Aurelia didn’t sleep a wink.
Dragging herself out of bed, she sat up and just stared. Her mind was blank, the events of the previous day dawning on her.
Ezekiel’s confession.
Luke’s rejection.
And Veronica’s……
Aurelia winced as she recalled the kiss, her fingers absentmindedly skimming over her lips.
‘I prefer women.’
Aurelia squeezed her eyes shut, then she opened them. She slapped herself out of her daze, hoping to dispel the warmth that tickled her cheeks. That damned Veronica, she thought, recalling the satisfied smirk on the model’s face. The boldness of that woman. Kissing her out of the blue like that.
It was the biggest plot twist in her mangled story, one that she had never seen coming.
A subtle knock on the door cut through Aurelia’s thoughts. Her brows furrowed. She didn’t order room service, so who could be knocking at her door at this time?
Wait…she paused. What time was it?
Aurelia’s lazy gaze searched the walls for the clock, and when she spotted it, a gasp escaped her lips.
It was past noon. 2:00 PM to be precise. Aurelia facepalmed, a groan rumbling in her chest. She’d missed her flight back to New York.
Last night, just after her tears seized and her mind cleared up a bit, she made reservations to leave early that morning. Her pride wouldn’t allow her to fly in the CEO’s private jet with him. It was like glazing salt on her wounds.
It was bad enough the first time, she couldn’t bear the mere thought of being alone with him. Aurelia feared it might break her even more, reducing her already shattered pieces to dust.
Rather, she would wear a mask, sweeping the shards of her heart under the rug with a curt smile. It was all she could do, and she felt it was best.
It was better than facing him-than facing her feelings.
But her plans had just plunged down the toilet.
“Just my luck.” She raises her head with an exasperated sigh, combing her fingers through her curls in frustration.
The knocking on the door persisted, and she hesitated before going to answer it.
“Yes?” She cracked the door open by an inch, peeping through the space to see a female hotel staff on the other side.
“Good afternoon madam.” The young woman held a polite smile. “You have a special package on behalf of the hotel.”
“Special package?” Aurelia’s gaze flickered to the trolley beside the hotel staff, her brows arching. In the trolley, a stunning arrangement of lavender roses filled the air with their delicate fragrance.
Lavender roses. Aurelia pursed her lips, the crease between her brows deepening. A wave of nostalgia sent shivers down her spine. How could I forget such a symbol? It was almost mocking, the way she quickly connected the dots. Or was it the flutter in her pained heart, how it could still swoon was beyond her.
Madness. She thought, this rush, the turmoil. It was making her mad.
“Who ordered this?” She asked, feigning ignorance. Aurelia knew just who it was from, as there was only one man who would send her lavender roses. She knew. She knew it so well, and yet she wished she was wrong. Anything to soothe the growing ache in her chest.
“Compliments of the hotel, madam,” the staff member replied with a warm smile.
Lies.
“Are you sure about that?” Aurelia opened the door wide, taking a defensive stance as she crossed her arms against her chest.
The staff’s smile wavered, awkwardly shuffling on her feet.
“I’m not sure, madam. The instructions were to deliver it to your room at this time.”
Aurelia narrowed her eyes, inspecting the roses. It was just like the ones that were delivered to her apartment. It seemed like so long now, but not much time had passed had it?
It wasn’t long since he intruded on her life, her thoughts, her body…. and now…..
Her fingers drifted over the soft petals, its alluring fragrance lingering on her skin. Amidst the blooms, a small card caught her attention. She immediately recognized the smooth signature.
Aurelia sucked in a sharp breath.
She knew. On she knew it so well. Yet her heart hitched.
“Thank you.” Aurelia took the flowers and closed the door a little too hard, cursing herself for getting flustered as she peeled the card open.
“Dinner. Tonight. 7 PM. Rooftop. Come alone. – Luke”
Oh, how she hated the subtle excitement that came with the dread pooling in her stomach. Aurelia tucked the card away, bringing a bouquet of roses to her chest. She shamelessly hugged it, seeking some kind of comfort as she fought back tears.
It was too late for her to run now.
Neither time nor luck was on her side. In a battle of emotions, she had to wield a shield in her shaky hands, protecting herself, although already destroyed.
***
Aurelia stood at the entrance of the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, glaring at her reflection in the glass door.
She ran her shaky hands over her dress, angling her head to inspect her makeup, hoping it hid the dark circles under her eyes.
Through the glass, she saw Luke. His back was turned to her, waiting as he sat at a decorated table.
Aurelia took a deep breath, readying herself and her mind.
As she walked into the restaurant, Luke shifted in his seat to look at her, his expression unreadable.
Aurelia took her seat, forcing her shoulders to relax and she pretended to be awed at the marvelous establishment. It was as classy as every other spot in the hotel, but she didn’t care much about it tonight. Rather she was more focused on the impromptu invitation.
The silence continued as Luke signaled for a waitress to bring their food; An elaborate meal of pasta and steak, coupled with sparkling champagne.
Aurelia waited for Luke to speak, but he began to eat silently, not sparing her glance. It hurt her, his nonchalance, and she increasingly felt ibis in with each passing moment. Aurelia couldn’t touch her food, God forbid she tried to force it down her throat and end up throwing up due to nervousness.
Instead, she fiddled with her stake, throwing uneasy glances at the man before her. The CEO looked rather relaxed, and stunning as always. He wore a turtleneck shirt and an expensive grey coat, as effortlessly handsome as ever.
She took a small sip of her drink, but couldn’t register the taste. She had a really bad feeling about this dinner. It gnawed at her, making it harder for her to maintain her composure.
After partially finishing his meal, Luke set his cutlery down, finally raising his gaze to meet hers.
“Do you have feelings for me?”
Aurelia jolted, her shoulders stiffening.
Luke took note of this subtle reaction and raised a brow.
“Aurelia.” He said in a warning tone, as if he’d proposed a dangerous deal. “Do you have feelings for me?”