Before Charles was his beloved girlfriend named Anna.
Anna stood beside a handsome young man, whose appearance exuded a sense of elegance and refinement.
He was clad in a kimono of the deepest cobalt blue, accented by a sleek black trouser and beneath his kimono was a white long sleeves.
His hands were wrapped around the waist of Anna as he whispered soft words into her ear.
'Stunned!'
Charles gulped down his saliva, observing the scene before him.
'Is Anna cheating on me?' He probed, inwardly questioning himself with an arched brow.
As he took in a deep breath, he shook his head sideways, denying his inner thoughts. 'Nope! Anna can never cheat on me.' He said to himself. 'Maybe that young man is Anna's friend.'
Charles willed himself to believe the words of encouragement that he had thrown towards himself.
'If Anna sees me then it would ruin the surprise.' Charles thought to himself while smiling.
He doesn't want to ruin the surprise of buying Anna a ring and some other jewellery.
Following that, he adjusts his reading glasses before turning around and proceeding to step out of the jewellery shop.
Charles stepped out and decided to do some job hunting since he had already quit his cleaning job at Gyapm Corporation.
Charles spent the entire afternoon, looking for a decent job and when the clock struck five, Charles turned his attention to another matter, one of pride and possibility.
With a measured smile gracing his features, he returned to the jewelry shop, and then he smiled warmly at the sales representative.
"Good evening sir." The sales representative greeted Charles with a warm smile.
"Good evening," Charles responded to the greeting. "I want to buy a diamond ring for my girlfriend," Charles added, stating the reason for his visit.
"Ohh!" She purred. "Is it an engagement ring, wedding ring, promise ring, eternity ring, anniversary ring…"
Before the lady could complete her sentence, Charles immediately set his index finger forward as a silent means of telling the lady to stop her sentence.
Just as Charles had expected, the lady's words trailed off as she arched her brows at him. "Sir?"
"Umm, my girlfriend said that she needs a ring to signify that we are in a relationship."
The lady's lips formed a curve as she nodded her head. "Ohh!" She mumbled. "Then it means she wants you to get her a promise ring. A promise ring symbolises the commitment of a romantic relationship."
Hearing the lady's explanation, Charles nods his head excitedly, urging the lady to show him the different diamond rings that signify a promise ring.
Different diamond rings were shown to Charles and he picked the most beautiful one that caught his attention.
Continuing on his quest to dazzle and delight, Charles carefully selected several diamond necklaces for Anna, choosing each piece with care and consideration.
Once the transactions had been completed and the jewelry tucked away in an elegant gift box, Charles emerged from the store, his steps filled with purpose and his mind already turning towards the next item on his agenda.
A few blocks away, a flower shop beckoned, its colorful bouquets and fragrant blossoms promising to add the perfect finishing touch to his preparations.
He bought a rose bouquet and with hastened steps, he rushed to a bakery shop where he bought a cake.
"Can I make a special request?" Charles asked the young man who was attending to him. "Sure! What do you need?"
"Umm, I want you to write 'official' at the top of the cake."
The young man nodded his head as he did as Charles had requested, using butter icing to write the words that Charles desired to be on the cake.
It took a while but eventually, the young man handed over the cake to Charles who quickly paid the bills.
'Anna would be so happy.' Charles thought to himself before hailing a cab.
As Charles settled into the backseat of the cab, his thoughts turned inward, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he imagined the joy and surprise that would flit across Anna's face when she saw the gifts he had chosen with such care.
His mind danced with memories of their time together, their laughter and tender moments echoing in his mind's eye as he gazed out at the passing cityscape.
The soft rumble of the engine gave way to silence as the cab came to a stop outside Charles' destination. 'Sir, we've arrived,' the driver announced, his words pulling Charles back to the present.
Gently roused from his reverie, Charles stirred, gathering his gifts and climbing out of the car.
The warm evening air kissed his skin as he paid the driver, his steps quickening as he approached the front door of Anna's apartment, his anticipation growing with each passing second.
He gave the driver the last dollar that he has left with him.
From the ten thousand dollars that Augustine had offered to Charles, he had spent it Diamond necklaces, diamond rings, a decadent cake, and a breathtaking bouquet of flowers—each item a testament to his affection and devotion.
As he made his way up the steps to Anna's door, Charles couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at his purchases
'This is the first time that I am visiting Anna.' Charles thought while biting his lower lips as he blushed.
He took in a deep breath, before knocking on the door.
"Come in!" Anna yelled from inside the house. "And drop it at the sitting room table." She added.
The voice of Anna made the cheek of Charles turn crimson red as he flustered his long lashes. 'Could it be that she is already expecting me?' He inquired, but his question wasn't directed to anyone.
Charles decided to balance his gifts by allowing the cake cradled securely in his left hand, the bouquet of flowers tucked under his arm. In his right hand, the box of diamond rings and necklaces rested.
Slowly, he opened the door but Anna wasn't in the sitting room.
He gulped down his saliva and headed straight to the bedroom.
Slowly, Charles opened the door of the bedroom only for him to see…