The group arrived at a restaurant. While Tessa went to the restroom, Connor, ever the gentleman, invited Josie to order first as the guest.


    After Josic and Xylia had finished ordering, Connor skillfully listed a series of dishes and casually asked the waiter for three sses of milk.


    “I really like milk, thank you, Mr. Ford,” Josie thanked with a smile.


    Connor nodded lightly. “Tessa likes to drink milk, so I ordered a ss for each of you.”


    His gaze brieflynded on Xylia before quickly shifting away. He had been avoiding her these past few days. Every time he saw Xylia, he was reminded of how out of control she had been.


    He didn’t know what she had gone through after the kidnapping, but just thinking about it made him angry and disappointed, and he found himself unable to face her.


    Josie, noticing the ss of milk in front of Xylia, moved it to her own side. “You’re allergic to milk, so I’ll drink <b>it </b>for you.”


    Xylia looked at Josie, confused. It was their first time dining together, yet Josie seemed to know her well.


    “You’re probably wondering how I know you’re allergic to milk?” Josie asked with a smile.


    Xylia nodded.


    Josie grinned. “Anyone who really wants to understand you will naturally know everything about you.”


    Her words were pointed, and Connor, seated across from them, furrowed his brow, a flicker of guilt crossing his face.


    He knew all of Tessa’s preferences, yet he couldn’t even remember his wife’s dietary restrictions.


    “I’ll get you some juice instead,” Connor said.


    “No ice. Your wife doesn’t like her drinks with ice,” Josie added.


    Xylia was surprised at how well Josie knew her.


    Connor looked at Josie with a stern expression, finally realizing that she was doing it on purpose.


    Tessa returned from the restroom and naturally sat next to Connor. She nced at Josie and smiled. “This is the first time I’ve seen Xylia with a friend.”


    Realizing her words might have been inappropriate, she quickly corrected herself. I mean, because of some mistakes Xylia made in the past, her friends have distanced themselves from her


    She didn’t borate on what those mistakes were, but the implication was clear. Xylia had done something unforgivable, which caused her friends to leave her.


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    She was subtly warning Josie that Xylia was a problematic person and not worth getting close to.


    Xylia appeared to recall something. She remained silent, and her expression was visibly troubled.


    Josie smiled and said, “Who hasn’t made mistakes when they were young? With so many people in the world, surely you can find like–minded friends.”


    “Once you know what happened, you won’t be saying such things, Ms. Dunn,” Tessa added. “Well, I might’ve said too much. I’m always a bit careless, so please don’t mind.”


    Xylia nced at Josic, who didn’t seem to take Tessa’s words to heart, and said nothing.


    During the meal, Tessa hesitated over the steak in her te. “Connor, your steak’s already been cut. Let’s switch tes.”


    Connor, who had already taken a bite, hesitated for a moment, but Tessa quickly swapped their tes.


    “Why worry about that between friends? Are you afraid your wife would mind?” Tessa added.


    Connor looked at Xylia. Xylia, as if unaware of their actions, absently stirred her sd. Only then did Connor remember that Xylia didn’t actually like steak.


    He remained silent for a moment, then picked up the knife and fork and began to cut the steak.


    Josie was thoroughly enjoying her meal and chatting away with Tessa. “So, you and your brother–inw have be buddies? That’s a bit unusual.”


    “It’s just my personality. I get along with people easily. I don’t have the delicate, fragile temperament of a typical girl,” Tessa said.


    “You’re a dancer, right?” Josie asked.


    “Yeah, do you know me?” Tessa replied.


    “I know. You injured your ankle a while ago and couldn’tpete.” Josie’s casual words caused a silence to fall. over the others.


    Tessa nced at Xylia and said, “That day, I didn’t sprain my ankle on my own. It was Xylia who identally pushed me.”


    “Really? The video online showed it as though you fell on your own.” Josie smiled at Tessa. “But isn’t it a bit weak of you, as a dancer, to drop out of thepetition just because of a sprained ankle?”


    Tessa’s expression turned cold. “What do you mean by that?”


    Josie replied, “I’ve seen so many celebrities online who push through injuries to finish their work. Two years ago, an international dancer got into a car ident a month before apetition and injured her leg badly.


    “She stillpeted, asking the doctor for painkillers to help her get through”


    Josie looked at Tessa with a puzzled expression. “It is often said that dancers are the most resilient, yet I did


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    not expect that you, as the principal dancer, would actually withdraw from thepetition simply because of a sprained ankle.”


    Josie then nced at Tessa’s feet, which were encased in high heels. “And it doesn’t look like there’s anything wrong with your foot.”


    Tessa’s face grew darker.


    Connor set down his knife and fork with a crisp sound, his voice unusually stern. “Miss Dunn, you’re a friend of Xylia’s, and that’s why I invited you here. What’s with this attack?”


    “What?” Josie shrugged. “I’m just telling the truth. Xylia injured her wrist and still kept drawing designs, but you, Tessa, the principal dancer, dropped out because of a sprained ankle?


    “Someone who doesn’t know the full story might think you’re just avoiding thepetition and ming Xylia!”


    “Shut up!” Connor’s face darkened as he red at Josie, then turned coldly toward Xylia.


    “So these are the kinds of friends you keep? If you don’t know how to socialize, just stay home and stop embarrassing yourself. Look at what kind of people you surround yourself with,” he added.


    Xylia let out a coldugh. “My friends are far better than your so–called buddies.”


    “Xylia!” Connor shouted.


    Xylia set down her knife and fork, looking at Josie. “Josie, if you’re not happy with the food here, let me take you somewhere else.”


    “Sure.” Josie stood up, agreeing willingly.


    Tessa looked at Connor, feeling a little aggrieved. “Connor, you know that’s not how it is.”


    Connor, seeing Tessa upset, tried tofort her. “I know. Don’t listen to Xylia. I don’t know where she found that third–rate friend.”


    Heforted Tessa with a few words, and only then did she stop feeling sad.


    Tessa looked at Connor and said, “Sonny hopes you can also attend the school anniversary this time. Do you


    have time?”


    “The school anniversary is the day after tomorrow, right?” Connor asked.


    Tessa gave a slight nod.


    Connor’s gaze drifted to the direction where Xylia had left, his expression darkening. “I will go,” he replied.


    Tessa spoke happily, “It’s settled then–Sonny and I will wait for you on the day of the school anniversary.”


    Connor agreed,


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    Xylia and Josie left the restaurant. Josie, feeling indignant on Xylia’s behalf, was speaking up for her.


    Xylia felt a warmth in her heart as she listened. She looked up, yet saw that familiar figure not far away.


    AD