“You will join me in New York,” he told her when they were inside the elevators descending towards the basement parking.
“I beg your pardon?” she was not entirely sure if she heard him right, with the exhaust humming in the background as they reached the basement parking where Jared’s silver BMW X5 was parked.
He smiled at her as he prompted its keyless controller to unlock the door of the vehicle. “We go together. It’s black-tie, this coming Saturday. We’ll leave for New York on Friday afternoon. We’ll fly back here the next day. Can you clear your schedule?”
She heaved a sigh before answering his gentle orders. “You misunderstand,” she began her explanation. “I don’t go to these kinds of social events. In Germany and in Austria, yes but not here in the States. Absolutely not.”
“Why not?” he was scowling now, irritated more with her foolish reasoning. “What’s the difference between the social events in New York than that of Germany and Austria? Except of the fact that both countries are members of the European Union?”
“Well…” she was not entirely sure if it was possible to actually go out with Jared Rickford without creating so much buzz and stirring unwanted attention. “I’m not a fan of the media scrutiny. You date movie stars; I am not one. What about Eleanor Weinberg? Don’t you think she would mind?”
She did not sound nervous but Jared understood her concern. She was not used to the attention and it made her uncomfortable. He knew the Met Charity Ball was one event New York socialites, America’s fashion elites and Hollywood’s celebrities flock into and the press people are expected to have a field day. It was recently coined by Vogue to be the ultimate social event of the year. He did not want to attend it himself but he knew he needed to portray RHI in a good light to New York society. For him, it was just part of his job. For Aurora however, means being introduced to the limelight she never wanted to be part of. That is a challenge Jared needed to navigate through if they were going to proceed with the marital union.
He leaned towards the steering wheel and shifted his attention to her. “I understand your anxiety. But you want me take Eleanor Weinberg to the fundraiser several days or either weeks before our official engagement announcement, I don’t think either one of us wants to be portrayed as fickle minded, impulsive do you?” he asked gently eyeing her with a grin on his face, while gently holding her left hand in his.
She shook her head and sighed. “I understand, but it’s a bit frightening for me” she finally admitted. “I’ve never been out for a while. The last time I attended this sort of thing was during my grandmother’s Annual Royal Ball when I was eighteen!” She tried to pull her hand from his grip but he wouldn’t let go.
“And where is this?” Jared probed interestingly to help her calm her nerves. For her to actually admit her vulnerability and insecurity gave him a glimpse of her strong and brave character. He was beginning to admire her courage to admit what she feels - a total opposite of his always confused character when it comes to emotions. How in the world he came up with such a definition for himself was beyond his reckoning.
“At the Schronbrunn,”
Her lack of enthusiasm only made him more confused. The Palace was a magnificent place and only diplomats and distinguished guests are allowed to use the now-proclaimed Heritage Site located in the heart of Vienna. He knew her mother was an Austrian socialite. It’s the reason they get invited to such grand events, he assumed. But at least he now knew she did have some experience in socializing.
They were now settled comfortably inside the vehicle, and was already treading the downtown traffic of Boston. “You may not be an actress, but you’re one of the best surgeons MassGen ever have – as stated by Dr. Finnegan.”
“You fired me, remember?” she retorted bitterly.
“I relieved you of your duties,” he defensively explained. “That’s different from being fired.”
“Sounds the same to me,” she shruggingly replied.
“Second,” he decided to move on with his explanation. “You’ve attended royal parties as you mentioned and that makes you a better caliber than most of those socialites attending that annual event. Half of them can’t even waltz. But you, definitely know how to.”
“And how did you know that?” she was beginning to be amused with his reasoning.
“I guessed,” he stated matter-of-factly. Aurora laughed. It was a marvelous sound, he decided her amusement evident in her eyes. He was somewhat surprised; he was able to make her laugh. He was not a joking sort. He knew he’s got no sense of humor. He used to be regarded as humorless when he was still in Harvard. But hearing her laugh at his remark was indeed a pleasant surprise. His next statement however, surprised him more.
