"Hey… are you busy?" Aurora asked softly, stepping into the study.Jake didn't even look up. "Yes, of course I am. I have to finish this paperwork before noon," he replied, flipping another page with concentration.
"Hmm. I can see that," she murmured playfully, walking up to the desk and perching herself right on top of it. She deliberately tucked her hair to one side, exposing the soft, bare skin of her neck.Jake finally looked up his eyes locking on her neckline. His brows arched with suspicion and desire.
"Jeez, baby… are you trying to seduce me?"
"Me? No! Why would I do that?" she asked, her voice dripping with mock innocence as she batted her lashes.Jake leaned back in his chair, narrowing his eyes like a man who had just spotted a thief in action. "Hmm… let me guess why you're here. You want something, don't you?"
"Uh… uh…" she mumbled, caught in the act but still pretending.He chuckled darkly. "Listen, your little performance didn't work on me. Nice try though. Can I get back to work now?"
"What?!" Aurora gasped, offended. She jumped off the table with a dramatic huff, spun on her heel, and folded her arms tightly across her chest, pouting like a child denied candy.Jake burst into laughter at her theatrics, shaking his head.Without another word, he opened a drawer, pulled out his credit card, and strolled toward her, holding it out with a smirk.
"You want this, don't you?" he teased, waving it near her like a toy.Aurora peeked at it from the corner of her eye. The moment she confirmed what it was, she spun around and snatched it from his hand with a triumphant grin.
"YES!!! Thank you! But… how did you know?"
Jake leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I know you very well, baby. You're as easy to read as a headline."
"Where are you heading to? Shopping, of course! Angel and I are going to Maxwell's Mall. It's been forever."I'm assigning six patrol Jeeps to follow you," Jake said, turning back toward his desk. "I'll join you once I'm done here."
Aurora's jaw dropped. "Six?! Jake, don't you think that's a bit… much? I don't feel comfortable being followed around like I'm the President's wife!" He turned back to her with a raised brow. "Aurora, you're not just anyone anymore. You're my fiancée. And my woman doesn't walk the streets unprotected not with a diamond like that on her finger."
"Okay, fine," she sighed. "But they better keep their distance. I still want to feel normal."
"Have fun then," Jake said, walking back to his chair.Aurora hugged him tightly from behind. "I love you."Jake smiled. "I love you more." She pulled away, already halfway to the door. "Oh, and I'll pass by the bank to inquire about your credit card."Yes, please do that," he called after her.She turned around, raising a brow. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
Jake looked at her, confused. "What now?"
She sashayed back to him, eyes twinkling mischievously. Running her fingers through his hair, she leaned in and whispered against his ear, "I'm sorry babe… but I forgot to brush this morning."Before he could even react, she pecked his cheek and bolted out of the room, laughter echoing behind her.Jake stood frozen for a second, then sniffed the air, groaned, and clenched his fists."Damn it, Aurora… what have you done to me?"
"Bestie! I got the card!" Aurora shouted, waving it in the air like a prize.Angel grinned. "I also got mine. Let's hit the road!"
But the moment they stepped outside, Angel's jaw dropped."Where did all these Jeeps come from?! It looks like a presidential convoy."Jake's orders," Aurora said casually. "Bodyguards." Angel whistled. "We're not just going shopping. We're going shopping with swagger."
"Destination: Maxgel," Aurora announced proudly. "It's been forever since I visited Maxwell's Mall."Angel nodded. "Then we definitely don't need the credit card. We own the place."Of course we still need them," Aurora said with a laugh. "The cash still ends up in Maxwell's account. But hey I still want to shop like a regular girl."
Angel saluted dramatically. "Yes, Ma'am Aurora."
"Wow," Aurora whispered, her heels clicking across the polished marble floor. "This place is divine. It's been ages since I stepped foot in here. Was it renovated?"
"Yes, recently," Angel replied. "You know Maxwell—he's obsessed with his business ventures. He probably upgraded it twice since last month."
"No wonder his malls are the best in Latin America," Aurora said, eyes scanning the sparkling chandeliers and high-end storefronts. "Let's go in!"
The two women disappeared into the shops, laughing, trying on designer heels, collecting bags of luxurious goods. By the time they walked back out, the security men could barely keep up.
"We bought so much," Aurora sighed, fanning herself dramatically. "It's a good thing Jake insisted on sending his men. Who else would have helped with all these bags?"
Angel nudged her. "And to think we were complaining about six Jeeps."
"I'm still complaining," Aurora said, but with a smile. "Just… silently now."
They both burst into laughter, arms full of shopping bags, the world watching as the heiresses of two powerful men lit up Maxwell's Mall like queens on parade.