Chapter 105
Chapter 105:
It couldn’t be romantic. It had to be a gesture between partners — a way to say thank you and I’m holding up my end of the bargain. Something that acknowledged their unique situation.
She thought of Vance’s purple velvet jacket. She thought of the “associates p>
I’ll show him I support him, she thought, misguidedly. I’ll show him I’m the best beard a man could ask for.
The Charvet boutique on Place Vendôme, flown in by special courier to their private Madison Avenue showroom, was a temple of quiet luxury. Jocelyn walked past displays of silk and cashmere, her mind focused on her mission.
“For your husband?” the sales director asked — a woman with immaculate makeup and a discreetly appraising stare.
ѕ𝗵a𝗋e 𝗒𝗈𝘶𝗋 𝘧a𝘷𝗈𝗿𝘪𝗍е𝗌 𝘧𝗋o𝗺 𝗀𝘢𝗅ո𝗈𝘃𝖾𝗅ѕ.𝖼𝗈m
“Yes,” Jocelyn said. “Something for work. He has a… vibrant professional circle p>
She scanned the rack of ties. Most were boring — navy, grey, maroon. Safe corporate colors. Gaston usually wore black or charcoal. But she wanted to signal her support. She wanted to say, I see you, and I accept you.
Her eyes landed on a tie in a glass case. It was seven-fold silk, of course — and it was purple. Not a subtle lavender, but a deep, regal purple with a faint geometric pattern woven in, visible only when the light hit it just so.
It was bold, stylish, and a world away from his usual monochrome armor. It matched the energy of his friend Vance — a nod to the life Gaston couldn’t live publicly, a sign that within the walls of their arrangement, he was understood.
“I’ll take this one,” she said, pointing to the purple tie.
“An excellent choice,” the director said. “Very… spirited p>
Jocelyn paid. The $950 charge on her own card was a drop in the bucket compared to the millions Gaston had just handed her, but it was her money. Money she had earned.
That evening, the penthouse was quiet. The city lights twinkled through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Gaston came home around eight. He looked tired. He loosened his tie as he walked in and tossed his jacket onto the sofa.
Jocelyn was waiting in the living room, holding the small orange bag.
“For me?” Gaston raised an eyebrow, pausing mid-cuff.
“Thank you for the contract,” Jocelyn said, stepping forward. “And for sending Vance. It saved the meeting. I crushed Vincent p>
“I heard,” Gaston said, a small smile playing on his lips. “Liam called me. Said you were terrifying. I was proud p>
Jocelyn flushed at the praise. She handed him the bag. “I wanted to get you something p>
Gaston took the bag. His fingers brushed hers. He opened it and pulled out the box, then lifted the lid.
He stared at the tie.
It was very purple.
He paused. He hated purple. He wore only neutrals.
“Do you like it?” Jocelyn asked tentatively. “I saw it and thought it had a certain… confidence. It reminded me of the jacket Vance was wearing p>
Gaston looked at her. He saw the earnestness in her eyes and understood instantly what was happening. She had bought him a tie to signal her acceptance of his supposed secret life with Vance.