“You up for some burger and fries?” he was stalling and did not even understand why. But he did not feel like going home yet and he’d been craving for fast food for quite some time now. Dating Eleanor Weinberg prevented him to do this in public as she prefers meeting in one of his hotels or other high-end restaurants and it’s beginning to take its toll on him. He felt he could use some normalcy and less formality.
“Does it come with a big glass of milkshake?” she expectantly asked. He saw her smiling when he turned to look at her.
“I’d make sure it does,” he responded good-naturedly and turned left over to Beacon Street where one of Boston’s best burger houses was located. He was lucky enough to find a parking space for their vehicle. After turning off the car engine, they both unfastened their seatbelts and proceeded to remove his tie and placed it at the back seat. “You go ahead; got to make some phone calls first. I’ll follow shortly.”
“Alright,” she muttered as she exited his vehicle. She turned around and asked, “What are you having?” intending to get his preference so she can order ahead for the both of them.
He reached for his wallet in his back pocket and handed her a hundred dollar bill. “Cheeseburger with extra cheese, large fries and coke”, he stated.
“Got it,” she replied and then closed the car door. She did not take the hundred-dollar bill. Jared looked confused and decided he’d pay for their expenses when he gets inside. He took his phone from the dashboard and dialed Eleanor Weinberg’s number.
Several minutes later, Aurora finally saw him enter the restaurant. For a minute there, she actually thought he’d abandoned her, like he was called in an emergency meeting and needed to rush and did not have time to tell her so. She tried to hide herself subtly in the corner of their table making it easier for her to observe him. With his tie gone and his white shirt unbuttoned just below his neck, his shirtsleeves rolled up to his elbows, he looked breathtaking. He exuded extra appeal making both men and women turn their heads in curiosity and interest. It seems she wasn’t immune to his charm just like majority of the people in the diner. The owner, a lean man in his mid-thirties by the name of Thomas recognized him immediately, and she watched them exchange a friendly banter, shake hands, and few taps on each other backs, then he gave Thomas the hundred-dollar bill he tried to hand to her earlier to pay for their orders but Aurora knew Thomas will shrug it aside. She already paid for their burgers, she mused. She saw Thomas looking over to where her table was. She waved and Jared acknowledged with a scowl in his face and walked towards her.
He sat himself across from her and held his one palm up. “Give it to me, Aurora”
“What?” she asked in total confusion.
“The receipt, so I can properly pay you for this meal,” he replied. He looked serious and sounded like it too.
She shook her head at him, her brows drawing together in absolute confusion. “It’s just burgers. And besides, I’m pretty sure our lunch earlier today cost you several hundred dollars more than a few of mine,” she logically explained and gave him a charming smile.
“You’re allowed this time only,” he instructed his face still serious and Aurora knew he wasn’t jesting. “All the rest will be cared of me. Do you understand?”
“Definitely not all” she countered, her face expressionless but her eyes glimmering with amusement and laughter. “Also my toiletries and hygiene tampons? Are you sure you wanna do this?”
He heaved a sigh and broke into a smile. “You got me,”
Aurora could no longer suppress her chuckle her amusement and to hide the sudden reaction of her heart skipping a beat. “Relax,” she soberly stated a smile still radiant in her face. “I know you’re a wealthy man, and I’m merely working as a common Bostonian earning an honest living. But at least believe me when I say I can afford some burgers.”
He was leaning against the couch they were occupying and he regarded her with his gray eyes not leaving hers. He shook his head at her. “We both know you’re not a mere common Bostonian, earning her living Aurora,” he stated matter-of-factly his lips bearing an elusive grin. “You practically own half the world’s luxury cruise liners.”
Aurora was quite stunned with that remark of his. Jared did not understand the reaction. “Now that is a misinformation” when she saw him shrug as an answer, she continued. “My parents are quite wealthy, yes, and by birthright I was able to have the privilege accompanied by that – title and all - but I don’t receive a monthly allowance from my father like all other heiresses as it is usual. I don’t live in a trust fund contrary to the high society’s standards.”
