CHAPTER 1
Xavier Phillips and Ana Miller both were the same yet different in so many ways. While Xavier was the typical playboy, Ana was an innocent angel who wanted nothing to do with boys. Both of their parents were old friends and always wanted Xavier and Ana to be together. But Ana being Ana despised Xavier to no end while Xavier was too busy with his playboy ways.
Ana was living her dream working for her fathers company, something she had always wanted to do. Her father, Jonathan Miller was one of the best businessman in Europe. Jonathan loved his daughter to death and always wanted the best for her. Her smile was all that mattered to him. Stephen Phillips, Xavier's dad was his best friend and business partner. Ana was no less than a daughter to him. Somehow Stephen found Ana to be a good choice for Xavier and wished to get them married in the future. It seemed even Jonathan had the same thoughts. He wasn't too subtle with his wishes and wouldn't ever mind hinting it.
"Feels like that's the only thing on dad's mind nowadays." Ana thought to herself. Busy in her own thoughts Ana didn't see where she was going and collided with someone. Anticipating a fall she closed her eyes and waited for the painful impact. But before she could fall she was held by a pair of strong arms. She slowly opened her eyes only to be greeted by a very amused pair of dark brown eyes.
"Xavier." Ana breathed.
Xavier, who was just a few months elder than Ana, decided to follow his father's steps and handle the family business. Xavier had grown up to be a handsome guy. Soft black curls that made you want to run your fingers through and a sharp, chiselled jaw. He was about 6'2" with a body that one gets after spending hours in gym. His had a personality that screamed power.
"Ah, look who do we have here? Our clumsy little Ana!!" he said mockingly. That sexy smirk evident on his face.
That seemed to bring Ana out of her trance. "Shut the hell up Xavier!"
"Aww, is our little Ana angry?" He said, still smirking.
Ana felt her blood boiling "Get your hands off me Xavier and just get lost." Ana said, fisting her hands, her face masked with anger.
"Well it's not like Im interested in holding you. I deserve a thanks Ana darling, I saved you after all. If not for me you would have fallen flat on your face and that pretty face of your's would've been ruined." he said, harshly letting go off her making her stumble a bit and then left leaving a fuming Ana standing there before she could even utter a word.
"Asshole." Ana muttered and walked off in the direction of her father's office which he used whenever he was home.
She reached the office and gently knocked the door before opening it. She was greeted by the smiling face of her father who was looking at her with warm, loving eyes. "Hey, Dad!" she said, smiling at her father forgetting all about her earlier encounter with Xavier.
"Hey, princess! How are you sweetheart?" he asked, sending her a big grin.
"I'm fine dad. You wanted to talk to me? Anything serious? I hope everything is fine." she babbled.
"Everything is more than fine, Ana. Stop stressing yourself. The Phillips are gonna be hosting a party coming Saturday and we've all been invited for the party." he said " And we, includes me, your mother and you as well." he added before she could ask any further questions.
"But Dad-"
"No buts Ana." her father said, cutting her off. "You need to get out a little. Its been two years Ana, you need to move on. I understand that its not easy but have to try a bit harder, love. Please Ana."
That made Ana think of what had happened two years ago. That one week in Paris was still the cause of her nightmares. No amount of therapies helped her overcome the trauma, no matter how hard she tried. These past two years she had spent every moment looking over her back, afraid of her past to just pop out of somewhere.
"Ana?" her fathers voice brought her out of her thoughts, for which Ana was thankful. She didnt want to think of it any more than she already did."I wont force you Ana but please think about it. If you decide to come, Ill have a car waiting for you by 7:00 pm, since me and your mom have to be there a bit early. Your uncle Stephen wants to talk to us about something important."
Ana thought of what her father said. Going out and attending any kind of social event sure gave her creeps, but it was the Phillips who were hosting the party and her parents were going to be there. What could possibly go wrong? Besides the hope in her fathers eyes made it impossible for her to say no.
"Fine, Dad. I'll be ready on time. No worries." she replied somewhat reluctantly.
"Great!" he exclaimed, now completely ecstatic for some reason.
"So, I was wondering, what was Xavier doing here?" she asked, a bit confused by her dad's behaviour but never voicing her doubts.
"Oh, he was just delivering the invitations." he said, before engaging himself in the documents on the table before him.
"Oh!" said Ana and then left the office while muttering a goodbye.
On the way back to her room, all Ana could think of was her conversation with her dad. She couldn't help but feel something odd about the way her dad was behaving. It was as if he was hiding something from her. And it seemed that her mother was a part of this secret too.
She'd been trying to think much of this odd behaviour of her parents for the past few days but after this conversation with her father, she just couldn't get it out of her mind. She had found her parents whispering among themselves and staring at her a number of times now, which was surprising since her parents were not the ones to keep secrets from her. She hadn't missed the way they looked at her now a days, sometimes with full blown smiles while sometimes with a bit of sadness reflecting in their eyes. And that was scaring her. Something was surely up and her father's behaviour today, in his office confirmed her doubts.
"Oh God!! What the hell is going on?!" she muttered to herself. "Why do I get the feeling that something huge is gonna happen?"
