On Sunday morning, right on the dot at ten, Ximena showed up at the most exclusive club in all of Osebury—the Pinnacle Lounge.
For this so-called matchmaking affair, she had gone out of her way to dress "appropriately."
Using the room number the butler had provided, she made her way down the corridor.
Two stone-faced men in black suits guarded the entrance, far more frightening than any ordinary club security.
Ximena couldn't help scoffing inwardly—this was just a blind date, yet they were treating it like a high-level summit.
Just as she lifted her hand to open the door, it swung inward from the other side.
A poised, well-kept woman in her middle years appeared before her.
When her eyes landed on Ximena, the woman's smile stiffened for a split second before smoothing out again. "So you're Ximena, yes? Come along, everyone's been waiting."
Before Ximena could process what was happening, she was warmly ushered inside.
The moment she stepped in, she froze in disbelief.
A large group of people crowded around a massive circular table.
Seated at the center was her grandmother, Laura, sitting upright and composed, while her parents fidgeted uneasily to her left.
On Laura's right sat a refined middle-aged couple and next to them—someone all too familiar, someone who made Ximena instinctively want to bolt.
Aydan!
What on earth was he doing here?!
When Aydan took in what she was wearing, a flash of surprise crossed his face before sinking into unmistakable contempt.
Ximena's emotions twisted into a chaotic knot.
She had imagined every possible outcome, but never once had she expected her grandmother's carefully selected match to be Aydan of all people.
"Ximena, why are you just standing there? Come over and say hello to Mr. and Mrs. Dixon." Laura spoke through clenched teeth, her eyes carrying a thinly veiled warning.
Ximena inhaled slowly, forcing a smile to her lips.
At this point, she had no choice but to steady herself and go along with the charade.
She strutted forward, intentionally exaggerating the sway of her hips as she slipped into the vacant chair beside Aydan, a suffocating cloud of cheap perfume instantly spreading around them.
"Good morning, Mr. Dixon, Mrs. Dixon," she purred sweetly, even throwing Aydan an overdone wink. "My, this gentleman looks awfully familiar—haven't we crossed paths somewhere before?"
Aydan didn't so much as lift his lashes, and the air around him seemed to drop several degrees.
The elegant woman who had greeted Ximena earlier—Aydan's mother, Sylvia Dixon—barely managed to keep her smile intact.
Her gaze darted from Ximena to her impassive son before she sent a silent, imploring look toward Laura.
Laura's expression darkened, clearly wishing she could haul her unruly granddaughter away for a thorough reprimand.
Yet with the Dixon family present, she swallowed her anger and explained stiffly, "Ximena… has been indulged by us. She's rather spirited and enjoys… playing roles from time to time."
Ximena's parents, Eva and Zachary, looked like they wanted to sink straight through the floor.
There was no salvaging this; the arrangement was finished before it began.
A thick, uncomfortable quiet settled over the room.
It was Aydan's father, Alexander Dixon, who finally spoke up.
He let out a booming laugh and said, "Young people should have character. Aydan is far too serious—these two might actually balance each other quite well."
Upon hearing that, a jolt of panic shot through Ximena.
Alexander didn't seem… displeased by her outrageous getup?
That made no sense at all.
After that, the discussion lurched clumsily from the weather to economic trends, and then from family anecdotes to future business plans, as both sides strained to ease the tension.
Ximena kept her head lowered, scrolling on her phone and occasionally giggling at nothing.
She was determined to sell the image of a carefree, defiant girl hopelessly glued to social media.
From the corner of her eye, she sneaked glances at Aydan, only to find him rigid and unmoving.
Aside from lifting his cup for the occasional sip of water, he didn't make a single unnecessary movement.
Perfect.
Schemes spun wildly through Ximena's mind.
With her current getup and Aydan's frosty attitude, this match was guaranteed to collapse.
At last, after a painful stretch of polite chatter, attention returned to the two young people at the center of it all.
Laura cleared her throat and asked carefully, with both expectation and scrutiny, "Aydan, what's your impression of our Ximena? Are you satisfied with her?"
Every gaze immediately snapped to Aydan.
Ximena stopped tapping at her phone and lifted her head, her expression openly eager for the spectacle.
She could practically script what was about to happen.
Aydan would coolly voice his displeasure, rise from his seat, and walk out without a backward glance.
After all, only days earlier, she'd crossed him badly—and even managed to squeeze a hefty sum out of him.
There was no way he could possibly be pleased with her.
He would reject her outright, she would offer a token apology, and they would part ways cleanly.
Instead, reality struck her hard and fast.
Aydan slowly set his glass down, his eyes locking onto Ximena.
There was amusement in his gaze—and something sharp, like the promise of payback.
Then his lips parted, and he said, "I was smitten with Dr. Hayes the second I saw her."