Chapter 137

Isabella’s POV.

It's been three days since the party, and tomorrow we'll be heading back to L.A. with a busy schedule awaiting me. Two days ago, I received a call from SinClair, another interior designer whom I greatly admire. Our styles and work ethics align closely, and she recently reached out to propose a collaboration!

This collaboration feels like a dream come true. Initially, I thought it was one of those dreams you have and assume will never come to reality–like ever, but reality proved otherwise. After reaching an agreement, we had a meeting to iron out the details, and once the paperwork is finalized, we'll officially enter a significant project together. This collaboration is my chance to bring more attention to my company.

However, there's a small, tiny, problem in my plans – my company isn't fully set up yet. All I have at the moment is the state's approval and an office space. I thought I had more time, but the past few days have been dedicated to coordinating with specialists to ensure a smooth transition. It would be a little costly but I know that a specialist will save me the trouble of doing it myself and lower the risk of things going wrong. The mix of excitement and nervousness is overwhelming, and as of now, I've only shared the news with Ares.

Since tonight marks our last night here, Ares surprised me by asking me out on a date, complete with flowers and dessert. How could I possibly say no? As I gazed ahead, the front door opened, and Ares walked in with a mischievous smirk on his lips.

“The little guy is with his grandparents and said he’ll miss us,” Ares mentioned, locking the door behind him.

“After five minutes of being spoiled by his grandparents, he’ll forget all about us,” I laughed and shook my head.

“Sad reality,” Ares chuckled, taking a seat next to me. “How’s work coming along?” he asked, resting his head on my shoulder, his eyes focused on the screen in front of us. “Is that your budget?”

“Yep, it keeps racking up,” I groaned, tilting my head back into the seat. This wasn’t looking too good right now but I had hoped things would look up. It has to.

“Well…”

“Don’t you dare,” I quickly glanced at him, narrowing my eyes. I knew the next words that would’ve left his lips and no.

“I’m just saying,” Ares said cautiously, raising his hand defensively. “I can offer you a loan. Without any interest. I can spare you the issues the bank will give you, and perhaps we can set up some payment plan when you should pay me off?” he continued.

“Ares,” I sighed, closing my eyes. I pondered his offer for a moment, then stared at the budget in front of me. Uncertain if the bank would grant me the amount needed, I was hesitant to risk too much. I feared losing control and didn't like the idea of having a silent partner. This might be my only chance. I was sure I could run the numbers with a specialist and figure out how and when I could repay Ares' loan.

“Just think about it, okay? You don’t need to have an answer tonight,” Ares winked and leaned over to kiss my forehead. “Now, let’s get ready for that date of ours,” he rose to his feet.

“Now that I am very excited about it,” I grinned, shutting the laptop close. I put it aside and let Ares whisk me away. Ares’ lips curled into a smirk, one I was too familiar with.

I wasn’t entirely sure about his plans for our date tonight, but I was sincerely hoping that dinner was part of it because I was starving. I opted for a red dress, somewhat similar to the black one I wore to the party. This one had no slit, and the back didn’t dip too low, but it showed a criss-cross design on my back.

I glanced over at Ares and noticed he wore some simple slacks with a light blue button-up. Perhaps we should skip this whole date and spend it right here. That man looked delectable, and I didn’t think he was even trying.

“Are you ready?” Ares asked, running his fingers through his hair to put it right into place.

“Yes, but you look so damn handsome.” I placed my hands on his chest and traced odd shapes as I looked up at him through my lashes. “How about we just stay home, in bed, all night long?” I asked in a sweet whisper.

“Damn, I can’t believe I’m saying no to being seduced,” Ares let out a soft groan, confliction evident on his face. “Trust me, baby, I’d love to spend all night in bed with you and rock your world,” he tipped my chin up, making me look into his eyes. “But I planned a date I know you’ll love,” he leaned down and kissed me briefly. “If you change your mind, however, I won’t mind taking you home at all,” he promised, pulling away with a wink.

***

The first stop was dinner. Ares chose one of the most stunning places I had ever seen. Despite having lived here before, I had never been to this exclusive spot, mostly due to its high price range and exclusivity. Large windows adorned the walls, featuring an elegant arch at the top. Our table for two was positioned near one of those windows, offering the most breathtaking view of the surrounding nature. I admired the immaculate, white walls and the carefully tended vines growing on the pillars, maintaining their aesthetically pleasing shape.

The dinner itself was also exquisite. Every bite of my food and every sip of my wine was a delight. I couldn’t have asked for a better dinner.

“Thank you for taking me here,” I smiled, looking ahead at Ares.

