Rose stood beside Jason, trying to keep her expression calm, but inside she felt uneasy.
Sophia stood close to Jason, holding his arm comfortably as if it was the most natural thing in the world. The way she leaned toward him made it obvious that they knew each other very well. Watching them together made Rose feel like a complete stranger.
They were laughing and talking about old memories, and Rose felt out of place standing there. She wished she could disappear or leave the place as soon as possible.
A strange feeling slowly crept into her chest. She couldn’t explain it clearly. It wasn’t anger, but it also wasn’t comfort. It felt like a mixture of embarrassment and jealousy.
Sophia laughed softly and lightly tapped Jason’s arm while talking. Jason responded with a small smile.
Rose forced a polite smile, but inside she was becoming more uncomfortable with every second that passed.
After a while, Sophia finally turned to her.
“It was nice meeting you, Rose,” she said with a bright smile.
Rose nodded politely. “Nice meeting you too.”
Sophia then looked back at Jason.
“Well,” she said casually, “why don’t we all have dinner together tonight?”
Rose blinked in surprise.
Dinner?
She immediately expected Jason to refuse. After all, they had just arrived in Australia for business. It would make more sense for them to rest or prepare for the meeting.
But to her surprise, Jason nodded calmly.
“That sounds fine,” he said.
Rose’s eyes widened slightly, but she quickly hid her reaction.
Sophia smiled widely.
“Perfect,” she said happily. “Let’s meet at the restaurant by the hotel at 6 p.m.”
They exchanged goodbyes after that. Sophia gave Jason a quick hug before leaving.
Rose noticed it, but she said nothing.
Soon, she and Jason walked toward the car.
The moment they entered the car, silence filled the space between them.
Rose stared out the window as the car moved through the busy streets.
Then suddenly Jason spoke.
“Sophia used to be my girlfriend.”
Rose turned her head slightly in surprise.
“What?”
For a moment she didn’t know what to say.
Jason said it so casually, as if it was not a big deal.
Rose blinked twice before responding.
“Oh… wow,” she said slowly. “That’s… good.”
She forced a small smile, but after that she didn’t say anything else.
The car became silent again.
Jason focused on the road, while Rose kept staring out the window, thinking about what he had just said.
His ex-girlfriend.
And now they were going to dinner together.
This trip was already becoming more complicated than she expected.
Soon they arrived at the hotel.
Both of them went to their rooms to get ready for dinner.
Later that evening, Rose stood in front of the mirror in her room.
She adjusted her dress and styled her hair carefully. She applied her makeup slowly, making sure everything looked perfect.
She finally chose a blue dress and matching heels.
“Why am I even trying this hard?” she murmured to herself.
But she finished getting ready anyway.
At the same time, Jason wore a blue tuxedo suit with black shoes.
When they both stepped out into the hallway, they stopped for a moment.
Their outfits matched almost perfectly.
Rose noticed it immediately and felt slightly embarrassed.
Jason glanced at her briefly before looking away.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes,” she replied.
They walked toward the elevator together.
Soon they arrived at the restaurant earlier than expected.
They sat down and ordered their food while waiting for Sophia.
About ten minutes later, Sophia walked into the restaurant.
She was wearing a beautiful floral gown and heels. She looked confident and elegant as she approached their table.
“Sorry I’m late,” she said with a smile.
“It’s fine,” Jason replied.
They exchanged greetings before Sophia sat down.
At first, everything seemed normal.
But as the dinner continued, Rose began to notice something.
Sophia behaved as if she was still Jason’s girlfriend.
“Oh Jason always loved this dish,” Sophia said with a soft laugh.
At one point, she even reached across and took a bite from Jason’s plate.
Rose watched quietly.
It was clear Sophia knew Jason very well.
Rose kept quiet and maintained her composure.
Since Rose and Jason had arrived first, they were sitting side by side while Sophia sat across from them.
The conversation continued, but the tension at the table slowly grew.
Then suddenly, a waiter approached.
“Excuse me,” he said politely.
Rose and Jason looked up.
“Would the couple like anything else?”
For a moment, no one spoke.
The waiter was clearly referring to Rose and Jason.
Rose blinked in surprise.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed Sophia’s smile slowly disappear.
Sophia opened her mouth as if she wanted to correct him.
But before she could speak, Rose quickly said, “No, we’re fine. Thank you.”
The waiter nodded and walked away.
An awkward silence followed.
Rose felt shocked by what had just happened.
But strangely, a small part of her secretly liked the moment.
She quickly pushed the thought away.
Jason didn’t react at all. His expression remained calm as if nothing unusual had happened.
Sophia forced a smile again, but it was obvious she wasn’t happy.
The atmosphere at the table had completely changed.
Rose took a sip of water, trying to act normal.
But deep inside, she had a feeling.
This dinner was only the beginning.
And somehow, she knew one thing for sure.
It was going to be a very long night.
Just as they were about to leave the restaurant, Sophia suddenly leaned closer to Jason.
Her voice was soft, but Rose could still hear it.
“Jason,” Sophia said gently, “do you remember the last time we had dinner together in Australia?”
Jason looked at her, surprised.
Sophia smiled slowly.
“That night… you told me you were still in love with me.”
Rose froze.
Her fingers tightened around her purse as she slowly turned to look at Jason.
For the first time that night, Jason didn’t have an immediate answer.
And at that moment, Rose couldn’t help but wonder if coming on this trip with him had been a terrible mistake.