Chapter 600

Cale’s words left Lydia silent for several seconds.

Her hand, which had still been gently massaging his temple, slowly stopped. She allowed him to sit back up beside her. Even then, Cale didn’t look away from her, as though there was something he needed to

make clear.

She stared at him-now fully awake-with an expression of disbelief.

“Cale.”

“Hmm.”

“Are you serious about what you just said?”

Cale looked at her with calmness that felt almost unreasonable for someone who had just proposed something so significant. “I never joke about things like that.”

Lydia let out a long breath. She leaned back against the sofa, her gaze drifting to the ceiling.

“You’re forgetting one very important part, you know.”

“Proposing to you?”

Lydia nodded without turning toward him.

“Wasn’t what I just said technically a proposal?”

Lydia clicked her tongue in annoyance. “You didn’t even propose properly.”

Cale raised an eyebrow. “Is that important?”

“For some people, yes.”

Cale reached out and touched Lydia’s cheek gently. “I’m asking your opinion. Is it important to you?”

Lydia pouted slightly.

Cale gave a faint smile before standing up and offering his hand to her.

“Let’s have lunch first,” he said. “It’s already very late. Is there anything you’d like to eat while it’s still warm?”

“No.” Lydia sighed. At first, she intended to ignore his outstretched hand in protest, but… “Fine. You’re right. We should eat first.”

Cale smiled more broadly and clasped Lydia’s hand firmly.

“So now you care about rings and flowers?” he asked.

Lydia let out a quiet snort. “Not really. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be appreciated.”

“I appreciate you.”

“By ordering me to marry you in a month?” Lydia asked dryly.

“I didn’t order you.”

“You almost sounded like you did.”

Cale studied her for a moment before speaking again, his voice quieter this time.

“I just said what I was thinking.”

He released her hand and pulled out one of the chairs at the dining table, gesturing for Lydia to sit comfortably.

Lydia didn’t say anything as she accepted the gesture. She knew Cale was simply like this.

He wasn’t romantic in the way most men were. There were no flowers, no overly sweet words, no

dramatic gestures.

Cale always went straight to the point.

And yet… he always paid attention to everything about Lydia. From the smallest details to things she sometimes overlooked.

Strangely enough, Lydia had grown used to it.

“Why one month?” Lydia finally asked.

Cale took the seat across from her. “Because two years is long enough to be certain about something.”

“About what?”

“That I don’t want to let you leave

leave my side.”

Lydia held his gaze for a long moment. “You’ve never said anything like that before.”

“I didn’t need to.”

“Why now?”

Cale tilted his head slightly. “Because today I had the time to say it.”

Lydia let out a soft laugh. “You really are strange.”

“And yet you’re still with me, aren’t you?”

“That’s not a defense,” Lydia said, shaking her head in disbelief.

“For me, it’s enough.”

Lydia truly didn’t know what to make of the things Cale said. The man simply called the waiter over and

2/4

asked for several of the dishes-including the cream soup-to be reheated.

Not long after, the waiter returned carrying their lunch.

Several plates were arranged neatly on the table before the waiter stepped back and quietly left the room.

The warm aroma of the food slowly filled the space.

A bowl of cream soup was placed first in front of Lydia. Thin wisps of steam rose from its surface, carrying the gentle scent of corn and cream that felt instantly comforting. On the other side of the table, the waiter arranged roasted chicken with rosemary, several pieces of warm artisan bread, and a plate of roasted vegetables neatly presented.

Once everything had been set in place, the waiter made a small nod before leaving. The door closed softly again, leaving the two of them alone in the calm privacy of the dining room.

Lydia picked up her spoon and stirred the soup slowly before tasting it. The warmth spread immediately down her throat.

“It’s not bad,” she said quietly.

Across the table, Cale watched her. “You always judge food like you’re evaluating a property. development.”

Lydia raised an eyebrow. “I’m just honest about food.”

“You once said the soup at a hotel in Paris tasted like hot water.”

“Because it did.” Lydia scoffed lightly. “I’m never going back to that restaurant. How did it even get five- star reviews? Were those people paid?”

Cale chuckled at her indignant tone before finally beginning to eat as well.

For a while, they simply enjoyed the meal without speaking much. But the silence felt comfortable rather than awkward.

Eventually, Lydia glanced toward him.

“How long are we staying in SunCity this time?”