An Evening To Remember

By seven o’clock, I was standing outside my apartment, checking my reflection in the glass doors one last time.

I had chosen a fitted black dress that fell just above my knees, paired with black heels and a small matching handbag. My hair fell in loose waves over my shoulders, and I had kept my makeup simple.

It had been a while since I had gone out for dinner without having something work-related hanging over my head.

Tonight, I wanted to enjoy myself.

My phone vibrated.

Damien: I’m outside. Take your time.

A small smile tugged at my lips as I made my way towards the entrance.

Damien was leaning against his car, looking effortlessly smart in a dark suit. He straightened when he saw me, his eyes briefly taking me in.

“Wow,” he said, smiling. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you. You look rather handsome yourself.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

He opened the passenger door for me, and I climbed inside.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Absolutely.”

The drive to the restaurant was filled with easy conversation. Damien had a way of making people feel comfortable, and I found myself relaxing more than I had expected.

When we arrived, I looked up at the impressive building in front of us.

The Aurelia Grand.

It was one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city, known for its elegant interiors, exceptional service and breathtaking views. The name carried a certain significance for me, too. It was another reminder of the legacy my mother had left behind.

Damien offered me his arm as we entered.

“Have you been here before?” he asked.

“Once or twice, a long time ago.”

“Then I’ll have to make sure tonight is worth remembering.”

A waiter greeted us and led us through the restaurant to a private table overlooking the city. The lights below glittered against the evening sky, creating a beautiful backdrop.

Damien pulled out my chair before taking his own.

“I hope you like it.”

“It’s lovely. Thank you.”

We ordered our drinks and spent the first part of the evening talking about everything except business. It was refreshing. Since taking on my responsibilities at AURELIA, my days had been filled with meetings, reports and decisions. It was nice to simply sit back and enjoy someone’s company.

Eventually, Damien leaned back in his chair.

“So, how are you finding everything at AURELIA?”

I smiled.

“Busy. Very busy. There’s still a lot to learn, and I’m getting to grips with how everything operates. But I’m enjoying it.”

“I’m not surprised. It’s a substantial responsibility.”

“It is. And it’s more than just a business to me. It’s my mother’s legacy. I want to make sure I’m doing right by her.”

Damien nodded.

“I think you’re doing a remarkable job. Not everyone could walk into a position like that and handle it the way you have.”

“I’m still finding my feet.”

“Perhaps. But you don’t give yourself enough credit.”

I laughed softly.

“I’ll try to remember that.”

He took a sip of his drink before changing the subject.

“I actually wanted to ask whether you’ve had a chance to look over the revised proposal I sent across.”

“I have. I’ve passed it on to the finance team, and they’re currently reviewing the figures.”

“And?”

“It’s certainly interesting. There are some promising opportunities, particularly with the international expansion you’re looking at. But I won’t make any decisions until I’ve had a chance to review everything properly and discuss it with the board.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

“I want this to be beneficial for both companies. I’m not interested in agreeing to something simply because it looks good on paper. The figures need to make sense, and the partnership needs to work long-term.”

Damien smiled.

“I have to say, that’s one of the things I admire about you. You don’t rush into decisions.”

“Business decisions shouldn’t be rushed.”

“Especially expensive ones,” he added with a grin.

I laughed.

“Exactly.”

Our food arrived shortly afterwards, and the conversation moved away from business once again. Damien told me about his travels, some of the challenges he’d faced building his company and his plans for the future.

I found myself enjoying his company more than I had anticipated.

He was charming without being overbearing, confident without being arrogant, and he listened when I spoke. It was a refreshing change.

“So,” he said, placing his cutlery down, “does this mean I can persuade you to have dinner with me again?”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Are you already planning a second date?”

“I’m trying to get ahead of the competition.”

I smiled.

“That’s quite confident of you.”

“I’m a confident man.”

“I’ve noticed.”

He laughed, and for the first time in a long while, I felt genuinely relaxed.

Then I looked towards the restaurant entrance.

And everything changed.

My smile slowly faded.

Walking through the entrance was a man I knew better than anyone.

Roman Blakewood.

For a moment, I couldn’t move. My eyes locked with his, and the noise of the restaurant seemed to disappear around me.

I hadn’t expected to see him. Not tonight. Not here.

And then I noticed the woman beside him.

Vanessa.

Her hand was resting on his arm as they followed the waiter into the restaurant. She looked every bit the picture of a woman who believed she had won.

Roman, however, wasn’t looking at her.

He was looking straight at me.

My stomach tightened, but I quickly looked away.

“Ellena?” Damien’s voice brought me back to the table. “Are you okay?”

I reached for my glass, hoping he hadn’t noticed the sudden change in my expression.

“I’m fine.”

But I wasn’t.

Across the restaurant, Vanessa had followed Roman’s gaze. The moment she spotted me, her expression shifted into something far less pleasant.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered under my breath.

Damien glanced towards the entrance.

“Do you know them?”

Before I could answer, Vanessa began walking towards our table.

“Well, well,” she said, stopping beside us. “Look who it is.”

I placed my glass down.

“Good evening, Vanessa.”

Her eyes moved towards Damien before returning to me.

“Enjoying yourself, are you?”

“I’m having a lovely evening, thank you.”

She gave a short, mocking laugh.

“I can see that. You’ve certainly moved on quickly.”

Damien glanced between us, his expression becoming more serious.

“Is there a problem?”

Vanessa ignored him.

“I suppose finding yourself another wealthy man wasn’t particularly difficult.”

I felt my jaw tighten.

“Vanessa, I really don’t think this is the time or place.”

“Oh, don’t pretend you’re embarrassed. Some women know exactly how to get what they want.”

Damien slowly pushed his chair back.

“I think you’ve mistaken the way to speak to a lady.”

Vanessa looked at him, her expression full of disdain.

“And who exactly are you?”

“Someone who knows how to show a woman respect.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“Honestly, I don’t know how you can show your face in places like this,” she continued, turning her attention back to me. “Whoring yourself around for another rich man’s money must be exhausting.”

For a moment, I simply stared at her.

I could feel the humiliation burning beneath my skin, but I refused to let her see it.

“Are you quite finished?” I asked calmly.

“Excuse me?”

“You’ve made your opinion perfectly clear. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’d like to enjoy the rest of our evening.”

Vanessa’s expression hardened.

“Some things never change.”

I stood and picked up my handbag.

“You’re right about that. Some people never learn manners.”

Damien stood beside me, his expression now openly disapproving.

“Come on, Ellena. Let’s go.”

He offered me his arm, and I accepted.

As we turned towards the exit, I caught Roman watching us. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes that made me pause for half a second.

I wanted to ask him what he was looking at.

I wanted to ask him why he was standing there allowing Vanessa to speak to me like that.

But I said nothing.

I had no reason to explain myself to him. Not anymore.