Chapter 34: Moonlight And Mandates
That was when Aliana released another sigh and told Jade everything that had happened over the past two days at the conference.
She included the fact that she had almost been pushed by an evil spirit, only for Gavriel to save her, and recounted their little exchange on the hotel balcony the previous evening.
Jade fell silent for a mont before speaking. "I can’t believe you just went up and confronted him like that. Of course, he isn’t going to reveal anything to you when he barely even knows you."
"I know," Aliana replied, letting out another sigh. "But my goal was to observe his reaction when I brought it up. Although... I didn’t ntion the part about the ghosts disappearing whenever he appears."
"But that could just be a coincidence," Jade countered. "It’s only happened once in front of you, and the first ti, you didn’t even see it."
"I’m aware, but... sothing tells
there is more to him than he is willing to show," Aliana replied before pressing her lips together in thought.
"So, how was he today? You must have seen him at the conference again, right?" Jade asked, curiosity lacing her voice.
"Oh, he didn’t show up today," Nigel replied quickly.
"Really? That’s odd," Jade said, narrowing her eyes slightly. "He skips a day right after that conversation with you. No wonder you’ve been looking irritated this entire ti."
"I’m only annoyed that I couldn’t observe more about the ghosts disappearing wherever he appears. But one thing is clear, since he didn’t show up today, the ghosts around were more than happy to annoy the hell out of
with their constant whining," Aliana said.
"At least there’s so silver lining to it," Jade comnted.
"Hm," Aliana humd, her eyes drifting to the ti. "Alright, I need to go et another suitor. I just hope this one doesn’t turn out like the last one, who spent two hours explaining why our marriage would be ideal for optimal jawline inheritance."
"Seriously, there are a bunch of crazies out there," Jade replied, rolling her eyes.
"Tell
about it," Aliana agreed, echoing the gesture. "Alright, I have to go, J."
"Yes, have fun!" Jade blew her a flying kiss before the screen went dark.
Nigel had already organised the files in her room, placing them in a neat stack on the table. "Alright, boss, good luck! I’ll take my leave then. Do call
if you need anything. I’ll co running, even if I’m at my spa appointnt."
"Hm. Maybe it’s ti for you to get a raise, Nigel." Aliana picked up her silver clutch and headed toward the door of her suite.
"Really?" Nigel’s eyes glead with pure excitent at the ntion of a raise.
"Yes, and don’t worry about tonight. Just enjoy your spa. There’s nothing I haven’t handled before," Aliana replied nonchalantly as she opened the door, with Nigel following her out.
"Ah, you’re the best boss. I hope you enjoy your evening. But I’ll co running if you call, so just let
know," Nigel said.
"Alright, I will," Aliana replied with a small smile before turning and heading towards the dining hall for yet another dinner.
When Aliana stepped into the private section of the dining hall, she was greeted by a candlelit setting and a small balcony overlooking the moonlit sea.
Her gaze shifted to the man waiting for her. He wore a crisp white shirt with the top buttons undone, paired with a sharp black blazer and tailored trousers. His neck-length red hair was perfectly styled.
Upon hearing her footsteps, the man’s light blue eyes turned toward her, and for a mont, he was visibly stunned.
Aliana was breathtaking in a sleek, floor-length gown of soft, icy lavender. The halter neckline and fitted bodice flowed into cascading fringe layers that shimred and danced with every step, creating a look that was both dramatic and refined. She had paired the dress with matching heels and her silver clutch.
Julian Blackwood quickly recovered from his brief stupor and stepped forward to et her halfway. "Miss Aliana, lovely of you to make ti this evening for dinner," he said, a charming smile gracing his lips.
He extended his hand towards her, and she placed hers in his. He bent slightly, pressing a light kiss to it before straightening.
"Of course, Mr Julian. Since I committed to this appointnt, it was only right that I kept my word," Aliana replied gracefully.
Julian gave her a small, appreciative nod and moved to her side of the table to pull out her chair.
"Please," he gestured for her to take a seat. Aliana offered a small smile before settling in and murmuring a thank you.
Once she was seated, a server approached the table to take their orders. When he returned with their drinks, Julian and Aliana began to chat, trading basic questions.
It was a shallow exchange, considering they both knew the answers already. In the world of the elite, it was standard practice to conduct thorough background checks on one another before ever agreeing to mingle.
"I don’t think I saw you at the conference before now," Aliana stated after taking an elegant sip of her wine.
"Yes, I actually just arrived this afternoon. I was overseas on other business-related matters for Blackwood Industries, hence the delay," Julian replied smoothly, his charming smile never wavering.
He leaned in slightly, adding, "I heard from my father that you were exceptional during your presentation yesterday."
"Oh," Aliana chuckled slightly before responding. "Yes, I had a chance to interact with your father yesterday. He seed quite pleased at the ti... so much so that he expressed a keen interest in doing business with the Van Empire."
"My father is an excellent judge when it cos to scouting for the right business partners. He has always believed a deal can only truly be successful when done with the right kind of people, regardless of a company’s performance."
"That is a healthy perspective," Aliana comnted with a small, approving nod.
They fell into a brief silence as the server arrived with their dinner.
Once they were alone again, Julian gazed at Aliana with genuine interest. "So, I have heard that you’ve been searching for a potential suitor for a while now and t with so yesterday."
Aliana paused, her hand hovering just above her cutlery, and looked up. "Yes, I have been," she replied honestly.
Julian smiled. "If you don’t mind
asking, how has that gone so far?"
"It went well," Aliana replied.
Julian raised a brow, clearly unconvinced. "Hmm... I feel there’s more to it than just well."
When she didn’t respond, he let out a light chuckle. "Don’t worry, Miss Aliana, I’m not here to judge. I was hoping for an honest conversation. As you know, that’s quite rare in our circle."
He paused briefly before adding, "And from what I’ve heard, you’re not soone who hesitates to speak her mind."
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