Page 16 of A Million Shades Of Love and Betrayal

The light and airy mood made me think of the rush I felt after meeting possibly the richest man in the world. I still couldn't believe it happened or that he was impressed by our offer and was willing to think it over. It was such a surreal moment.

Yasmin appeared before me then, her smile radiant as she held onto two glasses of wine. "Welcome home, Rafael," she said, her voice warm and inviting.

I took the glass she offered, the coolness of the wine soothing against my skin. "What's got you in such a good mood?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity.

Yasmin's smile widened. "My father arrived today," she revealed, her eyes sparkling with joy. "And he's attending the gala."

I paused; my hand frozen on my shoe as I mulled over what she said. As far as I knew the gala was an invitation-only event, the only reason I could bring Yasmin with me was because she was my plus one. With that being said I was slightly concerned she thought her father could show up to the gala, without an invitation.

"Your dad can't show up unless he was invited," I spoke quietly, hoping not to upset her. I continued removing my shoes, waiting for what she would say next.

"He was invited," Yasmin spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, pausing to sip her wine.

"He was?" I asked, unable to keep the incredulous look off my face. "How?"

"What do you mean how?" she stared at me. Her bright hazel eyes widened in disbelief the longer her eyes stayed on my face. For a second, I wondered what was going through her head, but I didn't have to wonder. Her expressions were written clearly across her face. She was surprised and offended by what I said, even though I didn't mean to make her feel that way.

"What do you mean?" she asked again, not giving me a chance to even think about changing the topic.

I hesitated, then decided to be honest with her. "I mean, you're a teacher, Yasmin. It's not like your family is part of the high society that usually attends these events."

She chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh, Rafael. You have no idea, do you?"

Confusion creased my brow as she led me to the elegantly set dining table. We took our seats, and as we began to enjoy the delicious meal, I filled her in on the details of my day.

"So, you met Ivan Rashid today?"

I nodded, swallowing the mouthful of pasta. "We were still working on the proposal when Roman was notified of his landing. We weren't expecting him to be early."

"What did he say when he saw you guys at the airport?" she asked, her attention focused solely on me. "Did he seem surprised?"

I shook my head, thinking back it was almost like he was expecting us. It was a likely thought since one of his assistants told Roman. I wasn't even sure how Roman got in touch with his assistant or how he convinced Ivan to attend his gala. I blinked slowly as I realized there was a lot I was unsure of where Ivan was concerned.

"He wasn't surprised to see us," I told her honestly. "He's acquainted with Roman so maybe that's why."

"Maybe," she agreed, taking a bite of her food. "What did he think about your proposal?"

I perked up at that, more than happy to share what kept me on cloud nine all evening. "He was intrigued and requested we send up the full proposal so he could review it. He'll give us an answer at the gala."

"That's amazing," she smiled widely, reaching over to touch my arm. "I'm so happy for you. I can tell this is something you really want."

"It is. I don't really care that he's a billionaire, it’s his work ethic and business sense that I admire. I've always said he was an inspiration and getting to work with him would be a dream come true."

She stared at me, giving me a knowing look that I couldn't quite decipher. It was like she knew something I didn't. "I'm sure your dream will come true."

I nodded for the second time this evening. I couldn't help but notice the way Yasmin's eyes lit up whenever I mentioned Ivan Rashid, or anything related to his industry or the proposal I created. At first, I thought she was just trying to make conversation by discussing business with me but that didn't seem right. There was a spark of interest there, one that went beyond mere curiosity about a celebrity. She seemed genuinely interested to hear my thoughts on him as if it really mattered to her.

"Are you a fan of his work?" I asked casually, trying to gauge her reaction.

Her smile widened even more, and she leaned back in her chair. "More than a fan," she confessed. "I've been following his career for years, studying the strategies he employs in business."

"I never would have guessed."

"Why? Because I'm a woman?"

I scoffed at her. "Of course not. I'm just shocked you have an interest in business but chose to teach."

She sighed. "I've always wanted to join the family business but until now there wasn't a place for me, not one that I would accept. I'm more than qualified to run a business but teaching was more of a paid hobby."

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