Chapter 279

Aria's POV I was dying of curiosity about where Aiden planned to take me. This was the first time he'd ever suggested taking me out somewhere just for fun. Before we left, I'd asked him about our destination, but he just gave me that mysterious smile of his and said, "You'll find out soon enough." I didn't press further, but my anticipation built with every mile we drove. Twenty minutes later, the car rolled to a stop. I unbuckled my seatbelt and followed Aiden out of the vehicle. My eyebrows shot up when I realized we were at an auction house. "Why are we at an auction?" I asked, surprise evident in my voice. Aiden's warm hand enveloped mine as he guided me through the entrance. "There's a jewelry auction tonight," he explained, his deep voice casual as if buying expensive jewelry was something people did on random weeknights. I nodded, still confused. "Ohh, okay." It wasn't until we took our seats that I understood his intention. He handed me the catalog of items being auctioned and