CHAPTER 011 ADRIANSPOV AsDora made herwaytowardme,mygriponmyglasstightenedslightly.Herconfidencewasas sharpasever,herhipsswayingwithpracticedease,drawing morethanafewlingeringglancesfromthemeninthe restaurant.ButIwasntoneofthem.Atleast,thatswhatItoldmyself.
Jamessmirked,barelyhidinghisamusement.Andhereshecomes Isaidnothing,merelyswirlingthedarkliquidinmyglassasshefinallyreachedourtable.Dorastoppedjust beside me,restingamanicuredhandonthebackofthechairacrossfrommine.
Adrian,shegreeted,hervoicesmoothlike silkbutlaced withsomethingmore…somethingcalculated.
Dora,Ireplied,matchingher tone.
James,everthespectator,leanedbackinhischair,watchingtheinteractionunfoldwiththesameinterestone mighthaveinahighstakespokergame.
Dorasgazeflickedtotheextravagantspreadonthetable.Quite the feast, sheremarked,herlips curvingintoaknowingsmile.Expectingmorecompany? Ismirked.YouknowIdontliketoshare.
Shechuckled lightly,buttherewasnohumorinit.Shefinallypulledoutthechairandtookaseatwithoutaninvitation,hereyeslockedonmine.
Iwasntexpectingtoseeyouheretonight,shesaid.
NeitherwasI,Icountered.
Buthereweare.
Jamesclearedhisthroatdramaticallyandpattedhispockets.IthinkI forgot mywalletinthe car,hesaidsuddenly,standingup.
WebothknewhewaslyingJamesneverforgotanything.ButhewantedtogiveDoraandmesome space,andIwasntgoing tostophim.
Doraflashedhimaknowingsmileashewalkedaway,leavingusalone.

Thewaitershadjustfinishedsettingupallthedishes,andmyfocusshiftedbackto mymeal.Ipicked up thenapkinbesideme,tuckeditintomycollar,andtookmyknife,slicing throughthe goldenbrowngrilled chickenwithprecision.
MayI?Dora asked,gesturingtoward thefood.
Helpyourself,Ireplied,dabbingthecornersofmymouth with mynapkinbeforereturningto my plate./ Iwatchedasshedelicatelyplaced asmall pieceofchickenintohermouth.Her expression changed instantlyhereyes litupwith,pleasure,andsheletoutasoft, 1/3 CHAPTER011 appreciativehum.
Thisiswhythisismyfavorite restaurantIremarked.
Sheswallowed,nodding slightly.Icanseewhy.
For amoment,weateinsilence.Itwasastrangekindofpeaceonethatfeltlikeitcouldshatteratany second.And,ofcourse,itdid.
Doraplacedherutensilsdowncarefully,foldingherhandsinfrontofherasshefixedmewithanunreadablegaze.
Ifeelliketheresabitoftensionbetweenus,shesaid.
youdid .
Iglancedupfrommyplate,raising abrow.
Oh?Andwhydoyousaythat? Shesighed.Seriously?Youvebeen avoidingmytexts andcalls,Adrian.
Ismirked,takingaslowsipofmywinebeforeresponding.Youknowwhat Doraexhaledthroughher nose,frustrationflickeringacrossherfeatures.Iveapologizedthroughtextsomanytimes.ButImgoingto doitinperson,becauseIknowthatwasastupidthingtodo,andIshouldnthavedoneitwithoutyour permission.Im sorry.
Ileanedback,studying her.Therewassincerityinher voicesomethingrareforDora.Andhonestly,Icouldnt staymadat her forever.
Grabbingmynapkin,I wipedmymouthbeforefinallyresponding.

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Look,itsallwaterunder thebridgenow.Iknowhowpersistentyouare,soitsfine.
Icaughttheway herfacebrightenedslightlyat my words,thereliefinherexpressionunmistakable.Butstill,therewere thingsIneeded toknow.
Ihavesomequestions,though,Isaid,settingmy utensilsdown.What wasyourrealendgame? Doraleanedbackinherchair,tappinghernailslightlyagainstthetable.Honestly?IjustwantedOlivia outofyourhouse.
Myexpressiondidntchange,butmyfingerstightened slightlyaroundmy glass.
Iknowyoudontlike her,Dora continued.Ijust dontunderstandwhyyoustillkeepheraround.
She was testingme.Iletoutalowchuckle,shaking myhead.Thatsformeandonlyme toknow.
Dorastudiedme,herlips pressing into athinline.Well,thankfully,shewantsadivorce,shemuttered,almostlikeshewastryingtoconvinceherself.
Ismirked,Oh please,thatsallnoise.Justgivehersometime,shellcomerunningback.
Dorasexpressionshifted inan instant.Herconfidence falteredforjustasecondbeforeshequickly masked it.
Youstill wantherback?sheasked,hertone sharp.
2/3 CHAPTER011 Ididntanswer.Instead,Ileanedback,raisingahand.Waiter.
Ayoungmanrushedoverwithinseconds,hisposturestiff,hiseyesflickingnervouslybetween meandDora.
Bringmore ofthegrilledchicken,Iordered,myvoicecalmbutfirm.
Yes,sir,thewaiterreplied,quicklyturningonhisheelanddisappearingtowardthekitchen.

Dorawasstillwatchingme,waitingforananswerIwasntgoingtogive.
Ipickedupmyglass,swirlingthewine lazilybeforetakingasip.Enoughwithallthequestions,Dora.Weregood.Youreherewithme,soeatallyouwant.Thenwecan headback.
Forthefirsttimetonight,shedidnthaveasnarkyreply.Instead,sheleanedbackintoherchair,foldingherarmsacross herchest,clearlyunsatisfied.
Itookoutmyphoneand typedoutaquickmessage.
Me:Youcan comebackinsidenow.
Afewminuteslater,Jamesstrolledback in,lookingfartoopleasedwithhimself.
JustrealizedIdidntcomewithmy wallet,heannouncedashesat down,grinninglikehe hadnt justleftmealone withawomanwhohadahistoryofstirringuptrouble.
Dorarolledhereyes,still clearlyannoyed,but she didntpushthe topicfurther.
Ismirked,finishingthelastbiteofmymealbeforesetting myutensilsdown.
She wantsadivorce.
ButOliviawasntallowedto escape methateasily.
ShewouldleavewhenItoldher toleave.
Untilthen…shewasstill mine.
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