Chapter 69: Lucas: Black on gold
EVERYTHING IS ready for the event tomorrow. The tables and chairs have been set, the people have been given their tasks, the invites have been completely sent, the program is ready, the food plan is laid out and so are the venue designs.
The only thing that’s out of place would be Iris and her rhinestones. I told her they would be available for her in ti, but I’m not even sure if Bella has them too yet.
Calling her number, I place my hand on the cream wall in Dad’s kitchen. I’m making green tea for him. We’ve just finished discussing tomorrow evening’s agenda and execution of plans and I was now watching a movie with him.
But that was before he asked for tea and Iris called to tell
she needed rhinestones. Now I have sothing heavy on my plate before I can finally relax with Dad.
"Lucas baby!" Bella shrieks into the phone making
cringe. I’ll never get used to her calling
in a nasal tone.
"Hi, Bell."
"Getting impatient already? We’ll et tomorrow, okay, so be on your best behavior and wear sothing sexy underneath your suit. I don’t want to cringe when I see your—"
"I have soone I like."
The phone goes silent. Only the sound of her breath is coming from the other side.
"W-wow, congrats. Who is she? Do I know her?"
"No, you don’t, but she’s coming to the event with
as her date tomorrow."
A cough escapes from Bella. "Is she beautiful? I can’t have you dumping
for so ugly freak living around town."
There she goes again. People think Bella is only a fashionista, that she only cares about her clothes and her looks, but she’s actually a beauty critic—the devilish ones who undermine people and tell them to get makeovers every chance they get.
I have no idea what made us start hooking up every ti we t, but if I were to do it all over again, I’d have stopped right on our first encounter.
"She is too beautiful for you, and it’s all natural."
"Black or white?"
"Biracial."
"Oh," she lets out a huff. "That makes total sense. You got a bit of each race."
"Tell
about it."
Silence.
"Anyways, the reason I called is because she has fallen short of rhinestones for her dress and the malls downtown don’t have any. Could you lend
so of yours?"
"Why would I help my competitor?" Bella asks, before greeting soone in the background and coming back to her phone. "Tell
Andrews, shy would I help a girl who’s stealing my friend away from ?"
I can already tell it’s going to be a long night tomorrow from her tone. Rolling my eyes and leaning my back on the wall instead, I look at the ceiling, an annoyed expression on my face.
"If you don’t want to help just say so, I won’t kill you."
"Well, okay. I’ll see you tomorrow, so make sure you’re dressed nicely okay? And co in stealth mode, because we might have to disappear from your mistress. Goodbye then."
And the call ends there.
To think all of that hard work i put into making Iris comfortable around
might actually go to waste because of one selfish woman. Not to brag, but is it so wrong to be good in bed?
Fuck. This shit just got complicated.
Ruffling my hair, I turn to the now boiling jug of water next to the air fryer. Switching it off, I fill Dad’s mug with water and head over to the living room. Unlike how I like mine, Dad’s tea is always bland—with little to no sugar in it.
"Thank you," he accepts the mug from .
"Dad, do you have any designer who might help
with rhinestones?" I waste no ti. Iris might be waiting for them at her house as we speak.
"Yes, let
give you his contact details," he takes out his phone and puts on his glasses so he can rummage through his list. "What do you need them for anyway?"
"They’re for Iris, not ."
"Mhmm," Dad hums, " are you planning to propose with these cheap stones are you?"
"What, no! She wants to put them on her dress for tomorrow."
"Oh. Now I get it. Ah, here’s the number."
Taking the phone, I pat his back lightly. "Thanks, Dad."
Not wasting ti, I imdiately call the number and in re seconds, secure the rhinestones for Iris.
"We got the rhinestones, Dad."
"Good for you," he replies in a tone I can only perceive as bitter, not taking his eyes off the TV.
"I’ll send Paul to collect them and forward them to Iris."
"Okay, but make sure you ask her if she got them, okay?"
"Yes, Dad. Now stop worrying and let’s watch movies."
It’s noon by the ti Paul calls and tells
he got the rhinestones. Dad and I are still watching his favorite K-drama, and I’m a bit engrossed in it.