“Are you telling me you really are earning a living through your profession?” he clarified his voice low as to make sure no one overhears their conversation. “You pay rent, do your groceries and laundry?”
“Yes, why?” she challengingly questioned. “Does that bother you?”
A waiter excused himself interrupting their conversation with the arrival of their burgers. After which, Jared stated his reply to her question. “Perhaps,” he started, immediately noticing her dismay with that remark. “I was expecting you’d be the typical heiress who cannot even identify a dryer from a washing machine.”
“Sorry to disappoint,” she graciously conceded as she tried hardest not to show any regret she was currently feeling with that statement of his. She decided to divert her attention to the fries, got a few pieces and shoved in her mouth. Funny, she immediately realized. Thomas’ fries used to delight her palate, now however she could not even taste a thing.
“How was that possible?” he blurted out before taking a bite on his cheeseburger.
“Sorry?” she clarified. Her attention now back at him.
“How did that happen? Were you born here?” he clarified. He did not know anything about her and every information she gives of herself was beginning to pique his interest more than he so desired.
“I was born in Leipzig but was raised in Salzburg,” she provided. “We came here when I was fourteen, when father decided to oversee the New York office of Cunard during that time. He bought our house now from a friend here in Boston coz mother did not like living in an apartment which is basically what New York boasts. He did not intend to stay but mama loved Boston’s neighborhood they settled into and decided to acquire permanent residency, and legal citizenship.”
“And so you learned to be domesticated?” he was unsure of his hypothesis but Massachusetts has a long history of traditions even after the second world war of the standard of woman-living particularly in Wellesley wherein majority of women marry in a very young age, and devote themselves to domesticated duties rather than finding their own fulfillment in either academics or a career. His mother was a perfect housewife as far as he can remember, seeing through the kitchens, the lawns, even the laundry for she knows where his favorite pair of pants were every time Jared searches for it.
“I never saw my mother lift a finger in our entire household,” she shook her head while smiling awkwardly. “Every spring break, I was sent to my grandmother’s in Leipzig. She taught me how to cook and bake, while my maids tutored me on domestic duties. It was a necessity for me. I needed to know how to survive in the dormitory without assistance.”
“You went to boarding school then?” he finally understood.
“Wycombe Abbey,”
“Buckinghamshire?” he clarified.
“Yes,” she nodded her confirmation. “Then I went to Stanford. It’s where I took pre-med and medicine proper”. She held the glass of milkshake in her right hand while daintily sipping generously.
If he was impressed, he was trying his hardest not to show it. He was looking at her with utmost interest now and all he wanted to say was wow. He kept silent though, not really understanding why he chose that option. Maybe because she said it so casually, no hint of arrogance nor boastfulness in them and she was busy slurping the contents of her milkshake which tugged an involuntary grin in the corners of his mouth.
“Good thing your old man allowed you to be miles apart from them,” voicing his mind. “California is quite a distance.”
“It is,” she nodded her agreement. “Father was adamant at first. It took a while before mother and I got his approval. He insisted I study in Harvard, coz it was nearest and no need to be in the dorm since there’s Peter.”
“Who’s Peter?”
“Our chauffeur,” she clarified.
“Sounds highly logical to me,” he nodded his approval of her father’s insistence. “HMS is one of the best in medicine research and practice. Why didn’t you?”
“I did my research,” she answered after chewing her burger. “When I got accepted in them, I studied everything about the schools. They were all excellent in academic and social activities but it was the specialization in each I was most interested in. I was looking for a specific one that I did not find in both which I found only in Stanford”.
“And that is?” he eyed her curiously while munching on his burger.
