CHAPTER 141: TOGETHER

On the terrace at Emeralds,

A gust swept in, scattering rose petals into the air like confetti. A candle stand clattered down, followed by the dull crash of a glass centerpiece tipping over and smashing to the floor.

Aveline flinched, her eyes wide. She had completely forgotten the season when planning.

Just seconds ago, she had been admiring the terrace come to life, where polished crystal met flickering candlelight, and the city skyline painted a regal backdrop. She had even imagined bringing Alaric there someday, showing him what she had built with her own hands, from nothing.

But now...

Her eyes involuntarily brushed over the staff who had worked so hard. They looked equally stunned.

Panic slammed into her chest. Hot, sharp, like a slap. Her breath caught, and for a moment, it almost won. But then she closed her eyes and told herself, "No need to panic, Aveline. Not now."

She had two options. Shift everything indoors and explain herself to the client... or manage with minimal adjustments and never let anyone know she had miscalculated like a rookie.

Her eyes opened. The wind tugged at the ends of her hair. But her expression remained steady.

The staff stared at her, not with concern, but with anticipation. They were waiting. If she cracked, they would too.

But she didn’t. She stepped forward without losing an ounce of composure and spoke with clear, firm authority. "You two, clean the glass. Please be careful." She pointed swiftly, and they immediately got to work.

She continued, "You, gather the scattered arrangements. The rest, come here, we need to rearrange the decor."

As she issued directions to the staff, her fingers were already dialing on her phone.

She spoke as soon as she heard the distant voice from the phone, "Nolan, remember those window panels we saw at the Glass Decor vendor? Yes. I need them. All of them. Contact them and ask them to deliver right now. Payment can be doubled. I’ll authorize it."

She hung up the call once she heard the response and moved swiftly.

A lot of adjustments were made, anchors added, and most of the vases were repositioned. They had no time to breathe.

A few minutes later, "Let’s fix it together," Scarlett said. She had come to cheer her friend immediately, but got to work when the situation demanded.

Tara, who was responsible for recording the content for social media, ran over to the terrace. "I’m here," she announced and began helping as she spoke to Aveline, "Also, Ms. Laurent. You look beautiful, panicking in silence."

Scarlett burst into laughter at the corner.

Aveline had no time to bother. "I wasn’t panicking," yet she replied flatly, even as she fast-walked to rearrange a row of low floral runners.

Tara ran behind her with a tall glass holder as she asked, "Should we mention this on social media?" She placed the holder on the table and faced Aveline. "A quick solution would attract attention and engagement."

Aveline passed by her as she responded curtly, "No."

Disappointed, "Okay," Tara muttered dryly.

And then, she had just straightened her back. She caught the man leaning against the wall, arms crossed, candlelight dancing along the sharp lines of his blazer.

And watching her for how long?

She had no idea.

She couldn’t understand how he finds her wherever she goes. She raised her brows, asking quietly, "How is everything?"

Alaric moved, watching her against the setting sun that was coloring the sky in golden hues. She glowed golden when the light of candles reflected on the window panels and colored her frame.

He wasn’t sure what made her look breathtaking even if he was watching her for the nth time. Anyway, he just admired her.

Her hair tied in a messy bun, beads of sweat clinging to the edge of her face, her eyes sparkling brighter than candles. She was just magnificent, completely unaware of how the chaos around her only made her shine brighter.

Aveline didn’t even notice his eyes move away from her; it only made her lips curl higher as he covered the distance.

She was about to break the silence, Aveline opened her mouth to tease, but stopped when he reached into his blazer pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. With gentle fingers, he dabbed her forehead.

"You should be commanding the room." His voice was soft.

Aveline breathed out slowly. She didn’t respond to his words; rather she asked out of curiosity, "How do you always find me?" She hadn’t told him about her event.

