Katelyn stole a glance at Vincent, her lips curving ever so slightly.
Khalid, sensing the tension, shot Vincent a pointed look and said, “Mr. Adams, that doesn’t seem quite fair. I was the one pouring tea for Katelyn.”
A thought crossed Khalid’s mind—Vincent was quite an intriguing character. Khalid was well aware of the rumors surrounding Vincent’s broken engagement with Ryanna, and he knew the complex dynamic between Vincent and Katelyn. However, what he couldn’t quite figure out was the depth of Vincent’s feelings for Katelyn. So he decided to test the waters.
Katelyn, sensing Khalid’s intent, quietly lowered her gaze, choosing not to respond.
Vincent’s expression remained unchanged, but the air around him grew noticeably colder. In a calm but firm tone, Vincent said, “Katelyn doesn’t care for tea.”
Khalid’s eyes flicked to Katelyn, and he smiled teasingly. Turning to Vincent, he asked, “Does Katelyn dislike the tea I offered her, or does she just not like tea?”
Katelyn raised an eyebrow at his bluntness, momentarily caught off guard. Her heart skipped a beat, and a warm flush spread across her ears as she met Khalid’s gaze.
Unfazed, Khalid continued as if he hadn’t noticed, “Katelyn, you mentioned discussing design concepts. How about we head back to the hotel afterward?”
“Um…” Katelyn hesitated, unsure of how to respond.
At that moment, a sudden chill seemed to sweep through the room. Katelyn knew the cause all too well. Katelyn could feel the tension rising, sensing that if Khalid didn’t ease up, Vincent might soon snap. Clearing her throat, she attempted to steer the conversation. “Well, about that…”
“Are you staying with him tonight?” Before Katelyn could finish, Vincent’s deep voice cut through.
As Khalid raised his cup to take a sip, he choked at Vincent’s words. Without a word, Katelyn took a tissue, intending to give it to Khalid. But before she could, her wrist was grabbed by Vincent.
Katelyn felt the weight of Vincent’s cold, piercing gaze as he locked eyes with her and firmly said, “You won’t.”
Out of nowhere, a voice cut through the tension, unexpected and abrupt.
“What are you guys doing?”
L€$? ￠tя? ?η ?@ln?νêl?.￠
Ashlyn had just returned from the restroom, her expression filled with confusion. Something felt off.
Vincent froze as his gaze landed on Ashlyn. Reality hit him like a wave. He’d jumped to the wrong conclusion earlier, assuming Katelyn and Khalid were dining alone. Clearly, Ashlyn was part of the meal too. Quickly regaining his composure, Vincent withdrew his hand and turned to Katelyn. “Let’s eat.”
Katelyn placed the tissue in front of Khalid and glanced at Ashlyn. “Nothing’s going on. The food’s ready. Let’s eat.”
Ashlyn shrugged off her curiosity and took a seat on Katelyn’s other side.
The meal ended without incident.
As Ashlyn opened her mouth to speak, her phone suddenly rang. She glanced at the screen, then stood. “You all continue. I need to go.” Before anyone could respond, she hurried out.
Khalid’s amused chuckle broke the silence. Looking at Katelyn, he said with a playful grin, “Katelyn, you once told me you’d marry me if no one wants you. You always keep your promises, don’t you? Or are you leading me on?”
Katelyn stared at him, momentarily speechless. Lowering her head, she avoided his gaze. That comment had been a lighthearted joke from years ago. Time had passed, and their bond had solidified into friendship, nothing more.
.
.
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