Second day, with forty blind dates left. Ava didn't wake up that early the next day.

Her mother was annoyed by her supposedly dry remarks.

"I didn't realize that I sent you as a judge for job employment until yesterday." Ava could hear the sarcasm dripping out from her mother's words.

When Ava thought about it, this blind date did seem like an interview for a job. The job was being in a relationship with Ava Winslow and the interview was the blind date.

"Being among the panel was a good experience." Ava concurred, deciding to play the game her mother started.

On the other hand, Mrs. Winslow wasn't happy about it. "What! Matthew take care of your daughter!"

Mr. Winslow told her husband, Matthew Winslow and the man sighed, dropping his eating utensils.

"Ava stop being sarcastic with your mother."

They were having breakfast before Ava left for the second 'battle'.

Mr. Winslow turned to his daughter who was quietly eating.

"Did any of them try to do anything inappropriate?"

"No, they were all kind. I didn't have to use the pepper spray at all." Ava shook her head.

Her mother heard this and was proudly nodding her head. "They all went through rigorous screening just for this. I have to be especially careful who I present to my daughter."

The argument from earlier was immediately forgotten just like that.

But when Ava was about to leave, her mother held her shoulders. "Today is the second day, at least get someone's number!"

Ava was confused. "But I can easily get their contacts through the data in the file."

Ava was faced with a harsh glare from her mother.

Mrs. Winslow was truly worried about her daughter. Moreso, her future marriage life. Why even worry about her marriage life that seemed so far when she couldn't get her daughter to form a single romantic relationship!

"That's not what I meant, Ava. Just go. Go!"

"Okay..." Ava was more confused by her mother's mood swings.

She waved at her father who was standing a few steps away before she walked away to her destination.

After a ten minutes walk, she entered the hotel and found the table that she used yesterday empty.

She sat there and waited for the first person to arrive. The file was on the table, close to her.

Nathaniel arrived later than Ava did. His business meeting didn't start until nine, so he came a little later.

But as soon as he stepped in, his eyes moved to Ava's table. She was already talking with her blind date. She had a polite smile on her face and he could slightly hear her small giggles as the place was almost silent.

"There are less people here than usual." His assistant noticed.

Nathaniel sat on a table more farther away. His spot from yesterday was taken. With the view, from there it would be easier to spot her.

"It still a bit early." Nathaniel said, his eyes leaving Ava's figure.

Nathaniel's business partners came a while after that, so he pulled his mind together and started working. Ava Winslow was momentarily forgotten. Ava herself had no idea.

Ava had liked the first day. The people she met were polite, and knew their manners. She got a lot of connections. She had hoped the second day would go smoothly as well.

Until the seventh person came along...

He kept chattering and chattering about rubbish that Ava's permanent smile she had since yesterday was slowly peeling off.

Ava kept drinking tea, hoping it would calm her down but when the tea cup came in contact with her hand, she had wanted to throw it at the man.

Connections... connections...!

Haa! Screw that! This guy is so shameless. I want nothing to do with him.

Ava pulled the tea cup away from her mouth as she took a sip. The man across her- her seventh blind date watched her, his eyes on her hands.

"Ava, your hand keeps shaking. Are you feeling alright?" He had noticed that happening a while.

"Oh yes, why wouldn't I be?" Ava laughed, almost hearing the restrain in her voice.

Her hands holding the tea cup was shaking as she dropped the cup on the table. A little bit of the tea spilled out, as the cup had shaken too much.

The man shrugged it off, taking her word for it. "Oh, right. What were we talking about?"

"Funny. I can't remember..." How I wished to knock your teeth in.

The man smiled, taking a sip of his coffee and said. "Ava, do you have a position in your father's company?"

A position?

"I have yet to start working there." She answered.

"But you're already getting older. What have you been doing all these while."

Getting older? She was relatively still young. How dare he?!

Ava didn't answer him. She knew that if she opened his mouth, hellfire would rain down.

She smiled at him and took a sip of tea, the cup shaking as she tried to control her anger. She couldn't even remember this man's name. Honestly, she chose not to remember. She glanced at the file, his name was Derrick.

Ever since her seventh date sat down. He had been throwing impolite comments left and right.

But Ava knew she had to calm down. She could use this man as a lesson of sort. Not everyone was considerate and cared about others feelings or thoughts.

While she was thinking about this. Her seventh date was gazing at her, intensely, as well as the cup with spilled tea she had dropped down.

He smiled; was she nervous in his presence? If she was, then he has to be the one to lead the conversation then.

Ava been nervous around him, would mean she felt something, right?

"As the only child, you are the inherit your family business, am I right?" He asked.

"Yes, that's correct..." Ava glanced at him with skeptical eyes; where was he going with this.

He nodded and said. "I don't have a lot of requirements for my wife, as long as she has a steady job and can take care of the family."

Ava nodded, as she listened to him. His rudeness aside, this man had come with seriousness for a blind date. So she listened to him.

"My parents has raised me throughout the years and I am grateful. Because of that, when we get married we will live with my parents. Also, for safe keeping, we will give our incomes to my parents. Then if we really need money for something, we'll ask them.

Ava smiled politely, she took another sip from her cup. This time her hand didn't shake and the tea didn't spill.

"My mother is not in good health right now and doesn't like seeing a lot of people, so we fired most of the employees. When we get married though, you'll have to do the housework. Cooking, cleaning and if I have time I'll help out too."

As he spoke, he didn't notice that Ava's shaking was gone. Ava nodded at him.

People had a right to say their own thoughts and opinions. She had to meet his seriousness to this.

"Actually, I'm a bit of a spoilt child, myself. I haven't done housework before, I probably would be bad at it."

Ava imagined herself breaking plates and messing up cooking.

"I'll teach you all that I can, my mother will teach you too. Don't worry, you will learn." He said in a determined tone.

"I apologize, but I am not ready for marriage."

"Isn't the reason for a blind date to get married?" He asked, Ava supposed it was. "I'm guessing your family wants grandchildren. I'd also like that. I have in mind that we have a lot of kids. I have money, you have money, it would be easy to raise them."

Ava watched him talk before she spoke again. "I'm sorry. It seems like our thoughts do not align."

The man who was picturing having a lot of children with Ava froze as his smile broke in pieces. "What do you mean?"

"I apologize." Ava said again. "It seems like we wouldn't be compatible."

The man face darkened. "Having my kids would be a great blessing to your family."

"I apologize. I'd like you to give that blessing to another lady."

"What?"

Ava smiled. "I’m sure there’s someone out there eager for that blessing. But it’s not me."