As he pulled out my chair so that I could sit down, a smile formed on my face. Tilting his head with a mischievous smile, Aaron began to speak.


    <i>“</i><i>If </i>you don’t mind <i>my </i><i>asking</i>, <i>why </i><i>the </i><i>smile</i><i>?</i>”


    <i>“</i>I’m <i>just </i>a little <i>surprised </i><i>you </i><i>remembered </i><i>me</i><i>.</i>”


    Aaron gave me a sweet yet empathetic look.


    <i>“</i><i>Let’s </i><i>just </i><i>say </i><i>you </i>made <i>a </i>bit <i>of </i><i>an impression </i><i>the </i><i>first </i><i>time</i><i>. </i>I’m <i>sorry </i><i>I </i><i>didn’t </i><i>get </i>to see <i>you </i><i>again </i><i>after </i>your <i>parents </i><i>passed</i>. <i>Paul </i><i>and </i><i>Grace </i><i>met </i><i>a </i>lot <i>to </i>me.<i>” </i>


    I could feel my eyes betraying me as they began to water up. I hadn’t expected him to mention my parents, though I understood why. I was just about to excuse myself when he ced a handkerchief into my hand. After dabbing my eyes, I looked up to see a soft and empathetic pair of green eyes staring at me. I wasn’t sure why, but it felt as if he was staring directly into my soul. Wanting to break the connection, I looked around again for De. Aaron must’ve noticed.


    <i>“</i><i>Are </i><i>you </i><i>looking </i><i>for </i><i>someone</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>


    Something about his tone seemed devious.


    <i>“</i><i>Yes</i>, <i>my </i><i>assistant </i><i>De</i>. <i>She’s </i><i>never </i><ite</i><i>, </i><i>I </i><i>hope </i><i>nothing </i><i>has </i><i>happened </i><i>to </i><i>her</i>. <i>I </i><i>should </i><i>call-</i><i>” </i>


    Before I could finish my sentence, Aaron interjected.


    “That <i>won’t </i><i>be </i><i>necessary</i><i>. </i><i>I </i><i>told </i><i>Vincent </i><i>to </i>inform <i>her </i><i>she </i><i>could stay </i><i>home </i>for <i>the </i><i>evening</i>.”


    Why would he do that? Sensing my questioning look, he continued.


    “<i>I </i>wanted to be able <i>to </i><i>have </i><i>dinner</i><i>, </i><i>just </i><i>the </i><i>two </i>of <i>us</i>. <i>If </i><i>that </i><i>was </i><i>alright </i><i>with </i><i>you</i>.”


    So, we were alone!!!


    <i>“</i><i>Y</i>–Yes, of course,<i>” </i>


    After the waiters took our orders, we started having light conversation, catching up on everything that has been going on the past five years.


    <i>“</i><i>I </i>met to <i>tell </i>you, congrattions on <i>bing </i>President of Prd.”


    <i>Smiling</i>. <i>“</i>Thank <i>you</i>. Though I <i>don’t </i><i>know </i>if I deserve it.”


    Aaron’s face scrunched but then quickly rxed. As he cut into his steak, he began to speak.


    “<i>Why </i><i>do </i>you feel <i>that </i><i>way</i>?”


    “Well<i>, </i><i>I’ve </i>been gone for over <i>five </i>years, and <i>even </i><i>though </i><i>I </i>made <i>sure </i><i>to </i><i>go </i><i>to </i><i>school </i>for engineering and science, <i>I </i>haven’t had a chance to put it to good use.


    Aaron looked at me thoughtfully and then smiled. <fnd2ba> Find the newest release on f?ndnovel</fnd2ba>


    “Very true, that being said, <i>over </i><i>these </i><i>past </i><i>several </i><i>years </i><i>you’ve </i><i>stayed </i><i>in </i><i>touched </i><i>with </i><i>everything </i><i>regarding </i>Prd including stocks and <i>sales</i>.”


    His tone was so matter of fact like he knew for sure what I had been doing.


    “How <i>did </i>you know <i>that</i>?”


    His eyes had a mischievous spark to them as a smile crept onto his lips.


    <i>“</i><i>I </i>figured <i>as </i><i>much </i><i>when </i><i>you </i>made <i>that </i><i>business </i><i>proposal </i><i>regarding </i>a <i>merging </i><i>between </i><i>MGT </i><i>and </i><i>Lockwood. </i><i>It </i>very <i>detailed </i>and <i>very </i><i>impressive</i>.”


    I could feel myself blushing, ugh! Why was he having this effect on me!


