Esztar Is Falling

C H A P T E R 46

"You aren't ditching me with the shopping plan, aren't you?" She warned playfully.

"No, ma'am. I'll meet you at the mall in an hour."

"Very well. I'm excited." She clapped her hands and went on with clearing her desk.

Oliver pulled me to their side, honey brown eyes throwing me a strict warning. "You're going to the mall only, right?"

"Of course, Oliver. I've promised you I won't go back to that place."

"Okay." He smiled and vanished into his office while I slipped into my cabin to collect my bag and a few files.

Before leaving, I turned back and cast one last look at my desk and my adorable co-worker passing me a warm encouraging smile.

I'll miss this.

•••••••

"Finding the perfect dress is such a task!" Ariel plonked herself on the park bench with their plethora of shopping bags pooling next to her.

The struggle was real. But we finally found a very cute strapless pink dress. Although I wasn't a great fan of pink, I fell in love with this one.

My phone rang, indicating Oliver's call. He just had to make sure every thirty minutes that I hadn't managed to get myself kidnapped by someone.

Ariel chuckled hearing me scold my brother for the second time tonight. I thought she'd take the entire drama as a big deal but after the initial shock she seemed to be all chill.

"I can't believe you called your brother hot the first time you saw him." She laughed, recollecting my first day.

"In my defense, I didn't know he was my brother at that time." I frowned.

I'd fed her with a story of our parents being divorced and we being separated as kids and that Mason was my step brother and we just happened to collide with Oliver one fine day. She seemed to believe it so meh!

"Are you okay, Ariel?" I placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know you're upset after... after what happened that day with Allegra."

The smile on her face dropped. She still crushed over Oliver. I felt so torn between Alli and Ariel.

Was that how grandpa must be feeling with me and Camila?

"That's fine. I never expected him to return my feelings. You know what they say about crush." She laughed it away.

I debated over telling her that he did like her at some point but I decided against it.

"I think we should get going now. The next thing I know is your brother firing me tomorrow because I was the reason you returned home late." She rolled her eyes, picking up her bags while I picked one that belonged to me.

I waved her as her cab rolled away while proceeded towards my car when my eyes caught the sight of a certain someone exiting a drug store.

A smile instinctively stretched over my face and I found myself crossing the street, trotting over to him and tapping his shoulder.

"Vittoria? Hello." Harri greeted with his signature shy smile. "Have you been following me, princess Leia?"

"What will you do if I say yes?" I grinned, joining him on the sidewalk.

"Is there anything else I can do apart from being creeped out?" He chuckled.

"Wait let me think..um..nope." I shook my head rigorously and his chuckle grew into a lively laughter.