The jeweler

She crossed her arms and watched, her anticipation intensifying as the person in the rear came into view. Much to her dismay, he was the last person she had anticipated seeing.

He asked in a commanding tone, "What are you doing in the streets at this time of night?"

Olivia glanced at him, then swiveled around to see who he was conversing with, as she was certain he was not addressing her. "Me?" she questioned with a laugh that was in no way humorous.

His expression of displeasure appeared as he inquired, "What are you doing in a place like this?" with a distasteful disposition.

Olivia was perplexed as to why Noah Jones was even here, given his intense dislike for this place. What exactly was the all-powerful Noah Jones doing in the abandoned part of the city?

A sigh escaped her lips as she stepped forward before him and crossed her arms before her chest. "Listen here, Baby Doll; what I do outside the office is none of your business," she stated with a chilly expression. "In there, you are the boss, but out here..." she proclaimed while waving her hand and pointing to the surrounding buildings. "I am the boss."

Noah's jaw tightened. He issued the command, "Get in." As Olivia removed her arms from her chest, she became aware of their red color. However, a woman's voice came from the vehicle before she could comment on the situation. A blonde girl opened the door and peered through the crack, whimpering, "Noah, what's taking you so long?" As soon as she stepped out of the car, she noticed Olivia standing there, and her expression changed. While gripping his arm, she inquired, "Noah, what's going on here?" This caused him to become agitated. Olivia chuckled as she gazed at him, feeling both gorgeous and possessive. She wore a short blue dress without sleeves and white heels during the event. She donned a bracelet and earrings that matched her necklace, a gold-hearted necklace she wore around her neck. She was the type of person that Noah was looking for. She was stunning.

"Abby, get back in the car," he said, his tone problematic.

"No, I'm not going anywhere until I understand why we are here. "We should be going on a date, not standing here and talking to her," she said, giving Olivia a detailed explanation.

Olivia turned her gaze to Noah. A date? It is not surprising that he is dressed up, she decided. An outfit consisting of a navy-blue suit, a white shirt, and a red bowtie was what he was sporting. As she climbed inside the vehicle, she thought to herself with a chuckle, "This is going to be a lot of fun."

Noah's confidence in Olivia had begun to wane; what if she brought about some trouble? At this very moment, the last thing he needed was to participate in yet another altercation with Abby.

He and Abby entered the vehicle and sat opposite Olivia's seat. Noah yelled over the windshield, "Therefore, you should make a U-turn!"

As Abby yelled, "WHAT?" Olivia battled the impulse to hide her ears and listened attentively. She clenched her fingers and flipped her hair. "What do you mean he should make a U-turn? We have a date!"

He clenched his teeth and demanded, "Abby." She sank back in her seat. When Olivia looked at Abby, she noticed that her face appeared somewhat familiar; nevertheless, she could not recall the last time she had seen Abby. Olivia and Noah continued to gaze at each other throughout the car ride, marked by complete silence as the vehicle began moving forward. After more than an hour, the car finally stopped, and the driver decided to open the door. He told Olivia, "Come to the office at six o'clock; don't be late," but all he received in response was a sneer as she exited the vehicle.

*****

After what seemed like an eternity, Aria could finally go on a date with David. Regrettably, she expected David's driver to pick her up. Fortunately, David did not arrive at the office, allowing her to leave without anyone noticing her absence. When she left the office, she pleaded with one of the other women working there to look at her desk for a few hours while she was gone. After spending four hours searching for the ideal dress and shoes, she headed to the closest salon to get her hair, make-up, and nails done. She looked for the perfect dress and shoes. The driver arrived just in time, and before she knew it, she stood before David's door. She had returned to the office before it closed and changed her clothes just before the driver arrived.

David, appearing distressed, emerged from behind the door after three knocks. Aria frowned as she glanced at him; he had not even bothered to try to look appealing for dinner or anything else. He wore a black dress shirt and grey sweatpants. His appearance resembled someone who had just woken up, and his hair was messy. He focused his attention entirely on Aria, giving her a peculiar look. A scowl appeared as he asked, "Can I help you?"

When Aria asked David, "Excuse me?" David's scowl grew as he pondered the origin of that voice and wondered where he had heard it previously. "David, you sent me a bouquet of roses and asked me to join you for dinner at your place tonight. Your driver dropped me off here."

David was surprised and asked, "Aria?" Aria simply nodded, feeling uneasy and grateful that David did not recognize her. "Oh, Uhm..." he said, clearing his throat before continuing, "Come in." He then moved aside to make room for her to enter.

Upon entering the expansive sitting area, Aria surveyed her surroundings with a sense of unease. Something was wrong with this picture; the lights were softly illuminated but not so dark that she could not see anything. David's house was lovely, tiny, and cozy, but this picture was wrong. The walls of the house were a dark gray color, while the ceiling was a lighter gray color. The ceiling integrated small, dim lights, eliminating the need for chandeliers or bulbs. Instead, these lights formed the roof. Aria was not surprised by the illumination, as she was aware of David's aversion to bright lights. In the middle of the spacious living room was a black couch, a massive coffee table, and a wall containing a massive smart television. Four seats flanked a solemnly modest table in the far corner.

On the other hand, this vision was not intimate at all; that was the complete extent of it.

There was no ice bucket with a bottle of champagne and glasses, there were no plates covered with silver covers, there was no mouth-watering aroma, there were no rose petals scattered across the floor, there was no calming music playing quietly in the background, and there were no candles lit. It was simply not possible to have a candlelit meal for two.

Aria slowly turned around to face David, who was oddly scratching his head at the door. David was already standing there. Aria began by saying, "I—" after making a concerted effort to contain her fury. She released a trembling breath and whispered, "David, am I early?"

"Well, look, Aria, I had a few drinks earlier, and it just slipped my mind," David stated apologetically. I apologize for the inconvenience."

Aria showed her comprehension by slowly nodding and running her tongue over the crease of her bottom lip. The word "angry" does not even come close to describing how she felt; she had gone to extreme lengths to make herself appear friendly to him, but he did not even register her efforts. She sighed and gazed at her shoes as she said, "Well..." She followed her words with a step towards the exit. "I guess I should get going then."

When David yelled, "No, wait!" Aria turned around to look at him and appeared a little confused. Although he was scratching his neck, he murmured, "Well...stay, please. I will order something for us."

Aria smiled slightly and said, "It's okay, David; there's no need to trouble yourself." David was relieved to hear this.

"No, you don't understand. I need to speak to you," David pleaded. I need to talk to you."

Before deciding to stay, Aria gazed at him for a considerable time. David exhaled with a sense of relief and proceeded to guide her toward the couch. "Fine then." While he went to the kitchen to get her a bottle of wine and a glass, she sat down and waited for him to return. Their dinner arrived approximately thirty minutes later, and they ate in an uneasy quiet as they waited for it. They only spoke once, when Aria asked about Owen. David informed her that Owen was doing well and would stay in England for some time. After that, David apologized once more for offending Aria. Aria assured him that everything was fine, and after that, they fell into a relaxed silence despite the situation.

When David was ready to answer Aria's question after dinner, there was a tap at the door. Aria had asked David, "So, what did you want to talk about?" David was about to answer. Aria posed the question to David as he rose. "Are you expecting someone?"

David remarked, "That must be the jeweler from the ring store." Aria's eyes widened in response to his statement.

Her question was, "What?"

"The jeweler is bringing a set of engagement rings for us to choose from."