Chapter 6
“And who this lady might be…?)
Naharel’s face tensed, but she forced herself to stay composed. “She’s a friend of mine. She actually knows my sister, too.”
I turned to him with a soft, knowing smile. “Mr. Hanvey. I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”
“Didn’t expect we’d be meeting so soon,” I added, my voice warm but unreadable. Tm a friend of Ms. Arlenel’s. Though I heard she had to head back to her hometown for something urgent.”
“Let me introduce myself–Diya Hammond. I’ve been working overseas these past few years.”
I watched Zack carefully as I spoke, catching the flicker of recognition in his eyes. His body stiffened just slightly when it dawned on him -he hadn’t replied to his wife’s message. Now that he thought about it, Arlenel had said she was leaving town. He’d sent Teddy to his mom’s because of it.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he discreetly studied me, but I could already see it: that glint of excitement behind his polite expression.
He remembered. The mysterious “DH” ID from the Sneaky Affairs Club–the one everyone whispered about–wasn’t that exactly how “Diya Hammond signed off?
“Ms. Hammond,” he said smoothly, offering his hand with a practiced smile.
I extended mine too–intentionally with the hand wearing the limited–edition bracelet.
The moment Zack saw it, his eyes lit up like he’d just spotted buried treasure.!!
Of course he wanted it. Of course he did.
“Ms. Hammond, that bracelet… it’s one of those exclusives, isn’t it? I swear I saw it in some high–end fashion magazine.”
Fashion magazine, my ass. It was Stella who wouldn’t shut up about it.
A whole apartment’s worth of money, dangling casually on my wrist–like it was nothing.
He definitely noticed–there wasn’t a single visible logo on my outfit, yet the fabric and tailoring screamed expensive. Discreet wealth. The kind that didn’t need to announce itself.
Real money never wore brands.
This woman… she wasn’t just elegant–she was dangerous. The type that hid sharp teeth behind a soft smile. The kind of woman who could actually take him somewhere.
After all these years, he finally understood: the right woman wasn’t just beautiful. She could elevate him. Help him break through the ceiling he’d been clawing at his whole life.
“I told Stella to take Ted home. Totally my fault for missing your message,” he said, slipping effortlessly into charm mode.
“You’re Arlene’s close friend, which makes you a guest of honor in our home. And as her husband, it’s only right I treat you properly.”
I gave a polite nod, letting him open the door to the restaurant for me.
Naharel caught my eye as we stepped inside, her expression tight with worry.
“Arlene,” she whispered under her breath, “this place is not cheap. And you know the rules–I can’t cover your bill.”
“All your cash went into this outfit–especially that bracelet. The daily rental fee alone costs more than your entire savings for the year. I have to return it before it’s overdue.”
“Don’t mess up at checkout, or he’ll catch on.”
I gave her a small, knowing smile and quietly slipped the bracelet into her palm.8
“Thanks. Go return it for me, will you?”
I slipped away to the restroom and sent Zack a message from my other phone:
[Babe, something urgent came up at my parents‘ place. I won’t be back for a while. Please make sure you and Stella take good care of Diya for me.
[She’s my best friend! She just broke up with her younger boyfriend and isn’t in the best mood. Let Stella show her around the city a bit.] Zack’s face lit up with a grin as he read the message. He knew the group leader from the Sneaky Affairs Club wasn’t someone easy to approach. But now, thanks to this message from his “wife,” he had the perfect excuse to cozy up to Diya.
When I came back out, Naharel had already made a quiet exit, just as we’d agreed
“Naharel had to leave unexpectedly.” Zack said with a charming smile, handing me two theatre tickets. “She asked me to give you these.”
I smiled back and raised my glass of wine toward him.
“I heard this red’s from a Bordeaux vineyard, vintage ’85. The aroma is just lovely. You should try it.”