Garden Of Love

Both of them jolt a little. They then turn their body to her.

"Hazel, my dear, you must tired. Go upstairs first and change. We gonna eat dinner in no time now." Mr. Jokovic said with his gentle voice.

He then turned his eyes to Alan and said the same. "Go and change. I"ll introduce you to our family later."

Mr. Brandon bring Aslan on his arm and show Alan the room that he"ll be stayed for a week.

Open the door, he lay on the bed. He smile.

"I like your father Hazel."

…

Hazel slump her body on her bed.

"Everyone seem to like him. Why don"t I feel like that?" she close her eyes and rolling on the bed.

"Maybe because you resemble him too much Alan. That"s is why it"s hard for me to love you back."

She get up from the bed and take her shower.

...

When he walk out from the bathroom, she almost jump after seeing Vladimir standing in front of her which is only covered with a bathrobe. She clenched her hand and wrap around her chest.

"What do you want Vlad?" she ask.

"It"s been a long time since last I saw you. I want to check if you"re okay or not. " he walk closer to her want to reach her hair.

Just when he want to touch it, Alan knock on her door.

"Hazel.."

Hazel immediately turn around and open the door.

Alan caught a figure of a man inside her room. He then stare at him coldly before he walk out from the room.

Alan turn his body to Hazel and check on her. "Did he do anything to you?" his voice sounded worried.

Hold his hand, she just nod as replying to him. "He"s my.."

"Your stepbrother, right?" he look at her eyes.

Hazel nod again.

Hug her, Alan said. "I will not let him do anything to you."

She feel safe in his embrace, when she want to return his hug, she immediately regain her conscious and brush her mind away.

Release from his hug, she said. "You really that type of hero right? The one that will always save the girl? Sorry to break your heart, but I don"t need your protection Alan. I"ll be fine." she said as she try to smile to him.

"You really stubborn." he said and caress her cheek. He search her eyes.

"But, I"m sorry to break yours too. I will never leave you either." withdraw his hand back, he said "I"ll wait for you at the hall."

…

Hazel closed the door and lean against the door.

Rub her face a few times she walk to her closet and find a dress to wear.

She walk downstairs and found all of her family already gather at the hall.

Laura was sitting beside her father, wrapping her hand around her father arm. She look lovely.

Vladimir sit in front of Alan and staring at him like he was his enemy. While Natasha.. she already sit beside Alan and keep smiling to him. It makes Hazel feel a bit annoyed. But she still cover her face and walk to them.

"Sorry I was late, Alan keep me busy earlier." she glance at Alan who is busy with Aslan.

"Oh, that"s okay my dear. Shall we have our dinner now?" her father said and look at everyone.

All of them nod and start to stand up. When Alan want to follow behind Natasha, Hazel grab his shirt making him stop a little.

"Wait for me." she hold his arm after that and fix on her short dress.

"You"re showing too much skin. Why not you wear something more proper?" he ask looking at her legs which is fair as snow.

"Huh? This is how I used to dress back then" she said.

"Well, no wonder he always want to eats you." he mumbles.

"Are you saying something?" she ask and release her hand.

"No nothing. " he walk and Hazel also follow his pace together to the dining room.

..

"Laura, Vlad, and Natasha. This is Mr. Alan, he is a temporary butler for Aslan and Hazel when they in Arandell.

The three of them nod and smile toward him except for Vladimir. He didn"t respond and just eat his dinner.

"Ah yes, Mr. Alan here is Hazel candidate for her future husband. We will go for the training once we finish our celebration." Mr. Jokovic said again making Natasha raise up her eyebrow a little and turn her head toward Alan who sit in the middle of Hazel and Aslan.

"Is Mr. Alan here is truly single? You know, we don"t wanna things in past happen again do we?" she said making Hazel stop to eat.

She put the the cutlery on the plate and want to leave but Alan hold her hand and signaling her to stay at her seat.

Alan smile and then say "Isn"t that the past who teach us how to grow up in the future? Rest a.s.sured that I am not like someone in the past."

"Uh-huh? We"ll see later.." she reply and then continue to scoop her soup.

Alan release Hazel"s hand and return the stare to Vladimir. "Is there anything on your mind, Mr. Vladimir?"

Divert his eyes to his plate he said "No."

…

After dinner and having a light conversation with his family, Chase return back to his room.

He try to call Violet again, but no one picks up. He then put his phone at the side table, he open his laptop.

Making a video call to Alan, Joe and Nigel. Not long after, they pick up on the video call he made.

"Yo Chase, what"s up?" Nigel ask. His background looks like he was at some party.

"My bruh..missing me already?" Joe grinning on the other line making Nigel also grin.

"Where is Alan?" Joe ask when he see Alan still not pick up the call.

Just before Chase say something, Alan pop up from the screen.

"Guys..sorry. Tough to escape from her family." he said

"Her family?" Joe and Nigel said simultaneously.

"Er..I forgot to tell you guys. I was invited to her home in Russia, meeting with her parent."

"Whoa!!! that"s so fast, man.." Joe almost yelled in excited.

"So did her father give you his blessing?" Nigel said.

Chase still silent hearing them talking.

"Yeah.. but he said I need to go to some training first."

"What training, man?" Joe ask. He then take his c.o.ke and drink it.

"Is it some kind of interview to see your qualification or what?" Nigel also look at the screen with a question look.

"It"s a training to see if you"re a man enough to be his daughter husband." Chase interjected making Joe almost choked.

Alan and Nigel scrunch their eyebrow.

"Wait, no way her father would ask someone to do something so shameless to her daughter right? I mean who in the world would see his daughter intercourse with a man." Nigel bristled.

Alan blink his eyes a few times. "No way I would do that!" he state.

Chase grin making all of them more curious.

"When is the training?" he ask.

"Erm.. the day after tomorrow." Alan reply to him.

"Well, prepare your mental and physical." Chase advice.

"Oh don"t forget to update us after that. We really like to know about this exciting training." Joe remind him.