Blossoming Seduction

(Thala's Point of View)

I was looking around because there wasn't a single person I could talk to. We were at an exclusive bar with my fiancé so he could introduce me to his circle of friends. It turned out that I would just be out of place with them.

Nekolauv is busy talking and enjoying himself with his friends while here I am, as if a bodyguard merely watching what they are doing. His friends are sons and daughters of high-profiled businessmen, and I can sense that they don't like me for Nekolauv.

"Sylvia, you like Nekolauv, right?" Abby said and even managed to push the woman towards Nekolauv. Sylvia's cheeks were flushed red as she shyly glanced at him.

"Do you?" Nekolauv asked playfully. They teased the two even more. It's as if I don't exist. They don't even think about how I would feel.

"Both of you should end of together. Well, that one is more cunning." Abby turned to me in a dramatic way and shrugged.

The fvck? I didn't even ask my dad to tie me into an arranged marriage!

"Uh, Lauv? I'm going to the restroom," I said. Maybe if I don't leave, I'll end up pulling Abby's hair out completely.

I sighed and just composed myself. "Get yourself together, Thala," I whispered and took a deep breath.

When I returned to my seat, I saw them happily dancing in the middle of the dancefloor. Nekolauv was dancing with Sylvia as she blushed. We are here to introduce me as his fiancée, but here he is acting like it's all a joke.

I was annoyed, sat down, and downed the alcohol in the shot glass I was holding and added more. I wasn't satisfied, so I called the waiter and sent a bottle of scotch. I just want this freakin' misery gone.

I admit that somehow I also had a crush on Nekolauv during our high school and college days. He's an ideal, but with that comes the attention of those who are attracted to him. Now they call me pathetic for asking my father for an arranged marriage.

I turned to the nearby table and found a man staring intently at me. Every intense glare he throws is intimidating, I can't stand it. I drank again and glanced at the man once more. I gasped because our eyes met.

In an instant, I didn't realize that I had finished two bottles of scotch. I'm starting to feel the effects of the alcohol, so I'm in the mood to dance now. I approached Nekolauv and violently pushed Sylvia so that I could dance with Lauv.

"What are you doing, Thala? You're being mean!" Abby shouted while Sylvia, who was also irritated, came over.

"This is my fiancé, so I have the right to dance with him as well!" I answered out of frustration.

"Thala, don't be rude! They are my friends!" Lauv defended his friends. Aaron tapped him on his shoulder to calm him down, but Lauv's gaze now is slowly killing me. He had also been drinking, so he became a bit aggressive.

"How about me? You are my fiancée, right?" I reminded him, the corners of my eyes are starting to well up with tears

"I'm asking you to be nice. I spent time with them before I did with you. You should know your place!" he growled, annoyed.

"Eh? Know my place?" I asked sarcastically. "So should I let you and your so-called friend Sylvia make out in front of me then? That whore wants you, Lauv!" I fell silent when Sylvia slapped me hard.

"You're going too far!" Abby shouted and started pulling my hair. "Just because you're Nekolauv's fiancée doesn't mean I'll ignore what you've done to my friend!" She pulled my hair even harder as if my scalp was about to come off. It was chaotic here, but Nekolauv didn't even try to stop us.

I pulled Abby's hair back, but she was able to scratch my arm. Sylvia also got involved, so Aaron and Darwin had to meddle with us.

"Thala! Stop it!" Nekolauv shouted, seemingly out of patience, violently pulled me away from his friends. "Go home before I decline the marriage!"

His warning made me stop in an instant.

No! Daddy will get mad at me! I shook my head at the sudden realization and without a second thought, I turned my back on them. It felt like I was hit by a bomb and immediately surrendered. He knows my weakness.

When I arrived at our table, I downed the remaining drinks. I glanced at them once again, and Nekolauv's concern for his friends was noticeable. Carrying anger and annoyance, I walked away swaying and with a throbbing pain in my head. I hadn't even gotten far when I bumped into a man.

"I'm sorry," I said, and continued walking.

My vision is starting to blur and my head is beginning to ache more and more.

With the way Abby yanked my hair and with how much I've drunk, I could collapse here any minute. The man grabbed my arm, so I looked up to see him. This is the man who was staring at me earlier. I don't know what his intention was, so I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're hurt," he fired darkly, looking at the scratches I got from the witches earlier.

"What's that to you?" I rudely said. I pulled my arm away and started to walk.

But I just got dizzy. I almost tripped, but someone suddenly caught my waist. I turned around to face him. Only to find that same man from earlier. This is the man who has been staring at me for a while now.

"What? Are you going to join the chaos too?" All my irritation from the incident earlier was directed at him. He suddenly loosened his grip on my waist.

In shock and fear of falling on the floor, I wrapped my hands around his neck. If earlier I was dizzy, now I'm squinting because of the closeness of our faces. His breath tickles my neck and fvck, he's intimidatingly attractive.

"Leave him," he whispered huskily.

"Leave that bastard," he added. Every word he utters gives me goosebumps. My system was never affected and miserable like this before.

I was about to push him away, but Nekolauv caught my attention with his sudden interruption. "Myrthala! Let's go!" Nekolauv pulled my waist to distance me from this grinning man in front of us.

He's enjoying what's he's seeing, huh?.

Who is he? Why is Nekolauv so furious?

The man also grabbed my other arm and mockingly said, "She's not your wife yet, foolish."

"Are you out of your mind, brother? You really think I'll let you have her just like those things you stole from me?" Lauv queried irritably.

Brother? Does he have an older brother?

I get even dizzier with the way they're pulling me. I was wide-eyed because the man pulled me with all his strength. The reason why I ended up touching his chest and our lips met. I couldn't move right away even though the man had already turned his face away from me.

He smirked darkly again and met my gaze. "You like it, do you? Then leave him," he teasingly whispered and even managed to kiss me on the cheek.

"What the heck, bro?! Leave her alone! The fvck!" Lauv shouted angrily. I felt like I was cemented in place and couldn't take my eyes off the man. My first kiss was with this asshole, and I don't even know him.

"What a sweet introduction, my gorgeous sister-in-law," he playfully whispered and flashed a smile that awakened the butterflies that had long been silent in my stomach.

I didn't even realize that Lauv had already pulled me away from him. The last thing I remember is his soft lips and the wink he gave me.

My first kiss was stolen by my brother-in-law, and the worst part of it is... I liked it. Damn!