Wife by Day, Boss by Night

Brian had planned the perfect afternoon for Natalie, bringing her to a dazzling diamond exhibition, a move

o evident that even Dave could guess his intentions with his eyes closed.

The other day, Dave overheard a snippet of conversation between Max and their mutual acquaintance, King.

he subject was Natalie, and from what Dave pieced together, it seemed she might be with Brian.

As soon as they entered the venue, Brian's eyes immediately gravitated toward a champagne diamond of Exceptional clarity, It wasn't the largest gem on display, but its quality was unmistakable.

He glanced at Natalie to gauge her reaction, only to find her attention returning from something or someone In the distance.

Following her gaze, Brian spotted Dave, the person in charge of The Aerie, approaching them with a knowing grin. "Mr. Howard, we are honored by your presence," Dave warmly greeted as he neared.

Natalie looked over at Dave with confusion, then back at Brian, silently querying.

"And who might this be...?" Dave Inquired with a polite curiosity, leaning in toward Brian.

Brian felt a twinge of doubt but dismissed it. It was the first formal event he'd ever brought Natalie to, so others would surely be curious about her.

"My wife," he stated firmly, with a hint of pride.

Natalie wanted to interject, but after considering the circumstances, she decided that silence was golden. And there was no need to stir up Brian's suspicions.

"Mrs. Howard, indeed a fine choice," Dave complimented with a nod.

'Mrs. Howard,' Dave mused internally, wondering what Max would think upon hearing Brian's introduction. So, Natalie had quietly reconciled with Brian, and no one had been the wiser. It was a complication.

"The piece that's caught your eye is a South African diamond, one that's certainly above average for today's exhibit. But there are even more exceptional ones as we move ahead," Dave mentioned casually, steering the conversation away from personal matters.

Pretending to be engrossed, Natalie asked Dave, "Could you show us those, please?"

Dave led the way, handing Natalie a mojito as they walked. He whispered to Brian, "Your wife appears quite young. May I ask her age?"

"Twenty-two," Brian replied leisurely with a slight curve of his lips.

Absorbed in the sparkle of the surrounding diamonds, Natalie radiated a youthful charm that was impossible to ignore, a beauty that demanded to be cherished.

Natalie's allure had attracted the invited high-end media personnel. When they aimed their cameras at her and Brian, the bodyguards intervened quickly.

Brian hadn't intended for Natalie to become the center of attention. He just wanted to declare to the world

that he was married.

Dave couldn't help but feel a twinge of discomfort. Brian, at thirty, was a good eight years her senior. It was almost like robbing the cradle,

If Max were to find out... With a silent sigh, Dave had always thought King was the perfect match for Natalie. Unfazed, a magnificent teardrop-shaped diamond resided in the display case captured Brian's attention. Its glow eclipsed all others as if they ceased to exist in its presence.

11:41

lane couldn't help but be captivated as she turned around and now the diamond Up clo

enchanting its inner tre was a gleaming silver, shrouded in a delicate mist that seemed w you

to its spell.

cunda diamand," murmured a bystander, also halted in his tracks by the stone's allure

Han ganced up, catching Natalie's gaze still on the diamond. He could tell by the look in her eyes that she liked it.

Dave had accompanied them as they strolled around a bit more, checking out the other diamonds on display

Natalie had held out until past five, thinking the exhibition was winding down and she could soon part ways with Dave. While she was gathering her thoughts to bid him farewell, Dave spoke softly, "Your dinner

reservation is all set.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

"The main event starts promptly at 6.30"

"What other event?" Natalie turned to look at Brian.

Brian gently took Natalie's hand, leading her toward the private booth Dave had prepared for them, and whispered, "There's an auction tonight."

It dawned on Natalie then the real reason Brian had brought her there. She had assumed all the loose diamonds were up for sale except for a few marked otherwise. She had thought they were only there to attend the event and view the exhibition.

And she had not expected that the diamonds marked 'not for sale, including the Golconda, which seemed to be a relic passed down from royalty, were for the

auction!

"Let's head back," she suggested, tugging lightly at Brian's sleeve.

It was getting too big for her comfort.

No wonder Dave had seemed on the verge of saying more.

"What do you think?" Brian gently ruffled her hair in response.

His woman deserved the best the world had to offer.

the Howard family estate, Davis asked the butler sternly, "Did Brian take Natalie

to the diamond

exhibition?"

"Yes, many have seen them together, although Mr. Brian didn't allow the press to publish any front-facing photos of Natalie," the butler replied, trembling slightly.

Davis' expression darkened as he asked, "Did Natalie take a fancy to any particular diamond?"

"Mr. Brian didn't purchase any of

those smaller diamonds. They

seemed very interested in a south

ve

African champagne diamond.

They've spent quite a while looking at

it, probably planning to bid on it

tonight."

If Brian bought that diamond, a proposal wouldn't be far off. Davis couldn't let

that happen,

He looked up toward Gracia's firmly shut door on the second floor.

Since Brian had suppressed the news of the hot air balloon proposal, Gracia had

locked herself away for days

for days, emerged with her hair in glamorous waves, he makes ingmoose, and

Ferndalen

hough Fair makasftp was not awy. Then ifis wear Waring red. dimawing oil eyes

to the Staetw rom her near tragedy at the airport days before was complete. The

were phone he

The sight pained Davis deeply.

After some consideration, he instructed the butler, "Tell Gracia to come down. I

need to talk to her

At quarter past six, a Rolls-Royce pulled up to the front of "The Aerie."

Some guests were there solely for the evening's auction and hadn't attended the

afternoon showcase, hence their late arrival.

Aware that headline-worthy guests were yet to enter, the media camped out at

the door, waiting for their

shot.

The next moment, a woman in a

sleek black strapless gown exited the car. Gracia, absent from the public

d

eye for days, emerged with her hair in glamorous waves, her makeup impeccable, and her red-soled black

heels clicking as she walked to

Though her makeup was not heavy,

her lips were blazing red, drawing all eyes to her. The transformation from her hear tragedy at the airport days

before was complete. She was a phoenix risen anew.