The silence that ensued between Ariana and Harry while they left the police station, had the young lady wonder if she had made the wrong decision calling him. She couldn't read his face to know what's on his mind, his facial expression was just blank.
Maybe he had seen another girl that accepted his proposal?
The thought of it had the young lady stopped in her tracks, and nearly shouted no, but it was obvious that she did because Harry stopped and looked back at her in concern.
"Is everything okay,miss?" He asked, bringing Ariana out of her thoughts as shame engulfed her entire body just looking at him.
"Yes, I'm fine." She said lowly unable for him to fully hear her, while she rubbed her arm nervously. She knew what was next after this, but the main point is that she's safe and Grace is safe too. The other man, Caleb, who she had met with Harry that night, had helped carry Grace to the car earlier while she stayed behind for Harry to sort things inside before leaving with him.
Ariana was embarrassed.
After making it obvious that she won't be seeing him again, now look who was the damsel in distress? The rejected stone is now the cornerstone, but what had her embarrassed was the next stage of the help which Harry offered to her, would land her into.
She has a whole lot of questions about marrying this Alexander guy, which Harry knew that it was his duty to explain things for her to understand better. She wasn't able to fully understand what exactly it is that he wanted from her that night, apart from the part that she was to play wife to some stranger.
"Get in." Harry said, holding the car door open for her like some gentleman, as Ariana looked ahead to see that it was a totally different car from the one that Grace was in. "Don't worry, Caleb will take her home safely while we talk about what's important for the both of us."
His last statement made her heart race, but it was too late to back out right now. She had no money to pay back Harry for bailing out Grace and paying for Madam Sophia's hospital and settlement fee, so, the young lady could see that she had no choice here than to enter the car that he held wild open for her.
Anyone who saw her right now would think that she had hit the jackpot, since this was the first time that she entered such an expensive car, but only she knew the ordeal she was about to face. Only her knew the price for the life she had with her right now. At this moment, her life and that of Grace wss at the hands of Harry.
If Ariana does as much as to back out now, she could literally see herself facing more problems than actually being locked up in jail with Grace. Which was why she clenched her hands at her side, while taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart, at this rate, Ariana knew that might have a heart attack.
Harry has not made her know the terms and condition for his proposal, and she's already acting like she knew it all.
She sat still in the car and watched Harry pull up to an expensive restaurant, he came down and held the car open for her again while her eyes went around their surroundings. She followed behind Harry as they entered the restaurant, with her head bent low she felt like she was poorly dressed for being inside here.
This place wasn't for the likes of her, she felt inferior compared to the ladies that were dressed to the hilt when her eyes fell upon them.
"This way." Harry said, while Ariana hurried along trying to keep up with his footsteps. He seemed to be busy, which she understands that she was the one that brought him out, this late at night, but what the young lady didn't know was that Harry was happy that his plan was finally working.
Of Course it didn't show on his face, but he was glad that he was about to cross this difficult step, which has been giving him sleepless nights. He had been looking at Ariana from the front mirror while they were in the car, she looked scared but she had no right to be.
If anything, she should be glad that out of billion girls to exist, she was the lucky person to be chosen for this. Maybe it was a miracle in disguise that she looks just like Selina, but what mattered to him is that he finally had her where he wanted her to be.
With her indebted to him, she will have no excuse to do what he wants from her.
He held a chair out for her when they arrived at a secluded place in the restaurant, set only for vips. He didn't mind spending that extra money for her, he needed a quiet place for the both of them to talk without any distraction.
"What would you like to eat?" He asked, picking up the menu from the table.
"No! No, I'm fine." Ariahs rejected his offer, she had no plans of spending more of his money tonight.
Harry chuckled at her thoughtfulness. But she's had a long day today, he remembered that he got her fired today looking at her right now, he kind of felt bad for what he did, but what's done is done.
"Don't worry, it's on me. I won't ask you to pay back later." He said to Ariana, who hesitated for a bit before picking up the menu. Her eyes nearly fell out of its sockets, when she looked at the price of the food, how much money does he have?
She thought.
She was confused on what to pick, which she later had Harry do for her, before the waiter who had been with them left to get their order.
"I have stressed you by calling you out late at night, I'm sorry." Ariana said.
"Don't blame yourself, you did the right thing. It's rare to see your kind, doing such a good deed for a friend." Harry commended her, it reminded him of his relationship with Alexander. He was a nobody who he had picked from the street, now look at him, he was able to eat, sleep and do whatever he wanted without worrying about money and it's all because of Alexander.
Which is why he's going to do everything possible to protect his name, and image for as long as he's in a coma, until he wakes up.
"About your..proposal?" Ariana asked, rubbing her hand together under the table.
"What about it? Are you charging your mind already?" Harry bluntly asked. She couldn't be that ungrateful not after what he has done for her tonight.
"No! I didn't say that, I'm just curious, that's all." She said nervously.
"You need not to be afraid, miss. Like i have said, everything about this arrangement would not only benefit me, but you as well, but that will be if only you play your part well." Harry informed her.
He wasn't entirely heartless, if everything works out fine and he's able to find Selina just in time before Alexander's grandfather does, and fix everything back to the way it is. Her help won't be needed anymore, but she won't be going back to her poor life anymore.
Ariana nodded, before she watched him drop a brown file infront of her, which she opened and saw a name written in a big cursive letter.
Selina White.