Chapter 152
Arianna was lying on the massage bed when she heard footsteps and looked up to see Natalie. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ.net
She noticed Natalie’s flushed cheeks and that something seemed off.
“Natalie, what’s wrong p>
It wasn’t until she heard Arianna’s voice that Natalie finally snapped out of her panic.
Arianna asked the masseuse to step out for a moment.
“Natalie, did Alexander do something to you?” she asked, pulling her friend onto a nearby sofa once they were alone.
Given Natalie’s current status, few would dare to bother her. But The Ramirez Group was all-powerful in Cabinda, and with her complicated history with Alexander, Arianna immediately regretted leaving her alone. When she had tried to go back, someone had blocked her way.
Seeing the worry and tension in Arianna’s eyes, Natalie shook her head. “No, he didn’t do anything p>
“Really p>
“This is a public place. He wouldn’t p>
Natalie’s calm expression and clear eyes finally put Arianna at ease.
“So what did you two talk about? Why was he here p>
Natalie unscrewed a bottle of water from the table beside the sofa and took a large gulp. “It was just a coincidence. There aren’t many VIP rooms here, so we ended up running into each other p>
Arianna nodded, her worries finally subsiding. “The cooling-off period before the divorce is final is over in a little more than a week. Once you get that decree, you’ll be free p>
As she spoke, her gaze drifted, and her eyes seemed to lose focus.
Natalie had been so preoccupied with composing herself that she hadn’t noticed Arianna’s strange mood until now. In fact, she’d sensed something was off ever since they met up, but Arianna’s naturally cheerful personality had quickly masked any underlying emotions.
“Arianna, are you hiding something from me p>
Arianna snapped back to the present. Seeing that Natalie had noticed, she sighed. “My mom set me up on a blind date. I’m supposed to meet him this weekend p>
Over the past few years, Arianna hadn’t had a boyfriend, but it wasn’t for a lack of suitors. On the contrary, plenty of men had pursued her.
She just wasn’t interested in any of them.
Arianna had grown up in a single-parent household after her parents’ marriage failed. Now, her best friend’s marriage was also ending in failure.
“Arianna, just because our marriages didn’t work out doesn’t mean yours won’t,” Natalie said, not wanting her own experiences to make Awanna
pessimistic. “You could at least t
going on a date with someone p>
The room fell silent for a long while.
Finally, as if she had made a decision, Arianna said, “Natalie, I’ve never told you this, but… there’s someone I love p>
Natalie was stunned.
“The first time I saw him, years ago, I knew I could never love another man.” That was why she couldn’t accept anyone else’s affection, and why she was so against her family’s arranged dates.
Natalie never imagined Arianna had been secretly in love with someone for so long.
“Does he know?” she asked.
Arianna lowered her eyelids, hiding the disappointment in her eyes. “No. Our worlds are too far apart. I’m not good enough for him p>
“Arianna, you’re amazing,” Natalie said, squeezing her friend’s hand tightly when she heard her put herself down. “Whether two people like each other has nothing to do with status. You should tell him p>
Arianna took a deep breath and shook her head, a wave of sadness washing over her. “He’s already in love with someone else p>
Natalie was at a loss for words.
If he already loved someone else, then bothering him would only cause trouble. Besides, she knew Arianna had a strong moral compass, which was why she was so heartbroken.
Unsure of how to comfort her, Natalie opened her mouth, but no words seemed right. Instead, she just wrapped her arms around her friend.
A tear escaped Arianna’s eye. She quickly wiped it away and forced a smile, patting Natalie on the back, “It’s okay I’ve thought it through There’s no reason to stay single for one man. I’m willing to go on the blind date. Who knows, maybe I’ll get a pleasant surprise p>
Natalie knew she was just trying to ease her worry, so she played along. “If you
need me to come with you, just give me a call p>
The date for the Prestige Properties Group charity auction was set for the day after tomorrow With things at the company being slow, Natalie took the auction materials home to familiarize herself with them.
The doorbell rang, and she got up to answer it.
Alexander Ramirez was standing outside, dressed in casual loungewear.
“Are you hungry p>