The weeks had passed, and Tristan had found himself falling into a strange rhythm, one he hadn't quite expected. His days were filled with endless business dealings, the weight of family problems looming over him. But amidst the chaos of his life, there was one constant—Raine.
Despite the layers of secrets and his ever-complicated life, Raine's presence had become a quiet refuge. She was always around, cooking, cleaning, and maintaining the house. In a way, she had become a part of his daily routine, though he had never intended for it to happen.
He had even gone so far as to study planting—real gardening techniques—so that he could maintain the ruse of being "Jeff, the gardener." He couldn't afford for Raine to figure out that the man she thought was a mere employee was actually her employer. The lies were starting to weigh on him, and he couldn't keep up with them forever, but for now, he did his best to play the part.
It was on one of those mornings, as he sat on the back porch reading through a gardening manual (which was honestly a lot more confusing than he had expected), that something caught his eye. Raine, dressed in an outfit that was unmistakably for an outing—something more polished, a dress with a delicate floral pattern—caught his attention.
Her beauty was undeniable, but something about the way she carried herself that morning struck him in a different way. She was different today—more vibrant, her demeanor full of purpose. Tristan couldn't help but watch her as she moved around the house, preparing herself.
His heart skipped a beat as he realized that he was staring. Blushing, he quickly looked down at his book, trying to focus on the pages, but the thoughts racing through his mind wouldn't let up.
She was going somewhere. And the thought unsettled him more than he cared to admit.
Raine turned around and caught him staring, and for a moment, the air between them seemed to thicken with unspoken words. She chuckled lightly, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
"Do I look that bad?" she teased, a playful tone in her voice.
"No," Tristan said quickly, not realizing how defensive his tone was. He cleared his throat, trying to recover. "You look… good. Are you going somewhere?"
Raine stopped for a second, glancing at herself before nodding. "Yeah. I'm going out tonight," she said, her smile faltering just a bit. "It's my first paycheck, so I thought I'd take my parents out for a nice meal. They've been working hard, and I want to show them I appreciate everything they've done for me."
Tristan felt an odd pang in his chest. It wasn't that he didn't understand—he certainly did—but something about the thought of her out there, with someone else, felt... wrong. He didn't like it. He wasn't sure why, but he felt this strange possessiveness bubble up from somewhere deep inside.
"Oh," he said, trying to mask the discomfort with indifference. "A dinner for your parents. That's nice."
Raine shrugged, picking up her purse and glancing over at Tristan. "It's not like it's a fancy date or anything. It's just a small celebration," she added nonchalantly, though the smile tugging at the corner of her lips gave away a hint of excitement.
Tristan nodded, though his mind wasn't on her words anymore. He was thinking of her sitting across from someone else, laughing, enjoying herself, maybe even... flirting. It irritated him more than he cared to admit. Why should it matter to him? After all, he was just the man who hired her.
He tried to shove the feeling away, but it lingered in the pit of his stomach.
"I'll make sure to leave food for Jeff," she said, grabbing a container and filling it with the food she had prepared for the night. "Can't let him go hungry, right?"
Tristan barely registered the words as he watched her pack up the food. His thoughts were still preoccupied with the image of her in that dress, of her laughing with someone else. He was annoyed at himself for feeling this way, for feeling so... possessive.
Raine left, her footsteps echoing through the halls as she headed out to meet her parents. The house felt emptier than usual without her there. Tristan sank into the chair, his mind racing. He needed to do something. He couldn't just sit here and let her go out like this—alone, without any kind of gesture from him.
He wasn't sure what compelled him, but he picked up his phone and dialed Nick's number.
"Nick," Tristan said, his voice tight with an unusual urgency. "I need you to arrange something for me."
Nick's voice came through with a lazy chuckle. "What, another business deal? Another property purchase?"
"No, it's something... personal," Tristan muttered, irritated by how odd this all felt. He hadn't done anything like this in years, and it felt strange to be so involved in someone else's life.
"A personal request, huh?" Nick teased, though his tone shifted as he realized the seriousness in Tristan's voice. "Alright, what do you need?"
Tristan pinched the bridge of his nose. "I want to treat Raine and her parents to a special evening. A private dinner at a hotel that's opening under our company. Set up a food tasting, something exclusive—just them. I'll cover all the costs, of course. Make it a special night for them."
Nick was silent for a beat, clearly processing what Tristan had just said. Finally, he let out a low whistle. "You're really going all out, huh? Alright, I'll handle it. Leave it to me. You want me to make it... romantic, or just elegant?"
"Elegant. No romance," Tristan snapped quickly, realizing he was probably overstepping already.
"Understood. I'll make sure everything is perfect," Nick said, a note of amusement in his voice. "But you know, if you wanted to, you could always come by and join them. You know, just to make sure it's all... properly done."
Tristan immediately shook his head, though Nick couldn't see the gesture. "No. Just make sure it's all set up. I'll handle everything else."
After the call ended, Tristan leaned back in his chair, his eyes staring at the wall. He hadn't expected to make such a gesture, but something about seeing Raine tonight—dressed up, excited about something else—had stirred something in him. He couldn't stand the thought of her enjoying herself without his influence, even though he knew it wasn't his place.
But now, he had done something. The night would be special, one way or another. He would make sure of it.
He just hoped that, in the process, Raine would see how much he was willing to do for her.