Chapter 40
Aria’s POV
I could feel the tension in her embrace, the slight tremor in her voice that betrayed her true emotions. Scarlett's eyes swept over my dress, recognizing the deliberate similarity to her own preferred style. Her smile faltered for just a fraction of a second—barely noticeable to anyone who wasn't looking for it.
"Thank you, Scarlett," I replied with equal false warmth. "After all, today we're discussing my engagement to Ethan. I wanted to dress appropriately for the occasion."
The emphasis on "my engagement" and "Ethan" wasn't lost on her. Her smile froze, but she maintained her composure admirably.
Just then, Ethan himself entered the dining area, having apparently stepped away momentarily. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw me, his eyes widening appreciatively as they traveled from my face to the white lace dress and back again.
"Aria," he breathed, coming forward to take my hand and kiss my cheek. "You look absolutely stunning. I've never seen you look more beautiful."
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Scarlett's face darken with unmistakable jealousy. I leaned slightly into Ethan's touch, playing up the affection for Scarlett's benefit.
"Shall we sit?" William suggested, gesturing toward the elegantly set table. "We have much to discuss."
As we took our places, Victoria maneuvered herself to sit beside me, placing a hand on my arm in what would appear to outsiders as a maternal gesture.
"That dress is quite the departure from your usual style," she observed quietly. "Almost bridal, wouldn't you say?"
"I thought I'd try something different," I replied. "Something that honors the classic elegance my mother always embodied. You remember her style, don't you, Victoria? Before she became ill?"
The mention of my mother had the desired effect. Victoria's hand twitched on my arm, and her smile became rigid.
"Your mother had exquisite taste," she admitted stiffly. "Though perhaps a bit dated for today's standards."
"Some things are timeless," I countered smoothly. "Like good taste. And loyalty."
Victoria withdrew her hand as though burned, turning her attention to the menu with sudden intense interest.
The rest of the meal proceeded with the expected discussion of our "engagement." Marianne, ever the pragmatist, wasted no time in getting to practical matters once our entrées were served.
"We've been thinking," she said, addressing both me and Ethan, "that announcing the engagement in a month would be ideal. That gives us time to plan a proper engagement party, and then we could have the wedding during the winter social season—perhaps December?"
"December?" I repeated, feigning surprise. "That seems rather soon."
William cut in before I could say more. "It's the perfect timing, Aria. The merger between Harper Media and Blake Fashion will be finalized by then. The wedding would be the perfect capstone to the deal."
He didn't even try to disguise the business nature of the arrangement. I glanced at Ethan, who nodded enthusiastically.
"I can't wait to make it official," he said, reaching across the table to take my hand. I allowed it, though it took considerable effort not to pull away. "I've wanted this for so long, Aria. Getting back together with you was the best decision I've ever made."
I smiled thinly, thinking of the video evidence of his tryst with Scarlett that was safely stored in my cloud account. "Yes, it certainly was a decision."
Marianne suddenly stood, retrieving a small velvet box from her handbag. "I have something for you, Aria," she said, coming around the table to stand beside me. "This has been in the Blake family for generations."
She opened the box to reveal an exquisite emerald bracelet, the deep green stones glinting in the restaurant's soft lighting.
"It's tradition for the Blake family matriarch to present this to the woman her son intends to marry," she explained, her voice carrying a weight of history and expectation. "My mother-in-law gave it to me, and now I'm giving it to you."
I stared at the bracelet, genuinely taken aback by the gesture. This was no small thing—family heirlooms like this carried significant symbolic weight.
"It's beautiful," I said truthfully, allowing her to fasten it around my wrist. The emeralds were cool against my skin, their weight substantial.
"It looks perfect on you," Marianne said, squeezing my hand. There was something in her eyes—a flicker of emotion I couldn't quite identify. Regret, perhaps? Or guilt? Whatever it was, it disappeared quickly, replaced by her usual poised smile.
"Now," she continued, returning to her seat, "you two should start thinking about the engagement announcements. There's a wonderful stationery designer on Madison Avenue who did all of the Blake Charity Gala invitations. And we'll need to arrange for engagement photos—I know a wonderful photographer who could capture you both perfectly."
"That sounds lovely," I replied, falling into the role of the eager bride-to-be. "In fact, why don't Ethan and I go look at invitation designs this afternoon? We could start the process right away."
"What a wonderful idea," Marianne beamed, clearly pleased with my enthusiasm.
Ethan nodded his agreement, though I noticed a flicker of reluctance cross his face. No doubt he'd had other plans for the afternoon—possibly with Scarlett.
"Perfect," I said, smiling brightly. "Scarlett, would you like to join us? I'd love to have your artistic eye. You always have such... unique taste."
Scarlett's eyes widened slightly at the invitation, clearly caught off guard. "I... yes, of course. I'd be happy to help my big sister choose the perfect announcement."
I could see the calculation behind her smile—torn between wanting to keep an eye on Ethan and me, and the discomfort of watching us plan our engagement.
"Wonderful," I said, clapping my hands together. "It'll be the three of us, then."
The atmosphere in the high-end stationery boutique was hushed and reverent, like a library or a museum. Glass cases displayed samples of exquisitely crafted invitations, each more elaborate than the last. The owner, an elegant woman in her fifties named Margot, greeted us personally, her eyes lighting up at the prospect of creating engagement announcements for the Blake-Harper union.
"It's such an honor to work with both of your families," she gushed, leading us to a private consultation room in the back. "I've designed for both the Harper Media annual galas and the Blake summer collections launch. To create something that unites these two prestigious names is truly exciting."
I smiled demurely, playing the part of the blushing bride-to-be. "We're looking for something truly special. Cost is no object."