Katelyn watched Vincent leave, then turned to Alfy with a smile, asking, “Alfy, what have you been doing at home these days?” As Alfy reached for her water, Katelyn, maintaining her smile, interjected, “Actually, I’m quite thirsty. May I have some of your water?”
Slightly confused, Alfy handed Katelyn the glass without hesitation. She then shared, “It’s been rather dull, really. Just studying non-stop. My uncle’s pushing for me to pursue a master’s degree.”
Alfy’s expression showed clear distress at the thought. She couldn’t picture herself fitting into the academic mold in any way.
Katelyn discreetly checked the glass of water. Satisfied that nothing was off, she returned it to Alfy.
The waiter who had brought their dishes had already left, unaware of Katelyn’s subtle inspection.
However, Jaxen noticed Katelyn’s careful behavior. Once the waiter was out of sight, he leaned closer and whispered, “Is there an issue with something?”
Katelyn took a sip of her water, then responded quietly, “Don’t eat the tartare, but the rest seems okay.”
Jaxen and Alfy both understood her warning clearly. They immediately noticed that something was off with the meal.
With an exaggerated sigh, Jaxen exclaimed, “Wow, I just got here, and we’re already jumping into some action?”
Katelyn looked at him, amused by the spark of excitement in his eyes. Alfy shot him an annoyed glance and said sharply, “Can you be serious for once? Katelyn is facing hidden dangers right now, so we need to stay extra vigilant.”
Even though Alfy hadn’t been spending much time with Katelyn lately, she was fully aware of the dangers that surrounded Katelyn. The mere fact of Vincent’s recent broken engagement with Ryanna was a magnet for trouble.
Jaxen grasped the gravity of the situation as clearly as Alfy. He didn’t argue after being scolded. He quickly acknowledged his mistake. “You’re right, my bad. I’ll keep alert. No mistakes going forward.”
Katelyn looked at him, her eyebrow raised in mild surprise.
Jaxen had always been the carefree, rebellious type, giving off the vibe of an awkward teenager. But now, here he was, following Alfy’s words with a surprising sense of seriousness. This was a significant change in his demeanor.
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Just then, Vincent returned from the bathroom. He sat down next to Katelyn and whispered, “I checked around and didn’t see anything odd, but stay cautious of that tartare. Do you have it with you?”
Katelyn immediately grasped what he meant. She secretly checked the at her waist, and upon confirming it was there, she gave a subtle nod. “Yes.”
Seeing this, Vincent’s tension eased. “Good. Let’s just focus on our meal for now. I’ve called Samuel to join us.”
It had been ages since they had last dined out together. Yet now, they found themselves as targets. Yata was turning out to be full of dangers, like a minefield where even the slightest misstep could result in disaster.
Having spent a lot of time with Katelyn, Alfy was no stranger to these high-stakes situations. She remained utterly composed. She resumed her usual playful exchanges with Jaxen. It had been a while since they last saw each other.
Jaxen took a good look at her and teased, “Alfy, has it really been that long? You’ve gained a little weight, haven’t you? You look a little chubby now.”
Alfy swiftly struck him on the head with her fork and answered him, “Don’t you dare call me chubby!”
No woman appreciates being called overweight, and Alfy was certainly not an exception. Admittedly, she had been snacking more often at night and occasionally enjoying some barbecue, but that surely didn’t justify Jaxen calling her chubby, did it?
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