88As the car glided through the city streets, Darwin found himself glancing at Lana, who was now humming softly to a song on the radio, her earlier display of vulnerability seemingly vanished. The silence between them was filled with the low hum of the car and the occasional chatter from Lana abou
89Lana, previously captivated by the handbags, stiffened at Luke's condescension. Her eyes sparkled, not with excitement, but irritation as she stepped closer to Darwin, clutching his arm and lifting her chin defiantly."I'm Lana, his girlfriend and soon-to-be fiancée. And you are?" she declared, s
90Luke's fists clenched so tightly at his sides that his knuckles whitened, a visible manifestation of his escalating anger and disbelief. "What are you implying, Darwin?" he spat out, his voice a mix of confusion and rising fear, as if he already sensed where this confrontation was heading but ref
91Lisa and Luke watched in stunned silence as the store assistant hurried away. An uneasy silence fell upon the group as they awaited her return. Luke's fists were clenched so tightly at his sides that his knuckles were bone white. Sweat beaded on his forehead as the implications of Darwin's actio
92Darwin and Lana, seated in their private booth, were just beginning to peruse the menu when Darwin's eyes abruptly shifted toward the entrance. Lana, noticing the change in his demeanor, followed his gaze. She saw a man and a woman entering — both exuding an air of entitlement that was palpable e
93Darwin, standing firm with a calm demeanor that belied the tension of the moment, looked Alexander and Elizabeth directly in the eyes. The surrounding whispers of the other patrons grew louder, their curiosity piqued by the unfolding drama."Surely, you jest," Elizabeth said, her voice laced with
94"Look, they're actually going through with it!""Can you believe Alexander? Bringing the manager over like this is some schoolyard tattle-tale.""I've never seen anything like this here before. This guy, Darwin must have really hit a nerve.""Do you think the manager will actually kick him out? I
95Alexander, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides, could barely contain his fury. "My father, Henry Pennington, will hear about this," he growled, teeth gritted, the threat hanging in the air like a storm cloud.The tension in the room spiked, patrons glancing at each other with wide eyes,