Chapter 3
2346 Words
Ivy
“Hey there,” I picked up the call from Naomi.
“Hi! How are you doing, big sis?”
“Doing great.” I tucked my phone between my ear and shoulder as I scanned my clothes inside my wardrobe. Looking for the perfect one for my date with Lucius tonight. A date? Should I consider what we would be having tonight as a date? Of course, not. It was just an apology dinner from him and after that, I wouldn’t be seeing him anymore.
“Is everyone still giving you a cold shoulder, Ivy?” Naomi asked in worry.
I smiled. “Everyone always gives me a cold shoulder, little sis. Even before I was sick.”
She giggled and stated, “That’s because my sister is the best ballerina out there.” Oh, this little sister of mine. I wanted to pinch her chubby cheeks and smooched her all over.
“Thanks, Naomi. How’s the university?”
“Awesome! I got a lot of friends here— Oh, s**t! Ivy, I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to. It’s great, isn’t it?” Yeah, unlike me, Naomi had a lot of friends. She was like a magnet to friendships. Everybody wanted to be her friend. I was quite envious of her for that. We both were direct people. Our mouths always got us into trouble since our younger days, but I got the worst. No one, I repeat, no one wanted to be my friend. Well, they wanted to at first but I was abandoned the second they found a better one. I used to think it was unfair just because I was the oldest. Not that mattered anymore. Naomi was happy, I was okay with that. “s**t…” I reached the end of my wardrobe, unable to find something I could wear.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know what to wear.”
“Got a date or something?”
“Not exactly. Do you remember Lucius Godiva?”
“Yeah?”
“Well, I was able to meet him yesterday to properly apologize and he invites me to have dinner with him.” My sister didn’t speak. I could picture her with her mouth wide open and some of her salivae drooled from the side of her lip. “You didn’t hear it wrong, Naomi.”
“Oh, sorry! That’s…great, isn’t it? Because if you’re about to have dinner with that bastard Felix, I will go there to slap some sense into you,” she threatened as I laughed, hard.
“Not f*****g happening.”
“Are you still meeting him?”
“Nope. I don’t want him anymore and he never called too.”
“Good. I told you before Felix was bad news but…oh, well, guess that’s what love does to all of us.”
“Damn right.” I remembered when I brought Felix home to finally introduce him to my family, Naomi had always been so cautious around Felix. My parents accepted him, kind of. I thought because Naomi just hadn’t known him yet until one day, she told me that she didn’t like Felix. Said she had a bad feeling about her and it was proven I was sick. He left. He abandoned me. Well, my disease was like a blessing in disguise. So now I knew, who were the people who could be in my life. And this second chance, I would not waste it. “You know what? Enough talking about my ex.”
“Right, let’s talk about this hot daddy of yours.”
“Daddy?” I rolled my eyes. “Are you still looking for someone like that?”
“Why not? Besides, Lucius is hot. He might be old but he looks extremely handsome. How old is he anyway?”
“I don’t know. Forty-ish, maybe.”
“Let me guess? You’re looking for the clothes.”
“I am.”
“Are you guys having dinner at a fine dining?”
“Maybe. He said I could wear anything comfortable but at least I have to dress properly.”
“What about a dress? Simple yet elegant one?”
“Hold on.” I remembered I still had a dress I bought with Naomi before. Yes! I got it! It was just a simple white dress yet I liked it. It seemed I remembered I used it before when I was still with Felix. Oh, right. Dinner with his family. Damn my memory. How I wished that memory should be forgotten. I recalled Felix didn’t really like the dress. He said it was too plain to meet them. f**k it! I was going to wear it tonight. If Lucius said it was hideous as well, I would go home.
“Have you found the one?” Naomi asked.
“I have. The dress Felix hates,” I informed and my sister laughed.
“That bastard has poor taste. I love it when you wear that. You scream a princess, big sis.”
“Oh, shut up!”
“Well then, I’ll leave you be to get ready for your date then.”
“It’s not a date, Naomi.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Jeez, the brat. Lucky her, I loved her so much.
“I’ll call you.”
“Of course! I’ll be waiting for your report about the date.”
“Bye, Naomi!” I immediately parted with her and shut off the call. Shaking my head while smiling, I looked at the dress again. Which part was bad anyway? I even liked the material and the dress fitted my body perfectly. The curves were superbly shown. Whatever. I was wearing what made her comfortable and showed who I truly was. This was who I was. “Alright then.”
I pushed out my bathrobe and wore the dress. Praying it was still fit because when I got sick, I lost a few pounds before. And since I didn’t get fat that easily, even after I was discharged from the hospital, I had difficulty gaining weight. Please, please, please. When I had the dress on, I was thankful it fitted. “Yes!” I put on my make-up. Not too bold. I only had dinner with Lucius; not to sleep with him. Damn it. Crave for a man’s touches? What a joke.
And thinking of a man…
I looked at my window. Was Lucifer out there? Did he know what I was doing now? About my plan tonight? Would he be mad? Would he finally come out and tell me to not go with Lucius? Nope. Deep down, I knew. He wouldn’t do that. I was hoping for the impossible. That man had a big ego like the size of his hell. I smirked. Besides, I could do whatever I wanted. I could go out with anyone I liked. Lucifer was not in control of my life anyway. And Lucius had kindly invited me to dinner, I was not going to miss that.
All set.
