10.
1819 Words
"It doesn't feel right at all, Miss Aria," Romeo grimaced, sliding into the passenger seat, his face flaming hot as he tried to swallow his misgivings about the impropriety of the situation.
"Oh don't be a prude Romeo, it's just a car ride. Besides, I need this. I've spent far too long cooped up in that house. Besides, I missed this beauty." Aria shrugged, her glossy black locks sliding off her shoulder with the movement, revealing smooth tanned shoulders, exposed by her beautiful off the shoulder dress.
Her dress was a striking emerald green, draping elegantly off her shoulders. The fitted bodice accentuated her slender figure, while the flowing skirt moved gracefully with her every motion. She wasn't able to wear the elaborate golden dress she'd initially picked out due to its backless nature that exposed a particular painful looking bruise from her morning practice, and so she went ahead with her second choice which she found to be even lovelier.
The exquisite silk satin fabric flowed gracefully, highlighting her natural beauty with minimal effort. It's rich hue enchanting against her skin. She held a small clutch in hand, an elegant piece encrusted with flawless Colombian emeralds, their deep green color perfectly complementing the dress. Surrounding the emeralds were white diamonds, adding a touch of sparkle.
She gave Aunt Marie the liberty to decide what jewelry she wore as compensation for her inability to wear the dress the woman had went to great trouble to get for her, and Aunt Marie took it as a chance to showcase her exceptional and truly extravagant taste. The result was nothing short of spectacular. Aria wore a stunning necklace crafted from Imperial Jade, featuring an array of meticulously cut jadeite beads. Her earrings were equally impressive, large Imperial Jade cabochons set in platinum with diamond accents. Each time she moved, the light caught the subtle sparkle of the diamonds, making the jade seem to glow with an inner radiance.
Her makeup was minimal, highlighting her natural breathtaking beauty rather than masking it. A touch of mascara framed her deep onyx eyes, and a hint of blush brought color to her cheeks. Her lips were painted a soft rose, completing the look with a delicate allure. Aria had an effortless grace about her, an elegance that made even the most extravagant attire seem natural on her.
Romeo couldn't help but feel a pang of admiration as he took in her appearance once again. Despite his misgivings about the impropriety of the situation, he couldn't deny that Aria looked absolutely stunning. Her captivating beauty was almost shocking, her onyx eyes drawing him in with an intensity that made it hard to look away. Her easy confidence only added to her allure and timeless charm.
"Your Grand mother wouldn't be happy about this." Romeo added weakly, already resigned to the fact that she was going to have her way. He'd never won against her.
"Good thing they already rode on ahead, and she won't find out, not unless you tell her," She smirked devilishly at him, not waiting to hear his reply before she turned the key, roaring the engine to life. The car glided out of the expansive driveway and onto the quiet evening streets.
Aria's smile grew wider as they left the confines of her family's estate behind, the thrill of freedom sparkling in her onyx eyes. "So..what way exactly we heading? Don't know the directions of this place for shit." She really didn't go out much, if at all actually.
Romeo sighed, glancing at the GPS mounted on the dashboard. "I'll guide you. Just keep going straight for now. Our destination isn't far."
"Right.. of course." She rolled her eyes, forgetting for a moment that he couldn't see her. "The Chalini estate, right? What do you know about them?" She hadn't bothered to learn much about that and she hardly cared, but they happened to be hosting the biggest high society affair of today, and as they agreed, she would be there.
Her stomach churned with nerves at the thought of it, yet her blood rushed with excitement and morbid glee at what was to come. Finally..it was all starting now.. She agreed on the risky idea by that man because she had been drunk and desperate, but she was sensible enough to have delayed its happenstance for a long year, during which she'd thought long and hard about what she was doing, and where she went from there.
It would be easy enough to forgive and forget, to move on from Henri, and put everything behind her. She actually did try, but there was no way she could look past everything. And frankly, she didn't even wish to. The thought of her revenge was what kept her going through the days, what kept the hours bearable. Without that driving her..she feared for the state she would've been in.
Romeo's voice pulled her back to the present. "The Chalini's are an influential family, Old money, with a lineage that traces back to royalty. They deal mostly with high-stakes international finance and diplomacy, basically they wield significant influence in global economic and political arenas. The Moretti actually holds an almost 20% stakes in their multibillion dollar company." Romeo shook his head at the unfathomable amount. And to think his young mistress was the heiress to that and so, so much more.
