Falling For My Accidental CEO Husband
Chapter 103: Shopping

Chapter 103: Shopping

"You are grouchy."

Serena whipped her head around to glare at Ella, who had made the comment, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. "I’m grouchy? How can you say that? Did you not see that idiot slam on his brakes at the last second, practically begging for an accident? And then, he had the audacity—the sheer gall—to step out of his car, puff up his chest, and try to pin the whole mess on me!"

Ella shrugged casually, seemingly unbothered by Serena’s fuming tirade. "Okay, okay, I get it. The guy was a total prick. But why are you picking a fight with me? I wasn’t the one behind the wheel, and I certainly didn’t cause that mess, did I?" She raised her hands in a mock gesture of surrender, her tone light and teasing. As Serena continued to stew, Ella glanced down at her watch, silently relieved that she had scheduled her meeting with Sidney for later in the day. If she had fixed an earlier time, they’d be wasting the entire morning bickering over this minor fender-bender.

Serena, after a brief moment of brooding silence, exhaled deeply and leaned back in her seat. "You’re right, sis. It’s not your fault—unless I count you dragging me out here in the heat for this pointless shopping trip." Her words still held an edge, but her anger was cooling.

"Retail therapy will improve your mood," Ella quipped, a grin tugging at her lips. But Serena merely shook her head, rolling her eyes.

What would really improve her mood right now wasn’t something a mall could provide. If she were being completely honest—though there was no way she could tell Ella this—the only thing that might actually take the edge off her irritability would be something a lot more physical... and much more satisfying. Damn it. The reason she was this grouchy in the first place was because of Ella’s dear brother. The thought of him tonight had her in knots already, and now, she was out here in the sweltering heat shopping for things she didn’t even care about. She smirked at the absurdity of it all.

Her fingers curled slightly, thighs pressing together, as her mind wandered to what might happen later that evening. The anticipation had been building for days until last night and now, it was almost impossible for her to think of anything else. In fact, if she hadn’t been dragged out by Ella, she would’ve spent the entire day lounging in bed, waiting impatiently for the night to arrive. Hell, even now, she was tempted to stop by the pharmacy and grab some protection herself—just in case Aiden forgot or did not get enough...

Finally, after what seemed like hours but had only been a few minutes, they reached the mall in their now slightly banged up car.

After what felt like hours but had only been a few frustrating minutes, they finally pulled up to the mall in their now slightly banged-up car. Serena’s mood hadn’t lightened much, and the idea of wandering through countless stores didn’t excite her in the least.

***

"I thought you wanted to buy something important. So why exactly are we going from store to store, ’oohing’ and ’aahing’ over clothes neither of us need?" Serena groaned, arms crossed as she trailed behind Ella, who seemed to float from one boutique to the next. She liked shopping.. she really did.. but not when all she could do was see things that could be used to seduce Aiden.. Her intelligence quotient was in the pits at the moment and her brain had probably migrated to another ’lower’ part of her body!!

Ella, distracted by her phone, quickly scanned a message. Before she could finish reading, Serena nearly snatched the device out of her hand. Ella’s eyes widened in alarm as she pulled her phone close to her chest, holding it like a lifeline. "Hey! Chill! I’m just texting my friend for advice. She’s an expert on these things, and she’ll know exactly what I should buy."

Serena gave her a skeptical look, clearly unimpressed. "Advice on what? We’ve been in at least five stores, and you haven’t picked up anything except a cup of overpriced coffee. Are you really here to shop, or are you just dragging me along for fun?"

Ella gulped and tucked her phone away sheepishly, knowing Serena’s patience was wearing thin. "I swear, I just need a few more minutes. My friend’s going to send me some options—she’s got great taste!"

Serena sighed deeply, shaking her head. If Ella dragged this out any longer, she’d be tempted to call it quits and just head home, nightfall and her real plans with Aiden couldn’t come soon enough.

Finally, just as Serena was about to lose her patience completely, Ella’s phone buzzed with a new message. Ella’s eyes lit up as she quickly read it, her expression shifting from casual indifference to excitement in an instant. "Yes! Finally!" She grabbed Serena’s hand and tugged her toward the elevator, practically bouncing on her feet.

"Come on, I found a private boutique on the top floor! My friend says it’s amazing, and they have all sorts of exclusive items that aren’t available anywhere else!"

Serena sighed, feeling a mix of resignation and mild intrigue. "This better be worth it, Ella. I swear, if we don’t find something there, this will be the last place we look. And if you’re not ready to leave after that, then I’ll just head home without you."

Ella nodded distractedly, her enthusiasm bubbling over. "Trust me, you’re going to love it!"

They entered the elevator, and Serena pressed the button for the top floor.

Unlike the bustling chaos of the other shops, this boutique was serene and luxurious, filled with elegant displays and soft, ambient lighting and not a single person in sight. Not even the store assistants coming to hover over her...

"Wow, this is actually nice," Serena admitted as they stepped inside, her senses awakening to the soothing scent of jasmine wafting through the air. "I could actually get used to this."

Ella grinned and immediately disappeared into the back of the store, leaving Serena to peruse the neatly arranged racks. Finally, distracted, Serena grabbed an ivory coloured dress and picked it out. It was like a wedding dress and yet not. Pretty and subtle. She was sure it would look great on her... Intending to show it to Ella, she picked out the dress and turned around... only to stop short finding herself face-to-face with a man who seemed to have emerged from nowhere.

The man smiled at her as he whispered," Hello Rena..."

She wanted to ask him who he was, why he felt familiar, but before she could, the world around her turned dark and she felt herself crumble to the floor...