Third Person's POV
Vanya knew she was in the wrong and had no choice but to comply with Cliff's arrangements.
"Fine," she thought. It wasn't her money being spent anyway, so she might as well enjoy the spree as a form of entertainment. Vanya didn't catch the faint, involuntary lift at the corner of Cliff's mouth, that fleeting trace of a smile gone as quickly as it appeared.
Upon arriving at the mall, Vanya surveyed the layout around her. She was planning to build a large commercial district and thus. It was extremely necessary to observe and do some research carefully. Her eyes held a hint of scrutiny and contemplation as she earnestly examined the display and layout of each store.
Suddenly, Vanya felt her hand being tugged. She pulled her hand back and looked warily at Cliff, who had just returned from buying coffee, and asked, "What are you doing?"
"Holding hands, for photos," Cliff replied, casting a glance towards someone with a camera who looked like a paparazzo in the distance, signaling Vanya to cooperate. Although she felt it was a hassle, she still complied.
Then, Cliff took out his phone and opened the camera.
"What are you doing now?" Vanya asked, puzzled.
"Take a selfie," Cliff responded calmly.
Vanya's expression was stiff in front of the camera. Seeing this, Cliff asked with a hint of dissatisfaction, "Can't you smile?" Vanya tried to force a smile, but when she saw Cliff in the frame, for some reason, the smile just wouldn't come naturally. The final smile she managed looked worse than a cry. Cliff closed his phone with a hint of annoyance, and Vanya, relieved that the photo session was over, went to pick out and buy a few more clothes. 'It's Cliff's money anyway, might as well spend it!'
In the afternoon, Cliff found a quiet and serene café. He ordered an exquisite set of snacks for Vanya while he sat across from her, leisurely sipping his coffee. Vanya was very satisfied with her "trophies" from the day and was savoring the snacks one small bite at a time, looking utterly content. Seeing this, Cliff felt an inexplicable warmth in his heart, as if a warm current was flowing through his soul. Unable to resist, he took out his phone and, while Vanya was not paying attention, captured a photo of half his face in the frame with Vanya, pressing the shutter to take a picture.
Hearing the click of the phone's shutter, Vanya looked up at Cliff with a bewildered expression. "What are you doing?"
Cliff composed himself, pretending nothing had happened, and said, "The snacks look nice. Thought I'd take a picture."
"Huh?" Vanya found Cliff's behavior a bit strange. She thought to herself. It was bizarre a big man liked to take pictures of these girly snacks.
"Finished eating?" Cliff asked.
"I can't eat anymore," Vanya replied.
"Let's go," Cliff said, standing up and striding to the cashier to pay the bill. Throughout the day, Cliff's credit card had been used no less than twenty times, and Vanya couldn't help but sigh. A man spending money on a woman indeed looked the most handsome. However, she only thought Cliff was somewhat handsome when he was swiping his card.
After a whole day of shopping, Vanya was exhausted and fell asleep not long after getting in the car. Cliff noticed her sleepiness and drove more smoothly. Glancing at Vanya, he saw that she had dozed off with her head tilted to the side. Cliff pulled over to the side of the road, took a blanket from the back seat, and gently covered Vanya. He gazed at her, a different kind of feeling welling up in his heart. The woman looked quite lovely when she was quiet, her peaceful sleeping face as if possessing a unique magic, drawing his gaze.
"Cliff..." Vanya murmured softly in her sleep.
Cliff's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. He leaned in slightly, trying to hear what Vanya was saying, but then he heard her mumble in her sleep, "Go to hell..."
Instantly, Cliff's expression darkened, and the tenderness that had just risen dissipated without a trace.
"Vanya!" Cliff called out loudly.
Vanya was startled awake by Cliff's sudden shout. She groggily wiped the corner of her mouth and asked, "What's the matter? Are we home?" She turned her head and met Cliff's dark expression, full of confusion. "What's with that look? What did I do to upset you now?" Throughout the day, Cliff's expression had been unpleasant at least ten times. Vanya couldn't help but think to herself, if he was really so reluctant to come out with her, then he didn't have to, did he?