The party was held at one of the city's most exclusive hotels—an establishment run by Jason Gray's company. From the moment Olivia and Emily stepped out of the cab, the sparkling lights and red carpet made it obvious to Olivia that this was no ordinary event. Wealthy businessmen, socialites, and a few celebrities moved gracefully through the grand entrance.
Emily, looking stunning in her soft blue cocktail dress, linked arms with Olivia. "Don't glare too much," she whispered playfully. "You're supposed to smile at parties."
Olivia rolled her eyes, adjusting the hem of her black dress. "If I'm here, it's only because you dragged me. And remember—tonight is about me meeting this mysterious boyfriend of yours. So, don't expect me to play nice right away."
Emily giggled nervously. "I know, I know. But promise me you won't scare him off in the first five minutes?"
"No promises," Olivia muttered.
Inside, the hotel's ballroom was breathtaking—high crystal chandeliers, golden drapes, and tables glittering with glasses of champagne. The atmosphere was luxurious yet lively, filled with music and chatter.
As they made their way in, Emily suddenly stopped, her eyes lighting up. "There he is!"
Olivia followed her gaze and froze. Standing not too far away was Jason Gray, tall and effortlessly confident, chatting with a group of businessmen.
Olivia had met him before—Jason wasn't an unfamiliar name in the business circle. In fact, they had crossed paths on several occasions since he was Aiden's friend, the only one of his that Olivia actually knew. Still, their conversations had been brief, usually no more than one or two exchanges, and always centered around business or Aiden himself. She had no real sense of Jason's character, but the fact that he was close to Aiden was enough to leave her with a less-than-favorable impression.
But just as Olivia was about to move with Emily toward Jason, her eyes caught sight of someone else. A familiar face she had hoped not to see tonight. But when she sees Jason, she knows he will be there.
Aiden stood by the bar, dressed in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit, his sharp features illuminated by the warm glow of the chandelier. He usually didn't attend these kinds of events, but since this was an event related to his best friend, he decided to come. In addition, he was also curious about Jason's girlfriend, the girl who managed to make a person like Jason think of getting settled.
When Olivia looked at Adien, he also turned his head in their direction, feeling someone staring at him. The moment he turned his head, their eyes met. Aiden's expression faltered, his usual composed demeanor breaking into something unguarded—shock, disbelief, maybe even awe.
His gaze swept over Olivia, taking in the sleek black dress that hugged her curves, her hair loosely curled, her lips painted a shade of deep red. She looked nothing like the worn-out secretary he had seen every day at the office. She looked… breathtaking.
Olivia noticed his stare and immediately scoffed, crossing her arms.
When Aiden looked at them, Jason, who was standing next to him, also noticed them. He walked toward them with Aiden. His eyes softened when they landed on Emily, and he approached with a smile that was both charming and genuine.
"Emily," he greeted, inclining slightly as though she were royalty. With a gentleman's grace, he took her hand lightly and pressed a polite kiss over her knuckles. "You look absolutely stunning tonight. I'm glad you came."
Emily blushed furiously, trying—and failing—to hide her smile. Olivia raised a brow, studying Jason with the sharp eyes of a protective older sister.
Then his gaze shifted, and he did a double-take. "Miss Bennett?" Jason's surprise was evident as he addressed Olivia. "I didn't know you were attending tonight."
Emily asked, her voice filled with surprise. "Wait—you two know each other?"
Olivia folded her arms casually, her tone neutral. "Mr. Gray is my ex-boss's friend. We met on some occasions."
When he heard the words 'ex-boss ', Aiden's expression changed, but Olivia reacted like she didn't notice anything. Even Jason looked at Aiden.
Emily, who was completely oblivious to the tension between Olivia and Aiden, nodded her head and said. "Well, then, you both need a proper introduction. Jason, this is Olivia —my best friend, the very person I've been wanting you to meet."
Jason blinked, then let out a low laugh, his expression brightening with amusement. "What a small world. Miss Bennett's the famous Liv, about whom Emily talks all the time?"
Olivia's lips curved into a small smile. She turned to Emily with mock suspicion. "So, you talk about me behind my back, huh? I hope it's all good things."
Jason chuckled, shaking his head lightly. "All good things? More than good. Emily has spoken about you so much, I was beginning to think you were her goddess or something."
Emily gasped softly, her cheeks turning red. "Jason!"
Olivia laughed, a genuine sound slipping out before she could stop herself. She gave Jason another quick, assessing glance—and for the first time that evening, she found herself willing to admit that maybe, just maybe, Emily hadn't been exaggerating when she called him a good guy.
As the three of them exchanged introductions, there was one person who hadn't been included in the circle of conversation. Aiden stood a step behind Jason. He was used to commanding attention wherever he went, yet at this moment, it was as if his presence had been completely overlooked.
Jason suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as though a pair of deadly eyes were drilling into his back. He glanced behind him, only to find Aiden staring at him with that cold, unreadable gaze. In that moment, Jason realized with a pang of guilt that he had completely forgotten his friend was standing there, silently being ignored.
