Saturday evening reached in a blur...
Jayden stood in front of the mirror, buttoning up the sleeves of his black shirt. His reflection looked sharper than usual. His hair was neatly brushed, a faint scent of cedar cologne lingering in the air. He gave a small smile.
"Not bad," he murmured to himself after staring at the mirror, then grabbed his wallet and phone.
Just as he was about to head out, his phone buzzed. It was linda.
He picked up.
"linda?"
"Jayden... Uhm... sorry, Boss!" Her voice was filled with excitent. "You won't believe what just happened today!"
Jayden chuckled. "What? Did another queue fight happen again?"
"No! Not that! The café made over $60,000 today alone," she said.
Jayden blinked. "You serious?"
"I'm not done. One custor ordered thirty-five cups of coffee and paid a hundred thousand dollars just to have them delivered to the X Ten building in Northern Cloudbridge."
Jayden whistled low. "They paid how much for coffee?"
"One hundred grand. Just coffee," linda repeated, laughing. "I double-checked the transfer. It's legit."
Jayden hesitated and nodded. "That's impressive, linda. I must say you've been doing a great job."
"You are the source of this success, sir. You deserve the praise, Boss," linda said.
Jayden could only nod to that, and they ended the call.
He bit his lip and thought about sothing for a mont. Though it wasn't about the sudden hundred-thousand-dollar inco, it was about the familiar na of the company they'd be delivering the coffee to.
"X Ten building in Northern Cloudbridge. That's the second headquarters of Vane Group, owned by Kurtis Vane," Jayden thought for a mont and nodded...
"Maybe Luka told him about it. Or the videos have started trending online," he said as he placed his phone back in his pocket and walked out of the apartnt.
He checked the ti on his watch...
"4:33... Right on schedule. Let's go win a beauty," Jayden muttered as he gave a cheeky smile.
They had agreed to be at Velmont Garden Lounge sowhere near a lake in downtown. A quiet, elegant hotel restaurant tucked into one of the quieter hills of Cloudbridge. A place with live jazz, tall candlelit windows, and soft music humming through the walls.
It was the perfect place for two curious people like them to et, even though it was Camilia who had personally chosen the venue.
Jayden arrived roughly ten minutes before 5 PM, but he had to wait for the Frost Family's only princess to arrive about thirty minutes later.
When Jayden noticed her arrival, he had to be a gentleman and quietly stood up, approaching her car.
The bodyguards attempted to open the door, but he dashed forward out of nowhere.
"Leave it to ," he said with an assuring smile.
Camilia had arrived in a Rolls-Royce Ghost, sothing quite modest for her status. It was another indication of her genuine humility, unlike most spoiled, arrogant daughters of wealthy billionaires.
When she finally stepped out, Jayden's eyes widened in amazent.
Camilia Frost was dressed in a flowing navy-blue gown that swayed gently as she turned. Her blonde hair was done simply, loosely falling down her back, and her makeup was soft, more natural than anything flashy.
But her beauty...
It was indescribable, to say the least.
"You look..." Jayden paused, staring right at her face. "Wow."
Camilia smiled, cheeks slightly flushed. "I wanted to keep it simple. Didn't want to scare you off with diamonds and glitter."
He laughed slightly.
"You could wear a sack and still outshine everyone."
Camilia couldn't help but chuckle and gave him a mock glare. "Are you always this smooth, or is it just tonight?"
Jayden raised a brow. "You tell ."
At that instant, he gave her a hand and led her to the table he had prepared.
Camilia quickly accepted and walked alongside him as they progressed into the restaurant.
They took a seat by the window, overlooking the city lights which had begun to flicker on below. The soft sounds of a saxophone filled the air, as the VVIP lounge remained as sweet as ever.
Their conversation started light... about music, about what her classes had been like during her exchange year abroad, and how she once got lost in a Conavian train station—a country far away on a different continent.
Jayden found himself genuinely enjoying her company. She wasn't arrogant. She didn't try to flaunt her family na or throw money around. In fact, she hardly ntioned being the daughter of an oil magnate from the Frost Family.
If Jayden hadn't known, he wouldn't have known.
