?Chapter 613:


    She’d never been interested in An—not really. Sure, he was attractive and wealthy, but the cold, closed-off type had never been her thing. She liked warmth. She liked men who smiled easily and acted more like golden retrievers than stone statues.


    Steeling herself, Adah slid into the seat right beside An.


    An immediately tensed and shifted to the very edge of the booth, as if physical distance could shield him from her presence.


    At that moment, a young couple slid into the adjacent booth. Without hesitation, they leaned into each other, sharing a tender kiss and murmuring sweet nothings between softughter.


    Most of the group instinctively averted their eyes, pretending not to notice. But not Adah. She leaned forward, openly staring, her expression exaggerated in shock and curiosity like she was witnessing some alien ritual.


    An watched her crude disy, his frown tightening with every second. This was who his grandfather wanted him to marry? This clownish, loud-mouthed woman? He clenched his jaw. The very idea of sharing a bed with her made his stomach turn. Honestly, he’d prefer a night in the dog kennel.


    The more he watched her act like some backwoods caricature, the deeper his revulsion grew. And then, his mind wandered back to Podgend, where he’d seen the mysterious woman just weeks ago. Curly hair, fierce eyes, and a maic presence that had pulled him in like a tide. He’d lost her in the crowd before he could get her name, let alone her number, and still had no idea where to find her. She’d been the closest thing to love at first sight he’d ever experienced.


    And just as that fleeting memory lit something warm in his chest, Adah opened her mouth and said something so shockingly absurd that it shattered the moment like ss.


    “You city folks really know how to enjoy yourselves!” Adah drew in a dramatic breath, her eyes sparkling with exaggerated surprise. “Making out right in public like that… Where I’m from, people are a lot more shy about that sort of thing. If boys and girls want to get close and cuddle, they sneak off and hide out in the cornfields. The stalks grow so high that you can slip away and do just about anything you want. Nobody would ever notice a thing.”


    Manley’s lips twitched as he looked over at Jeff. Jeff was just eight—was this really an appropriate conversation to have in front of him?


    An’s re grew sharper as he shot Adah a look that could kill, his cheeks burning with embarrassment for being engaged to someone like her. Meanwhile, Elliana was shaking with barely containedughter while Cole quietly poured her a ss of juice.


    A heavy silence settled over the table, thick enough to cut with a knife.


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    Adah didn’t seem to notice the difort in the air. She charged on. “You wouldn’t believe all the secret spots for dates back home! We’ve got cornfields, sorghum fields, sugarcane fields, and even these little tucked-away caves up in the hills.” Her excitement kept building, and she let out a loud, openugh. “And there’s this one ce—”


    “Enough!” An blurted out, no longer able to hold back. “Just stop talking about your vige!”


    Adah drew back as if she’d been pped, letting her energy fade away. She tucked her hands into her sleeves and instantly slipped into the part of a shy, bewildered country girl. She sniffled and looked up at An, eyes shining with measured hurt. “Why are you so angry? I’m just telling the truth. That’s really how couples spend time together where I’m from.”


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