**Chapter 11: Characters in a Love Story in New York City**  

The charity dinner was an extraordinary event for both Ellie and Lucas. It was a series of experiences that were magical yet stressful in nature. However, it did allow the two of them to look at each other in a different way. Ellie had been shocked by the unexpected act of kindness offered by Lucas during the dinner. In return, Lucas was awestruck by the level of determination that Ellie showed throughout. Nevertheless, they agreed on one thing — that with the amount of tension brewing between them, it was much more professional. That is what they had believed. On a rather pleasant Saturday morning, Ellie woke up with some energy and decided to explore the sights that the city had to offer. She was feeling claustrophobic in the apartment and was hoping a bit of exercise would ease her head. While walking around the streets of New York, it is only natural to become mesmerised by the beauty and grandeur of the place. Her first move was to a small café where she ordered a cup of coffee. Finally finding herself at a table where she could bask in the warmth of the sun, she looked forward to having a lovely morning. After a few sips of coffee, she noticed a person she was rather familiar with, walking down the street. It was none other than Lucas. Lucas was casually wearing his aloof look in a black leather jacket with his hair in a bun, softened due to the weekend.

Ellie felt her heart lose its rhythm when she noticed him seat himself. 

"Miss White," he spoke without a modulated tone. 

"Mr. Hunter," Ellie replied, pretending to smile. "What brings you here?" 

"Why are you here?" he asked while his eyes never strayed from her. 

Ellie paused momentarily, then motioned towards the chair that was opposite to her. "Would you like to join me?" 

He scrutinised her for a moment, and after setting his gaze on her he replied with a nod, followed by sitting down. 

Sipping their coffee, the two of them spent some time in complete silence, simply observing the bustle of the outside world. 

"I do not take days off usually but, I needed one," Lucas said finally. 

Ellie nodded her head, comprehending. "Life can become busy very easily and can cause people to lose sight of life." 

His gaze wandered towards her for a moment. His expression was vague and obscured. "You are not like the others." 

Ellie blinked. Unsure how she should react, she asked, "Pardon?" 

"You carry out the deed of voicing your opinion without any fear," he explained in a passive voice. "I'm certain that most people would be terrified of me, but you are clearly not." 

"I suppose that makes me proud," Ellie responded. Cautiously, she added, "I'm simply stating the reality, Mr. Hunter. I think that every individual should be treated well, irrespective of their rank." 

He nodded while appearing deep in contemplation.

"I admire that." 

Ellie's face was burning with embarrassment but she retained her shocked composure. 

Lucas's presence made Ellie feel at ease. 

He remained threatening, but underneath he was gentler than Ellie had presumed. 

Standing up, Lucas asked Ellie, "Do you want to join me for a walk?" as he extended his hand to her. 

After pondering for a split second, Ellie grabbed his hand and nodded. 

While exploring New York, their small talk cascaded into deeper conversation. 

Lucas walked into an art store that piqued his interest and Ellie followed behind him. 

His eyes narrowed at the painting, "I don't buy art often, but something about this piece really stood out to me." 

Ellie smiled, knowing she would soon give him an optimistic nudge. "You could be a good artist because you clearly have a keen sense for what looks good and what doesn't." 

Shrugging while deep in thought, he replied, "It is a possibility." 

With Littrell having said that, he hoped she would drop it. 

Little did they know that these activities would set new goals for the strength of their bond and Ellie's love for him, ridding the contract's requirements. 

The next day, together they indulged in deli meat sandwiches, visited art kiosks, and hired a boat to go around the pond in Central Park. 

Ellie won't lie, she relished that day, she wondered what he did to his company's future goals to have that much fun. 

The shocking pair now felt increasingly drawn to one another and abruptly with no effort at all, Ellie simply did not care nor remember the contract and fell for Lucas head over heels. 

By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the cityscape came into sight along with the sparkling lights from the buildings. Together, they were on the observation deck of the Empire State Building. 

When Ellie saw the city she had grown fond of, she felt her emotions surge. 

"It was simply amazing," she said as a tremor became apparent in her voice. "Thank you so much for today." 

"I see you are different, Miss White," Lucas said regarding her intently with an unreadable expression. 

"Uh, what do you mean?" Ellie asked as she blinked, unsure of how to respond. 

"I guess you could say you've changed how I view the world," he said curtly. "I've been so consumed by my work that I forgot how to live." 

"I'm glad I could help Mr. Hunter," Ellie replied, forcing herself to remain modest, despite feeling proud. 

As he nodded in understanding, Ellie could see that he was deep in thought. 

She was filled with optimism with the peace and contentment she had not felt in ages when Ellie turned to her side and noticed the twinkling city lights. 

For now, she was focused on savoring the moment, despite their relationship being complicated. 

With her head filled with thoughts, Ellie decided that smiling was okay when they departed the observation deck and made their way back home. 

Now she felt like she had conquered the day. 

Now, she felt ready for any challenges that may come her way. 

Industries, especially those which rely heavily on digitisation, often employ overly elaborate forecasting methods to make business decisions even when it is unnecessary. Claiming that real estate agencies need to devise complex models in order to buy or sell properties seems unfounded, yet they use them. What would seem simpler is that buying and selling items of value like properties only really requires common sense wherever there is demand. However, there is one factor that makes purchasing concern properties more complex than simple logic: a lack of research on the current situation.