Chapter 37
Eliana’s heart skipped a beat, but she forced her expression into perfect calm. She handed him the coffee. “You misheard, Mr. Turner. We were discussing a fictional character. My apologies for any misunderstanding.”
Nathan’s smile deepened as he watched her deliver the blatant lie with a straight face.
He decided not to press the issue for now.
He glanced at the coffee she offered. “Keep it. I don’t want it. You two can have them.”
Beside them, Irene was practically floating on a cloud of her own romantic delusion.
“Ow, Irene! You’re breaking my hand!” Eliana yelped, pulling her arm free.
“Sorry!” Irene loosened her grip, her eyes sparkling. “I’m just so thrilled! See? He remembers! He always bought coffee for both of us back then, one for you, one for me.
“Eliana, I told you he came back for you! Who says a decade is enough to forget? Some people are just wired for loyalty.”
Eliana couldn’t stand it any longer. She clapped a hand over Irene’s mouth.
Irene was a fantastic friend, but when she got invested in a potential couple, there was no stopping her, no matter how embarrassing she made it for everyone involved.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Turner,” she said, muffling Irene’s protests. “My friend isn’t quite… herself today. I should take her home.”
She tried to drag Irene away, but Nathan’s voice stopped her. “I need to speak with you. If your friend requires medical attention, I can call my personal physician.”
Irene indignantly pried Eliana’s hand away. “Hey! Am I just a prop in your little drama? Can’t you involve me in a nicer plotline? Does it have to be a mental health issue?”
Nathan couldn’t suppress a low chuckle. “If you were entirely sane, you’d have excused yourself by now.”
Irene’s mind raced between righteous anger and fangirl euphoria. The euphoria won. “You know what? Fair point. Eliana, I’m out. You guys talk.”
She strode off before Eliana could stop her.
Left with no choice, Eliana turned back to Nathan. “What else did you need, Mr. Turner?”
Nathan said, “To take you for a fitting. For tonight’s gala.”
His words sent a strange, electric jolt through her.
Eliana wasn’t normally obsessed with gowns, but in this circle, certain attire was mandatory armor.
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Chapter 37
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Painful memories churned inside her. She took a deep breath to push them down and nodded, falling into step beside him.
Noticing her distant expression, Nathan knew she was likely thinking about Logan again. A flicker of annoyance rose within him.
He glanced at the untouched coffee in her hand. “What? Tastes changed? Don’t like it anymore?”
Eliana looked down at the cup, finally pierced the lid with the straw, and took a sip.
The warm liquid slid down her throat, anchoring her, pulling her back from the edge of those bitter recollections.
“Let’s go,” Nathan said, his tone softening slightly as he saw her relax.
They arrived at the boutique. Eliana wasn’t expecting much, but the moment she saw the gown, her eyes widened in genuine shock.
Even with her faded connection to that circle, she could instantly tell this dress cost a fortune.
For a fleeting moment, she wondered if he’d had it made specifically for her. She couldn’t help but look at him.
Meeting her gaze, Nathan merely raised an eyebrow. “What? Did you think I’d let my date wear anything less? This is my first gala since returning. I’m not about to let anyone else steal the spotlight.”
The explanation made perfect sense. Eliana said nothing more and followed the sales assistant to try it on.
Years of motherhood had left little time for elaborate dressing, and she hadn’t worn anything this intricate in ages.
She worried her figure might have changed, but her fears were instantly dispelled by the sales assistants‘ excited whispers.
One of the sales assistants praised, “Ms. Lyons, your figure is incredible. It’s honestly to die for!”
The other chimed in, “Absolutely! Mr. Turner gave us measurements from years ago and was worried they might be off. Thank goodness we didn’t adjust too much, or the dress would be swimming on you.”
“Ms. Lyons, you can stay exactly the same after all this time. It’s amazing,” another amazed.
Their chatter gave Eliana pause. “You mean… this dress was ordered a long time ago?”
The sales assistant replied, “Yes! The craftsmanship is incredibly complex. We heard our global director commissioned a top designer. It took nearly half a year to complete.
“Timeline–wise, that was right around when Mr. Turner started planning his return.”
Half a year…
Eliana turned the phrase over in her mind.
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Chapter 37
For some reason, the first thing that popped into her head was Isabella’s return timeline.
That was also about half a year ago.
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She thought, ‘So, Nathan had begun planning his return then too. Could it really be such a coincidence?‘
Lost in thought, she stayed silent as the sales assistants finished dressing her.
Their renewed exclamations finally pulled her back to the present.
One exclaimed, “Stunning, Ms. Lyons! Mr. Turner has impeccable taste, in both gowns and companions.”
The other agreed, “It’s like this dress was made for you. Honestly, I’ve seen it all in this job, thought nothing could surprise me anymore… but you just took my breath away.”
Assuming it was just professional flattery, Eliana paid the praise little mind.
The fitting room door opened. Hearing the sound, Nathan glanced up. His breath caught in his throat.
Even after all these years, she could still take his breath away just as easily.
He found it nearly impossible to look away.
