Their date continued in full swing after that, the couple bouncing from one ga to another with unstoppable enthusiasm.
So gas Anna won—fair and square. Others Daniel dominated with ease.
By the ti they were done, their arms were filled with prizes, their legs were sore, and Anna’s stomach finally growled loud enough to make Daniel glance at her in amusent.
Still holding the giant teddy bear in one hand—with the other securely wrapped around Anna’s fingers—they made their way toward the food court.
But Daniel, being Daniel, wasn’t about to let them sit out in the open where people could recognize them.
So before Anna could even suggest a place, he’d already arranged everything. He booked a private booth tucked away from the crowd, shielded from prying eyes and cara flashes—just so they could eat in peace.
Anna couldn’t help but smile at the thought. Even in the chaos of an amusent park, Daniel Clafford always made sure she felt safe.
***
Placing the giant teddy beside her, Anna glanced at Daniel—only to catch him glaring daggers at the soft toy.
"What?" she asked, stunned. "Don’t tell you’re jealous of the gift you gave ."
Despite her earlier humiliation at the balloon ga, she had been absolutely thrilled when Daniel won the teddy bear for her. He had looked annoyingly handso doing it too.
But now, seeing him frowning at the sa prize like a sulking child who’d been denied a treat, made her wonder if he had lost his mind.
Daniel stubbornly looked away, refusing to et her eyes—or the teddy bear’s.
Instead, he picked up the nu card with exaggerated seriousness.
"Eat as much as you want," he said, though his eyes flicked back to the teddy bear for a mont before focusing on the nu again.
Anna couldn’t hold back her laughter. She was slowly getting used to this childish side of Daniel.
And truth be told—she found it adorable. Especially when he got jealous of inanimate objects.
Daniel, on the other hand, ant every word. He wanted her energetic and happy for the rest of the day; they still had plenty of things left to do.
By the ti the food arrived, Anna had taken his words to heart—and dove into the dishes with enthusiasm.
In her past life, she had lost a lot of weight trying to impress him. She had starved herself, lived on juice diets, and tortured herself for a standard she barely understood.
But in this life? She didn’t care how shaless she looked while stuffing her mouth.
She ate because she wanted to, because she was hungry, and because she was free. And unless a role specifically demanded weight loss, she had no intention of bending to the stereotype that actresses needed perfect, slender bodies.
Because even in her plus size, people admired her. They loved her authenticity, her confidence, and her talent.
And for her, that was enough.
***
anwhile, Ethan drove to his father’s estate as instructed. He had expected Stephane to accompany him; after all, she was the one who forwarded the ssage. But she brushed him off with a vague excuse about having sothing to take care of.
So now, sitting alone across from his father, Ethan found himself in the familiar tension of the Helmsworth household.
Marcus Helmsworth, renowned businessman, feared negotiator, and a man whose presence dominated any room, looked exactly the sa as the last ti Ethan had seen him months ago.
Sharp. Controlled. Impossible to read.
"I heard your mother sent you on a blind date," Marcus said casually, though his eyes studied Ethan with calculated interest.
Ethan’s expression remained unmoved, as stoic as ever. "Yes," he replied simply.
Marcus humd, nodding slowly. "Did you like her?" as if he were interrogating him. But all he got in return was silence.
Ethan didn’t even blink in response and that alone made Marcus’s brow lift.
Just last night, Marcus had tried calling Ethan several tis, but when his every call got ignored frustratingly, he finally dialed Ethan’s ho number, only to have his ex-wife pick up instead.
And that was when he learned about the blind date arrangent Stephane had set up.
Ethan continued avoiding his father’s gaze and asked instead, "Why did you want to et ?"
His tone was calm but cold, as if he already knew the answer. Because every eting with Marcus had always served one purpose— to pressure Ethan into taking over the family business.
And Ethan wasn’t interested.
Not then. Not now. Not ever.
But what Ethan heard next made him frown.
"I want you to reject that girl," Marcus said bluntly. "Instead, go on a date with the woman I chose for you."
Ethan stared at him for a long mont... and then let out a low chuckle.
"Since when did you turn into a matchmaker, Dad?" he asked, leaning back casually. "Is your business failing so badly that you’ve decided to take up a new venture?"
The mockery in his tone wasn’t subtle, and it landed exactly where he intended.
Marcus’s expression darkened instantly. "Are you trying to mock , Ethan?"
"Well," Ethan said, still wearing that infuriating half-smile, "what else am I supposed to think? You’ve never once bothered with my personal life. You didn’t even ask when I debuted into the entertainnt world, let alone who I dated. So what changed?"
His gaze hardened. "What made you want to interfere now?"
He knew his father better than anyone.
Marcus Helmsworth never cared about romance—neither his own nor anyone else’s.
After the divorce, Marcus had tried dating a few won. But ti and ti again, he discovered they were only after his wealth or power.
Disappointed, he stopped trying altogether and focused on expanding the empire he built.
Helmsworth Enterprises was thriving—more than ever. So Ethan knew this sudden interest had nothing to do with business struggles.
’Then why?’ he wondered, watching his father carefully.
Marcus exhaled slowly, the weight of sothing unspoken settling between them.
"..."
"Because I can’t let your mother win."
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