A Promise of Revenge

Chloe paced her room, filled with anxiety because Aria had not responded regarding the blind date with Adrian.

"Why isn't she answering my texts?" she wondered aloud.

Her phone buzzed with an incoming text from Aria.

Aria: Handled. Don't worry. It's all good now.

Chloe let out a heavy breath of relief, reading the text once more. "Thank God," she muttered softly.

Meanwhile, Aria was gripping her steering wheel tightly, her hands aching from the strain as she fumed over Adrian's temper.

"This is driving me crazy. What did he even expect me to do?" she yelled to herself in the quiet vehicle.

Ethan walked into his apartment, convinced a break-in had occurred because the space was unexpectedly clean.

He was right.

Adrian was sitting inside, waiting for him.

"You're back," Adrian stated plainly.

Ethan ignored the remark and placed his grocery bags on the counter. "Please, leave my house alone."

"How am I supposed to leave it alone?" Adrian replied, standing up and grabbing a broom. "Do you always live in this kind of mess, Ethan?"

"Did you buy what I asked for?" Adrian inquired.

"Here," Ethan said, handing over the bag. "And for the record, it isn't a mess. I have my own way of organizing things."

"Unpack them," Adrian ordered.

After Ethan finished cleaning up, Adrian went into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Ethan sat down and watched. Twenty-five minutes later, Adrian brought out the meal.

"So," Ethan began as they ate, "now that you've cleaned and cooked, are you feeling less stressed?"

"Yes," Adrian acknowledged.

"You have a strange way of de-stressing."

"How is it strange?" Adrian asked, a bitter tone in his voice. "I put in time and effort, and I get a result. It's productive."

"Anyway," Ethan shifted the conversation, "since the Aria who showed up to the blind date turned out to be fake, I take it the marriage is off?"

"Why would that follow?" Adrian retorted sharply. "She wasted my time and made me say things I never should have said."

"I doubt the real Ms. Aria wanted an arranged marriage any more than you did. It's not really something to be furious about."

"I'm not talking about the real one. I'm talking about the stand-in—the fake Ms. Aria. What was she even trying to pull?"

Adrian opened a can of beer and chugged it quickly.

"That's an odd place to aim all that anger," Ethan noted, wiping his mouth.

Furious, Adrian slammed the empty can onto the table.

"I can't forgive her. I'll have my revenge... soon."

His grip crushed the aluminum completely flat.

Later, Aria arrived at Chloe's place and found her sleeping. She quietly pulled the blanket up to cover her.

"When did you get here?" Chloe murmured, waking up slightly.

"Just now," Aria said, gently patting her back.

Chloe sat up. "Hey... did Adrian find out you were trying to fool him?"

"What?" Aria asked, startled.

"There's a rumor going around at work that he's genuinely dangerous. They say he's fired executives who crossed him."

"Let's not dwell on what's already over," Aria dismissed with a wave of her hand. "Why don't we go blow off some steam instead?"

"Where?" Chloe asked, still drowsy.

They drove to a boutique. "Go ahead. Try on anything you like," Aria offered, retrieving her card.

For the next hour, they tried on various outfits.

"This one's the best yet," Aria remarked, admiring Chloe in a new dress.

"What's gotten into you? Buying me all this?" Chloe asked.

"I know you've been stressed lately... because of me," Aria answered, smiling faintly.

"You're doing all this over one blind date?"

Aria checked her phone to send a quick message. A chime sounded, and Chloe looked over immediately.

"Wait... are you—"

"Am I what?" Aria interrupted.

"Don't you dare ask me to go on another blind date for you. I'm never doing that again."

"Don't worry," Aria said gently. "I won't ask again."

She turned toward the stylist.

"Make her look beautiful. Make her shine."