They arrived at the venue right on time stepping into the lively ambiance with smiles as they approached the birthday celebrant.
"Happy birthday, Mr. Ramada, here's my gift for you. I hope you like it." Darius said, gesturing to Hezekia. She stepped forward and handed out the gift.
"Happy birthday, Mr. Ramada," she said with her sincere smile as she handed the present.
"Wow, thank you so much, Mr. Hidalgo, and also your date tonight is very beautiful," he said and gave a meaningful look to Darius.
Darius glanced at Hezekiah, a glint of pride in his eyes. "Yes, she is. She looks stunning today," Darius replied, flashing her a warm, charming smile.
"Thank you, Mr. Ramada for the compliment," she shyly said.
"You're very welcome. I'll go great with a few more guests, but please enjoy yourselves!" he said leaving them to enjoy the evening's event.
"Let's go let's find our seats," Darius suggested as they walked toward their table and settled in.
As they sipped their wines, Darius leaned in, his eyes twinkling "Mr. Ramada likes you Ms. Patterson" Darius said as they sat in the chair and started to drink the wine.
Hezekiah raised an eyebrow. " What are you talking about? " She felt the urge to nudge him playfully.
"Oh, nothing," Darius teased. "He just admired how beautiful you are tonight. Although between us, you don't look stunning in my eyes."
"Oh, really ?" She shot back, pretending to be offended." Then I guess I'll ignore you for the rest of the night!".
Darius just continued to drink the wine in front of them while Hezekiah just got some dessert and continued to eat and sipped a little bit wine wine. Just then Mr. Ramada went to the stage, tapping his glass with a spoon.
"Good evening, everyone thank you for being here today to celebrate my special day with Richard from near or far. It's wonderful to have each of you here all my visitors let's enjoy every moment. Make new memories and celebrate this day together once again. Welcome and make this day to remember." They applauded and everyone raised their glasses in toast, Darius caught Hezekiah's Eyes. The connection is different and the warmth in his gaze was a little bit intense but Hezekiah did not care about it and sat.
The music changed to a slow, romantic tune. Darius extended his hand to her " Care to dance?"
Hezekiah hesitated for just a second then placed her hand in his. Led her to the center of the dance floor, their hands interlocking. his other hand, rested then gently on her waist as they moved in sync with the soft rhythm.
"You know," he whispered, leaning close, " I never thought I'd see you dress up like this. You look like ...well like someone out of a dream."
She looked at him, meeting his gaze, her heart skipping a bit. " Maybe it's the effect of the liquor you drink, Mr. Hidalgo."
" Maybe, I think so, I drank too much," Darius said and both of them laughed and continued to dance as the music finished dragging her somewhere.
"What are you doing? Where are we going?" Hey curiously asked.
“Just come with me,” he said, leading her outside. He and Hezekiah made their way through a set of glass doors leading into the garden. The night air was cool, the gentle breeze rustling the leaves, and the quiet sound of the party faded into the background.
Just as they reached the edge of the garden path, Darius stopped abruptly. He squinted ed noticing two figures hidden in the shadow beneath a tree, engaging in what looked like a heated conversation. Darius took Hezekiah's hand without a word, guiding her over to a nearby tree, where they were covered, hidden by the shadows.
Hezekiah whispered, "What's going on?"
"I'm not sure," Darius replied quietly, his eyes fixed on the couple "But.....I think I know the girl."
The man has his back turned to them, but the girl's face is fully visible. She looked familiar a little too familiar just Darius' eyes widened in shock. It was his girlfriend.
The man leaned closer to her and she didn't hesitate, leaning in too until their lips met in a lingering kiss, Darius' expression hardened, and he felt his sudden ache in his chest. He turned his would look just a surprise, her hand still lightly clasped in his.
Before she could say anything, he whispered, "Let's go out of here."
Darius led her back into the hotel without looking back. He didn't stop until they reached his assigned room for the night. Closing the door behind them with a soft click. Darius moved into a mini bar, pouring a generous glass of whiskey for himself and a glass of wine for her. he handed her the wine and sipped it.
She watched him quietly sensing the storm of emotions beneath his calm moment she spoke softly, "Why you did not stop them? You should have punched the guy and confronted your girlfriend."
He Lets out a low chuckle, but there is no humor in it." I have a plan, Hezekiah. But first I need proof he pulled out his phone and scrolled through the photos and video until he found what he was looking for." I recorded the whole thing," he said, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the screen, "I'm going to make them pay for what they did."
Hezekiah's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You recorded it? Are you sure that is a good idea?"
“It’s a great idea,” he replied, his voice low and determined. “But right now, I need a drink to calm down.” He poured himself another glass of whiskey, then filled hers again. “Let’s drown our sorrows for a bit.”
As they sat together, the noise of the party faded into the background, and the warmth of the alcohol coursed through them, loosening their inhibitions. The initial shock of the revelation began to wear off, replaced by a growing sense of camaraderie.