Aria raised an eyebrow at Romeo's information. "So, they're basically financial powerhouses with global sway. Sounds like exactly the kind of place where a little chaos could make a big impact."
Romeo paused at that, before he began, trying to keep his tone neutral. "What are you planning, Aria?" His voice soft, he implored.
At the straight forward use of her name, she turned to him. She didn't actually mind, in fact prefer that he did, but he never does, unless she was in trouble, or in for a lecture. "Nothing too distasteful, I promise. Don't worry about it."
Romeo's concern only deepened, as he looked at her. "You know I have to worry, Miss Aria. It's my job to keep you safe. When you say 'nothing too distasteful,' it's not exactly reassuring." Especially when she had track records of things going bad when she behaved like that.
Aria's smile remained, though her eyes betrayed a hint of impatience. "You worry too much, dude. I've got everything under control. Trust me, I know what I'm doing." She hoped she did.
Unfazed by his unease, she pressed her foot down harder on the accelerator. The car surged forward, accelerating smoothly as Aria deftly navigated the winding streets. The engine roared with power, making her grin wildly as adrenaline coursed through her veins. She couldn't remember the last time she was on a drive as fun as this.
Romeo gripped the armrest as the car picked up speed, the landscape blurring past in a rush of colors. Despite his misgivings, he couldn't deny her skill behind the wheel. She was an even better driver than he was, so he had no worries about that aspect, but still, "Just because you're good at this doesn't mean you're immune to trouble," he said, his voice tense.
"I'm aware," she replied, her tone casual as she adjusted the steering wheel with precision. "But this is exactly what I need to clear my head and focus on what's important."
Romeo shot her a look, still unconvinced. "And what's important here? You haven't given me any specifics."
Aria's gaze remained fixed on the road ahead, her expression resolute. "Nothing you need to worry about right now. I promise it's all under control." She was tired of the conversation already, maybe she should've just ridden with the others, but then again, he was just concerned about her. She wouldn't fault him for that.
She pressed the pedal further, the car's speed climbing with effortless grace. The rush of the wind and the thrill of driving seemed to fuel her confidence even more. She flashed a quick, reassuring smile at Romeo. "Just relax, Romeo. I've got this. No need to be so uptight. It's no fun."
Romeo watched her with apprehensive eyes, he wanted to argue more, but he could see the determination in her eyes, and he knew it was pointless. His gaze shifted to the fast-approaching city lights, the blur of colors reflecting in the windshield.
"Alright," he said, his voice carrying a mix of resignation and concern. "But just be careful. I'm trusting you on this."
Aria's grin widened, a sense of liberation in her posture. "That's more like it! And hey, you shouldn't even be giving me any attitude whatsoever, have you forgotten you've wronged me today already,"
"I was hoping you'd forget." He grimaced, wincing when she playfully jabbed at him. "Take the next left turn, down the winding path would be our destination." He instructed as they approached.
Aria's speed eased up as they approached the busy road, cars of different classes of luxury headed towards that same direction. From the the rarest Bugattis and Lamborghinis to a sleek array of Ferraris and Porsches, a display of much wealth that it was boggling to the common man.
As they turned onto the winding path leading to the Chalini estate, Aria's car—a gleaming, jet-black Rolls-Royce—smoothly integrated into the parade of luxury vehicles, but it however immediately turned heads. The beauty was a unique, one-of-a-kind design, only one of it in the world, and it belonged to one family. Or, to be precise, the young heiress of that family, gifted to her when she earned her first million dollars at 19, by her billionaire grandmother.
The estate itself came into view, an imposing structure with classic, grand architecture that spoke of old money and tradition. It was stately, but she remained overall unmoved by its grandeur. Such opulence wasn’t unusual to her.
Romeo’s eyes remained on the surroundings, his gaze vigilant. “Just up ahead,” he said, as they approached the entrance.
Aria's focus remained sharp as she drove the final stretch. She tried not to think of anything else. Tried not to think that everybody would be watching her. After a year of absence and the cause of it, high society were basically in a rut to see the spectacle she presented today. Whether she would crash and burn, or rise to the occasion, they would be watching every move she made.
As if he was privy to her thoughts, Romeo looked at her through the corner of his eyes, “You sure about this, Miss aria? A lot could go wrong.”
Her fingers tightened around the wheel, “Yes.” She only said.
She wasn’t so sure herself. Now that she was here, a chilling thought occurred to her.
What if he didn’t show up?
What if all her preparations for tonight came to nothing?
He wouldn’t..
Would he?
- Writer