“Cardiothoracic surgery,” she confirmed. “I wanted to be in that school so bad, I practically dragged my grandmother down from Leipzig to help me convince father that it was my destiny to be in that school and to specialize on that particular matter. He finally agreed but with conditions one of them is that I was forbidden to bring any maids while I was in California. He thought that would change my mind but I did not budge and work, I did.”
She looked at him and she chuckled at his expression. He was looking at her like she has lost her mind or something. “You think me, crazy, huh” She was laughing slowly now her eyes dancing in amusement but she sobered up the moment later when she saw him shake his head in almost a daze.
“Why cardiothoracic surgery?” he inquired further. They were both done with their burgers and just sipping water, both leaning against their seats to relax. “It sounds complicated.”
She shrugged her answer and said, “I like complicated. And my grandfather once said to me, bless his soul, that to be brilliant, one must be able to simplify the complicated.”
“I am now your late grandfather’s biggest fan,” he smilingly interjected.
“You are not alone in that regard,” she smilingly acknowledged. “What about you? Tell me something interesting?”
“Well...what do you want to know?” He was really not comfortable talking about himself. Aurora would eventually find that out.
She shrugged “You mentioned Harvard, so that’s a start”
“I went to Eton before Harvard, and William is a close friend of mine”
“William Windsor, you mean?”
Jared nodded. “Yeah the prince”
“He is a distant cousin of mine,”
“Now look at that, I’m marrying royalty” he teased
Aurora gave a slight laugh and negated him “Royalty twenty times removed you mean”
Jared smiled. A real smile - which showed his rather very handsome charming face dimples and all. Aurora was starstruck and knew she was going to be in trouble with this man - betrothed or not.
“How do you want our betrothal to go forward?” “I thought you’ve decided that you and I will marry?” “Yes. That is already decided for both our families,” he acknowledged. “My question is how do you want it to unfold? Do you want it announced in the papers suddenly? Your call. Let me know what’s comfortable for you.” Aurora nodded in agreement and gave him a grateful smile. “I prefer that you and I cut all strings that are currently attached to our personal lives before going forward. I’d like to go into this arrangement with clear expectations and terms if there’s any. I am not the only person in this arrangement whose life is going to change. You must also tell me how you want this to be treated”. “I understand. Perhaps it is necessary that you and I spend a bit more time together to figure out how we both want to proceed and decide on those expectations and terms along the way. Would that work for you?” “Can you be more specific about spend
He wasn’t sure how to respond. Then his father opened his eyes and the old man motioned him to come closer. “You have met her before. It was a long time ago,” George added. His voice was stronger now as he recovers from his drug-induced sleep. Jared’s attention was now fully on his father’s words. “If I did, when was this? I don’t recall anyone named Aurora.” “You met when both of you were still children,” his father explained and Jared immediately understood why he could not seem to recall her. “You were with us at her Christening. You were only eight years old then.” “I presume that’s the time when you and mother decided on the betrothal,” he concluded. “Though I don’t think that meeting counts. We would not recognize each other at all.” “She asked me to allow you to be betrothed to Paul Cunard’s daughter the moment she found out of Rosalie’s pregnancy. Your mother is half British and half Austrian, and she’s best friends with Rosalie. They communic
It took her five hours to finish the surgery, and the moment she left the operating theater, her colleagues started teasing her. When she went to the nurses’ station, they joined in the teasing too.“Stop it guys, please” she pleaded, her face red to the roots of her hair.“That was some kiss, Dr Cunard” one of her male co-surgeon, Dave teased. He was a tall man with green eyes and curly brown hair and wears a spectacle just below the bridge of his straight nose. “About time we see you with a guy.”“Not just any guy,” a petite nurse, named Minnie interjected. “The Jared Rickford, no less. He looks hot, Doctor.”She glared at them and shook her head in disbelief. “Since when did Jared Rickford become a branded entity of some sort?”“Since he began dating Olga Vladikova” Dave answered before Minnie can. He reached for one of the patient’s records and repla
