Chapter 4 Haven restaurant

Chapter 4

"What's up, Dom?" I asked, shifting my focus back to my cards.

I needed to concentrate. These two were cheaters.

The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds before Dominic finally spoke.

"Ms. Zia?"

The three of us exchanged looks and grinned.

"Zia?!"

We all repeated the name and burst into laughter.

"Nice one!"

"Sounds rich!"

We high-fived each other and went back to our cards as if nothing had happened.

"Uhm... Mr. Thorne called this morning."

I froze and looked at my phone.

"He wants to invite you to dinner to get to know you better before the wedding."

We all looked at each other again. I bit my lip.

He wants to get to know me? A date?

"Ms. Zia?"

"W-where?"

"Haven Restaurant."

I closed my eyes, already feeling defeated.

Dinner? In a high-end restaurant? I don't know how to act rich, much less how to behave on a proper date!

I'm not rich!

"Ms.?"

I took a deep breath.

Think positive!

You're about to go on a date with a rich man. Handsome. Polite.

Just focus on that! You still have a few hours to prepare and practice being a fake rich girl.

"Ms. Zia?"

I glanced at Elmo and Fillan, who were already looking worried because of the expression on my face.

"I'm going."

"6 PM," Dominic added. "And please prepare proper attire." Then, he ended the call.

Elmo and I exchanged looks.

"Elmo!" I immediately ran to him and hugged him. "Help me! Help me get rich!"

"If I knew how, May, none of us would be struggling right now!"

I faked a sob and dramatically knelt before him, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"May! Stop it!"

"May, kneel before me instead!"

"Elmo! Please! Train me to act like a rich kid!"

Asher's POV

I kept glancing at the wall clock before returning my focus to the contract I was drafting for a new client.

It was already 2 o'clock in the afternoon, but time felt excruciatingly slow while I was stuck in my mansion.

There was no thrill here-just the annoying sound of the clock ticking.

A knock on my office door made me sit up straight.

"Come in."

Please, call me back for work! Please, call me back for more work!

Paul, my butler and bodyguard, entered. He walked in with his usual composed posture and stood near the door.

"Is there any work for me?" I asked hopefully.

"No."

I rolled my eyes and slumped back into my swivel chair.

"But Ms. Zia accepted your date."

"It's not a date."

I went back to reviewing the contract.

"I just want to find out if she's really Giovanni's secret child," I said with a smirk.

Giovanni is a cunning man. He wouldn't just hand over his daughters to someone with a bad business reputation.

I may be rich and famous, but I'm also known for my business failures.

I know my reputation, which is why I asked Giovanni for his daughter's hand in marriage-I needed her to help rebuild my image. But I think he just sent me a fake one, a fraud pretending to be his daughter.

Did he really think I was stupid enough to fall for that?

"She's not his daughter, even if he claims she was homeschooled. That woman is clearly a commoner-or worse," Paul said coldly.

Paul has a keen eye for judging people based on their appearance, mannerisms, and behavior. We share the same skill, so I know I'm not just being biased.

"He even hired someone to pay off his debt to you," Paul added.

Giovanni was drowning in debt, and I offered to clear it in exchange for marrying one of his daughters. He agreed.

I stood up and turned my back to him, staring out the window. I narrowed my eyes when I spotted a child near the fountain. I quickly opened the window for a better look.

I let out a relieved sigh when I saw it was just a housekeeper's child playing.

"We're going to expose her." I turned to Paul. "Tonight."

I didn't want to admit it, but despite being gorgeous, multi-skilled, confident, shameless, and charismatic, I was still nervous as I stared up at the restaurant's name.

"You'll be fine, I promise!" Fillan said optimistically.

They brought me here on their rundown motorcycles. I had my own bike, which I rode, while the two followed behind me on theirs.

"You look amazing!" Elmo added.

I forced a smile. "Right. Yeah. It's just a restaurant."

"Bring us something home, please? We'll be waiting here."

I looked at the two of them and couldn't help but smile warmly.

"Thanks, guys. I don't think I could do this without you."

We watched as people in formal attire entered the restaurant. Then, I glanced down at my outfit.

This is the most expensive set of clothes I own, and yet I still don't fit in here.

A pink crop top and black branded pants-expensive but still lacking. I also borrowed these sandals from that flirt Jessa.

"You'll be fine. Just stay calm. It's just a date," Elmo reassured me with a smile, but instead of calming me down, it only made me more nervous.

"It's not even a date with Sam," I said, annoyed at the thought. "We're just hooking up," I added with a smirk, teasing them.