After lingering a little longer over their coffee and stolen bites of dessert, Darius glanced at his watch and stood, grabbing their empty tray. "Come on," he said, tossing her a look over his shoulder. "Before it gets too late." Hezekiah rose reluctantly, brushing crumbs from her sweater. "You and your mysteries," she muttered, though a small, genuine smile tugged at her lips. They made their way back to the car, the cozy glow of the bookstore fading behind them like a dream they'd both quietly wish to revisit. As Darius drove through the city — now glittering under a thousand lights — Hezekiah leaned back in her seat and absently pulled out her phone. Scrolling through her camera roll, she let out a soft laugh at the photos she'd snapped earlier: the sun-dappled courtyard, the secret garden, the towering bookshelves. But one picture made her pause — a selfie from the bookstore café. She had practically forced Darius to take it, catching him mid-protest. And yet, there he w
The car rolled to a smooth stop in front of an old, grand building that exuded history and elegance. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum stood tall before them, its stone walls whispering secrets of the past.Hezekiah blinked, turning to Darius in surprise. "The Gardner Museum?"Darius unbuckled his seatbelt, his movements slow and deliberate. "You sounded exhausted earlier." He glanced at her, his gaze unreadable in the dim light of the car. "Thought you could use something other than a hotel room or another meeting."Her lips parted slightly, caught off guard by his thoughtfulness. "I—" She hesitated, then shook her head. "This is unexpected."He smirked. "I’m full of surprises."They stepped out of the car and made their way inside, the air instantly changing from the crisp night breeze to something warmer, more intimate. The faint scent of aged books, old paintings, and blooming flowers filled the space. The museum was quiet, the few lingering visitors speaking in hushed voices as
She rolled her eyes and walked toward their car. As she's infront of the backseat, her phone buzzed. A message from Sandro. Sandro: How’s the trip so far. She hesitated before typing back. Hezekiah: It’s going well. Just had dinner with the investors. Exhausted. Sandro: Aw Atleast it's done for today. I miss you, babe. Her heart clenched. Hezekiah: Yes, I miss you too. Another message came through. Sandro: By the way, how’s Darius’s girlfriend? Did you two get along? Her fingers froze over the screen. Her stomach twisted. She had lied to him, told him Darius’s girlfriend was coming along to keep him from worrying. But now he was asking details she couldn’t give. She forced herself to type back. Hezekiah: Yeah, she seems nice. We haven’t talked much, though. Her chest felt tight as she hit send. She hated lying to him. “You know, you’re really bad at lying." Her head snapped up. Darius was leaning against her car, smirking as he watched her. “What?” she asked, forcing h
Hezekiah sat at her desk, staring blankly at the computer screen in front of her. The usual hum of the office felt distant, muted by the thoughts racing through her mind. How was she supposed to tell Sandro? Would he be upset? Would he understand?She exhaled sharply and reached for her phone, hesitating before finally typing out a message.Hezekiah: Hey babe. I have to go on a work trip. Leaving tomorrow morning for Boston. Three days.She hovered over the send button, her stomach twisting, before finally pressing it. Within seconds, her phone buzzed.Sandro: Wait… what?Sandro: This is sudden. Since when?Sandro: Why didn’t you tell me sooner?She squeezed her eyes shut, knowing this wasn’t going to be easy. She typed quickly.Hezekiah: Just found out today. Darius told me last minute. I don’t have a choice. Sandro: Only the two of you? I'm not thinking something else but still....It makes her think, what should she say to him? She needs to find a better excuse or solution.Hezekiah
As Sandro opened the car door for Hezekiah, she hesitated for a moment, a strange feeling washing over her. It felt like someone was watching them.“Babe, you okay?” Sandro asked, noticing her pause.She forced a smile. “Yeah… just tired.”Just as Sandro was about to get in the driver’s seat, a voice interrupted them.“Well, well. Didn’t expect to see you two here.”Hezekiah stiffened. That voice. She knew it too well.Sandro turned to see a man standing a few feet away, dressed sharply, hands tucked into his pockets, his dark eyes assessing them.Sandro frowned slightly. “Hey… do we know each other?”Darius’s expression didn’t change. If anything, a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “No. But I know her.” Sandro glanced at Hezekiah, confused. “Babe?”Hezekiah swallowed hard, forcing herself to keep calm. “This is Darius… my boss.”Sandro raised his eyebrows. “Oh, right. The one you always complain about?” he teased lightly, trying to ease the tension.Darius chuckled, but
A woman—probably in her mid-thirties—hurried over, relief evident on her face. “Sweetheart, you can’t just run off like that.”“Sorry, Mommy,” Arielle said, standing up and dusting the sand off her dress. She turned to Hezekiah. “This is my mommy.”The woman looked at Hezekiah with a warm yet apologetic smile. “I hope she wasn’t bothering you.”“Not at all,” Hezekiah assured her. “She’s very sweet.”The woman ruffled Arielle’s hair. “She has a habit of talking to strangers if she thinks they’re sad.”Arielle nodded enthusiastically. “Mommy, she’s like a princess who needs saving!” The woman laughed before turning back to Hezekiah. “I don’t know what’s on your mind, but I hope things get better for you.”Hezekiah was taken aback by the woman’s kindness. She nodded with a grateful smile. “Thank you.” As Arielle and her mother walked away, Hezekiah sat there for a few more minutes, watching the waves roll in and out. Maybe Arielle was right. Maybe she did need saving.But she couldn’t wa