The common room was a cozy room of carpeted floors, paintings of what seemed relatives of the Cunards or the wife’s. Aurora was seated in one of the cushioned sofa chairs while Paul Cunard poured a glass of scotch in one of the glasses, handed it to Jared and seated himself in the chair behind his oakwood desk. The room also serves as his office, Jared realized. Rosalie Cunard however, is now seated in a trimmed chaise lounge near the fireplace. Jared decided to seat right next to Aurora, as he deemed most fitting. “You called me an asshole?” he whispered in German enough for Aurora to hear. She stared at him and immediately shifted her gaze on the wall. She did not know Jared could understand German. “Yes,” she decided to reply curtly. “Are you going to contradict me?” “That is quite enough,” Paul said in a steely voice, which made Aurora wince. “I can see you don’t get along well the both of you. Might as well learn to set aside your difference soon enough
She was surprised of his gentle gestures but her mind was not on him but her sorrow. She was half thankful and half irritated with the fact that Jared allowed himself to be cried into. His shirt was wet with her tears and now his handkerchief. She finally found reason against her sorrow and whispered a mortified apology for the mess she created. “I made a mess of you…” she uttered her breathing still uneven choking her words in her throat. He shook his head in reply. “Don’t mind it. Let’s get you some water…” he muttered as he held her hand in his and walked towards the mini bar where her father’s drinks were kept. He poured some in a clean glass and handed it to her to drink. She took a sip and replaced the glass on the shelf. “I need some air,” she said her voice still shaking, her eyes still in shock. “Come,” he instinctively wrapped his arm around her. Aurora wanted to remove herself from his wrapped arm but she felt tired to even exert such effor
Dinner was friendly and casual without delving into much discussion about the impending marriage. After dinner, Jared and her father were deep in discussion about the shipping company and went into the salon to discuss it further. She decided to look for her mother and found her upstairs in her in the common room. “I’ve asked Maude to serve us some tea, why don’t you join me while we wait for the gentlemen to finish their meeting?” her mother invited, gesturing her to sit next to her in the chaise. “They are discussing serious business matters?” she inquired as she sat herself next to her mother. “You can call it that,” Rosalie replied while taking a piece of carrot tart from the desert tray. “Your betrothed will be handling quite a lot once your father transfers his shares to him.” Aurora gazed at her mother worriedly. “Isn’t the company in good financial standing?” Rosalie nodded her affirmative. “It is,” she replied. “Some of the Board howe
She was thankful he was walking towards the study when he voiced that out and did not see her trip over the couch on her way to the kitchen. She almost uttered an expletive of her clumsiness. Her thoughts immediately drifted to what her mother just revealed to her earlier that evening, and so she decided to be agreeable. Heaving a sigh, she replaced her hand bag in the sofa, and prepared the coffeemaker. After placing the coffee beans in the coffeemaker, she walked towards the study and called over, saying “I’ll prepare the guest room.”He kept his gaze on the phone but heard her statement. Apparently, she took his jibe on a serious note. He did not intend to stay for the night he was just trying to irritate her. And her unexpected response made him feel uncomfortable. She was difficult to understand. He shook his head in utter confusion and just decided to call his valet to bring his things over. They were going to be married eventually so might as well sta
He awoke with the smell of freshly brewed coffee and bacon lingering in his nostrils. He barely had enough sleep thinking about the woman. He was not sure if he wanted to be married to her, but he was damn sure he wanted her. She was both complicated and unpredictable a rare mix from the aggressive, confident, often predictable women he was used to dating. As far as he can recall, he was attracted to women who loves to be his arm candy, does not ask too many questions, clingy, dependent on his ability to woe them with materialistic things, and are well experienced in bed. None of the qualities Jared observed on Aurora Cunard. She was defensive, cold, sometimes aloof, sometimes open. She was driving him crazy. But then he found himself in bed for hours, last night thinking how he could at least bring her to heel, and break that icy facade she erected for herself.She heard his bedroom door open indicating that he was awake. She was slicing some apples when he appeared topless