Lucius had texted me an hour ago that he would come to pick me up in an hour. I should go down to wait for him. I grabbed my cream brown heels and the same color purse. I grabbed my trench coat and walked out of my apartment. Taking the elevator down. When I walked out, I saw a car outside. Oh, he’s here. Striding my legs out, seeing the shiny black Audi parked in front. The driver’s door was opened and my smile slowly dropped. It was not Lucius; he was his secretary. Oh, what was his name again? I never knew. The blond guy was wearing a complete dark grey suit. I never paid attention before but his secretary was greatly polished as well. He was just as beautiful as his boss. And those shiny blue eyes…oh, I could dive down there and refused to resurface. He smiled as I blinked. What did you just do, Ivy? Admiring the secretary of a man I’m supposed to meet. “Good evening, Miss Phoenix.”
“Good evening,” I did the same and he walked to the back door to open the door for me. “Thank you,” I said and jumped in. Smelling the clean leathery scent. Wow. The secretary closed the door. Did Lucius send him to pick me up?
He returned to his seat where he asked, “Ready to go?”
“Yes.”
He chuckled and said, “Don’t be so nervous, Miss Phoenix. I’m not kidnapping you. Mr. Godiva sent me to pick you up.” I knew it.
“I just never thought he would send you,” I admitted.
“Well, he’s getting the place ready.”
“Where is it?”
“That…is a surprise, Miss Phoenix.” He turned on the engine as he started to drive the car. A surprise? Where was it anyway?
But anyway, “I never got the chance to ask your name before,” I told him.
“You haven’t?” I shook my head. “Oh, my apologies. I’m Desmond.”
“Desmond… Nice to meet you.”
“Me too.” No conversation right after. It seemed it was kind of difficult to talk with him. Desmond’s aura was kind of…cold. Not that he was intimidating…well, kind of. More like he didn’t want to interact with me – with anyone.
It didn’t take long for us to arrive at the place where Lucius was waiting for me. At a restaurant where I knew the place was always fully booked. The Ultima. Ever since it was opened two years ago, the place was always full. I remembered because Felix wanted to take me here before for my birthday. He never succeeded because he couldn’t get a seat. Now I was here with Lucius.
Desmond opened the door as I walked out. He helped me as I smiled as a thank you. I looked at the building before Desmond guided me inside. Wait. “Is it okay for you to leave the car?”
“It’s fine. No one will steal it.” Oh, someone would.
The guard opened the door. Hold on, I thought he would ask if I had any reservations. Oh, maybe because Lucius was inside already. But I wonder if he should’ve asked me first who I was meeting with. He even nodded his head to Desmond. What was this tingly feeling? And what made me surprised when I stepped inside was the place…was empty. No one was here. Not a single one. That couldn’t be!
Hold on a minute.
And my eyes found him. He stood up when he saw me. Our eyes locked even from afar. He smiled handsomely. I found myself smiling as well as Desmond opened the glass door. Allowing me to enter. “Thank you,” I thanked him.
“Thank you, Desmond,” Lucius did the same too before Desmond left us. Lucius pulled a seat for me as he gently pulled my coat and I sat down. I looked around the room. A private room. The table was covered with a white tablecloth. Candles were set in the middle. The room was painted dark brown. There was a tank behind Lucius. A fish tank. And there was a bar right next to it. Wow, so many collections. A single leather sofa at the corner. Oh, people could talk while having a drink. This was nice. “Do you like the place?” he asked, blinking my eyes to him.
“I do. I’m just surprised the place is empty. I know it’s famous and always fully booked.”
“Well, I have it close for today,” he stated, catching my attention in a snap.
No way.
“You own the place?” I asked.
He shrugged slowly. “Guilty,” and he admitted. Oh, my freaking God! No wonder I was feeling tingly and had this weird feeling about this place. This guy owned the restaurant! Wow. Just…wow. No wonder too Desmond said Lucius was having the place ready. “Thank you for coming, Miss Phoenix.”
“It’s my pleasure too. I didn’t expect Desmond would come to pick me up.”
“Do you prefer me instead?”
“Well, you said you would pick me up,” I stated and he chuckled deeply. Oh, that throat. That dimpled smile of his. This guy was just gorgeous.
“Well, maybe next time,” he easily said. Next time?
“Will we meet again?” I asked.
“You don’t want to?”
“It’s not like that.” I honestly thought this would be a one-time thing. So, there would be more? I smiled and said, “Next time then.” And his blue eyes dropped to my dress. Great, what would he think about it? Felix hated it. Would Lucius be the same? After all, this guy was rich and obviously had seen so many blinks and jewelry in his world. Maybe this dress too—
“I like your dress,” he loved it. It. Er, what? He loved it?
“You do?”
“Yes. I like a simple one. And the dress matches you gorgeously. As you know, not everybody fits white. Some hate it, some love it. Or some love it but it doesn’t match them. But when you wear it, I like it,” he explained. Oh, boy. Lowering my gaze, I nibbled my bottom lip because I was extremely happy for him to say that.
Looking back at him, “Thank you,” I thanked him. The door was opened and a waiter walked in to put down two glasses of water and handed us the menu book.
“Enjoy your dinner, Miss Phoenix. Pick anything you want. It’s on the house.” I giggled at his statement.
“Well, since the owner has given me the green light.” He laughed deeply again.
“Knock yourself out, Miss Phoenix.”
- Writer
