Blue For You

Part 1: Meeting Him

The morning sun painted the sky in hues of rose and gold as Aria stepped out of her family house. She alighted a cab which took her to the seaside where her family bakery. The familiar aroma of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries greeted her, a comforting contrast to the whirlwind of thoughts that had kept her awake through the night. She had tossed and turned, haunted by vivid dreams of swirling oceans and crackling flames, and the enigmatic figure whose presence lingered at the edges of her consciousness.

As she slid behind the counter of her bakery, Aria busied herself with the morning routine. She kneaded dough with practiced hands, the rhythmic motion soothing her restless mind. The bell above the door chimed softly, announcing the arrival of Mrs. Ada, a regular customer with a penchant for cinnamon rolls.

"Good morning, Aria dear," Mrs. Ada greeted warmly, her silver hair neatly pinned back. "The usual, please."

Aria smiled, her heart lighter in the presence of familiar faces. She handed Mrs. Ada a freshly baked cinnamon roll, still warm from the oven. "Here you go. Fresh out of the oven, just for you."

As Mrs. Ada left with her treat, Aria's thoughts drifted back to the events of the previous night. The revelation of her supposed soulmate, Jayson, had stirred a whirlwind of emotions within her—confusion, curiosity, and a strange sense of recognition that defied logic. She wondered if Adrian felt the same inexplicable pull, if he too was haunted by memories buried deep within the recesses of their shared past lives.

Lost in thought, Aria absently wiped flour from her hands as the bell above the door chimed once more. This time, the visitor was unexpected—a tall figure whose presence seemed to fill the room with an electric charge.

Jayson stood in the doorway, his imposing frame silhouetted against the morning light. His brown eyes, warm and enigmatic, met Aria's gaze with a mixture of intensity and dominance. He exuded an aura of power and intrigue, a stark contrast to the quiet simplicity of the bakery.

"Aria," he spoke, his voice a deep rumble that resonated through her bones. "I've been searching for you."

Aria's heart skipped a beat at his words. She couldn't believe that the man standing right before her was the same man she saw in her dreams. She hadn't expected him to seek her out so soon, nor had she anticipated the rush of emotions that surged within her at the sight of him. "Mr Jayson," she murmured softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Good morning, I... I didn't expect to see you this early."

Jayson stepped closer, his eyes wary of her, his presence commanding yet vulnerable. He began, his words tinged with urgency. "Why was i surcharged on my card for 85 donuts?"

Aria felt a shiver run down her spine, her mind swiverling in confusion. "I... I don't understand," she admitted, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "What do you mean, surcharged?"

Jayson took a deep breath, his gaze never wavering from her eyes. "There was a surcharge on my card , i clearly asked for one donut not 85". Trembling with fear, she struggled to grasp fleeting glimpses of faces and places transactions that occurred the day before. "I'll be sure to correct that sir" she asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty. 

Frantically, Aria pulled up the transaction history on her tablet, her fingers flying over the screen as she searched for any trace of an error. Her mind raced, trying to recall every transaction from the past few days.

Jayson watched as Aria swiftly rectified the error, his mind racing with frustration at the inconvenience. Just as Aria handed back his card, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the screen and saw his younger sister's name flashing.

He answered the call, and his sister's voice immediately filled his ear, agitated and apologetic. "Jay, I'm so sorry! I accidentally charged 85 donuts to your card earlier when I was at Aria's bakery. It was supposed to go on my own account."

Jay's heart sank as he realized his mistake. He turned to Aria, his expression contrite. "Aria, I owe you an apology," he said sincerely. "It wasn't your fault. It was my sister Mia who made the charge. I'm really sorry for accusing you."

Aria's relief was palpable as she nodded, a small smile of understanding spreading across her face. "It's okay, Mr Jayson," she replied softly. "Mistakes happen. I'm just glad we figured it out."

 

Adrian paced back and forth in his office, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and frustration. He couldn't shake the image of Aria's face—the trembling, anguish, confusion—as she had firmly tried to rectify a mistake that was clearly his fault. What had possessed him to confront her so boldly to scare her like that?

He sank into his leather chair, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. It had started innocently enough—he had merely wanted to talk to her, to ask her out perhaps, drawn to her beauty and the inexplicable pull he had felt since the moment their eyes had met. But then he had mentioned the surcharge and everything just went haywire

"Why did I do that?" he muttered to himself, the weight of his actions settling heavily on his shoulders.

His thoughts were interrupted by the chirping of his phone. It was a message from his best friend and colleague, David, who worked closely with him at the company.

David: Dude, what the hell happened with that bakery girl? Miss sally told me of how you made her cower over a surcharge. Man you could literally buy a 85 bakeries with your card hands down. What made you go all the way over there when you could have just sent your secretary.

Jayson sighed and typed out a response, his fingers hesitating over the keys.

Jayson: Long story. Let's grab a drink after work.

David: Can't wait to hear about your very important reason.

Jayson chuckled weakly at David's sarcasm, but the truth was, he wasn't sure he could explain it himself. The encounter with Aria had left him shaken.

Later that evening, Jayson found himself in the back of his chauffeured limo, heading towards his parents' estate on the outskirts of town. His mother, ever the socialite and matchmaker, was on the line, peppering him with questions about his love life.

"Jay, darling, when are you going to settle down?" his mother's voice crackled through the speaker, filled with a mix of concern and exasperation.

"Mom, not this again," Jay sighed, rubbing his temples as the limo glided through the city streets. "I'm focused on the business right now."

"But you can't work all the time," his mother insisted. "You need someone to share your success with. How about that lovely heiress, Olivia? She's been asking about you."

Adrian rolled his eyes, knowing his mother's penchant for matchmaking all too well. "Mom, I'll think about it, okay? Right now, I've got other things on my mind."

The conversation shifted to lighter topics as Jay promised to bring a surprise gift for his younger sister's upcoming birthday. His mother relented, momentarily distracted by plans for the celebration, but not without a parting remark about keeping an eye out for potential wives at the party.