event."
"Will your family members be there? Your dad, aunt, uncle or nephew?" I blurted out as I couldn't imagine myself among them.
What would I say when they start asking me different questions? About my relationship with Alessandro?
Would I tell them I was his slave? His plaything?
That would be so embarrassing.
And wait, why was he taking me and not Regina? Definitely, something had gone wrong .
"Stop asking weird questions, Amelia." Alessandro chuckled, "It's just an event. Stay calm. Noone would bully you when I'm there." He assured me.
"What about your girlfriend, why isn't she the one going with you? Why do you have to choose me to go with you? I've never been to such an event like that." I complained, rubbing my sweaty forehead.
I was damn nervous and had a very bad feeling about this.
"I choose you because I want you." His palm grazed my cheek as he spoke. My cheeks flushed red like tomatoes and with that I stopped asking him questions and focused.
I chose you because I want you. The words were enough to shut me up.
It made me blush and I wondered if truly he meant what he had said.
After twenty minutes drive, we arrived at the venue and we both walked in hand in hand.
It was a tall building, gorgeous on the outside and had magnificent interior designs.
The paintings hung on the wall were captivating and beautiful. They were very nice exhibition.
My eyes caught a particular frame which had the painting of a young African woman whose face looked like broken fragments.
The air blew away the broken part and the other part looked dazzling and enchanting.
I understood what the picture meant. Without the other side of the woman's face, the other gorgeous side was useless.
Imperfect.
This applied to me in every way. I could only be complete if my emotions are in whole and no longer void of love and affection.
I could only be complete when I was no longer the sex slave I am.
I knew I was an orphan with no family but I needed a family to call my own.
A family built with love and care.
"What's wrong?" Alessandro asked, touching my arm.
"N.. nothing."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I am." I replaced the frown on my face with a fake smile. "You have nothing to worry about."
"Good. Come with me." He took my hand and led me to another section of the hall.
The other exhibitions were eye-catching and beautiful. Not heartbreaking like the other one I just saw.
"Amelia." Alessandro called and I turned to look at him with a smile. "Don't speak to anyone, okay? I'll do the talking."
I followed his gaze and noticed his eyes were fixed on a particular guy.
A snicker was plastered to his face as he approached us.
"See who we have here? Our Almighty Alessandro DeMarco!" He exclaimed followed by an uproar of laughter.
Others attention got drawn to us due to this crazy unknown man.
"Sorry." He gulped and cleared his throat before moving closer. "What brings you here, Alessandro and why did you bring your little amoretto along with you?"
I widened my brows as I heard his words.
How did he know Alessandro calls me that?
"I have no business with you, Russo. Go away to folks like you." Alessandro snapped at him, his jaws clenched in anger.
Russo? This was Russo? The same man who was Julian's boss?
I've heard a lot about him from Julian. Russo was cunning and ruthless. Fucking dangerous.
Now, I understood it all.
"What if I tell her, Alessandro? I'm sure your little slave would love to know a lot of hidden things about you, especially the very one that concerns her." Russo smirked, his eyes fixed on me.
I gasped, turning to look at Alessandro who looked angry and tense.
He grabbed my waist and pulled me to his side.
What was he keeping from me? Did he have anything to do with my past?