"So tell me, when Tristan asked you out the first time, did he make you feel like you couldn't say no?" Leena asked, half smiling as if knowing the answer.

"Actually! That is true. How did you know?" Ava asked, surprised.

​​

"These friends, they are the same. Reylond never gave me an option to say no either," Leena smiled, remembering.

Like Tristan, Reylond never dated anyone in his life. His main focus was to prove that he was capable of inheriting the family business. Three years after he had successfully established the business, his parents started nagging him to get married and have kids. They didn't believe in an arranged marriage, so they told him to go ahead and marry whoever he wanted.

He didn't really have anybody in mind, so they asked them to set him up for blind dates. They found a few available women, but they were not really what he was looking for.

Being a successful businessman, he got invited to several charity events, and that��s where they met. He saw Leena at a jewelry auction. He fell in love with her the instant he saw her.

Just like him, Leena was concentrating on her jewelry design. Her business was beginning to get recognized, and she could not afford to get distracted. To her, men were just a distraction. All they want is for you to give them your attention all the time, then they just end up breaking your heart. She didn't have time for that. So she never dated. It made her appear cold to most of the men she rejected.

There was a burning desire in him to conquer her. Later he asked his assistant to get all the details about Leena. He learned she was the daughter of a famous politician.

In his research, he learned she never dated anyone because she thought no one was worthy of her love. She was arrogant and willing to give her heart only to the one who was trustworthy enough not to break her fragile heart.

She looked very cold on the outside but deep inside she was very caring and sensitive. She never showed this side except to her loved ones.

Reylond was ecstatic when he got home and told his parents that he had at last found the woman he was going to marry. He told them all about Leena.

They were happy with their son's choice. She was beautiful, talented, and belonged to an affluent family. What was there not to like? Reylond's parents went to Leena's house with the marriage proposal.

Leena's father was happy. He had that this young man was very promising. He had a very bright future ahead of him.

But Leena got mad. She wanted to marry the person she loves.

She didn't want to be married because of a business alliance. She was upset that he didn't even bother to talk to her.

The next day Leena called Reylond to meet her. He said he couldn't do it right away but gave her a date, time, and place to meet.

When she got to the designated place, she was surprised to see the whole place decorated in tulips, her favorite flower.

Reylond was waiting for her at one of the tables. "Thank you for meeting with me. I wanted to talk to you about something important," Leena said as she got to the table.

"Sure, but do you mind if we have dinner first? We can talk after dinner," Reylond said, insistent.

A piano could be heard in the background playing her favorite tune while the dishes were being served. She realized that the food in front of her were all her favorite dishes. They were from this one restaurant in Spain. When she tried them it brought her back to Spain.

It felt like the same chef was here cooking the dishes for her. When she asked for dessert, the head chef was wheeling out the dessert cart for her.

She couldn't believe it, "Did he just ask this renowned chef from Spain to cook for me tonight?" She almost forgot why she was here tonight.

"I'm sorry but I cannot marry you," she said. She was waiting for him to get angry or at least try to convince her to marry him. She was ready with her arguments, but he did neither of that. He stared at her and gave her a wicked smile that made her feel uncomfortable.

"I don't think we should make any hasty decisions," he said.

"I have a gift for you, and I know you will absolutely love it," he added.

Leena left, "Whew, I think that went well. I hope he gets the hint. Then I will never have to see him again in the future."

She left the gift in the car and totally forgot about it. When her car got cleaned out one of the servants found the gift and placed it in her room.

Leena was lying on her bed when she noticed the gift on her vanity. She was curious, so she opened it. Inside was a perfume that was customized only for her. It had her name on the bottle.

On closer inspection, she saw that it had the royal logo on it, which meant this was made by the same people who made the perfume for the members of the royal family like Elizabeth and Kate.

She always wanted to have one made for herself, but the company never makes it for the public, and the process was a highly kept secret.

She had no idea how Reylond managed to get this perfume. He was definitely more powerful than she thought. She was intrigued.

She sent him a message to thank him for the gift and to let him know that she loved it.

She expected him to declare his love for her or to ask her to meet with him, but she was disappointed because all he sent back was the word "Good."

She thought there would be another message, so she waited a few more minutes, then a half-hour later, until she fell asleep, he never sent her any other messages.

