The man who stood before Aaliyah wore a cheeky smile on his handsome light brown face. His blend of dark brown and auburn curls had fallen into his chocolate eyes when she snatched his hand.

The man gave her an alluring smile, “Now what?”

“You have to stop doing that Elias," she sighed.

His smile only grew wider. “Why? I find it amusing.”

“Because Elias.”

“That wasn’t a very convincing argument.” He smirked at her, “Dare I say I wasn’t persuaded in the least bit?”

“Well I don’t care for your opinion,” she said before turning to Charlotte.

Aaliyah had to speak to her about the wine. And if she remembered correctly, Charlotte had referred to the celebration honoring Prime Minister Steel being elected as the head of the Prestigious Families.

“Wait a second,” Elias pulled her close before speaking quietly, "I need to talk to you about the plan."

So he hadn't forgotten about it.

Still, she couldn't help but wonder why it had taken him an hour to scope out the place when they had estimated it would only take twenty minutes at most.

After all, Elias and Aaliyah were highly trained by his father to be spies. It shouldn’t have taken him that long unless...

The plan was more difficult than they initially thought.

He sighed. “Outside the archive room, it has double the guards we originally thought,” her heart sank. “There are six stationed outside the door to this banquet room. Thirty-four patrol the hallways and for the room we want, there are an additional eight stationed along the walls.

"I also marked the places where the sentries would be hiding and the good thing is, they were accurate to the intel we gathered." She smiled at him, happy that at least some of the information they garnered was not completely wrong. “Guarding the archive door, there are seven of them, all carrying guns."

“Well done." She smirked, “you are useful after all.” 

He grinned, “let’s see if you are too.”

“Don’t worry, I got this in the bag.”

“Sure you do.”

Aaliyah rolled her eyes before asking under her breath, “Can we proceed with the plan?” she glanced over at Charlotte who was staring intently at them.

“Yes sweetheart,” came his silken voice that caressed her ear.

Her brown cheeks flushed before she batted him away. “Why do you have to be so close?”

“Why are you blushing?” came his playful retort which only caused her cheeks to grow redder.

“What are the two of you whispering about,” Charlotte looked suspiciously between the two.

“Not anything important,” she replied, putting some distance between them. 

“Nothing your little self has to worry about,” Elias drawled, turning his eyes to Charlotte.

She crossed her arms and attempted to glare down her nose at him.

Aaliyah would have thought it be an impossible feat but she managed to do it.

“Look here Mister, I’m petite,” she put extra emphasis on the word. “And don’t call me little.” She stood up straighter, “I’m almost five-foot-one.” 

“That’s even shorter than I thought." He gave a slow smile, "Shrimp.”

She gasped, taking a step back. “What did you just call me?” she asked in a deadly quiet voice.

“Shrimp.” 

Her nostrils flared. “Hippo”

“Naked mole-rat”

Aaliyah snickered and Charlotte shot her a glare that quickly shut her up.

Woah, she can be scary.

Charlotte turned her fiery emerald eyes to Elias. “Bolb-fish," she smirked like it was the ultimate weapon.

Aaliyah burst out laughing. “T-hat's a harsh one,” she got out between her giggles.

She shrugged, “I think he embodies the animal perfectly, don’t you agree?”

That only caused her to laugh harder. “My goodness, you are just too funny," she said, wiping a tear from her eye. "And what were you saying earlier...how you were no fun?" She grinned at her, "That’s like the farthest from the truth.”

Charlotte blushed and gave her a shy smile.

"Did she really say that about herself?” asked Elias before a mischievous smile turned up the corner of his lips.

A flash of vulnerability passed through Charlotte's face before it was gone but Aaliyah had caught it.

Oh no.

“E—”

“Fair assessment.”

"lias—” she cursed.

“What?” he raised his eyebrow at her.

Charlotte's gaze was on the floor, her hands slightly shook.

Aaliyah took hold of them and when she looked up, she could see the tears she was trying to fight back.

“He’s a complete idiot who also takes his jokes too far,” she shot him a glare, “so don’t take anything he says seriously.” 

She gave Aaliyah a small smile. “He is an idiot.”

“So you guys are ganging up on me now?” 

“You deserve it,” said Aaliyah.

He raised his hands. “What did I do?”

“You just need to read people better. Really, you have no—”

“It’s okay Aaliyah,” Charlotte squeezed her hands, “thank you though.”

Elias just looked perplexed between them. “Women are confusing.”

“Women are not the problem,” Charlotte smirked at him, “you are.”

Before he could respond, Aaliyah spoke. “Earlier Charlotte, before you mention the pastries and your broken dress—”

“Broken dress?” Elias cut in, scanning Charlotte up and down, “did something happen?”

Her face went red as a tomato. “N-no. This happened a long ago and I wasn’t hurt.”

If possible, her face got even more red.

He grinned in excitement. “Ooh, this sounds like a fun story,” he rubbed his hands together, “let’s hear it.”