55 He had someone he liked.

After Maya and Aiden had ditched the gathering, Liam and Sofia still decided to meet up for dinner.

...

"So you are here in the Capital basically for shopping?!" Liam asked Sofia who was almost entering any street shop they passed by.

"You can say that.... Uncle how much is this skirt for?" She asked another shopkeeper.

Liam looked at his hands filled with small plastic bags which contained some cheap jewellery and some brandless clothes. Then he looked at the girl who was bargaining with the old uncle even when the price was so low in his eyes.

"Tsk... since you are saying so much, you can take it for fifty less, okay? No less than that!" The shopkeeper sighed as he finally gave in to Sofia's wish.

"Thanks!" She giggled as she handed another bag to Liam and looked at him, "We have already eaten but I'm still craving for some Tacos! You want it?"

"No, you carry on, I'll buy it for you instead." Liam said with confusion, he didn't understand how could he, who had never in his life even tasted street food, could have a dinner straight away, that too only because this girl in front of him.

Did he like her? No that was something which was not possible, at least for now. But, she could be considered as his friend.

...

"Mhmm! This one is better from the last time I had eaten here!" Sofia exclaimed as both Liam and herself walked back to the parking lot.

" Last time? When was that?" Liam asked her.

"Umm... I guess last year? Ya it was. I might have not even had the chance to come here if it weren't for some auction this time."

"Auction? Is it-"

"Hmm, there's some big auction being held at the City Auction House tomorrow. Even our family has participated in it, that's the reason we are here." Before Liam could complete asking, Sofia interrupted him.

"Wait, City Auction House and Parker family... don't tell me it's your family who is auctioning that 9 carat diamond ring!?" He had heard about the precious ring, his father had mentioned about it previously but he hadn't paid much attention to it.

"Yes... actually it's our family heirloom, but-" Sofia shrugged sadly.

"Family issues?" Liam understood very well that there could be seriously weird family problems, his own family was a major example for him.

"Yup." Sofia opened the rear door of her car as she motioned Liam to put her stuff in there.

After making sure that all the shopping bags were arranged properly, he shut the door and asked Sofia, "You sure I don't need to drive you back?" He looked at the driver's seat, an old man was sitting there.

"Yeah, there's no need. He's a good uncle and driver provided by the hotel and Maya was the one to assign him, so it's safe for sure!" Saying that Sofia sat on the back seat, "Thanks for accompanying me today!"

"Anytime! And are you going to attend the auction tomorrow?" Liam asked her curiously,

"Most probably yes! Are you also coming?-"

*Ring*

Before Sofia could get an answer, she received a call from her father asking her about her whereabouts. She accepted the call and looked at Liam, "See you tomorrow. Bye!" After that she left.

"Umm...." Liam turned around to find his car, "I guess even I'm attending it tomorrow!"

...

Both Maya and Aiden had reached some destination they didn't know about.

"It's so cold here!" Maya rubbed her hands as she looked around.

"That's why I'm telling you. Come back in the car, I have switched on the heater! Aiden called her from inside.

"Yes sir!" She said as she came back in. "Thanks..." After Maya said that, there was complete silence in the car, it was not an awkward one, but a comfortable one.

She didn't need to explain further about what she was thanking him for, he just understood her.

"Here, have some water. It's warm." Aiden handed Maya the thermos bottle from earlier.

"Thank you." She tanked him and took a sip.

"Ah-! That stings!" Maya exclaimed as she remembered about the cut in her inner cheek.

"Something wrong!?" Aiden asked her.

"Agh! Nothing much, just that slap from before!" Maya accidentally spilled the beans.

"Slap?!? Who slapped you?" He had almost forgotten about it.

"Mrs. Martin. That lady really turned out to. e something else only!?" Maya suddenly felt that she needed to let out her thoughts on what had happened today and started her monologue.

"You know what that lady was ranting about to me after you had gone inside your room? She was literally threatening me by saying that since I have been with Lucas since so long, I have become 'tainted' and now no one would want me! Like seriously!! Ha!" Maya scoffed.

"That lady had the audacity to tell me that cheating is common between couples and that even her husband was like that!!" She looked at Aiden with expectant eyes, wanting some response from him.

"...." But Aiden kept staring staring at her, "....Oh!- Yeah! I don't think that every man is like that! Don't let her misguide you, I'm defiantly not the same!"

"I know right! I shouted at her and straight away told her that I can of course NOT accept it! Does she want me to continue some legacy or what!" Maya touched her face, "And that's when she also blew up and slapped me!"

"It must hurt, right?" Aiden lifted his hand to touch her face. This time he made sure to touch her very, very lightly.

"!!!!" Maya was very shocked at his action. She looked at him with wide eyes but, she didn't avoid his touch.

As if on cue, Aiden inched towards her. Maya felt as if she couldn't breathe anymore.

*Ring!*

This time it was Maya's phone that rang.