69Allvar leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the edge of the table, a small smile playing on his lips. The whispers from the nearby table hadn't stopped; if anything, they'd grown louder, punctuated with thinly veiled insults."Look at him, hiding behind her," one of the men sneered, not bothering to lower his voice. "Coward can’t even stand up for himself. Pathetic."Allvar’s eyes flickered with irritation, but he kept his composure, glancing at Seraphina, who sipped her water, entirely unbothered. “They’re persistent, I’ll give them that,” he murmured.Seraphina chuckled lightly. “Desperation has a way of making people louder.”“Hey, you!” Another voice called out, louder this time. “Yeah, you with the cheap white shirt! What’s it like having a woman fight your battles for you?”Allvar finally turned to face the table of men, his gaze calm but cold. “Is that the best you’ve got?” he asked, his voice steady. “I was hoping for something a little more creativ
70 “Gentlemen, I’m going to have to insist that this stops now. You’re disturbing the other guests.”“Disturbing?” The man sneered, but his bravado was slipping. “You’re worried about disturbing people? Fine. Then why don’t you just throw them out?”The waiter crossed his arms, his patience clearly wearing thin. “I will, if this continues. But I’d prefer not to have to do that.”Allvar smiled slightly. “Don’t worry. We were just leaving.” He reached for his jacket, signaling to Seraphina with a nod.She stood gracefully, smoothing her suit as she did. “Pity,” she said, glancing back at the table of men. “I was starting to enjoy the show.”As Allvar and Seraphina turned to leave, the waiter who had served them earlier hurried over, his face etched with disdain. "Excuse me, sir, ma'am," he began, his voice sharp, "but where do you think you're going?"Allvar stopped mid-step, his hand gently resting on the back of Seraphina’s chair. "I’m sorry?" he asked, his brow furrowing.The waiter
71The snickers continued around the room, growing louder with every passing moment. One man leaned over his table, pointing in Allvar’s direction. “Bet he doesn’t even have enough to cover half the bill,” he scoffed. “Classic pauper move, relying on the lady.”Allvar kept his gaze forward, but Seraphina noticed the flicker of anger in his eyes. She leaned toward him, her voice a quiet murmur. “Are you going to let them continue?” Her eyes were twinkling with a mixture of amusement and irritation. “Or should we remind them that not every insult requires a response?”Allvar gave her a brief smile, more tense than warm. “Some things don’t deserve a response.”Allvar gave her a brief smile, but his gaze remained cool as he turned back to the waiter. “I apologize for the delay. Let’s settle the bill.”The waiter, clearly still convinced they were trying to pull a stunt, huffed. “About time,” he muttered, retreating to fetch the check.As the snickers continued around the room, a woman’s v
72Seraphina could feel the tension thickening around their table, like a storm brewing just beneath the surface. She leaned closer to Allvar, her voice low yet firm. “Don’t let them get to you. They’re nothing but a bunch of fools who think mocking others makes them important.”Allvar’s jaw clenched tighter, his frustration spilling over. “I didn’t come here to be humiliated, Seraphina,” he muttered, glancing at the waiter, who was now relishing the chaos he had sparked.“I know,” she replied softly, her eyes locked on him, willing him to see the bigger picture. “But stooping to their level won’t help. Let’s just pay the bill and leave.”A woman from another table chimed in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, come on! What’s the matter? Afraid to show us how poor you really are?” Her companions burst into laughter, and the laughter spread like wildfire, igniting the whole room.Allvar’s composure began to crack, but Seraphina placed a steadying hand on his forearm, grounding him.
73Seraphina placed a calming hand on his arm, though her eyes remained locked on the waiter. “Ignore them,” she whispered. “They’re beneath us.”The waiter, however, wasn’t finished. “See? Even the lady’s trying to calm you down,” he said with a chuckle. “Maybe she knows something you don’t—like how this place runs on appearances.”Allvar stood abruptly, his chair scraping harshly against the floor. He glared at the waiter, his patience threadbare. “You want proof I can pay?” His voice was low, dangerous, each word more venomous than the last. The waiter took a step back, momentarily surprised, but recovered quickly. “Oh, I’m not asking for proof, sir. Just pointing out that some places have certain... standards.”“That’s enough,” Seraphina interrupted, her voice as sharp as ice. “Your insinuations are unfounded, and frankly, unprofessional.”Allvar leaned in closer to the waiter, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. “Do you think insulting me will get you a bigger tip?”The wa
74As Allvar and Seraphina stepped out of the restaurant, they found themselves in the dimly lit parking lot. The tension from the dining room was still thick in the air, but the silence outside provided some much-needed relief. Allvar ran a hand through his hair, letting out a long, slow breath, his frustration beginning to ease now that they had left the chaos behind.Seraphina strode confidently towards her car, and Allvar followed. His eyes widened slightly as he took in the sight of the vehicle in front of them—sleek, black, and enormous. It was a top-tier luxury car, the kind that only the wealthiest people drove. The polished chrome reflected the dim light from the streetlamps, and the leather interior gleamed under the soft glow.“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Allvar muttered under his breath, quickly realizing just how rich Seraphina must be. For someone who had defended him in the restaurant, she clearly was very rich.Seraphina caught his gaze as she unlocked the car with
75A few days had passed since Allvar's meeting with the Henleys, and he found himself anxiously awaiting their decision, though he tried to stay optimistic. He replayed the conversation in his head multiple times, going over every detail, every nod of approval, every hint of hesitation. After how the meeting had gone, he was hopeful they would approve the new proposal, but the waiting was eating at him.Allvar was in his office, poring over some paperwork, trying to keep his mind busy, when there was a knock at the door. His assistant poked her head in, her usual cheery smile in place.“The Henleys are on the phone for you,” she said, her tone more excited than usual, as if she knew this call was the one Allvar had been waiting for.Allvar felt his heart race as he stood from his chair, running a hand over his tie as if to straighten it, even though no one could see him. “Thank you, Erica. Put them through,” he said, keeping his voice steady despite the adrenaline pulsing through him
76“Mrs. Westwood, this is a surprise,” Allvar greeted her, stepping forward. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”“I just got off the phone with Mr. Henley myself,” Mrs. Westwood said, a rare smile curling at her lips as she entered the room. “He informed me that you secured the contract. Well done, Allvar.”Allvar's chest swelled with pride as he extended his hand. “Thank you, Mrs. Westwood. That means a lot coming from you. I’m glad I could help close such an important deal.”Mrs. Westwood shook his hand firmly, her gaze steady. “You should be proud. That was no easy feat,” she said, her voice filled with approval. “There were a lot of doubts about whether we could win this, but I knew you had the capability.”Allvar nodded, the praise making the victory even sweeter. “I appreciate the confidence you’ve always shown in me. It really motivated me to go above and beyond. I didn’t want to let you or the team down.”“And you didn’t,” Mrs. Westwood replied, her eyes gleaming. “You exceeded