It’s rare for him and
to hang out and because of that, I sideline handing Iris the rhinestones by myself. I send Paul instead.
But even then, I still don’t manage to spend the evening with him. A ssage cos from Priyanka saying she’s done with the necklace and she wants my approval on it.
In the end, I have to say my goodbyes and leave him watching the drama alone whilst I drive to Priyankas, excitent flooding my veins when I arrive at the edifice.
"Welco back, Lucas," Priyanka gives
her glassy smile, leading
to her quarters.
As one of her VIP clients, I get special treatnt, which I really need at the mont because I’m nervous.
We enter the office, a minimalist piece with white and gold as its main colors. Plastered on the walls are the drawings of her masterpiece designs, cased in fras that look expensive to the touch.
"You may sit here," Priyanka gestures at the seat facing her desk, a lean shiny brown one half the size of mine with all the right accessories any business owner needs to have.
Turning around, she disappears out of my sight, bending so she can open a drawer and take out a high-quality black box tied with a ribbon with the na of her brand written in bold gold letters.
Slowly undoing the ribbon, Priyanka opens the box, tilting it so I can have a clear view of the contents inside. When I nod in satisfaction, she proceeds to take the necklace out.
Gold glimrs in the light of her office, and so does the diamond stuck between the heart-shaped middle piece. I stare at it in awe, hands getting sweaty from the prospect in my head of wanting to touch it.
"How is it?" Priyanka asks, a business smile playing on her lips.
"Before I answer, can you flip it around?" I question. It doesn’t take her long to know what I’m talking about before she turns the heart shape around, revealing the ssage engraved on its back in cursive.
Black on Gold. It’s a fucking masterpiece. I stare at it for what seems like an eternity, lost for words at its creation. I can see Iris blushing when she sees it, then I’ll flip it around and boom, I’ll confess to her.
"Beautiful...It’s beautiful Priyanka," I cut the silence, making her let out a breath she had been holding all this ti.
"Thank goodness you like it. I was beginning to think I’d ssed up sowhere down the crafting."
"Oh, no. It’s fucking beautiful. Forgive my cursing, but I’m just too excited. I know Iris is gonna love it."
"Iris is a lucky woman," Priyanka turns the necklace to show
the glimring front. "Not many n co here to buy their won such perfectly designed jewelry with love affirmations behind it."
"Thank you," I smile at her. "I just hope she can see how much I love her every ti she wears it."
"Trust , she will. And don’t worry, even if her eyes are a bit blind, the weight of the necklace around her neck will serve as a fitting reminder instead. I made sure the words engraved on the back can be felt with hands just in case she wants to rub on it any ti of the day."
My eyes grow wide. "You did not...can I touch it?"
Smiling, Priyanka hands
the necklace and I turn it around, placing my finger on the tiny words and closing my eyes. True to their creator’s words, the affirmations I had engraved on the back are just the right amount of friction to allow
to read them without opening my eyes.
"Wow, I can feel it."
"That’s not all," Priyanka makes
flip my eyes open.
"What else is there?"
"You see the little line right between the piece holding the rock and the rest of the gold? Place the tip of your nail in there."
I do as I’m told and in that mont, a small click cos from the necklace as it opens wide. Then my mouth drops. Between the necklace on each side of it is mine and Iris’ na written in black, with an artistic feature that looks like a heart cut in two separating them.
If I’m getting emotional looking at it, I can only guess how much my crybaby will react when she sees this.
"Please send
your bank account this instant. I feel like tipping you."
Priyanka claps her hands and in a few monts, soone cos in with a tablet and places it on the table in front of . With a few swipes, I give her the tip and she personally wraps it for
before sending
out like so big shot the world has to bow to.
Then again, I am a fucking big shot.
When I leave her company, I feel like I’m on cloud nine. I already have a good feeling about how this event will turn out. If all goes well, I might be a taken man by the end of tomorrow.
My phone chis and I take it out of my pocket, to see a ssage from Iris.
IRIS: Thank you. I got the stones.
Before I even reply to Iris’ ssage, another one cos from Bella. I roll my eyes when I see it, clenching my teeth at the unnecessary drama that’s about to unfold tomorrow.
Bella: Can’t wait to see you tomorrow *kiss emoji*.
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