Chapter 216
Chapter 216:
Before Ethan could respond, the sound of footsteps approached. Jayceon emerged from the corner of the restaurant, walking toward them with a confident air. He offered Brenna a polite smile and extended his hand in greeting.
“Miss Harper, it’s good to see you again. I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” he said.
The warmth in Brenna’s expression evaporated almost immediately. She had not expected Jayceon to be here, and his presence made her feel displeased. Their previous interactions hadn’t exactly been smooth, and with Ellie still not ready to see Jayceon again, Brenna wasn’t sure how to handle this.
Brenna’s response was measured, her voice steady but firm. “I’m sorry, but I’m not interested in speaking with you right now.” She didn’t hide the irritation in her gaze as she turned to Ethan, a silent rebuke in her eyes. She was disappointed by his decision to bring Jayceon into the meal without consulting her first.
Brenna felt irritation bubbling inside her. Her stomach growled in protest, but the exquisite dishes spread before her failed to stir any appetite.
Still attempting to maintain his usual gentlemanly charm, Jayceon let his eyes reveal unmistakable sadness, tinged with apology and regret. Being a regular here, he retrieved a bottle of wine from the restaurant’s wine cabinet, uncorked it, and poured a glass for Brenna, then three for himself, and finally one for Ethan.
Raising his glass toward Brenna, he said, “Miss Harper, I know you have been in touch with Ellie. I have made mistakes over the years and realize I have hurt her deeply. However, not a single day has passed without her crossing my mind. Believe me when I say my heart yearns for her return. As a gesture of my sincerity, I’ll drink these three glasses of wine. You can drink as much or as little as you wish p>
Ethan quietly observed from the sidelines, noting the strong aroma of alcohol surrounding Jayceon. Ever since Brenna had mentioned Ellie to provoke him, Jayceon had been hitting the bottle heavily, drowning his sorrows day in and day out, seldom clear-headed. Ethan gave Jayceon a pat on the shoulder but remained silent.
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Brenna eyed the glass of wine in front of her, making no move to drink it.
With a sharp edge in her voice, she said, “Mr. Russell, you claim you haven’t forgotten Ellie, yet from what I have seen, your life has been a revolving door of women since she left. How can you say she is still in your heart? It seems to me you erased her from your memory a long time ago p>
Her gaze was icy, brimming with disdain as she fixed her eyes on Jayceon. She didn’t believe a single word he had just said. She thought he was lying through his teeth, treating her like a fool.
Jayceon’s chest tightened with regret. He had spent years surrounding himself with women who bore fleeting resemblances to Ellie because he longed for her. He said, “I know I was wrong. But I didn’t love them. I only love Ellie. Please, just tell me where Ellie is. I’ll do anything p>