His Untold Lies

Chapter 26 At The Mall

KIA

Once again, I find myself in this place, my gaze wandering aimlessly towards the ceiling. The words my father shared with me last night keep replaying incessantly in my mind. Who could possibly offer a solution to the dire situation our company is facing? My father mentioned it was a friend of mine, but I can't help but suspect it might be someone influential and affluent. I don't have any wealthy friends. Who could this mysterious savior be?

As I pondered these thoughts, my phone suddenly sprang to life with a vibrating alert.

It's a text message from Miaree. She wants to take me shopping today at her favorite store. She has an uncanny knack for timing her gestures perfectly. I need to inform her that our company crisis has been resolved. I promptly returned home and prepared myself with a refreshing bath.

The SM Mall of Asia

"You seem unusually cheerful today, Kia," Miaree innocently remarked, her eyes fixed on me.

Even though I hadn't explicitly mentioned my elation, I could tell she sensed that something positive had transpired. "Guess what? The predicament our organization faced has been resolved! My father credited it to the help of a close friend, but I don't have any friends who could handle such a situation, let alone wealthy ones... Could it possibly be you? Did you ask your uncle for assistance?"

"No, I haven't even spoken to him about it."

If it's not your uncle, then who could it be?

When I shook my head in response, it abruptly snapped me out of my deep contemplation. "You should stop dwelling on it. Your mind is about to combust! Why not simply express gratitude and revel in the fact that your problems no longer burden you? Even if you've been married off to someone you don't know, your father won't force you into another arranged marriage. Anyway, now that it's all resolved, how about we indulge in some shopping? You bought school supplies yesterday, so today, we can splurge on whatever catches our fancy."

With these words, she reached out and took my hand, leading me into an upscale store. After this shopping spree, it appears that my savings will be left with nothing...

"Welcome!"

We are currently perusing an assortment of jewelry items. Amidst the abundance of gold, a few bracelets adorned with rubies captured my attention. They were exquisitely captivating and seemed to complement my skin tone beautifully.

"Hello, miss, would you like to see how this looks on you?" The attendant offered me a ruby bracelet, "This is the Ruby Bracelet of Love. Ruby, with its deepest shade of crimson, is often called the 'King of Gems' and symbolizes love and passion. Its natural hue resembling blood makes it a symbol of bravery and valor."

A symbol of love and passion? How intriguing!

With confidence, I declared, "Well, in that case, I'll take it."

"Very well, Miss. I'll prepare it for you," the attendant responded.

Oh, I completely forgot to inquire about the price of the item. But considering it's just a bracelet, I doubt it will be too expensive.

"Please review this receipt, Miss. Your total comes to 1,038.86 US dollars."

What?! 1,038.86 USD?! That's my income for the next two months! I've never spent more than $500 on something just for myself! Should I really go through with this costly jewelry purchase? My hand started to tremble as I stared at the receipt.

But how could I possibly decline? He's been so kind to me, and I feel like I owe him kindness in return...

"Can I pay with a credit card?" I inquired about buying the expensive couple's jewelry and completed the payment.

"Are you sure you want to buy this? You're crazy, Kianna. Those bracelets are really expensive. You'll be living on a tight budget for the next month!" Miaree sounded genuinely concerned.

"Don't worry. There's still money in my savings account."

* Buzz * Buzz * Buzz *

Miaree gave me a skeptical look before saying, "Looks like someone's missing you!"

"What are you talking about? ...Hmm! Hold on a second. Let me reply to his message real quick!"

Ten minutes passed, and I was still engrossed in conversation with Ares.

"Kianna, is it that serious that you turned around? What did he say?" Miaree inquired.

"Um... He said he'll come over and help us with carrying stuff, and-"

"Oh my goodness! He can't hide the fact that he's head over heels for you! Ask him to drop by, will you? Come on! Invite him over! I need to meet him in person!"

"Alright! Alright! Calm down! He mentioned that he's coming here..."

IN THE PARKING LOT

Ares had just arrived at the mall where Kia was. As he stepped out of the car, he couldn't help but overhear hushed conversations from people nearby.

I don't want to sound conceited, but I know they're talking about me. He thought to himself with a hint of pride.

"Oh my God! Did you see him?"

"Yes, girl, I saw him!"

"That guy looks incredibly handsome!"

"Could he be a celebrity? He could easily pass for a Korean actor! Oppa!"

Ares took out his phone and sent a message to Kia, letting her know his location. While Ares was still looking around and exploring, Kianna and Miaree were browsing clothes in a store. Miaree was taken aback when she turned around upon hearing screams and the excited voices, her attention instantly drawn to the commotion.

"Kianna! Look! An angelic being is here! He's approaching us! Maybe he's making a move on us! Oh my God! He's coming!" Miaree exclaimed uncontrollably.

Ares sprinted up behind Kia, grabbed her waist, and pulled her closer, saying, "Hi, hon."

"Hmm? Oh, you made it!"

A sudden stiffness in her posture was apparent. She couldn't believe her eyes.

"Y-you-" Miaree stammered weakly.

Ares immediately turned his attention to Miaree when she pointed her finger towards him.

"Ares, meet Miaree, my best friend from high school. You've talked on the phone with her before, right?" Kianna attempted to bridge the gap by introducing them.

"Hello, nice to meet you. I'm Kianna's husband. My name is Ares France Vuertalejo," Ares replied, his expression becoming blank and his voice taking on a deeper tone.

Kianna promptly pinched his cheek and chided, "What's gotten into you? Quit being so gruff! Miaree might get scared!"

Amidst the intimate exchange between Kianna and Ares, Miaree struggled to make sense of everything she was witnessing.

"It turns out Kianna's husband is quite the looker! Based on what she told me, I initially thought he was just an ordinary office worker. I never expected him to be this handsome," Miaree whispered.

"Are you saying something, Miaree?"

"I can't believe you lied to me, saying he's just an average guy! How can someone who looks this good be considered average?"

"Well..." Kianna glanced at Ares, "when I first met him, I didn't think he was this handsome, so..."

"Really? You didn't think I was as handsome as I am?" Ares put on a sulky expression, as if deeply hurt by his wife's words. Kianna quickly reassured him, causing Miaree to watch them with the fascination of someone watching a Korean drama.