By the time he refocused, her hand was already on the handle.
He moved quickly.
Crossing the space in two long strides, Aidan reached the car before she could open it. He leaned one arm against the door, blocking it with casual ease.
The metal clicked softly beneath his weight.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
"Seat in front." He asked softly.
"It's fine." She replied.
"I am not your driver. Please sit in front."
"Don't regret it, then." She hushed in a low voice and then sat in front.
She tried squeezing herself so the gear shift was not touched. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not fit. Embarrassed. She waited for him to come and realize.
Aidan tied his seatbelt and started the car. He noticed Raven was hardly breathing. "Hey, relax."
Raven let out her breath and noticed it was an automatic gear. Her eyelids fluttered. She was quiet for a long time. Aidan tried to speak to her, but her gaze remained fixated on the rearview mirror.
"So, what have you been up to all these years?" Aidan asked, his fingers tapping at the steering wheel.
"Nothing much…"
"Care to tell me something interesting?"
"I have none."
"You've published three books."
Raven laughed dryly.
"What?" Aidan asked.
"There is nothing interesting about it."
"You used to talk a lot, you know."
"Hmph…"
"Oh? I see, you are tired." He nodded.
Aidan couldn't bring her to engage in a conversation with him; he stopped wasting his effort and drove straight to a multilevel jeweler showroom.
She didn't react. Aidan got out of his car and then opened the door for her. "Come."
"Where?"
"Just follow me."
He led her to the top floor and slipped a fifty into the salesperson's hand.
"Show Madam some pieces that would go well with her outfit."
Without waiting for a reply, Aidan turned toward the corridor leading to the washroom. He hadn't noticed that Raven hadn't followed him.
The salesman glanced around, spotted another well-dressed woman nearby, and immediately assumed she was the "madam" Aidan had mentioned.
He approached her with a respectful smile.
"Madam, these pieces are part of the collection reserved for our loyal customers."
He led her toward the VIP section.
Meanwhile, Raven finally entered the showroom, looking around in mild confusion.
A female salesperson approached her with a practiced smile.
"What would you like to see, madam?"
"Um… Aidan?" Raven looked around the room, searching for him, but he was nowhere in sight.
After a moment she gave up and sat down at the nearest counter.
"Could you bring me some water?" she asked quietly.
The saleswoman nodded and walked away.
Raven waited.
Her gaze drifted across the showroom until it settled on an elderly couple standing at another display counter. The woman was examining a diamond necklace—three delicate layers set with small rubies that caught the light whenever she moved.
"What do you think, hon?" the woman asked her husband.
He was busy on the phone, responding only with an absent hum.
Raven studied the necklace for a moment, then offered the woman a polite smile.
"It's beautiful," she said gently. "But I think the sapphire one might suit you even better."
The woman turned to her with interest.
"Really?"
"Yes." Raven pointed toward another piece in the display. "That one."
The salesman assisting the couple lifted the necklace from the case.
"This design is part of a collaboration with a famous painter," he explained.
Raven leaned slightly closer to look.
"It resembles Ustad Mansur's style," she said with quiet excitement. "And look—there's a tiny lotus charm hidden in the design."
The woman tried it on.
"Hon, this looks lovely on you," her husband said after finally ending his call.
"We'll take this one."
They paid and left.
A few minutes later, Aidan returned.
"Raven, what did you choose?"
He looked toward the display counter, where the salesman was carefully packing away several pieces.
"Did Madam not like any of those?" Aidan asked.
Raven opened her mouth to explain.
"Um—"
But before she could finish, the salesman from earlier waved Aidan over.
"Sir," he said enthusiastically, "madam has selected three pieces."
"I'm not with him," the other woman said quickly, clearing up the misunderstanding.
The salesman froze, then pressed his lips together awkwardly.
"Sorry, sir."
Aidan clicked his tongue in mild irritation before walking back to Raven.
"What were you doing all this time?" he asked, taking a seat beside her.
He gestured subtly to the nearby salesman.
"Bring the pieces here."
"Madam, you were looking at the Ustad Mansur collection earlier; there is another set. Would you like to see it?" The saleswoman presented another piece of necklace, which looked heavier and more expensive than the previous one.
"Set that aside then." Aidan said, "I said something that goes with her outfit."
"Are you buying for me?" Raven, astonished, immediately reacted, "No, I don't need anything. I can't afford these." She whispered.
"You don't have to pay." Aidan said, skimming through the catalogs, and he pointed at a locket, "Do you have this one?"
"Yes, sir." The saleswoman smiled.
"No, stop. I don't want anything." Raven stormed out.
Aidan rolled his eyes, played with his tongue, and handed a card at the billing counter and a business card. "You can deliver this right?"
"Sure, sir." The salesman nodded.
"I want that jade bracelet now."
Aidan grabbed the bracelet and rushed out.
Raven was waiting at the roadside, talking to a taxi driver, negotiating. Aidan grabbed her arm and asked, "What was that?"
"Listen, Aidan, I am sorry. You were just being unreasonable. I don't want anything." Raven apologized.
"Not about that… You were about to ditch me?" Aidan asked, and Raven glanced at the taxi driver, who drove off.
Raven looked away.
Aidan stopped on his way to a boutique and then threw it in the back seat.
"Raven, do you know this conference is important for our family?" Aidan popped the question as they reached closer to the hotel, which was also the venue for the conference.
As soon as the car stopped, Raven opened the door and disappeared from his sight.
Aidan frowned slightly. Somehow, that question had offended her.