LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 93: His Agenda
Raelynn stared at Elion, her lips slightly parted in disbelief. Was he serious? Dinner? Just the two of them? She blinked, her mind racing as she tried to piece together his motives. This wasn't like him.
She coughed lightly, trying to mask her unease. "Are you sure this isn't for some kind of business meeting? You know, like last time when you dragged me to that fancy party to scare off your fan club or whatever?"
His head tipped to one side. "Not everything has to be about business, Raelynn."
Her cheeks warmed at his reply, and she looked away, flustered. "Right... Of course," she muttered, crossing her arms.
"Good," he said, the tension easing from his expression. "If you're ready, meet me downstairs in a bit."
Without waiting for her response, he turned and left the room, his footsteps fading down the hallway. Raelynn stood frozen for a moment, staring at the closed door.
"Not about business?" she murmured to herself. "Then what is it about?"
Raelynn sighed, still staring at the door Elion had just walked through. "And I didn't even say yes or no," she muttered under her breath, running a hand through her hair. "And yet he's already assuming I'll go."
Raelynn then paced back and forth, her thoughts spinning in circles. Dinner with Elion? Why now? What was he thinking?
She shook her head with a laugh, torn between irritation and amusement. It was so like him—confident to the point maybe a little too much. Still, there was something oddly endearing about the way he seemed so sure of himself. Or maybe he was just so used to people falling in line that he didn't consider the possibility of her refusing.
Crossing her arms, she glanced toward the window, her reflection faint in the glass. Well, it's come to this, a soft huff escaped her lips as she gave in to the thought. Might as well save him the embarrassment if I don't show up.
"Okay, calm down," she told herself, exhaling sharply. "It's just dinner. Nothing to overthink."
But her inner voice wasn't so easily silenced. Was this just him being polite? Maybe he felt guilty about something. Or worse—maybe he was testing her for some bizarre reason. She shook her head, trying to dispel the growing anxiety.
Taking a deep breath, she marched to her closet and rummaged through her clothes. She pulled out a simple dress, held it up, and then immediately discarded it. Too plain. She grabbed another, this one too formal.
"Why is this so hard?" she muttered, flopping onto the bed in frustration.
She couldn't help but recall the way Elion looked at her when he asked her. That vulnerability, the way his voice softened... It wasn't like him. She sighed and pushed herself up, finally settling on a dress that was both classy, but not over the top—a dark blue dress that suited her perfectly. She paired it with simple earrings and light makeup, not wanting to overdo it.
She caught her reflection in the mirror and felt her stomach flip. "It's just dinner," she whispered again, as though saying it out loud would make it true.
Her fingers tightened on the railing as she made her way down, her heart pounding in her chest. She spotted Elion standing near the front door, his back to her. He looked effortlessly sharp in a perfectly tailored black suit. Warm light from the chandelier danced across his strong frame and sleek cufflinks.
"Elion?" she called out hesitantly.
He glanced over at her voice, his calm facade faltering for just a second. His eyes widened slightly as they took her in, his gaze softened, revealing something she couldn't quite place.
"You look..." he began, but then he seemed to catch himself. His lips quirked into a familiar, teasing smile. "You clean up nicely."
Raelynn rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "Thanks, I guess."
Elion closed the distance between them with practiced ease. The elegant motion of offering his arm felt like something out of a classic film. "Shall we?"
Raelynn hesitated for a fraction of a second before slipping her hand into the crook of his arm. Even through his suit, she could feel his warmth, a quiet reminder of his strength.
As they moved toward the door, his hand slipped away from hers, the faint cold it left behind was quickly replaced by the warmth of his palm on her back, guiding her steps. The brief touch left her with an unexpected chill running through her. Protective. Unnerving. Comforting. All at once.
"You don't have to do that, you know," she said, glancing up at him.
"Do what?" he asked, his tone light but his eyes glinting with curiosity.
"Act all... chivalrous," she quipped with a playful grin.
He smirked, holding the door open for her. "It's not an act."
Stepping out, the cool evening breeze kissed her skin. He'd switched cars again, this time to a shiny black Rolls Royce. Elion never missed a beat when it came to casually proving how wealthy he was...
Elion moved ahead of her, opening the passenger door with an elegance that made her roll her eyes again.
"Seriously?" she said, arching a brow.
"Just go with it."
Raelynn slid into the seat, smoothing her dress as Elion closed the door behind her. She watched through the window as he walked around to the driver's side with calm and confident. When he settled into the driver's seat and started the car, she couldn't help but glance at him out of the corner of her eye.
Who was this version of Elion? Polite, charming, almost... vulnerable? It was a side of him she hadn't seen before, and she wasn't sure what to make of it.
As the car pulled away from the house, Raelynn leaned back in her seat, her head spinning with things she couldn't say. For now, she figured she'd just go with the flow and see how things turned out.