"Surprised to see you made it," Nick remarked the moment Rachel strolled into the restaurant. Given her tone during their phone call earlier, he had harbored doubts about her showing up.
Rachel rolled her eyes and quipped, "Reserving the entire place was a bit excessive, don't you think?" She said as she scanned the empty restaurant.
Nick grinned, leaning forward slightly. "I thought we might appreciate the privacy."
Rachel brushed his remark aside, pulled up a chair, and seated herself across from him. She got right to the point, saying, "You said you wanted to talk, so let's talk."
With a smirk, Nick retorted, "Shouldn't you be doing the talking? I came here to listen." He crossed his arms and reclined casually in his chair, his eyes involuntarily wandering across Rachel's striking appearance.
He couldn't deny it; she was breathtaking. Nick had always been drawn to stunning women, and Rachel was no exception.
Her long, lustrous blonde hair framed her incredible figure, and her captivating hazel eyes held his attention. Yet, what he found most enticing were her full, rosy lips. They practically beckoned him to kiss them.
Nick couldn't help but groan softly as he closed his eyes, momentarily lost in the thought of their lips meeting.
"Are you even listening to a word I'm saying?" Rachel's voice dripped with anger as she noticed Nick's inattention.
Nick's gaze snapped back to her, his eyes locked onto hers. He admitted, "No, I was lost in a fantasy about kissing those lips of yours."
Rachel was initially at a loss for words, unsure if Nick was joking or being serious. Her wide-eyed stare seemed to amuse him, and his lips curled into a sly smile.
"I was joking," Nick clarified, his tone less playful now. "But if you're this stunned by a mere mention of a kiss, how will you react when we get into the real stuff?" He added with a self-assured smirk.
Rachel's patience snapped. "You are so disgusting," she spat out in anger, unable to believe he had said such a thing.
"Why? You do realize we'll be married soon, right? Which means you'll have to fulfill my every sexual desire," Nick continued with a smug grin.
Rachel felt a boiling rage inside her, tempted to cross the table and confront Nick with a punch.
But she knew the consequences of such actions could harm her parents. So, instead, she chose to leave.
"Coming here was a mistake," Rachel declared as she stood up, determined to put as much distance between her and Nick as possible.
"Wait. Look, I'm sorry. It's a stupid habit," Nick offered an apology, but Rachel remained resolute in her decision to leave.
Rachel headed for the exit, with Nick following closely behind, attempting to stop her.
As Rachel reached the inner entrance of the restaurant, she was surprised to find William in the midst of an argument with a restaurant staff member over a reservation he had made for himself and his client.
"Will?" Rachel called out in surprise.
William turned to see Rachel and couldn't hide his astonishment. However, a frown creased his forehead when he noticed Nicholas Hill standing next to her. He might not have known Nick personally, but his reputation was widely known.
"Rachel, what are you doing here?" William asked as he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"I... I was..." Rachel began, but Nick interjected.
"We were on a date, a date we should probably get back to," Nick replied, eliciting glares from both Rachel and Will.
"Will, please, will you take me home?" Rachel implored, looking pleadingly into William's eyes.
"Absolutely," Will responded, still eyeing Nick with suspicion. He had no idea what Rachel was doing here with him.
As William and Rachel turned to leave, Nick stopped them by calling out to Rachel.
"What?" Rachel said, turning around.
Nick reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ring case. It was evident that whatever was inside was exceptionally valuable. When he opened it, their eyes were met with a breathtaking sight.
Inside the box lay a diamond-encrusted ring with a large twinkling emerald at its center.
"It's a family heirloom. My mom asked me to give you this," Nick explained as he handed the exquisite box to Rachel.
Rachel stared at the box, then accepted it from him. "Tell her I love it," she said softly, before turning to William, who looked utterly perplexed. He had no idea what was transpiring. Was that an engagement ring?
"Let's go, Will," Rachel said, and together they exited the restaurant.