Chapter 1017

A warm smile spread across Hailey’s face. “Lester, you’re just in time! The menu’s here. Let’s order.”
With that, she passed the menu to Lester.
He took it and flipped through the pages. “Hailey, I remember you used to love fried chicken wings when you were little.”
Jonah, having finished his phone call, decided to head back to the VIP room.
The door was ajar, and through the gap, he heard Lester talking to Hailey about their childhood memories.
Jonah pulled his hand away from the doorknob. Instead of stepping inside, he lingered in the doorway, eager to listen to Hailey and Lester’s conversation.
Hailey nodded. “It’s not just a childhood thing. I still love fried chicken wings! I’m surprised you remember that.”
Lester smiled brightly. “How could I forget? You and Ewan were close, and your families had gone so far as to arrange your engagement.”
Hailey didn’t want to bring up Ewan. After all, there wasn’t a single good memory tied to him.
“Lester, I’m sure you’ve already heard about what happened with Ewan. In our circles, nothing stays secret. He’s in the past, and I don’t want to talk about him anymore.”
“Fair enough,” Lester said. “But honestly, when I found out you were engaged to him, I was upset for a long time.”
Hailey blinked, surprised. “Why did that make you sad?”
A flicker of suspicion crossed her mind. Could Lester really have feelings for her?
Back then, everyone considered her unattractive, and Ewan had only taken advantage of her.
“Lester, I was hideous at the time. Nobody ever noticed me.”
“Hailey, you were never ugly. Your eyes sparkled like stars in the night. Honestly, you were adorable. But unfortunately, all your attention was on Ewan. If only you had lifted your head and looked around, you would have seen that someone had always cared for you.”
Hailey’s heart skipped a beat. Now, she was certain Lester had liked her all along.
She had never once imagined he could feel that way about her.
Lester looked at her with quiet affection. “Hailey, the truth is, I—”
Outside the door, Jonah stood frozen.
He didn’t need to hear the rest. As a man, he knew precisely what Lester was about
to say—Lester was going to confess his feelings.
Jonah’s hand tightened around the doorknob, and he made his move to walk in.
But before Lester could get the words out, Hailey suddenly spoke, stopping him mid-sentence. “Lester, you know I’ve always loved fried chicken wings right? actually bad. them just yesterday.”
Lester paused, caught off guard. “Really? Where?”
“At home,” Hailey said. “Someone made them for me.”
Outside the door, Jonah came to a halt.
He knew Hailey loved fried chicken wings, so he made them for her every day. Over
time, it had become a staple dish in their home.
His eyes lingered on her through the crack in the doorway.
Inside, Hailey met Lester’s gaze and said, “I already have a boyfriend.”
Lester froze. “You… have a boyfriend? Who is it?”
“His name’s Jonah Pilsner. You met him once, remember?”
“Jonah Pilsner?”
Though Lester was a university professor, his family was well-connected in the business world Naturally, he was familiar with
Jonah-the rising star of the
industry.
In fact, he vividly recalled the moment he saw Jonah with Hailey.
Jonah had left a mark he couldn’t forget. After all, he was young, accomplished, and remarkably handsome.
“So, Mr. Pilsner is your boyfriend, huh?”
“Yes, Lester,” Hailey answered. “Jonah and met back in Mercity during our university days. He’s an incredible cook. Every single day, he’d make fried chicken wings just for me. He loves me deeply, and love him just as much.”
She didn’t hesitate to confess her love for him.