"Just go already!"

"You talk too much!"

I laughed at their reactions. These two were like brothers to me, and they always got grossed out whenever I talked about Sam.

I took off my helmet and placed it on my bike's side mirror before waving at them and heading toward the restaurant entrance.

"Good luck! You'll need it!"

As I reached the entrance, my nerves flared up again as I peeked inside at the wealthy people engaged in conversation.

The restaurant had a beautiful ambiance-bright lights, live piano music, and not a single sound of utensils clinking against plates.

"Table for how many, ma'am?" a staff member asked two women ahead of me.

"Two, please."

Another staff member guided them inside. When it was my turn, I noticed the staff discreetly scanning me from head to toe.

"Are you lost?"

I frowned at her question.

Why don't you just ask me what you asked those women earlier?

"I'm sorry, but Haven Restaurant doesn't accept people who wear clothes from thrift shops," she said with a fake, sweet smile. "Please step aside."

"Wow, that's harsh," I couldn't help but say. "This is branded!" I grabbed my pants. "It's expensive-"

"I'm sorry, but-security!"

My eyes widened as she called for a guard.

I was about to step back when I bumped into something solid.

I looked up and gaped-it was Asher.

He draped an arm around me.

"I believe I made a reservation," he said, his tone firm and commanding, with not a single hint of a smile.

I glanced at his hand resting on my shoulder, and my heart pounded wildly. Heat rushed to my face.

He smells so good.

Damn. This man is my husband.

Wait, no-not yet.

Wait again-does this mean he's my boyfriend?

Just like that?

Oh my!

Before I even realized it, we were already on the second floor of the restaurant, where we had a clear view of the pianist performing on a small stage.

The walls were made of glass, allowing a stunning view of the city lights outside.

"I hope I'm not late," Asher said as he pulled out a chair for me.

"I just came from..." He sat down. "Work."

"No worries. I just got here too," I said, scratching my head in embarrassment.

I was still mortified that he had witnessed the scene earlier.

A waiter approached and served us water.

"Thank you," I said, receiving only a small, reserved smile in return.

I picked up my glass and took a sip. Even the water was served in a wine glass-so fancy!

"So, Zia? Your father told me you were homeschooled?"

He was testing me.

Can I roll my eyes? What kind of nonsense has Giovanni been feeding him now?

I met his gaze. He had no smile, but I could tell he was interested in my answer.

"Yup," I replied, not breaking eye contact.

He nodded and looked away.

"Why do you want to get married?" I asked.

He seemed taken aback by the question but then smirked, as if amused by my boldness.

That's the first one. The first smile.

"I'm at that age."

"I see."

"Why did you agree to this marriage?" he asked just as the menu arrived.

Here's a polished version of your text with improved grammar and flow while keeping the original tone and intent intact:

I took it with a big smile, but my expression quickly soured when I realized it was just words-no pictures.

"How can I order?"

Asher said something to the waiter about his order, and when the waiter turned to ask what I wanted-

"I'll have the same as him." I pushed the menu away from me.

That wasn't fun.

"So, let's go back. Why did you agree to this marriage?" He flashed a sarcastic smile.

My guard went up instantly. I had a feeling that if I gave the wrong answer, he would figure out that I wasn't really Giovanni's daughter.

I needed to find the right response-or create one.

Sitting up straight, I placed my hands on the table and clasped them together.

Don't be nervous. Calm down. Think about the ocean.

"Just like any daughter, I'm obeying my father's orders."

He stared at me for a few seconds before nodding and sighing. He wasn't convinced.

I silently exhaled in relief-at least he bought it.

To avoid further questions, I turned my gaze to the pianist below.

This guy... He didn't invite me to get to know me better. He's here to expose Giovanni's plan.

"So, it's alright for you to be a price?" he asked. "Do you even know how much Giovanni owes me? It got to the point where he had to give you to me as payment."

From the corner of my eye, I saw how intently he was watching me-analyzing me. Even though his words shocked me, I didn't let it show.

Giovanni?! You have debts?! To a man whose business is already failing?! How big is your debt that you could still afford to give me four million?!

I wanted to scream in frustration, but I kept my expression neutral.

I met his gaze, raising an eyebrow.

"How can a man who lost his business years ago lend money to someone wealthier than him?"

He didn't react, but he studied me carefully.

Adjusting the collar of his polo, he looked down at the pianist below.

Silence fell between us.

I had asked a question with an answer-one he refused to give. Because it was a secret. A big one.

To Be Continued...