Chapter 19 Aaron Was Right

Just before the close of the workday, Eleanor was summoned by Director Thompson to her office, who invited her to join in trying on engagement dresses.

"I'm sorry, Director Thompson, I need to pick up a car over lunch at the dealership, so I probably can't join you," Eleanor apologized.

Vincent looked disappointed, grasping Eleanor's hand. "Yan, can I call you that? I've just returned from abroad and don't have many friends. You know men like your brother have no sense of style, certainly not as refined as yours. Please, could you help me out?"

Eleanor didn't feel they were close enough for such familiarity. "I'm really not sure that's a good—"

Just then, Vincent's phone rang.

Eleanor, standing close, could see 'Aaron' marked on the inbound call.

"Hey, Aaron, have you arrived?" Vincent answered.
"Hmm, I wanted Eleanor to keep an eye on things for me, but she said something came up and she can't make it. Can you try to persuade her?"

On the other end, Vincent couldn't make out what was said, but he handed the phone to Eleanor with a beaming smile, "Aaron wants to talk to you."

Eleanor, unsure of what Aaron intended but not wanting to seem resistant in front of Vincent, took the phone and obediently called out, "Aaron."

"Got cold feet?"

Eleanor clenched the phone. She knew Aaron was baiting her, but she couldn't let on and meekly replied, "I need to pick up my car, I've been waiting for days. I can't wait any longer."

Aaron chuckled at her soft-spoken words, clearly furious, yet she was putting on quite the act!

"The car will be fetched by Wesley. What's your excuse now?"

"It's no bother for Fioria, I'll handle it myself."

"Eleanor," Aaron suddenly said, "Who was bragging about not caring last night? Is this your so-called easy come, easy go attitude?"

Eleanor braced herself internally; this man was provoking her, trying to either make her lose her composure in front of Vincent or bend to his will.

"Fine, I'll go," Eleanor conceded.

He had won.

Vincent looped his arm through Eleanor's, his face lighting up with joy, "That's wonderful, Eleanor, thank you so much."

They descended the stairs together, and Aaron's car was already waiting outside the company.

Eleanor thought it was quite the rarity: Aaron, who was used to having people wait on him, was willingly waiting for a woman.

The chauffeur stepped out to open the door, and as she glanced inside, she took in the sight of Aaron in his black suit and a dark grey coat, the sunset casting a soft light through the window, illuminating the blue sapphire on his tie pin with a cool radiance that added a mysterious and imposing aura.

The extended sedan offered a spacious interior. Following Vincent, Eleanor got into the car, sitting across from Aaron.

The temperature had dropped suddenly that day, and Nan City had plunged into late fall. Eleanor only realized how cold it was when she left the office, without the chance to go home for warmer clothes.

She was dressed lightly, having sneezed several times upon leaving the office. With a slightly reddened nose and a hint of moisture on her eyelashes, she resembled a pitiful little kitten.

"Are you cold?" The man's deep, soothing voice held a particularly captivating charm.

Eleanor blinked in surprise.

"I'm fine," said Vincent, snuggling closer to Aaron's arm.

That's when Eleanor noticed Aaron's gaze was on Vincent—he was asking Vincent, not her. She looked away, her attention drifting to the ceaseless flow of traffic and the couples teasing each other on the streets.
"Let's get some food before we head out to try on clothes," Aaron released Vincent's grip from his arm and picked up a stack of documents to review.

Vincent embodied the role of the demure partner with ease. "I wouldn't have dragged you out if I'd known how swamped you are. You work too hard."

Skimming through the files with efficiency, Aaron replied without missing a beat, "It's nothing."

Vincent felt a stir of affection mixed with sympathy, giving Eleanor an awkward glance. "Eleanor's still here, and you're all lovey-dovey."

Aaron finally gave Eleanor a meaningful look, and joked, "She's seen it all by now. Nothing will shock her."

"Exactly, Mr. Thompson, you don't have to hold back on my account. Pretend I'm not here," Eleanor said with a straightforward confidence, brushing off Aaron's subtle derision.

Setting down the paperwork and fiddling with a Green Diamonds ring, Aaron's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Show some respect. You'll be calling her 'second sister-in-law' in a month. Might as well get used to it."

"Aaron, I'm in no rush," Vincent mumbled, bashful.

Eleanor clenched her fist in her pocket as her phone buzzed. She pulled it out to see a Facebook message from Edward.

A candid photo appeared—Grayson with a red bucket stuck on his head, soaking wet and scrambling to get up, a picture of total disarray.

Edward's message came through next. Eleanor absentmindedly clicked on it, and before she knew it, his soothing voice filled the air, "Grayson tripped and took a dive right into the unemptied footbath from last night."

She couldn't hold back a snort of laughter, quickly muffling it with the back of her hand and turning to stare out the car window.

She was the butt of Grayson's jokes for her easy laughter—and she couldn't help it again, giggling uncontrollably with tears gleaming at the corner of her eyes.

"Eleanor, something funny?" Vincent teased, throwing a glance at Aaron, still focused on his documents, then back to Eleanor with a playful wink.

Eleanor pocketed her phone, her smile telling but her lips sealed.

But that smile, to some, was as good as a confession—a silent acknowledgment that spoke volumes.

The car rolled into one of Nan City's most prestigious hotels—an imposing residential haven.
Eleanor accidentally overheard that Aaron and Vincent's engagement party would be held here.

The manager, hearing that Aaron would be arriving, quickly rushed to the door to greet them and personally showed them to the private room.

Not long after they sat down, Wesley came in and handed Eleanor a set of car keys, "Miss Patterson, everything's been taken care of. Here are your keys, your car is in the parking lot."

Eleanor smiled as she took them, "Thank you."

Dish after dish arrived at the table, but they were all things she didn't care to eat.

"Eleanor, why aren't you eating anything? Is it not to your taste?" Vincent said as he placed a bowl of soup next to Aaron.

Considering Aaron had chosen the restaurant and likely the menu, Eleanor pushed her white rice around and reluctantly picked up a piece of monkfish liver, "No, it's quite nice."

"If it's nice, have some more." Aaron gave the lazy Susan a spin. Whether intentionally or not, he landed a plate of lobster tail right in front of her.

Eleanor's chopsticks paused mid-air.

She never ate shrimp.

Well, not never.

At least, not before the Quinn family took her and her mother in, back when her dad was still alive. Her family used to run a shrimp farm, quite a sizeable one. She had a happy and prosperous childhood, filled with the bustling sounds of their farm. Then one day, a delivery worker got injured, and her father had to deliver the shrimp to the hotel himself. On the way, he died in a car accident.

Since then, she lost her dad and never touched shrimp again.

Her gaze met Aaron's indifferent one across the table, and her eyes brimmed with warmth.