The Vindication Gents

Chapter 3.14

Kiara Hoffman’s POV

After I bid goodbye to my coworkers, I went to my apartment as I needed to take a shower and maybe some decent clothing for my dinner with Charles. I still smiled as I was skipping my steps toward my house.

How wonderful that he wanted to sit with me and maybe talk all night, eating scrumptious dinner and maybe something more. Like a kiss. My face heated all of a sudden. Stop daydreaming and focus, Kiara!

I went to take a quick shower before I settled on a long dress with 3/4 sleeves. It was appropriated and I thought that would help me to focus instead. I sighed as I was putting on moisturizer and some minimal makeup; some foundation and mascara. I put on some lip gloss to complete the look.

Then, I waited.

I looked at the clock. It was 7:50 PM. Still, Charles didn’t have to be early but my thoughts were coming like a storm. What if he ditched me again? What if I was stood up again? Damn, I shouldn’t have trusted that guy ever again.

Then, I looked at the clock, it was 7:51 PM.

Time was killing me as I was pacing back and forth around my house. I went to the kitchen to get something to drink before someone rang the bell.

“Coming,” I shouted from the kitchen as I was checking myself one last time. I needed to make sure that I was not a mess in front of Charles, not that it mattered. I went to look at the clock, it was 7:55 PM. Well, that’s a chance.

I opened the door and there he was, Charles Debrun. He was smiling at me as he was wearing casual wear with a button shirt and jeans. He wore a scarf around his neck as the weather was chilly tonight.

“You look…you look beautiful, Kiara,” he said as he was stammering at first before he cleared his throat.

“Why thank you,” I said as I invited him in.

“Just hold on, I will get my coat and purse, then we can go,” I said as I went to the bedroom and took my coat as well as my handbag before I was out of the room and went to him.

“Shall we?” I asked him as he nodded after he was looking around my apartment. I felt a little blush coming onto my face as he was analyzing my pace right now.

“It’s a beautiful house you got here,” he stated. I laughed at him.

“Well, it’s within my range so I can afford it,” I said as I was looking at him before he locked our gazes. It was a moment before he tore it away.

“We should go,” he said as I nodded at him before I went behind him after he exited my apartment and I locked the door before we were in his car. He opened the door for me as I was looking at him.

“Thank you,” I said before I slid inside. He nodded as he closed the door before he went to the driver’s seat and started the ignition before speeding off to our destination.

The restaurant was rather exquisite. I cannot help but gawking at the interior design of Ecco Zurich, a fine dining restaurant. I gulped and didn’t know if I had a lot of money in my purse to pay for my meal.

“Shall we?” Charles asked as he went to put his hand on my lower back. I was nervous, not because of his hand, but I would not be able to pay if I took something that was outside of my budget. I sighed.

“Relax, I will pay for the meal. My treat,” Charles whispered to me as I felt my blush was heating my face now. He chuckled before we were seated. It was nice.

The wallpaper was beige and the aura of the restaurant was romantic, to say the least. I was clearing my throat before the server came to pour our water into the glasses.

“I will be your server for today. May I know what you would like for the wine?” The server asked as his eyes were looking at us. I did not know anything about fine dining, much less about liquor and wine. But Charles has a clue.

“We will take Bordeaux if you may. A bottle,” he said as he smiled at the server.

“Very well, and the dish to go with it?” He asked as I was still looking at the menu, unable to decide what to eat.

“What would you like, Kiara?” Charles asked me as I was looking at the menu. They were all expensive and most of them I never had before. I thought Charles would know how they tasted and I thought I would like to eat something that was not of thought, a foreign thought in my mouth.

“Why don’t you choose for me? I have a little experience of this adventure,” I said as I was tucking my hair behind my ear, a sign that I was nervous. Charles nodded at me as he handed the menu to the server.

“We will take 2 Berners Platte and Swiss Cherry Desserts, please,” Charles said as I handed them the menu as well. The server nodded at us before he went away and put our orders in.

“Well, this sure is the most expensive thing that happened in my life,” I said as I went to look at his eyes. The hazel eyes were trailing on my face. I blushed.

“Have you never dined out before?” Charles asked me. I shook my head.

“Why?”

“Hard to say. I was busy and my salary was not worth it to spend on expensive dinners such as this one,” I said as I looked at him. He was gazing at me with his hazel orbs. He smiled before he put the napkins on his lap.

“Well, you sure are different from everyone else,” he said. I frowned as I did the same with the napkins.

“Was that a bad thing?” I asked. He looked at me before our dinner arrived.

“No, not at all. I think it’s refreshing really,” he said as he smiled at me. My heart jumped a beat as I was blinking at him. I smiled before I sipped some water.

“Your wine, sir,” the server said as he opened the cork of the wine and it popped. He poured it for us before he put it inside the bucket full of ice.

“So, you wish to take me out for dinner. I must say I was intrigued but I was curious about why you asked me out. You hardly know me,” I said as I was scooping some of my dinner before I ate it. Charles laughed at my statement before he shook his head.

“Well, I thought you already knew.”

“About what?” I asked.

“Don’t play dumb, Kiara. We both know our secrets, yes?” He asked as he was sipping on his wine. I gulped the food before I put down the fork and knife.

“Well, what do you want then?” I asked as I was cutting to the chase. Charles smirked at me as he was leaning onto the table.

“Now, isn’t this better? No more secrets, no more pretending,” he said as his eyes became predatory. I shifted in my seat before I was looking at him again. He blinked his eyes as they were focused on my face.

“I believe that you met the right boss, right?” he asked. I shot my head toward him. How did he know?

“I was his protégé. I’m sorry to disappoint you then, but I knew him first,” he said as he was smirking at me. Suddenly, I felt I wanted to slap his face.

Or kiss his lips. It was confusing, I tell you.

“What do you want, Debrun?” I asked, as I knew my icy voice was there. I don’t know how to react to this as the boss never mentioned that he knew Charles. Well, maybe he did, but he forgot to mention that he was his protégé.

Fuck me!

I cleared my throat as I was sipping on the wine. I looked at Charles as he was playing with his glasses. I blinked before I straightened my back.

“So, you know that I was obliged to kill you, right?” I said. He nodded.

“What will you do?” He asked me. That’s right. What will I do? After I know the truth, I don’t think I have a grudge about killing him. Charles Debrun, the son of Albert Debrun, who was, in my father’s opinion, the bad guy.

But really, my father was the real criminal.

He killed my mother. He killed Charles’ parents and now, he has set me up to kill Charles. I was sick of these grudges and I think I wanted to do something else.

Not because of anyone else. But because I chose to do it.

I turned to look at Charles. His eyes were shining at me as I was clearing my throat before putting my hands on the table and crossing my fingers. The dinner was immediately forgotten as it was the least concern for us right now.

“I have learned the truth and I think the best course of action was to forget the past and move on,” I said as I looked at Charles. I don’t know what will happen, but I think I can start a new life after this.

“Are you sure about this?” He asked. I nodded.

“Even after, will you learn what I thought about this?” He asked. I arched my eyebrows at him.

“What do you think about?” I asked him, confused, as I didn’t get what he was telling me. He took my hand into hiss as I jerked at the sudden touch.

“The reason I want to have dinner with you, Kiara, is to seduce you and maybe get you into my bed and leave you. But I think I cannot do that anymore,” he said as he looked at me as we were holding hands.

“Why not?” I said, breathless.

“Because I think I want to keep you forever,” he whispered as his eyes were focused on mine.