“I know you’ve always wanted to come here,” Ares smiled, bringing my hand to his lips while I furrowed my brow, trying to recall when I even told him that. “You told me when we first started dating in secret. I asked you what the top 3 places on your wishlist were,” Ares continued to speak, and my jaw dropped. He remembered our conversation from years ago!

“Oh my god, are you serious?” I gasped a little too loudly, but luckily, no one heard.

“Very much so. This was second on the list. Third, you’ve already been to,” Ares smiled, proud of himself, and I didn’t ask about the first because something told me that it was a surprise for another day. One which I couldn’t wait for but for now I was savoring this place, savoring the company of Ares. I couldn’t have asked for a better date.

“You’re so fucking incredible,” I whispered to him, watching as his lips tugged into a smirk.

“Come on, we should get going,” Ares placed one last kiss on the back of my hand.

Ares paid the bill, and we were back outside. He linked his arm with mine, and it turned out that next on the list was my favorite gelato spot.

“A meal is never complete without dessert,” Ares smiled as he gently wiped the corner of my mouth when we finished our gelato.

I’m not sure why, but it seemed as if the gelato was far better tonight than every other night. I just loved this date; I loved this man. I was so high on life that I couldn’t explain my happiness with enough words.

“Are we going home now?” I wondered, looking up at Ares who chuckled.

“Remember those fancy, romantic boat rides?” Ares asked, carefully caressing my face before pushing a stray strand of my hair away.

“Oh my god… Did you?” I asked with excitement filling me.

“I sure did,” Ares smirked and was about to kiss me when we heard the chanting of his name.

We turned around and saw three women run up to him. They were dressed in cocktail dresses and nice high heels, their hair styled beautifully, and their makeup was a bit sweaty, indicating that perhaps they went out clubbing– they were young and it was a perfect night to go clubbing.

“God, you’re so much hotter in real life,” one of them said in Italian.

“Here’s my number; you should call me sometime,” another said in English, slipping a paper into his hand – where did they even find the paper?

“We don’t mind sharing,” another said with a wink while also speaking English.

“You can rock my world, love; just call me and I’ll be there – I think you still have my number,” one spoke, slurring her Italian and winked at him

“I need you three to leave me and my girlfriend alone; continue this, and I won’t hesitate to make a case of this harassment,” Ares threatened, and the girls just rolled their eyes and walked off.

Anger and jealousy filled me. I was used to people lusting for Ares, but it never happened right in front of me, and I sure did not expect the other to say he still had her number. Does she know him? Do they have a past?

The trip to the boat was quiet. Ares didn’t say a word, and I didn’t say a word either. His jaw was clenched as his free hand was balled into a fist. We finally made it to the boat, and the lovely older man explained the route to us. Ares was already in the boat and offered me his hand. I stepped in and followed him. We sat down, and I then realized that he had special chocolate-covered strawberries waiting for us and a nice bottle of champagne too.

I looked at the shimmering water, enjoyed the cold night’s breeze as we started to move, and finally looked ahead at Ares who smiled at me.

“I don’t know that girl, Isabella,” Ares told me.

“What–” I frowned. Was he a mind reader now?

“You’re thinking of what she said,” Ares pointed out, and it then clicked for me. How the hell did he know what she said?

“You understand Italian?” I frowned.

“Only a little, I started learning it for you,” Ares said shyly, his cheeks slightly rosy and my heart swelling now.

“Oh my god…”

“All the trips I took to Italy were spent with me alone in my hotel room; I can assure you of that, and I am well aware of which women I slept with – she is not one of them,” Ares said cautiously.

“Should I trust you?” I asked out loud. I had no reason not to trust him; he was incredible and his name was cleared in my books.

“I think so, yeah, because I’ve only ever been with one redhead, and that’s you,” Ares said in a joking manner, and I couldn't help but laugh. “I know I have a history of very few exes, and you know that too; the media never gave me privacy,” he laughed bitterly. I couldn’t contain my laughter because it was true. There was a blog made with all the women he had dated, which was considerably less for someone with his status, and they even had it categorized by hair color, and I happened to be his one redhead indeed.

“Fine, I believe you,” I laughed and leaned over to kiss his cheek. I let jealousy cloud me for a moment, but this is exactly why I loved Ares; he gave me a moment to myself and then assured me of the truth.

“Thank you, I can assure you my past is just my past; nothing will ruin our present or future,” Ares cupped my face. “It’s you I love and you who I will always love,” he promised and kissed me briefly.

“I love you,” I whispered into the kiss.

The rest of our date went perfectly. We ate our strawberries, drank our champagne, and enjoyed the boat ride to the fullest. Once it was time to go back home, we eagerly went and spent the rest of our time in bed together until we passed out in each other’s naked embrace.