Chapter 3

"We still need to talk about the shares in person."

A week later, Ethan sent me this message, along with a restaurant location.

On the other end of the phone, Ava Reed was so anxious she started cursing. "Why the hell would you go? If he’s asking to meet now, he’s definitely up to something."

"We need to sign the share withdrawal agreement eventually," I said. "Dragging it out does me no good."

"Then I’ll go with you."

"No. If there are more people, he’ll have an excuse to change the subject."

When I arrived at the restaurant entrance, the first thing I saw was that suit.

Dark gray custom tailoring, subtle vertical stripes, the birthday gift I gave him two years ago. Back then, he said the cut looked too old and shoved it into the closet without wearing it once.

He wore it today.

The buttons were fastened all the way to the top, and his tie was tied in a Windsor knot.

He stood up and pulled out a chair. "Sit. I ordered the sake-steamed clams you like."

"I’m here to sign the agreement."

"Eat first." He pushed the plate forward. "You’ve been staying at the studio these days, right? The water heater there is broken. How are you showering?"

"Does that have anything to do with the shares?"

He paused, then took a document from his briefcase and spread it out. "You can withdraw your shares, but the company’s valuation can’t be finalized right now. We need to wait until after the third round of financing—"

"Ethan."

I cut him off.

Because I saw the person walking in through the door.

A floral dress, size S, with a waist so thin it looked pinched into shape.

The scent on her reached my nose from three tables away—gardenia. Not natural gardenia, but synthetic gardenia aldehyde from cheap household products, sickeningly sweet and flat.

Lily Hart.

The moment she "saw" us, her expression switched smoothly—first surprise, then embarrassment, then a smile that was eighty percent obedient and twenty percent innocent.

"Oh, Mr. Shaw, you’re here too? What a coincidence."

She actually sat down. She pulled out the chair beside Ethan and sat down on her own.

"Hello, Mrs. Shaw." She nodded at me, the curve of her lips precise down to the millimeter.

Mrs. Shaw.

I put down my fork and said nothing.

She immediately turned to Ethan. "Mr. Shaw, your stomach isn’t good, so you can’t eat spicy food. Let me switch this to plain oatmeal and something light for you, okay?" She reached for the menu, her arm brushing against Ethan’s sleeve, so natural it was like she had done it a hundred times.

Ethan did not move away.

"You won’t blame me for meddling, will you, Mrs. Shaw?" She looked up at me, her gaze full of consideration and propriety. "After the last party, Mr. Shaw’s stomach hurt all night, and I really couldn’t bear to see him suffer."

After the last party.

The last time his stomach hurt.

She knew better than I did when his stomach had hurt.

"I don’t blame you," I said, calling the server over. "Add one spicy grilled fish, extra spicy."

Lily blinked. "Mrs. Shaw, Mr. Shaw really can’t—"

"He used to drink until he threw up for business dinners, so his stomach has always been bad, and he can’t eat spicy food. Didn’t you know?"

She had no answer.

Ethan frowned and lowered his voice by half a degree. "Serena, is this really necessary? Going after a young girl with all that sarcasm."

A young girl.

A size S floral dress, gardenia fabric softener, eight cups of "special sweetness" in the fridge, and a pink SMALL BUT MIGHTY cup in the bathroom.

In his mouth, it was reduced to two words—a young girl.

"Where’s the share withdrawal agreement?" I pulled the topic back.

"I said we’ll wait until after the third round of financing—"

"How long?"

"Three to six months."

"Give me a firm answer."

He drew the agreement closer to his side. "What’s the rush? It’s not like we’re divorcing and splitting assets. Calm down, take some time to cool off, and come back so we can live properly."

Take some time to cool off.

He thought I was talking about feelings, while I was talking about equity.

Lily suddenly spoke, her voice soft and gentle. "Mrs. Shaw, Mr. Shaw has really been under a lot of pressure lately. I’ve been overseeing the new product development line, and we’ve been busy until after midnight every day. If you’re worried, I’ll keep my distance from Mr. Shaw from now on."

Her words were beautiful. She backed down in public, made herself look weak, and casually slipped in "busy until after midnight every day."

I stood up.

Ethan pressed his hand on the agreement. "Are you signing or not?"

"Did you wear this suit today because you thought I’d soften up if you put on something I gave you?" I picked up my bag. "Something you shoved away for two years and never wore, then polished up to use in an emergency. It’s exactly like what you did to me."

His fingers tightened on the table.

Beside him, Lily lowered her head and stirred her coffee, her shoulders shrinking slightly, as if she had suffered some enormous grievance.

When I walked out of the restaurant, I heard her say behind me, "Mr. Shaw, did Mrs. Shaw misunderstand something about me? Should I not have come?"

"It has nothing to do with you. Her temper has always been like this."

Ethan’s voice leaked through the gap in the glass door, clear as day.

"Her temper has always been like this."