Asher stood there, awkward as ever, caught between a rock and a hard ce. To drink or not to drink that was the question. His every move seemed to amplify his difort under the indifferent gaze of James. It was obvious to him <b>that </b>James was deliberately ignoring him, acting as if he didn’t even exist.
After a moment of hesitation, Asher took the plunge and downed his drink. Clearing his <b>throat</b><b>, </b>he ventured, “Mr. James, if you ever find yourself with some free time, you’re wee to drop by the Reeves estate.”
James hardly looked up, offering only a nomittal grunt, his toneced with a hint of impatience that was hard to miss.
Mirabe, who had been enjoying her meal, nced up at Asher, then gave a mysterious <b>look </b>that swept from him to Asher and back again before she returned to her dinner.
Asher caught that brief exchange of looks <b>and </b>frowned. In the past, James had always treated him with a courtesy befitting his father’s reputation, but today, things were different. His gaze shifted to Mirabe, suspecting that she might have whispered something in James‘ ear,
At that moment, Asher’s already nonexistent fondness for Mirabe plummeted into the negatives.
Then Vincent, having shed his chef’s apron, entered the main hall. His eyes scanned the room before heading straight for Mirabe’s table. Upon spotting Asher, Vincent nodded politely. “Asher<b>.</b>”
That simple acknowledgment broke the awkward silence that had enveloped Asher. With a serene smile, Asher gathered himself. “Vincent, your culinary skills have reallye a long way under your grandfather’s tutge. Impressive, truly.”
Vincent’s lips twitched into a modest smile. “Thank you, Asher. You tter me.”
Then Vincent turned to Mirabe, pulled out the chair beside her without the formalities and sat down. “Mirabe, how do you find the dishes tonight?” His eyes were bright and clear, still holding the innocence of a teenager.
James, sitting nearby, cast a cursory nce at Vincent. A schoolmate, perhaps<b>? </b>
Mirabe set down her utensils and nodded. “Quite good. A significant improvement over yourst stint at the health food restaurant. You’re ready to fly solo.”
Vincent blushed at the praise, the color creeping onto his cheeks. “There’s still so much to learn.”
Mirabe raised an eyebrow. “You have a talent for this. You should delve into some pharmacology books.”
Vincent perked up at the suggestion, “Any rmendations?”
“Tell you what, I’ll send you a list on Messenger. You can pick them up at the bookstore or check them out from the library,” Mirabe offered.
Vincent sat up straighter. “Sounds good.”
Mirabe smiled and resumed eating.
Asher, who had lingered and overheard the exchange, was taken aback to find that Mirabe was schoolmates with Knox’s grandson and that there seemed to be a sense of admiration in the young man’s eyes when he looked at her.
<b>10:07 </b>
Suddenly, Asher’s view of Mirabe became even moreplicated. She was just a high school student with a knack for pharmacology, wasn’t she? Why did everyone seem to treat her as something special<b>? </b>
Feeling like a ghost in the room, Asher didn’t want to overstay his wee. He was about to slip away when his father approached with a grave expression.
“Asher,” Niki spoke in a hushed tone, urgency written all over his face. “We’ve got an important patient back at the house. We need to leave now.”
12/2