I Too Had An Unrequited Love Story

35- Carnival Shenanigans

Veronica turned the page of her novel, Kiss an Angel, completely immersed in the story. She was lying on a picnic mat, the soft grass beneath her, while Arek was beside her, gazing up at the sky with his hands resting behind his head. The warm afternoon sun bathed them in a golden glow, and the peaceful ambiance made for a perfect escape. Veronica was thoroughly engrossed in her book, her fingers lightly flipping through the pages while Arek appeared lost in his own world.

~~~~~A Few Hours Earlier

Arek was seated on the bed, typing emails when Veronica emerged from the walk-in wardrobe, fully dressed for the day. Without looking up from his laptop, he spoke casually, "Since you just want to stroll around the city, why don't we go for a picnic? The weather's perfect for it—sunny and clear."

"Picnic?" Veronica paused, processing his suggestion. "But we need to prepare, right?" She sounded confused, glancing around the room as though she had missed something.

Arek finally looked up, amused by her bewilderment. "The butler already prepared a picnic basket," he replied, his tone calm and measured. "Everything's taken care of." Veronica blinked, surprised at how efficiently he had planned it all. She nodded, feeling a bit awkward but thankful for his thoughtfulness.

Arek closed his laptop and stood up, walking over to her. "Let's go," he said simply. Veronica followed, still wrapping her head around the fact that they were about to have a picnic, something she hadn't expected from him.

As they left the suite and headed for the elevator, Veronica hesitated. "Sugar, are we—" she began, but Arek, ever intuitive, cut her off as he pressed the elevator button. "Cake, we'll go to the Christmas market in the evening. It looks better with the lights on anyway."

Veronica was startled by how effortlessly he seemed to know what she was thinking. She gave him a small, awkward nod, her thoughts tangled. As they stepped into the elevator, she noticed the security discreetly following them. It made her uneasy.

"Do we really need the security to follow us around like this?" she asked, her tone neutral but laced with curiosity.

Arek turned to her, his expression unreadable. "Cake, it's necessary. We can't go anywhere without them." Veronica frowned, her mind drifting to the times they'd been in New York. "But in New York, it wasn't this... intense," she countered.

Arek looked at her, a mix of disbelief and amusement flashing across his face. She had clearly never noticed the ever-present security detail back then either. He said nothing, letting the silence fill the space between them until the elevator doors opened, and they walked toward the black Range Rover waiting at the entrance.

~~~~At the Park

It had been half an hour since they arrived at the park. The picnic mat was laid out on the grass, and the butler had prepared a spread fit for a Korean-style picnic—vegetarian kimbap, rolled omelets, and an assortment of fruits. Veronica insisted on making mimosas, an idea that had Arek looking at her like she'd lost her mind.

She laughed at his reaction. "What? It's perfect for a sunny day!" She was already getting up to find a nearby store when Arek gently pulled her back down onto the mat by her arm.

"Too early to get drunk, Cake," he murmured, leaning in closer to her ear. His breath was warm against her skin. "We have a lot to do today. I don't want to end up babysitting you."

Veronica was taken aback but quickly recovered, narrowing her eyes at him. "I have a high tolerance, Sugar," she said, her voice tinged with mock indignation.

Arek shook his head, amused. "I'd rather not test that out right now. Can you stay sober for just one day?" His teasing tone only fueled her annoyance. "I swear, every time I see you, you're halfway through a bottle of alcohol."