Scarlette was caught off guard and had no choice but to tilt her head back. After a moment, she seemed to grasp what had happened and turned away. Nichs'' kissnded on her cheek, and he stubbornly continued downwards, leaving a trail of deliberate marks.


    "Nichs, that''s enough."


    "It''s not enough. I was already holding back in the private booth. You can''t just leave after sleeping with me."


    He gripped her chin, pulling her in for another forceful kiss. ra staggered back a few steps, her face a canvas of shock. Once she gathered herself, she thoughtfully closed the booth door. After a while, she returned to Dn''s booth.


    Dn and Morgan sat across from each other, silent but not ufortable. When ra sat down, Dn asked, "Did you find them?"


    ra darted a nce at Morgan and shook her head. "No, the ce is huge. I couldn''t tell where they went."


    Dn chuckled lightly, keeping his thoughts to himself. ra was anxious about Morgan asking more questions, so she quickly buried her face in her soup. But Morgan remained unruffled, turning the conversation to Dn about a well-known international novel.


    Ten minutester, Nichs came back. He wiped the corner of his mouth, which still bore a lipstick stain, and sat beside Morgan with a provoking look. "Did my sister ever tell you about her ex-boyfriend?"


    Morgan took a sip of his coffee and grinned. "She mentioned he was too young and a bit of a handful."


    Nichs'' face darkened as he casually wiped away the lipstick with a napkin. "Oh really? Some women say they don''t like younger guys, but actions speak louder. Once a guy hits thirty, his body starts slowing down."


    ra lowered her head further, finally piecing together the drama unfolding. Suddenly, a piece of perfectly cooked salmon appeared in her bowl. Dn, seemingly oblivious to the tension, and simply said, "Enjoy."


    ra ate while keeping her ears perked for more. Morgan set his ss down with


    a confident smile. "I''m in great shape, and that''s all there is to it."


    Nichs fell silent. He was clearly hit where it hurt.


    Morgan rose, elegantly wiping his mouth. "I''ve got a message from Scarlette. I should get going. Mr. Dn, Ms. ra, see you around."


    ra couldn''t even meet his eyes as he left. Once he was gone, Nichs just stared at his bowl, lost in thought, his fingers absentmindedly stirring. He stood up to leave, reminding Dn, "That proposal''s a no-go; my sister won''t be returning to the Greenard Corporation."


    Dn nodded,dling more soup for ra. As the booth emptied to just the two of them, ra finally let out a long breath. "Mr. Dn, did you already know about those two?"


    "Know what?"


    ra hesitated, unsure if he knew about this high-society secret. If the media got wind, Greenard Corporation would be swamped. Scarlette was adopted by the Greenard family and had practically grown up with Nichs. What happened between them? Judging by Nichs'' behavior, he didn''t seem one to let go easily.


    Dn noticed her curiosity and served her more soup. "Are you talking about Nichs having a thing for Scarlette?"


    ra''s eyes lit up with the thrill of gossip. This was more than a crush-it was an obsession!


    She sipped her soup as he went on, "It was a secret crush at first. Scarlette was popr at school. She dated plenty of guys but saw Nichs as just a brother. Considering all the people who came and went, it''s impressive Nichs held out this long."