Quickly recovering, he turned back to Emily, gesturing toward Aiden with a polite smile. "Emily, allow me to introduce my friend—Aiden Ashford."
Emily froze the moment the name slipped out. Her gaze darted instantly to Olivia, eyes widening with disbelief, before she looked back at Aiden as though seeing him for the very first time.
"You're… Aiden?" she asked softly, as if to confirm.
Aiden inclined his head politely, his expression impassive. "Yes."
Emily blinked, struggling to compose herself. "Oh. I… I see."
Her reaction wasn't strange to everyone; they knew exactly what Emily was thinking.
Seeing how close Emily and Olivia are, Jason knows that Emily also knows everything that happened at the company through Olivia.
As for why Emily didn't know Aiden until his name was spoken was because Aiden rarely attended social gatherings, despised media exposure, and preferred to keep his name detached from any flashy appearances. Not many people know what Aiden Ashford looks like.
Emily only knew him because of Olivia. He had been the topic of almost all their conversations since Olivia started working—usually Olivia saying how handsome he looks, complaining how much work he gave her, or occasionally cursing under her breath. The iceberg, they both nicknamed him, and Emily had often joked that she'd freeze to death if she ever met him.
And now here he was. Standing tall, composed, and very real.
Emily extended her hand, still slightly hesitant but with a polite smile. "It's… a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Ashford."
Aiden accepted her handshake with the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips—though it was hard to tell if it was genuine or simply his usual polite mask." The pleasures all mine. Jason talks a lot about you. It's good to finally see you."
"Oh, Really. He did?" Emily said with a faint smile, tugged at he lips.
" He did a bit too much."
Emily chuckled at that.
She didn't see the rude and arrogant attitude that Olivia talked about, but she had to admit that he really is handsome, so handsome that it feels unreal.
After the introductions, a brief silence settled over their small group, though the hall itself buzzed with noise—laughter, music, and the hum of conversations blending together. Guests drifted about, some eager to greet Jason and Aiden, a few even recognizing Olivia. Yet no one approached; they seemed to sense that they were engaged in something private, so they left the four of them on their own.
Before the silence stretched any further, Olivia folded her arms in front of her chest, her sharp eyes shifted toward Jason"So," Olivia said, her voice calm but firm, "since you're dating Emily, I have a few questions for you."
Emily stayed quiet, just looking at Jason with pity in her eyes. She knew what was coming next. Emily's pity-filled stares made Jason a bit nervous.
Jason, however, didn't let the nervousness show on his face. He straightened his posture, trying to keep a confident smile even as Olivia's gaze bore into him. "Of course. Go ahead."
"First," Olivia tilted her head, "how did you two meet exactly? And don't give me the vague answer. I want details."
Jason cleared his throat, his smile turning a little sheepish. "At the hospital. My younger brother was injured, and I was there for his treatment. Emily was the one who treated him. Later, we crossed paths a few more times. We started talking, and it grew naturally from there."
Olivia narrowed her eyes, studying him carefully. "And what was your first impression of her?"
Jason didn't hesitate. "That she was kind, easy to be around, and made me laugh a lot." His answer was simple, but the sincerity in his tone made Emily's blush deepen.
"Hm." Olivia tapped her finger against her arm as though weighing his words. "What are your intentions in dating her? Why her? You are young, handsome moreover rich. You could have anyone, why her?"
Jason blinked, momentarily thrown. Emily didn't say anything because she also wanted to know the answer to that question.
"Tell me. Why her?" Olivia repeated her question, her voice sharp, gaze locked firmly on Jason.
Jason didn't even flinch at the sharpness of Olivia's tone. Instead, he straightened a little, meeting her gaze with steady calm.
"Because it's her," he said simply, his voice firm. "Yes, I'm young, I have money, and maybe I could have someone else if I wanted. But none of that matters. Emily isn't just anyone—she's the one who makes me want to be better. She doesn't care about my name or my wealth; she cares about me. And that's rare, Miss Bennett. That's something I'm not letting go of."
Emily, who had been listening quietly, felt her cheeks warm. Jason's words made her chest tighten in a way that was both overwhelming and comforting. She hadn't expected him to answer with such honesty. A small, almost shy smile tugged at her lips, and her fingers curled against the fabric of her dress. She glanced at Olivia, hoping her friend had heard the sincerity, too.
Olivia studied him for a long moment, silent.
Finally, Olivia sighs slightly, her expression easing just a little. "I'll believe in you. For now."
"But …" Jason, who eased up a little, suddenly tensed up."If you make her sad, I'll make you regret it."
Jason blinked, startled by the sudden steel in her tone. He'd faced plenty of sharp tongues before, but the look in Olivia's eyes made his smile falter.
Beside him, Aiden—who was used to being the one others feared—felt a flicker of surprise at the raw authority in her voice. For a second, even he wasn't sure if he wanted to be on the receiving end of that warning.
Jason finally managed a nervous chuckle, raising his hands slightly in surrender.
" You don't need to worry—I would never hurt her."
" Good." Olivia nodded.
Seeing that she finally eased up, Jason let out a breath even he didn't know he was holding.