2 - The Spill

Jonathan’s POV

I walked inside La Mer that evening, automatically scanning the room to look for the associates I came to have a meeting with.

We’d agreed to meet here for a reason. Some deal was going down, and it wasn’t the kind of thing you wanted to talk about over the phone or in an office. I saw a couple of suited men sitting at a table and I immediately thought it was then so I walked over, but as I moved closer, I realized they weren’t the ones I was meeting.

I let out a sigh, taking a seat at the nearest available table. No point in walking around like a lost dog looking for the right group. Besides, I was early anyway, so I just had to wait.

I pulled out my phone and quickly shot off a message to Gabriel. “Meeting starting soon. Anything you need me to bring up?”

Gabriel was always on top of things. When he wanted something on the table, you’d know before the first word left his mouth. The man could be ruthless when he needed to be, but he didn’t waste time with unnecessary details.

I leaned against my chair, feeling impatient. I hated waiting, but it came with the job. As his right-hand man, my job was to anticipate everything, be two steps ahead, and handle the mess before it even started. Gabriel didn’t ask for loyalty. He demanded it. And I’d given it, without question. I knew how to play the game exactly how Gabriel liked it.

Just as I was about to zone out, my phone rang. It was the people I was waiting to meet.

I answered, and after a brief exchange, it was clear, they’d canceled, needing to reschedule for some reason I didn’t care to dive into.

I ended the call with a sigh.

I was still staring at my phone exchanging texts with Gabriel and thumbing through messages, when I felt a sudden splash. A cold, wet sensation spread across my white shirt. I looked up, startled, only to see a woman in a black apron, clearly flustered, dabbing at my shirt with a napkin.

"Oh no, I’m so sorry!" she blurted, her face flushing crimson. Her hands were steady as she tried to clean the mess.

I wanted to raise a voice but I raised an eyebrow, surprised by how genuinely calm she looked. “I’ll pay for dry cleaning, or I can buy you a new shirt,” she added quickly, her voice surprisingly steady despite the mishap.

I don’t think she knew the worth of this shirt. I just kept looking at her.

Then, the manager, I supposed, walked over and yelled at her and apologized. He even threatened to sack her but then I told him not to worry, that it was just a shirt.

I turned back to the woman, who seemed embarrassed but relieved at the same time. “It’s okay,” I reassured her, keeping my tone even. She nodded slightly, ready to leave.

Then, just before she could walk away, I spoke again. “Don’t thank me.”

She shot me a glance, her voice sharp. “I wasn’t going to.”

I couldn’t help but smirk, amused by her response. It was rare to see someone so unaffected by the situation. She looked like she was over the job and just didn’t care about the outcome.

Then, just as she started to leave, I caught her attention. "Excuse me," I said, glancing at the menu. "A bottle of Château Margaux, 2015, and… let’s add a plate of your truffle risotto to that."

It wasn’t just about the wine or the food.

The truth was, I wanted to see more of her. She was different. Tough but vulnerable, and something about her reaction to the mess, the way she held herself, intrigued me.

She turned and walked off toward the bar to get my order As she did, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She paused for a moment, her brow furrowing, before stepping off to a quieter corner not too far from my table.

I kept my gaze on her, pretending to be absorbed in my phone, but I couldn’t help overhearing snippets of her conversation.

"Two thousand? Jared, I’m barely scraping by as it is. I’ve got debts piling up too, you know." I heard that loud and clear.

Debt. My mind snapped into focus. That was the leverage I needed.

Gabriel needed a marriage. More specifically, a fake marriage, and this girl, Aria, might just be the perfect fit.

His situation wasn’t one anyone could easily understand. He had the world at his feet. Ruling the biggest company in San Francisco. He has everything but what he lacked was stability in his personal life. The pressure was on him to get married, to secure his future, but he didn’t want the complication of a real relationship. He had enough to deal with as it was.

When she returned with my order, I slid the check across the table. "$10,000," I said. “This isn’t charity,” I continued. “This is Gabriel’s proposition..”

I saw her hesitate, but she didn’t speak right away. Then, I got up and left.

I stepped out of the restaurant, the cool night air hitting my face. I felt a little strange, handing a $10,000 check to someone I barely knew. I might have just made a gamble. But something about her. Her calm under pressure, told me she might be the one Gabriel needed. Still, I couldn’t let myself overthink it. Things had to move quickly. Also, her desperation was the motivation I needed.

When I got home, I pulled out my phone, expecting a message from Gabriel and some business updates. But instead, it was from her. The text read:

"I’ve been thinking about your offer. There are some complications… Can we talk about the details?"

I stared at the message for a moment. Complications? Of course. It wasn’t going to be easy. But was she already second-guessing herself? I didn’t need her backing out before Gabriel even spoke to her.