"What''s up?" Jayden asked.


    "You free for dinner tonight?" Yale invited.


    Jayden checked his schedule-no meetings, no social engagements.


    Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Who else ising?"


    "Just the two of us," Yale replied.


    "Alright, send me the details," Jayden said.


    That evening, Jayden pulled up in front of a high-end restaurant in Saintornia.


    As he stepped out of his car, Yale''s voice came from the side. "Jayden, what a coincidence. We arrived at the same time."


    Jayden looked over, then waited for Yale to catch up before they walked inside together.


    Once seated in a private room, Jayden studied Yale. "You asked me to dinner alone. There must be something you want to talk about."


    Yale chuckled. "Can''t hide anything from you. Let''s order first."


    After cing their orders and the server left, Yale leaned back and met Jayden''s gaze. "What''s your n with Michelle and Brandon? Are you really trying to set


    them up?"


    Jayden''s fingers tightened slightly around his ss. His voice was calm but firm. "Yeah. Why?"


    Yale frowned. "You like Michelle, don''t you? If she ends up with Brandon, won''t you regret it?"


    Jayden let out a bitterugh. "What does it matter if I like her? She doesn''t like me."


    Yale sighed. "If only you were this clear-headed about her feelings for Brandon. He doesn''t like her either, but you keep pushing him to see her. All you''re doing is making everyone miserable."


    Even if Brandon and Vrie broke up, he still wouldn''t end up with Michelle.


    Jayden looked at Yale. "So, you brought me here just to convince me to stop helping Michelle?"


    "I''m not telling you to stop helping her. I''m telling you to let things go," Yale suggested.


    Jayden took a sip of water, his expression unreadable. "Did Brandon send you?"


    "No. You''re all my friends, and I don''t want things to get so bad that we can''t even sit down for a meal together anymore," Yale said.


    Jayden grunted. "If Brandon had just gone to see Michelle at the hospital once, we wouldn''t be in this mess."


    "You keep forcing him to do


    something he doesn''t want to do Of


    course he''s going to resist." Yale


    sighed Wayden really think you should stay out of whatever going on between him and Michelle."


    Jayden remained silent, his face unreadable. It was hard to tell if he was even listening.


    Seeing that he wasn''t responding, Yale didn''t press further. Instead, he shifted the conversation to work.


    After dinner, the two left the restaurant together.


    As they walked through the lobby, Jayden suddenly froze.


    "What is it?" Yale asked.


    He followed Jayden''s gaze and was surprised by what he saw.


    By the window, Vrie


    s having


    dinner with Stefan. They were


    chatting as they ate, and she kept.


    picking food for him piling his te high.


    "Veevee, I really can''t eat anymore. Please, stop giving me food," Stefan protested.


    Seeing how full his te was, Vrie chuckled and set down her utensils. "Alright, I''ll stop. Take your time."


    "Okay." Stefan nced at her, hesitated, then cautiously asked, "Why did you suddenly ask me to dinner today?"


    "What? You don''t want me to?" Vrie asked.


    "No, no, of course not. I''m just... surprised," Stefan replied.


    He was used to being the one sending her messages every day, often receiving only


    a few responses in return.


    Today, he''d been too busy with


    sses to text her. Then, out of the blue, she reached out to him first. When she did she mentioned she was already at Santosh University.