Reunited with My Lawyer Ex

Chapter 5 Dinner Drama

I sighed, turning around only to find Gabriel Lowe also locked inside.

Gabriel was another partner at Cystone, not as senior as Isabelle's uncle but still young and accomplished.

He handled the firm's overseas expansion and rarely came into the office.

His office was on the third floor, separate from the rest—whoever had plotted to isolate me had forgotten he was there that day.

I nodded politely. "Mr. Lowe."

He frowned, scrolling through his phone for a moment before piecing together what had happened.

He looked at me, a hint of sympathy in his eyes. "I'll go get the key."

After getting out, I was about to say goodbye when he spoke up again, "The team's having dinner tonight—come with us."

"I'd rather not. I live far away, and it'll be too late to get back," I said.

Gabriel looked determined. "I'll have someone drive you home afterward."

If I wanted to stay at Cystone long-term, I needed to find a way to fit in—or at least maintain a superficial peace.

Thinking about my future at the firm, I bit the bullet and agreed to go with him.

An hour later, we arrived at the restaurant where the team was dining.

Isabelle rushed over, her face oozing flattery. "Mr. Lowe! We had no idea you were in the office today—we would have waited for you!"

Gabriel ignored her completely, leading me to a seat and leaving Isabelle standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.

"Who organized this dinner? No one thought to do a head count before leaving?" he asked, his voice cold.

All eyes turned to Isabelle, who shifted nervously, forcing a smile. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Lowe. Vivian's new, so she wasn't on the list yet—I must have missed her."

Gabriel, usually easygoing, looked truly angry. "If I see one more stunt like this in this firm, I'll fire the person responsible—nepotism be damned."

Isabelle seemed on the verge of tears, and several colleagues jumped in to smooth things over, urging me to eat.

As I ate, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched—like someone's eyes were glued to me, making my skin prickle.

I scanned the room but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

A colleague pointed out something in my hair, and I patted at it uselessly.

Gabriel, sitting beside me, set down his fork. "Don't move."

He reached over, brushing a small piece of lint from my hair.

The feeling of being watched intensified instantly.

I looked up sharply, catching sight of Alexander in a private room on the second floor.

He was sitting with his legs crossed, staring down at me, a glass of liquor in his hand.

The liquid was still, and from this distance, I couldn't read the emotion in his eyes.

*****

I finished my meal quickly, but the team was still chatting loudly.

Gabriel leaned over, speaking quietly, "I asked a friend to drive you home—he's outside, in a white Mercedes."

I gave him a grateful smile, standing up to leave.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the figure on the second floor move, but I didn't look back.

I'd planned to take a taxi, but Gabriel had insisted, leaving me no room to argue.

Sure enough, a white Mercedes was parked outside.

I bent down, tapping on the window, and a strikingly handsome man rolled it down, smiling faintly.

"Vivian Sterling?" he asked.

I nodded.

"I'm Bruce Wayne, a friend of Mr. Lowe's. Hop in."

Just as I reached for the door handle, a strong hand clamped down on my wrist.

"Ms. Sterling, you really have no sense of self-preservation, do you? Getting into a stranger's car this late at night—aren't you afraid he'll kidnap you and dismember your body?" Alexander's voice was cold, his grip tight.

I wrenched my wrist free. "Alexander, mind your own business."

His face darkened even more. "Vivian, I'm driving you home."

He reached for me again, but Bruce blocked him, his expression calm but firm. "Sir, if anyone here looks like they'd kidnap someone, it's you."

Alexander was dressed in a black suit and trench coat, his features sharp and intimidating.

Bruce, by contrast, wore a camel coat, his expression relaxed and approachable—their personalities couldn't have been more different.

Before either man could say another word, I pulled open the car door and slid into the passenger seat.

Alexander's hands clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white.

Bruce rolled up the window before starting the car, leaving him standing alone on the sidewalk.