Chapter 22 Unwanted Dinner
1136 Words
The executive floor had grown suspiciously quiet.
Cherry stood beside Gena looking emotionally invested and physically alarmed.
Meanwhile—
Jared looked dangerously calm.
And somehow—
That felt worse.
Gena crossed her arms.
“I already said I have plans.”
His gaze remained steady.
“Cancel them.”
Cherry silently prayed for survival.
The employees nearby suddenly became very productive.
No one wanted involvement.
Gena looked at him directly.
“You keep mistaking marriage for authority.”
His jaw tightened.
“And you keep mistaking concern for control.”
The answer caught her off guard.
Concern?
Interesting word.
But she refused to soften.
“I promised Cherry.”
Cherry immediately nodded.
“Yes. Friendship. Female bonding. Emotional healing.”
Jared barely looked at her.
“We’ll reschedule.”
Cherry gasped internally.
Excuse me?
She looked at Gena helplessly.
And to her relief—
Gena did not surrender.
“No.”
The single word sharpened the atmosphere.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“No?”
“I’m not cancelling.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Complicated.
Then—
His voice lowered.
“We need to talk.”
Her brows furrowed.
“About what?”
His expression remained unreadable.
“Dinner.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s enough.”
The arrogance irritated her instantly.
Before she could argue—
Cherry suddenly stepped backward.
Very wisely.
“I just remembered…” she muttered. “I have paperwork.”
Traitor.
And then—
She escaped.
Coward.
Now—
Only Jared and Gena remained.
The hallway suddenly felt too intimate.
Too quiet.
She exhaled.
“You confronted Sarah.”
His gaze sharpened.
“Who told you?”
“No one needed to.”
The silence confirmed it.
Her chest tightened.
“What happened?”
He studied her carefully.
Interesting.
She sounded concerned.
Or perhaps curious.
“I ended it.”
The words startled her.
She blinked.
“Ended what?”
“Whatever she believed existed.”
The answer unsettled her unexpectedly.
And she hated that.
Because part of her—
A very inconvenient part—
Felt relieved.
Ridiculous.
She looked away.
“You didn’t have to do that for me.”
His voice lowered.
“I didn’t.”
The answer confused her.
He stepped closer.
Not threatening.
Just close enough to disturb her breathing.
“I did it because she crossed boundaries.”
There it was again.
Boundaries.
The word lingered strangely between them.
And before she could respond—
His phone vibrated.
He glanced down.
Then his face hardened.
Unknown Number.
Without hesitation—
He answered.
“What?”
Silence.
Then—
His expression changed.
Dangerously.
His jaw tightened.
His eyes cooled.
And immediately—
Gena noticed.
“What happened?”
He ignored the question.
The call ended.
For several seconds—
He remained unnaturally still.
Then—
His voice lowered.
“Dinner.”
Again.
Her patience thinned.
“You still haven’t explained why.”
His gaze found hers.
“Because I need to talk to you.”
Something in his tone felt different.
Less commanding.
More serious.
And strangely—
That unsettled her.
After a long moment—
She sighed.
“Fine.”
His expression softened.
Barely.
But she noticed.
“One dinner,” she warned.
He looked almost amused.
“We’re married. Not negotiating business.”
“That depends.”
His eyes darkened slightly.
“On?”
“How difficult you become.”
Something almost resembling a smile touched his mouth.
Gone instantly.
But there.
And somehow—
That tiny expression bothered her more than anger.
By evening—
They arrived at a private rooftop restaurant overlooking the city.
The skyline glittered beautifully.
Soft music floated through the air.
And unfortunately—
The atmosphere looked suspiciously romantic.
Gena noticed immediately.
Her brows lifted.
“This is dinner?”
Jared removed his coat calmly.
“It serves food.”
She looked around.
Candles.
Private seating.
Flowers.
Her suspicion deepened.
“This looks intentional.”
His expression remained innocent.
“It’s quiet.”
“Dangerously quiet.”
For a brief second—
His mouth almost curved again.
And somehow—
She disliked how attractive that looked.
Very much.
They sat.
A waiter approached quickly.
Clearly familiar with Jared.
Wine was served.
Dinner ordered.
And silence followed.
Not uncomfortable.
Just… careful.
The city lights stretched beneath them.
And for a while—
Neither argued.
Then—
Jared finally spoke.
“I traced the envelopes.”
Her fingers paused.
The softness disappeared immediately.
Her stomach tightened.
“And?”
His gaze remained steady.
“Sarah.”
The answer hurt less than expected.
Because part of her already knew.
Still—
Sadness lingered.
“She really hated me that much?”
His jaw tightened.
“She hated humiliation.”
Gena looked down.
“I never wanted this.”
The quiet honesty surprised him.
“I know.”
Her eyes lifted.
“You do?”
He held her gaze.
“I’m starting to.”
The answer unsettled her.
Very much.
Because suddenly—
He sounded sincere again.
And sincerity from Jared felt dangerous.
Then—
His voice lowered.
“She contacted Marco.”
The world stopped.
Her heartbeat stumbled.
“What?”
His expression darkened.
“We intercepted communication.”
Fear slipped quietly into her chest.
No.
No—
Not Marco.
Not now.
Her fingers tightened around the glass.
“Why?”
His gaze remained unreadable.
“Probably to hurt you.”
Her pulse quickened.
The rooftop suddenly felt colder.
Because Marco—
Marco belonged to a chapter of her life she buried long ago.
And Sarah digging there—
Terrified her.
Jared noticed.
Of course he noticed.
“You’re afraid.”
She looked away.
“I just don’t want my past dragged again.”
His voice came quieter.
“Is that all?”
The question sharpened something inside her.
“What does that mean?”
His jaw flexed.
“You still care about him.”
There it was.
Jealousy.
Again.
And immediately—
Her frustration returned.
“This again?”
His eyes darkened.
“You became pale.”
“Because Sarah is involving innocent people!”
“And him?”
Her patience snapped.
“Marco is married.”
Silence.
Then—
She added firmly—
“With children.”
The revelation stunned him.
For several seconds—
Jared said nothing.
And strangely—
Something inside him loosened.
Not relief.
Definitely not relief.
Just—
Correction.
He looked away.
The waiter arrived with dinner.
Perfect timing.
But before the moment could settle—
A familiar voice interrupted.
“Well.”
The air froze.
Both looked up.
And Gena’s blood ran cold.
Sarah stood beside their table.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
And smiling.
But the smile—
The smile looked wrong.
Because beside her—
Stood a man.
Tall.
Well-dressed.
And painfully familiar.
Gena forgot how to breathe.
Marco.
The glass slipped from her hand.
And shattered.
- Writer