"You're... different from what I expected," he said during dessert.
"Different how?" she tilted her head.
"I guess I thought most wealthy girls would act spoiled, entitled. But you're... grounded."
"I get that a lot," she said softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "My mom used to say, 'Don't live life looking down on people unless you're helping them up.' I've tried to live by that."
Jayden nodded slowly. "She must've been a great woman."
Camilia smiled, but her gaze lowered briefly. "She was."
Jayden suddenly realized sothing. Of course, he had wondered why she had never talked about her mother.
She was dead.
"I'm sorry about her," Jayden said sincerely and grabbed her hands, caressing them.
"It's fine. It's been four years. The pain is healed," Camilia said.
Jayden gave her a reassuring gaze and nodded.
Wanting to lift the mood, he stood and stretched out a hand. "Co on. Let's take a walk outside."
Without hesitation, Camilia stood up and took his hand.
They strolled out onto the quiet hotel garden, where lamps lit the cobblestone paths and the scent of night jasmine filled the air as it was already getting dark.
As they walked, Camilia leaned into his arm slightly.
Jayden, heart pounding, glanced at her. "So... how am I doing so far?"
Camilia gave him a short look and rolled her eyes.
"Hmm... I'd say you've earned a good place in soone's heart," she smiled.
Jayden smiled back.
"Really?"
"Yeah... You are not a punk like the rest of the boys. Most of them are rushing to because of my father's wealth and influence."
Jayden furrowed his brows at once. "Oh, so how do you know I don't have the sa intention?" he asked.
"You're different. You are a busy and independent man. If you wanted for the wealth, you should have called imdiately you got ho after I gave you my number," Camilia rolled her eyes as she suddenly reminded him of the other day.
Jayden couldn't help but laugh.
"It's funny, but at the sa ti, it's not," Camilia said, rolling her eyes again.
"Sorry, Princess," Jayden quickly apologized.
They reached a quiet gazebo, crimson light pooling over the wooden floor. Jayden looked at her, and for a mont, everything paused...
The wind, the world, their steps.
He leaned in, slowly.
She didn't back away.
Her eyes fluttered shut.
Their lips were just about to et when...
"Miss Camilia!" A voice cut through the air.
Jayden froze, pulling back slightly.
One of Camilia's bodyguards approached, looking tense.
"What is it?" she asked, her tone dipping.
"Your father just called. The Prince of Nortasia has arrived earlier than expected. He wants you ho imdiately."
Camilia's eyes widened, frustration clear on her face.
Jayden took a step back, giving her space.
"I'm... sorry," she whispered, looking at him with deep disappointnt. "I really wanted to stay."
"It's okay," Jayden said softly, but the disappointnt was clear in his eyes, even though he tried to hide it.
She nodded. "How about we et on Monday?"
"Monday," Jayden hesitated. "Sure."
"Definitely. Monday. I promise..." Camilia said.
Unexpectedly, she threw herself at him and gave him a kiss.
Though short, Jayden could clearly feel his head spinning at that instant.
With a sigh, she turned and left with her guard, leaving Jayden standing alone in the garden.
.....
Later, at the table where they had sat before leaving for the garden, Jayden sat alone with a drink on the table.
It was already beginning to get livelier, but the woman he was to be with was gone.
The city outside buzzed, but inside, at one certain table, it was just him and a half-finished bottle of wine.
One thought crossed his mind, and it was the thought about the Prince of Nortasia eting with Camilia.
That could only an one thing...
Jayden rubbed the back of his head.
"Her father must be wanting her to marry the best man in the world," he muttered.
Soon, his phone buzzed again.
He picked it up, expecting it to be Camilia.
It wasn't.
Temi.
Her ssage was short.
"I'm already in your apartnt. Hope you don't mind."
Jayden blinked.
Then the phone rang.
He answered.
"Temi?"
"Surprise!" she said in a playful voice. "I brought snacks. Thought you might want so company tonight."
Jayden's eyes broadened, as he hadn't expected her to co over.
But what would he say when it ca to a woman who had an 84% affection for him?
Being honest, it was nothing different from a wife's love for her husband.
"This system is gonna cook !"
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