Alaric glanced at her hazel eyes, soft and twinkling. He moved a bit closer and removed the clip from her hair to free the strands. As it cascaded down to her waist, with the smooth brush of his hands under her silky hair, he gently loosened her locks.

A ghost of a smile appeared on his face. He had seen her doing it and learned how to adjust her hair.

He answered only after he stepped just a little back, "Because I never stopped looking for you."

He had a meeting in Emeralds. He had seen the banner of an event with her company name, Bloom and Grace, in the hallway. So there he was.

She stared at him. He was just too smooth, turning her simple question into something meaningful with his responses.

And the way he looked at her, it wasn’t her first time, yet she was resisting the urge to grab his collar and let her lips find his.

"Don’t tempt me."

He smirked. "I already am."

She bit her tongue, looking away. He knew exactly what he was doing, yet he looked so calm and cool whereas she was untangling every knot with his every action.

Aveline nodded and sighed loudly, began ranting like a little girl. "You know, I completely forgot the season and chose the terrace. Wind knocked down the centerpiece and rose petals were in my hair. We had to redo it seventy percent."

"It’s not easy," she mused.

"I have all the time in the world," he said softly, his voice carrying the weight of promise.

Just then, soft jazz music started on the speaker and he extended his hand. As soon as her fingers slid into his palm, she gasped when he twirled her, but the next moment, she was in front of him, her arms over his shoulders and his hands resting gently on her back.

Her toes itched to get closer to feel the warmth radiating from him when his familiar scent was drawing her closer like a magnet.

"Careful, Alaric," she murmured with a mischievous tilt of her head. "You keep this up, and I might actually forget you’re bad for my self-control."

He chuckled, low and rich. "You’re the one who’s making me consider canceling a billion-dollar meeting just to keep dancing."

Aveline arched a brow, lips twitching. "You wouldn’t dare."

"Try me," he said, his eyes dark with something that looked a lot like longing.

Lost in each other, they didn’t notice the two arriving on the terrace.

...

The heels of Seraphina’s stilettos clicked softly against the terrace flooring, but her presence was a quiet storm. Draped in an evening gown of deep crimson silk, she looked regal. Diamonds glinted from her ears, and her dark hair was swept into a twisted bun so tight, it looked carved in place.

Her assistant, Mora, followed a respectful step behind, a tablet tucked in her arms, prepared to begin the final checks.

But they froze at the door.

Seraphina didn’t speak. Her eyes narrowed at the candlelit corner of the terrace, framed by flickering glass and golden shadows, where Alaric stood.

With HER?

Aveline Laurent!

Aveline was laughing quietly, her head tilted just slightly, not flirtatious, but relaxed. Her hair cascading in soft waves down her back, catching the light in warm undertones.

Alaric had his hand wrapped loosely around her waist, his fingers brushing gently across her cheek. His body leaned in, casual but unmistakably intimate, like it was the most natural place in the world to be.

And Aveline let him. She didn’t step closer, but she didn’t pull back either. She teased him instead, a soft smirk curving her lips as she murmured something that made Alaric’s eyes lighten with something rare, tender amusement.

Mora identified both Alaric and Aveline. She didn’t know what to say so she stayed quiet, behind Seraphina.

Seraphina didn’t move yet.

The air around them... It was love. Undeniably. The kind that softened gazes and made mere conversation feel like joy.

She envied them for whatever they were feeling. Because she had never fallen, never even tried. That kind of joy, she had never gotten to feel it.

Her chest tightened, then her back straightened, forcing her focus back where it belonged - herself, her goal.

The breeze tugged at her gown, but she stood rigid, expression fixed in cold disbelief. Her jaw clenched, a flicker of calculation flaring behind her sharp gaze.

She had suspected Alaric might be distracted lately, but this? This wasn’t a distraction.

This was dangerous. Not for Alaric.

The way he looked at Aveline, the way she looked back, spoke of something she couldn’t afford.

’They can’t be together,’ she thought.

Not if her plans for Alaric were to survive.