    “<i>Thank </i>you. <i>It </i><i>is </i>true, I made <i>sure </i>to <i>stay </i><i>current </i><i>on </i><i>progression </i>of <i>Prd </i><i>and </i><i>my </i><i>uncle </i><i>was </i><i>nice </i><i>enough </i><i>to </i>keep me <i>informed </i>on <i>everything</i>.”


    “Well<i>, </i><i>I’d say </i><i>that sounds </i><i>like </i><i>someone </i><i>who </i><i>has </i><i>earned </i><i>her </i><i>position</i>.<i>” </i>


    His words were so resolute, like he’d known I needed to hear that.


    “<i>Though </i>I must admit, I’m <i>a </i><i>little </i><i>surprised </i><i>you’re </i><i>back </i><i>in </i><i>Convington </i><i>and </i><i>no longer </i><i>Mrs. </i><i>Lockwood</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>


    There it was. The real reason I wanted this meeting.


    “<i>That’s </i><i>actually </i><i>what </i><i>I </i><i>wanted </i><i>to </i><i>speak </i><i>with </i><i>you </i><i>about</i>. <i>I’m </i><i>sure </i><i>by </i><i>now </i><i>you’re aware </i>I’m <i>no </i><i>longer </i><i>with </i><i>Thomas </i><i>Lockwood</i>. <i>My </i><i>reasons </i><i>are </i><i>personal</i><i>, </i><i>I </i><i>hope </i><i>you </i><i>can </i><i>understand </i><i>that</i>. <i>However</i><i>, regarding </i><i>my </i><i>proposal</i><i>, </i><i>1 </i><i>put </i><i>that </i><i>together </i><i>on </i><i>the </i><i>strength </i><i>I </i><i>was </i><i>helping </i><i>my </i><i>husband</i><i>, </i><i>now </i><i>that </i><i>we’re </i><i>no </i>longer married <i>I’d </i>like <i>for </i>you to <i>withdraw</i><i>.</i><i>” </i>


    Aaron sat in silence for a few moments, his expression was hard to read. Finally, he smiled and began to speak.


    “It’s a <i>very </i>good proposal Ms. <i>Price</i>. I didn’t take <i>you </i>as a person that would make a business decision based on


    emotions.<i>” </i>


    Rabena’s brows squinched, this wasn’t just about so petty divorce, he had no idea what those people did to


    her.


    <i>“</i><i>Mr. </i>Michaels, I can understand your resolve and again, thank you for thepliment regarding that proposal. <i>That </i>being said, <i>Thomas </i><i>Lockwood </i>doesn’t deserve to <i>expand </i>his business off my name.”


    A smile curled on Aaron’s lips<b>; </b>he could see the firs in her eyes as she spoke. This was getting interesting.


    <i>“</i>Let’s say <i>I </i><i>take </i><i>you </i>up on this offer<i>. </i><i>Exactly </i><i>what </i>would <i>be </i>in this for me<i>?</i><i>” </i>


    That question caught Rabena off guard. She hadn’t taken into consideration he would want something in return. Was her proposal that good?


    “U–<i>Uh</i><i>, </i>I’m sorry Mr. Michaels, <i>I </i>hadn’t <i>taken </i>that into consideration. <i>I </i><i>didn’t </i><i>think </i>my proposal <i>was </i><i>that </i><i>lucrative </i><i>to </i><i>you</i><i>.</i>”


    Aaron pulled his seat so that he could be closer to Rabena’s face.


    “<i>You </i><i>sell </i><i>yourself </i>too short Ms. <i>Price</i><i>, </i><i>that </i>proposal <i>could </i><i>have </i><i>skyrocketed </i>our <i>revenue</i><i>. </i>It would <i>have </i><i>given </i><i>me </i><i>a </i><i>clear </i>opening to setup <i>hotels </i>and resorts in <i>the </i><i>Northern </i>Continent<i>. </i><i>I’d </i><i>say </i><i>that’s </i><i>definitely </i>worth a value.<i>” </i>


    Rabena sat in shock, had she really created something that lucrative. Taking a sip of wine, she let out a light sigh.


    “Wow<i>, </i>I’m <i>really </i><i>ttered </i>Mr. <i>Michaels</i><i>. </i><i>So</i>, <i>what </i><i>would </i><i>you </i><i>like </i><i>in </i><i>exchange </i>for <i>canceling </i><i>with </i>Lockwood<i>?</i><i>” </i>


    Aaron took a sip of his wine, that mischievous grin still on his face.


    “<i>How </i><i>about </i><i>your </i><i>hand </i><i>in </i><i>marriage</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>


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