Chapter 638
“I… I might’ve seen something wrong.”
Cale’s brow furrowed faintly. “Then don’t dwell on it.”
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Lydia nodded obediently, but her fingers stilled around the spoon she’d been holding. She wasn’t really listening anymore.
Her thoughts were caught-anchored to a single point in the room. To a figure she was trying, unsuccessfully, to ignore.
The restaurant itself felt alive in an elegant, restrained way. Crystal chandeliers scattered warm light across the room, blending seamlessly with the soft flicker of candles placed on every table. Classical music drifted gently in the background-just enough to fill the silence without intruding on conversation. Guests spoke in low, measured tones, as if the atmosphere itself demanded a certain level of composure.
The waitstaff moved quietly, expertly, serving each dish with practiced precision. The air carried a rich blend of aromas-butter, spices, and something faintly sweet drifting from the hidden kitchen.
Everything looked… perfect.
And that was exactly what made something feel out of place.
Lydia glanced in that direction again.
A table in the comer. Slightly removed from the others-far from the main spotlight, yet still visible if you paid attention.
The girl was sitting there. The same girl. The awkward one who had accidentally bumped into her husband at the airport, then disappeared into the crowd without a trace.
Her posture was slightly hunched, shoulders stiff, hands resting quietly in her lap. There was no smile on her face. No conversation leaving her lips.
Around her stood three men-broad, imposing, with hardened expressions. Even from where Lydia sat, the mere thought of being surrounded by men like that sent a chill through her. Their presence felt heavy… suffocating, even across the distance
between the tables.
One of them poured a drink into a glass, then slid it slowly toward the girl. The movement was casual. But there was something in the way he did it… like a command that didn’t need to be spoken.
The girl didn’t take it right away. She stared at the glass, her expression unreadable. A few seconds passed-too long-betore she finally reached for it, her movement small… hesitant.
Lydia held her breath.
Her fingers curled tightly around the edge of the table without her realizing it, her gaze locked on the glass uow trembling faintly in the girl’s hand.
Something was wrong. Not just a feeling-but something real. And the more she tried to ignore it, the stronger the pull became.
“I…” Her voice caught.
Then-“I can’t just let this happen.”
Cale, who had been watching Lydia more than anything else around them, noticed the shift immediately. “Let what happen?”
The words slipped out before she could stop them,
And that was enough. Cale turned his head, his gaze following the direction Lydia had been looking all this time
He saw it. It didn’t take long. Just one glance… was enough. His expression changed subtle, almost imperceptible, but enough for something inside him to tighten.
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Chapter 138
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The girl. And the three men around her. Cale didn’t move.
He simply watched. Quick. Sharp. Calculating.
The way they sat, their posture, the distance between the chairs-even the way one of the men held his glass-everything was assessed in silence.
Then-He turned back to Lydia.
“Sit.” The word came low and firm, a clear command for her to do nothing.
Lydia looked at him, slightly taken aback. “I just want to make sure-”
“Don’t.”
That single word stopped her before she could even rise.
“Cale, she-”
“That’s not our concern.”
“But it’s obvious she’s not-”
“Lydia.”
This time his voice softened, but the weight behind it only grew heavier. His gaze held her in place-not with force, but with something far stronger.
A warning.
Lydia fell silent, her breath catching slightly. She had never seen him like this-calm yet leaving no room for argument.
She glanced back at the girl. Still there. Still silent. Something inside Lydia refused to let it go.
But when she looked at Cale again-she understood.
This wasn’t just a refusal. It was something more.