The next day she was abroad to check some stones to place in her jewelry when she noticed Reylond was in the same hotel. She thought he would surely come and say hi to her, but to her frustration, he never even glanced her way.

Two days later, she came to his office to talk to him. She ran out of patience waiting for him to talk to her.

He was surprised to see her. He asked her why she came. Lenna said she was there to invite him for coffee.

Reylond was quiet for a minute like he was contemplating something, then he agreed to see her the next day.

Leena was very excited about their coffee date. She even had butterflies in her stomach. She got up early to prepare and put on one of her best dresses. Ten minutes after she arrived at the cafe she received a message from Reylond saying he was sorry but he had to cancel, he had an emergency and won't be able to make it.

She was disappointed, but she texted him back, "It's okay, we can just go next time." But she never got a reply.

Reylond was always at the back of her mind. She could not concentrate on her work. It's been a month, and she still hasn't heard from him. Guys were still asking her out, and she would still reject them, but unconsciously she was rejecting them because they were not Reylond.

Leena went to a party as her father's escort when she spotted Reylond and his parents. She saw that several women were introduced to him, and he was happily entertaining them.

The thought of Reylond being with other women was not sitting well with her. She was stewing the whole night, spying on what he was doing, who he was talking to.

"What's so funny anyway. Why is he laughing? So you like that ugly girl huh. Is she your type.? Why won't he even talk to me?" she was pouting all evening.

She was trying to get him alone all night so she could talk to him. When she finally had her chance. She was on the offensive.

"Why have you not called me back?" Leena demanded.

"Well, there really is no need for us to be in touch," he said.

"Why are you meeting all these other girls anyway, I thought you said you wanted to marry me?" she asked.

"Didn't you tell me that you didn't want to marry me? I remember you rejected me last time we met. I need to choose a bride to get married, so here I am." He scoffed.

Seeing that she was getting angry, he suggested, "You cannot order me around or demand me not to meet other women since you are not my wife."

She asked, "What if I agree to be your wife?"

Reylond with an intense gaze asked her, "Do you want to be my wife?"

Leena's knees were getting weak because of his gaze, but she smirked and replied, "Court me first, then you'll know."

Reylond chuckled and said, "I will."

Reylond courted her for two months.

Leena did not give in to him so easily. They chased each other like cat and mouse.

At last, Leena surrendered, she fell in love with Reylond and could not bear to part with him. Reylond finally proposed to her, and they got married.

At last, he thought, "I finally tamed my lioness."

Reylond had everything planned from the beginning. He knew Leena was different, and that he should take a unique way to approach her and make her his.

If he had proposed to her like everyone else, she would reject him. So he wanted Leena to crave his attention and have her fall in love with him unconsciously.

Reylond planned all their chance meetings. It was never a coincidence when Leena would find him wherever she went.

He knew she was going out of town and decided to follow her and stay in the same hotel.

He pretended not to notice her, and he made her come to him.

He canceled the coffee date to make her long for him. He was outside looking in on her to make sure she was safe. He almost came in when he saw her sad face, but he held on to his resolve. He knew he had to make her want him.

The other women his parents introduced to him were just for show. He was not interested in any of them. He was trying to make her jealous, and it worked.

Reylond had loved Leena from the first day he set eyes on her. He decided she will be his wife. However long he had to wait.

Finally, the wait was over, and it was worth it. After getting married, they both had a blissful life. Leena saw how caring Reylond really was and Reylond saw how loving and sensitive Leena could be.

"Aww... That was so romantic," Ava said, after listening to Leena's love story.

Leena liked telling her story. She loved remembering those moments.

Ava and Leena talked for hours, forgetting their surroundings.

Leena showed Ava all her works, and they had a very interesting change of ideas. Ava had a lot of questions and a few suggestions.

"You have a real talent in jewelry design. Maybe you should give it a try," Leena said.

"Hmm... I don't know," Ava denied.

"Take your time. If you really want to pursue it, then let me know. I will be happy to guide you," Leena offered.

"Thanks, It means a lot to me," Ava smiled.

While they were having dinner, Leena told Tristan he should bring Ava to England sometime soon. Tristan agreed. The men noticed that their women had become good friends in such a short time.

Tristan and Ava finally bid them goodbye and went home.