CHAPTERONE

"Ahh.."

I felt him smile on my skin as soon as that sound escaped my lips. I received a not-so-gentle bite and suckling on my inner thigh as a reward.

"Name!"

The shrill voice of my cousin Samantha snapped me out of the daze I was in.

"What happened to you? Your mind is always wandering off to some other place these days. Don't tell me you left your heart in Balchand?" she said with sparkling eyes, her eyebrows moving up and down suggestively. She sat leisurely opposite me on the visitor's chair of my office.

I was caught off guard with her questions for a second but I managed to put my usual poker face back. I rest my elbows on top of the table and placed my chin on my clasped hands. "Is everything set for the event tonight?" I asked, changing the topic with a small smile.

As if on cue, her teasing expression turned into that of shock. "Oh shoot! I almost forgot, I need to call someone." She immediately opened her bag and rummaged her phone from there.

I smiled a bit at her action. Tonight we will celebrate the 60th wedding anniversary of our grandparents which called for the preparation of a huge party at our ancestral family mansion. Samantha, the most outgoing, energetic and the recognized member of our family's generation, is in charge of the event.

When she finished speaking, she placed her phone back into her bag and sighed. "I need to go. I still need to check the final preparations and of course prep myself up for the real thing. I wouldn't want James to be admiring any woman other than me tonight," she chuckled and flipped her hair to emphasize her point.

I couldn't help but laugh a bit at her ludicrousness. "He's a fool if he will even think of letting you go."

I spoke the truth. Samantha is one of the most eligible bachelorettes in town. Even with her flashy lifestyle, she's not the typical socialite and spoiled brat which most people would think. She's smart, determined and hardworking. Samantha, myself and our other cousins were brought up well by our parents and other older members of our family. They made sure we live a comfortable life, but at the same time, taught us that we should never forget the non-monetary important things in life. Thus, we recognize the importance of hard work and we know how to earn our keep. Her boyfriend, James, is not so bad either. He's a young, successful businessman who is set to inherit a vast chain of hotel in the country. God knows how he put up with her antics. Thankfully, their relationship, which is approved by our family, is still as strong as ever.

"Aww, that's sweet," she flashed a big smile and then walked towards me to give me a hug and a peck on the cheeks. "You get ready early too. Who knows, you might meet the man of your dreams in this fateful night?" She winked at me playfully.

I rolled my eyes and gestured my hand towards the door. "See you later."

She chuckled. She strutted to the door gracefully and turned to me after she opened the door. "Let's go out this weekend," she eyes the documents in front of me and then my face. "Whatever's bothering you need to go away soon."

Before I could react, she closed the door. I sighed and rest my back on my swivel chair. If only you can, my dear cousin. If only you can..