The next morning, Elliot made an announcement with his characteristic confidence. "We’re going shopping."
Aeisha blinked at him, taken aback. "Shopping? For what?"
"You need clothes," he replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "You don’t have anything suitable to wear."
She opened her mouth to argue, but he cut her off. "If you refuse, I’ll just buy the entire mall for you."
The casual delivery of his outrageous threat left her stunned. "You can’t be serious," she stammered.
His smirk was smug. "Try me."
Reluctantly, she conceded, knowing there was no winning against his unyielding demeanor. "Fine. Let’s just go."
"That’s more like it," Elliot said, clearly satisfied.
An hour later, they were on their way to the mall. Aeisha couldn’t shake a feeling of unease as she noticed a car trailing them. "Elliot," she said softly, "someone’s following us."
Elliot glanced back briefly before meeting her gaze with an amused expression. "That’s just one of my bodyguards. Don’t worry."
His reassurance calmed her slightly, though the idea of bodyguards following her was still foreign and unsettling.
When they arrived at the upscale mall, Aeisha was awestruck by its sheer size and extravagance. Elliot led her through a series of luxury stores she had only ever seen in magazines. Her past life—filled with modest outings and watching others, like her sister Daisy, bask in luxury—felt worlds apart from this experience.
Inside one boutique, Aeisha’s eyes were drawn to a particular dress. It was simple yet elegant, a soft pastel spaghetti strap design perfect for any occasion. She hesitated before touching the fabric, unsure if it was even worth considering.
"You like it?" Elliot’s voice broke through her thoughts.
She nodded shyly, and he gave a single, decisive command. "Try it on."
While Aeisha disappeared into the fitting room, Lance and Ace arrived, their expressions sharp as always.
"We looked into her background," Lance began without preamble. "She’s clean—no ties to any of the other bosses or families."
Elliot gave a slight nod, his face unreadable. "Good. That’s one less concern."
Ace folded his arms, his tone more serious. "But we still need to figure out who leaked the details of the transaction a few days ago. That attack wasn’t random."
"Any suspects?" Elliot’s voice turned icy, his gaze narrowing.
"There are whispers about spies from the Cullen family," Ace answered. "It’s just speculation for now, but we’ll confirm soon."
Elliot’s expression hardened. "Find them and make sure they regret ever crossing me."
Both men nodded firmly. They were about to leave when the door to the fitting room opened.
Aeisha stepped out, and the room went silent.
Elliot, Lance, and Ace all turned to look at her. For a moment, none of them spoke, stunned by her transformation.
Feeling self-conscious under their stares, Aeisha smoothed the fabric of the dress nervously. "What? Is it that bad?"
Lance and Ace exchanged a brief glance, saying nothing, but Elliot’s expression softened slightly, his sharp features relaxing. "It’s perfect," he said simply, nodding in approval.
A small smile appeared on Aeisha’s lips at his compliment. "Thank you."
Elliot turned to the boutique staff. "We’ll take the dress."
The shopping continued, a whirlwind of high-end clothing and accessories. Elliot kept picking out outfits, each more extravagant than the last, while Aeisha struggled to keep up with the sheer volume of items.
"We’re buying too much," she said at one point, trying to stop him from selecting yet another dress.
"You need options," he replied, raising an eyebrow at her protest.
Sighing, she realized it was a losing battle.
Not content with just clothing, Elliot moved on to shoes, selecting multiple pairs without hesitation. By the time they were done, Aeisha felt as though they had purchased enough to fill an entire wardrobe.
"We’ve bought a lot already," she ventured as they walked toward another store. Hoping to distract him, she added, "Why don’t we get something for you instead?"
Elliot paused, considering her suggestion. "Fair enough," he said.
They entered a high-end menswear store specializing in suits. Elliot began browsing the racks, his movements measured and deliberate.
But as he inspected a particularly tailored jacket, his demeanor shifted. He stopped mid-step, his eyes narrowing as he glanced toward the entrance.
"What’s wrong?" Aeisha asked, following his gaze. All she saw were shoppers passing by, seemingly unaware of their presence.
Elliot didn’t answer immediately, his face unreadable. Instead, he turned to Ace, who was juggling several shopping bags.
Ace seemed to pick up on Elliot’s silent command. Without hesitation, he said, "I’ll check on something," and disappeared into the crowd.
Elliot’s expression softened when he looked back at Aeisha. "It’s nothing," he said smoothly. "Let’s find something for me."
Aeisha wanted to press him further, sensing his tension, but decided against it. Whatever was bothering him, it was clear he didn’t want to discuss it.
