Meanwhile, back at home, Ambrose stood in front of his wardrobe, carefully inspecting each outfit he owned. He wanted to choose the best clothes for his dinner with Ava. His fingers trailed over different shirts and jackets, trying to find the perfect combination that would make him look sharp and presentable.He settled on a crisp white shirt, neatly ironed, and a pair of dark trousers. After slipping them on, he checked himself in the mirror, adjusting his collar and making sure everything was in place. He ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath as he thought about the night ahead with Ava. After putting on the outfit and checking himself in the mirror, Ambrose hesitated. He exhaled and shook his head slightly, deciding it was still too early to get dressed. He carefully took the clothes off, making sure not to wrinkle them, and hung them back in the closet.He glanced at the clock on the wall—there was still time before he had to leave. Ambrose sat on the edge of the bed
Ambrose walked out to the cab which was parked outside and then sat inside. Sitting inside, the driver greeted him coolly. Ambrose responded then asked him to drive quickly. Ava had just finished changing back into the outfit she wore earlier that morning, a stylish yet practical look that blended well with her professional demeanor. She glanced at her reflection in the rearview mirror, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Satisfied with her appearance, she took a deep breath and started the car.The engine roared to life, and she quickly punched the location Ambrose had given her—Le Jardin Gourmet—into the GPS. As the directions appeared on the screen, she shifted into gear and pulled out of the lot.The drive wasn’t too long, but Ava found herself thinking about the upcoming dinner, her thoughts drifting to Ambrose. She wasn't used to such gestures from him, and the fact that he had planned the evening left her with mixed emotions. Half an hour later, Ava pulled up near
The staff member hesitated slightly, then leaned closer to Ava. "Madam, I understand your wish to pay, but that man is a big deal around here. It would be wise to give him face. A gesture like this—"Ava cut him off, her tone calm but firm. "I said no thanks. It's $500, right? I'll pay it myself. It's simple." She handed the staff member her card and calmly gave him the password.The staff member gave her a cold look, clearly understanding that Ava wasn’t going to be swayed. He took the card and walked back to the man in the suit. "She refused your payment and offered to pay herself," he said quietly.The man smirked, his gaze trailing back toward Ava. "Alright, don't worry about it," he replied, though there was a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. He glanced toward Ava one more time.Ava, feeling the weight of his gaze, briefly locked eyes with him before she deliberately looked away and focused on her phone. She checked the time—7:00 PM. Ambrose hadn’t arrived yet, which
Immediately Ambrose reached the table and Ava saw him, she smiled warmly and said, "You're here."Ambrose nodded, his gaze briefly flicking to Palermo with a slight frown before turning back to Ava. He handed her a single rose he had been holding. "This is yours."Ava was pleasantly surprised as she took the flower, admiring how beautiful it was. "Thank you," she said, smiling.Ambrose nodded, his expression still a bit serious as he looked at Palermo and then back to Ava. "Who's he?" he asked.Ava glanced at Palermo and replied, "This man here is Palermo. He offered to pay for my drink, and I refused. But guess what? He doesn't believe I have a husband and thinks he can give me some sort of 'great treatment.'"Ambrose’s frown deepened at her words. He turned fully towards Palermo, his voice calm but firm. "Hello, she told you she has a husband, so why are you still trying to force things?"Palermo looked Ambrose up and down with a smirk. "Where's your ring? Did you just manage to get
Meanwhile, inside, Palermo was growing bolder by the second, leaning closer to Ava as he tried to charm her.Palermo reached out, attempting to lightly brush her arm. “Come on, why don’t we just enjoy the evening together, huh?”Before his hand could make contact, Ava snapped back, her voice strong and unyielding, “Touch me, and you’ll regret it.”Palermo paused, taken aback by her intensity but still trying to play it cool. “Whoa, calm down. I’m just being friendly.”“Friendly or not,” Ava shot back, her eyes narrowing, “I’m not interested, and I’m warning you—don’t try anything again.”At that moment, Ambrose re-entered the restaurant, his eyes immediately locking onto Palermo leaning too close to Ava. His face hardened as he quickened his pace. Without hesitation, Ambrose strode up to them and forcefully pushed Palermo back, making him stumble away from Ava.“Don’t touch my wife!” Ambrose’s voice was cold, his eyes burning with intensity as he squared up to Palermo, his frame tense
After placing their expensive orders, both Ambrose and Ava set their phones down. Ambrose turned to her and asked, "So, how's it going?""How's what going?" Ava asked."Your work. The contract for the Wei family, I mean."Ava nodded. "It's going well. It felt like a huge weight at first, but Dera's been helping little by little, so everything's going smoothly now.”"Dera," Ambrose nodded thoughtfully. "Is she staying at the manor permanently now?"Ava shook her head. "She’s planning to rent her own place soon, once she finds something. But for now, since she's helping me out, it just makes sense for her to stay at the manor.""Alright," Ambrose nodded again. He then gently took Ava’s hand, looking into her eyes without speaking."What?" Ava asked, her voice carrying a hint of shyness.Ambrose smiled softly. "I want to apologize.”"Apologize for what?" Ava asked, slightly confused."For everything," he said. "We got married against your will. Your dreams of marrying someone wealthy or.
Meanwhile, at the restaurant, Ambrose and Ava were still enjoying their dinner, the atmosphere lively with soft music playing in the background. Ambrose looked at Ava, smiling warmly as he reached for his glass.“You seem to be really enjoying the food,” he said, playfully nudging her.Ava smiled, taking a sip of her drink. “Well, it’s not every day I get to enjoy something this fancy.”Ambrose chuckled. “You deserve this every day, you know.”Ava looked at him with a mix of curiosity and affection. “You’re really full of surprises tonight.”Ambrose took her hand, squeezing it gently. “I’m really proud of you, Ava.”As they continued talking and eating, Ambrose suddenly picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and held it out to Ava. She blinked, momentarily shocked by his gesture."Ambrose, what are you doing?" she asked, her voice laced with surprise and shyness."Feeding you," he said with a teasing grin. "Come on, don’t be shy."Ava’s cheeks flushed, and she glanced around th
Ambrose nodded and smiled, watching Ava with a mix of amusement and affection. Just as he was about to say something, Ava suddenly stood up, her movements unsteady for a moment, but then, to his surprise, she began to sway to the music.Without any hesitation, she stepped out into the open space near their table and started dancing. The soft rhythm of the music filled the room, and Ava’s body seemed to flow effortlessly with it. Her movements, though tipsy, were graceful and captivating. She twirled, her arms floating through the air, and soon enough, she was dancing with such confidence that it mesmerized everyone around her.Ambrose was stunned. He had never seen this side of her. He watched in awe, not quite sure whether to laugh or join her. He glanced around, noticing other people had turned their heads to watch her as well. A few of them even started clapping in rhythm with her steps, encouraging her.Palermo, seated a few tables away, was glaring at her, his eyes narrowing with