Honey, I've finally finished my work in Burnley. Tomorrow I will fly back to Broughton and see you. I really miss you, Avrora.
That was a short message from Steven Martin, Avrora Madeline's boyfriend and future husband.
Receiving good news from Steven this early in the morning made Avrora jump out of bed. Her sleepiness and laziness instantly disappeared, replaced by enthusiasm to welcome her boyfriend at the airport.
"I miss you, Stev," said Avrora with a charming smile as she kissed the screen of her smartphone, which had a background photo of Steven hugging her lovingly.
Avrora went to the closet to get her bathrobe. She then went to the bathroom to freshen up.
Since she didn't have any classes today, Avrora planned to go to the mall to find a surprise gift for Steven.
It had been a year since Avrora started a long-distance relationship with Steven Martin—a businessman who owned a hotel business.
Although it wasn't the best hotel in Broughton, several hotels under his management had a 5-star rating. This is what made Steven a respected figure among the upper class.
Avrora Madeline is the second of two siblings. Both of her parents died in an accident three years ago.
All of her parents' businesses and companies are now run by her older brother, Aiden Lucero, who is married to a woman from a prominent family and lives in their parents' house.
Meanwhile, Avrora, although she is very close to her brother, does not want to live with him and chooses to live in an apartment while continuing her studies before taking over part of the company that is intended for her.
Avrora spends an hour showering and putting on light makeup to make her face look fresher.
Her outfit this time is a navy blue mini dress with 10 cm high heels. She doesn't forget to let her long hair down, pinning the ends slightly so it doesn't get messy. She looks feminine, but people say she is not as feminine as her lively and talkative character.
The clock on the nightstand showed that it was already 9:00 a.m. Avrora took the off-white sling bag from the closet, her car keys, and her smartphone, which was lying on the table.
Before leaving the apartment, Avrora sent a short message to Steven.
Stev, I'm going to the mall to buy something as a surprise gift for you. Try to guess what kind of gift I'm going to give you.
Send
Message sent. Avrora then left her apartment on the 10th floor and headed to the basement to get her car.
Before leaving, Avrora dialed Hana Caroline's number—a friend she often hung out with. She had forgotten to tell Hana earlier. Hopefully, Hana would have time to go with her.
"Hi, Av. Why are you calling me?"
"Hi, Hana. I just got a message from Steven. He said he's going back to Broughton tomorrow, and I forgot to buy him a gift."
"So, what does me not buying a gift for Steven have to do with me?"
"Um... I want you to come with me to the mall. It happens to be the weekend today, and I don't have any plans. Can you?"
"Gosh... how about it?"
"Please... you can do it. You know, Steven and I are getting married in two months, but we rarely have time alone because we're both so busy. So I want to surprise him."
"Okay, I'll go with you. Pick me up at my house."
"That's my girl. That's my best friend. I'm already in the car. I'll be at your house in about 20 minutes. So don't take too long getting ready."
"Yes, you nag!"
Hana hung up on her, which made Avrora pout.
"So annoying! Good thing you're my friend." She muttered.
Since Hana was clearly going to accompany her, Avrora stepped on the gas and drove her car toward Caroline's residence, which was not far from her apartment.
Avrora finally arrived at Caroline's residence after a 20-minute drive from the apartment, and Hana happened to be ready with her outfit when she arrived.
The side window of the car was open. "Shall we go now?" Avrora asked as Hana stood beside the car.
"Sure,"
Hana moved to the car door and got in to sit next to Avrora.
The car drove off again, speeding through the streets of Broughton. This morning, the roads weren't too busy because people were busy with their activities.
"Hana, have you had breakfast?"
"No. I just woke up because I worked late last night on some college assignments. And you suddenly asked me to go out. Of course I haven't had breakfast." Hana pouted. She was annoyed, but she couldn't be mad at her friend.
Avrora turned her head without guilt, "Hehe... sorry. I was too excited when I found out Steven was coming back. You know, being in a long-distance relationship is exhausting. Luckily, I have Steven Martin who always keeps me updated. Otherwise, I think I would have been a really miserable woman."
Hearing how Avrora talked about Steven Martin with such enthusiasm made Hana suddenly fall silent.
"What's wrong, Han? Don't you like that Steven is finally back for me?" Avrora asked, occasionally glancing at Hana, who looked uncertain.
"No, I don't. You know, no matter what your situation is, I will always support your decision. It's just that I hope you investigate everything about Steven over the past two years."
I narrowed my eyes, looking at Hana with a questioning gaze. "What do you mean, Han?"
"Nothing. I was just reminding you because I don't want you to be disappointed, Av."
"I know you never meant me any harm. But I also can't just accept your words. Steven and I have been in a relationship for more than two years. Even though we rarely meet because he runs his company in another country, it doesn't mean we've lost contact. Maybe it's just your feeling."
"Yeah, I hope so." Hana replied lazily. This was what Hana didn't like about Avrora, who trusted her boyfriend, Steven, too much.
If only Avrora were more sensitive, she would realize that Steven wasn't really that nice. But Hana didn't know how to explain this to her friend, who was blinded by love.
The conversation about Steven stopped. The car had arrived at a cafe in the corner of the city. This time, they went to the cafe first for breakfast before continuing on to shop for gifts for Steven.
They both entered the cafe and chose a table near the window facing the street. From there, they could clearly see people passing by going about their activities.