“Our dish has just been handed over to us after hours.” Neil scoffed, his eyes brimming with anger.They had been waiting far too long, and even those who had arrived later were already eating. He couldn’t understand why their main course was delayed.Neil’s gaze swept across the table, landing on the spread of side dishes and appetizers already laid out. His stomach growled, and his mouth watered as he stared at the plates. Leaning forward, his eyes practically glued themselves to the roasted platter in front of him.Tedmond noticed the way Neil was practically drooling and sighed. “Don’t even think about it. We can’t start until the main course is here.”“Why not?” Neil snapped, irritation spilling into his words. “It’s food. We’re hungry. Why can’t we just eat what’s here? What’s the point of letting it sit here getting cold while we starve?”Tedmond’s tone remained calm and steady. “Because those are starters, not the main course. If we fill ourselves now, we won’t have room later

Tedmond’s eyes lingered on Evelyn, sharp enough to cut through steel. The calm that had once cloaked him began to peel away, replaced by a cold, seething glare that made the air in the room feel heavy. Disgust flickered across his face, undeniable, raw, unrestrained.Evelyn froze under his stare. For the first time, her anger faltered. Her lips parted, but no sound came. A shiver crawled up her spine as she realized just how terrifying that look on his face was.Tedmond rose slowly from his seat, every movement deliberate. The chair legs scraped against the floor, a sharp sound that made Evelyn flinch. When he stood to his full height, he towered over her. He wasn’t that small boy she had once dismissed or ignored.No, this man radiated cold authority that pressed down on everyone around him.Evelyn’s breath hitched. For the first time, she truly saw him, not the child she had pushed aside, but the man he had become.Tedmond stepped closer, his shadow swallowing hers. His eyes burned

Evelyn stared after her for a moment, her thoughts a tangled mess. For some reason, Tedmond’s words began ringing in her head again, ruining her appetite. She knew she wouldn’t be able to eat anything.Trying to force herself, she reached for the food and put it in her mouth. As she chewed, the taste barely registered. Her thoughts flew elsewhere.Tedmond had blamed her for his mother’s death, and he wasn’t wrong.The memories came uninvited, one after another, like ghosts rising from the shadows of her mind.She remembered that woman: quiet, graceful, too calm and elegant for her own good.That woman, so gentle, walked around the house with her head slightly bowed and her hands folded neatly in front of her…never raised her voice, never fought back.Evelyn had hated her from the first day.There was something about the calmness in her eyes, that unshakable peace, that made Evelyn feel small and invisible.She looked more like the lady of the house, so graceful and composed that guest

Inside the vehicle, Hino leaned back, frowning as he studied Tedmond.Something was off.“Wait a second… Why are you driving?” he asked, brow raised. “You never drive when we’re together. Neil and I are usually the ones behind the wheel.”Tedmond didn’t answer. His grip on the steering wheel only tightened as the city lights flickered past.There wasn’t a real reason for it; he just wanted to drive, to get away from Evelyn. Right now, he didn’t care who usually handled the wheel. He just needed to leave as fast as possible, without another word or confrontation.Neil, still sulking about his empty stomach, glanced through the rear window.“Uh, guys,” he said slowly, “is it just me, or is someone running after us?”Hino turned to look, then gave a low whistle. “Oh, that’s Lisa.”Tedmond’s eyes flicked to the side mirror. He saw her, a blur of red hair and desperation as she sprinted down the pavement.For a split second, something unreadable flashed in his eyes before it disappeared j

“We should go,” Tedmond said, not wanting to waste any more time.Since he needed to talk to her, he wanted it to be quick, clean, and simple. He also knew he had to take her somewhere public so she wouldn’t do something stupid.Looking out the window at the others, her frown deepened before she nodded and folded her arms. Then she turned to him, raising her brows.“Since when did you start driving?” she asked. “The car looks nice. Was it a gift?”To her, the car must have been gifted to Tedmond by his baby mama. She knew that the woman had good taste. But since Tedmond wasn’t married yet, she believed she still had a chance.“Be quiet.” Tedmond’s voice cut through her words like a blade.The sharpness in his tone made her flinch, her lips parting slightly before she quickly pressed them together. His glare was hard enough to make her look away, her confidence shrinking as the cold weight of his presence filled the car.Not another word left her mouth after that. The silence stret