Chapter 2

Early that Saturday, Julian sent me the restaurant location. After finishing my tasks at hand, I headed straight there, still dressed in simple work attire.

Even light makeup couldn't hide the fatigue under my eyes; I was the kind of person who’d blend into any crowd.

The moment I stepped into the restaurant, I saw Julian. He sat alone by the window, idly stirring his coffee, an inherent aura about him that seemed to set him apart from his surroundings.

For a fleeting second, the image of the spirited, dashing young man from my high school memories overlapped with the figure before me.

Seraphina’s arrival abruptly pulled me back to reality. She wore a soft, feminine long dress, her face immaculately made up. She walked directly to Julian's side, looped her arm through his, and snuggled intimately into his embrace.

They leaned into each other, looking perfectly matched, like the leads of a romantic drama.

A dense, throbbing pain bloomed in my heart. Even though this wasn't the first time I'd seen Julian intimate with another woman, and I was used to his infidelity, my heart still tasted bitter.

Perhaps it was because their entwined figures so closely resembled how Julian and I used to be together, only the heroine of the story had changed.

My arrival, of course, didn't escape Seraphina’s notice. She shot me a triumphant, slightly provocative gaze, like a child showing off a beloved new toy.

Noticing Seraphina's constant stares in my direction, Julian naturally realized I was there.

A rare flicker of awkwardness crossed his face as he gently removed Seraphina's hand from his arm, then called out, “Eleanor, over here.”

I walked over and sat directly opposite them. An awkward silence fell between the three of us.

Julian was the first to break the awkward silence, introducing Seraphina. “Eleanor, this is Seraphina, my secretary.”

Upon hearing the word “secretary,” Seraphina visibly stiffened, her face darkening.

I was about to speak, but Seraphina cut me off. “Hello, Ms. Vance. Julian talks about you often.” Her tone was an overt declaration of ownership.

“My apologies, this is the first I’ve heard him mention you,” I said, my voice flat, my face devoid of expression.

Seraphina’s face instantly went stark white. She looked pitifully at Julian, as if begging him to intervene.

To my surprise, Julian completely ignored Seraphina's silent plea, saying instead, “Seraphina, go home. This isn’t where you belong.”

At his words, Seraphina’s body trembled uncontrollably, her voice shaking. “Julian, I’m not leaving.”

Julian beside her remained silent, his expression icy, the pressure around him palpable.

Seraphina burst into tears and ran off, leaving me with a resentful glare as she left. Julian said nothing more, simply waved over the waiter and ordered many of my favorite dishes.

During dinner, he even meticulously picked out all the mushrooms, which I despise, putting them on his own plate. This instantly reminded me of when we first graduated college.

We didn’t have much money, so we lived very frugally.

We’d only order one dish at a small cafe. The owner misheard our order and added mushrooms to my plate as usual. I, who hated mushrooms, was at a loss, and too introverted to ask the owner for a new plate. Julian, however, painstakingly picked out every single mushroom and quietly ate them all himself.

Noticing I seemed lost in thought, Julian called out to me, “Ellie, what’s wrong?” The way he said my name, combined with the memory of him picking out the mushrooms, made me feel as if I had traveled back to our past.

Possessed by a sudden impulse, I asked, “Julian, why did you invite me out to dinner today?”

He hadn't expected such a question. His movements stiffened, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the tabletop.

This was a habit of Julian's; whenever he did this, it meant he was about to lie.

I smiled, though my heart ached. I pretended to say nonchalantly, “Just be honest. It wouldn’t happen to be because of your little secretary who just left, would it?”

He looked as if a great weight had been lifted. “You always see through me, Eleanor. She’s been too clingy lately, forgetting her place. I actually brought you out to let her know that I’m putting her in her place for a while.”

Receiving the answer I expected, it was a lie to say I wasn't disappointed. But I forced back the tears, at least, I wouldn’t cry in front of him.