The waiter approached with a polite smile. "Table for three?"
"Yes, please," Alina said, returning the smile warmly.
They were guided to a cozy corner table by the window, where sunlight glowed across the glass jars filled with wildflowers. Georgia slipped into the seat beside Alina, leaving Dante across from them.
When the nus arrived, Alina scanned through quickly, humming under her breath. "Alright, Georgia’s vegetarian, so let’s see..." she murmured thoughtfully. "I’ll get one roasted vegetable lasagna for you, and maybe so garlic bread on the side?"
Georgia nodded eagerly. "Oh, yes please! And maybe an iced lemonade too."
Alina turned to Dante next. "What about you, sir?"
Dante leaned back in his chair, not even glancing at the nu. "You can order for ," he said simply.
Alina blinked. "You’re trusting with your food?"
His lips curved faintly. "I trust your judgnt."
She didn’t know why those words made her heart skip, but they did. Trying to hide her blush, she quickly looked back at the nu. "Then... how about a grilled vegetable steak with mushroom sauce? It’s their most popular dish."
"Perfect," he said without hesitation, watching the soft color bloom on her cheeks.
Alina nodded, scribbling down the order. "And I’ll have pasta primavera with cream sauce."
The waiter smiled, taking the order before leaving them alone.
Georgia rested her chin on her hand, glancing between them with a playful grin. "You know," she said slyly, "you’re quite natural at ordering for your boss."
"Georgia!" Alina hissed, her face turning crimson.
Dante chuckled under his breath, his expression smooth but clearly entertained. "She’s very efficient," he said, his deep voice laced with quiet amusent.
Georgia gasped dramatically. "Oh, so the lord does complint people! Quick, soone call the news!"
Alina burst out laughing, covering her mouth as a few nearby diners looked over curiously. Even Dante allowed a faint smile to appear, the rare kind that softened the sharpness in his face.
anwhile, Alina had no idea that soone was watching her from another table — soone whose gaze was far from kind.
At a table by the window, half-hidden behind a tall vase of lilies, Celeste sat with her new boyfriend, pretending to listen as he went on and on about his ex-girlfriend. He was handso, rich, perfectly dressed in his tailored suit — the kind of man she liked to show off. But every ti he ntioned "my ex this, my ex that," Celeste’s smile grew thinner.
Still, she knew how to play her part. She leaned forward, laughing softly and letting her fingers trail along the rim of her glass. "Hahaha, I get it. My ex used to do the sa," she said lightly, her voice sweet but sharp underneath.
But then her laughter faded. Her attention drifted toward the other side of the restaurant, and her heart twisted unpleasantly.
There, seated by the sunlit window, was Alina.
Celeste’s jaw tightened as she watched the scene unfold. Alina was sitting with a man and a woman, the light spilling gently over her. The tall man she had seen with Alina before looked striking — impossibly handso, the kind of beauty that drew attention without even trying. The woman beside them, clearly confident and elegant, laughed as she teased them both. And Alina — simple, quiet Alina — looked radiant.
Her skin glowed softly in the sunlight, her eyes bright and alive. There was an easy joy in her face, a peace Celeste couldn’t rember ever seeing before. She looked... happy. Genuinely happy.
Celeste’s fingers tightened around her fork.
Since when did she start looking like that? she thought bitterly. And who are these people she’s with?
Her boyfriend was still talking, completely unaware of her shifting mood. "You know, my ex used to love this place," he said cheerfully.
Celeste didn’t even hear him. Her attention was locked on Alina. She watched as Alina smiled at sothing the man said, her laughter light and natural, her shoulders relaxed. The man across from her smiled faintly in return.
The sight made sothing ugly twist in her chest.
Alina, oblivious to everything beyond her little circle, was talking animatedly now, her hands moving slightly as she described sothing. The woman beside her laughed, and the man’s lips curved upward just enough to show he was amused.
And that glow. That effortless, natural glow that no amount of makeup could fake.
Celeste forced a laugh when her boyfriend looked her way, but her eyes stayed on Alina. There was a flash of irritation — no, envy — burning quietly beneath her smile.
She reached for her drink, her voice turning soft but tight. "You know what," she said to her boyfriend, who was still bragging about his ex, "let’s order dessert. I’m suddenly in the mood for sothing... bitter."
After lunch, Alina, Dante, and Georgia stepped out of the restaurant together.
However, another pair of eyes followed their every move.
Celeste had just finished her lunch, her boyfriend still chatting idly about his business ventures. She barely heard him. Her gaze was fixed on the trio leaving the restaurant.
"I’ll be right back," she said sweetly, forcing a quick smile before standing and excusing herself.
Her heels clicked sharply against the floor as she followed them out at a careful distance, pretending to check her phone. But when she saw the car parked in front of them, her steps faltered.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
It wasn’t just any car.
It was the newly launched T-ONE Phantom, a model so rare that only one had been officially sold in the entire region. It was sleek and flawless, its white body glinting under the sun like polished crystal, the signature silver crest of T-ONE shimring on the hood. The car had been all over luxury magazines for weeks — its price alone enough to make headlines.
Celeste’s breath caught in her throat. That car...? No way.
Her gaze darted to the tall man standing beside Alina. He was effortlessly handso, his posture regal, his presence powerful enough to make heads turn even from a distance. The way he opened the car door for Alina with quiet confidence and unmistakable authority told her everything she needed to know.
Her heartbeat quickened, her expression twisting between shock and disbelief. So that’s who she’s with?
That car wasn’t sothing any ordinary person could own. Even among the rich, only the powerful could get their hands on one. Which ant this man wasn’t just handso. He was wealthy. Possibly a billionaire.
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