Chapter 1161:

“Come on! I’ve reserved a great spot. You’ll love it!”

Though his mood was lively, the strange feeling Elyse had sensed earlier still lingered, like a shadow on a bright day.

“Edward,” she ventured as they walked, “you’ve seemed different lately. Or is it just my imagination?”

Edward paused, his quick talking taking a moment to subside. “You’ve always been sharp.”

Concern flickered across her face. “What’s going on with you? Is something wrong?”

Edward glanced at his watch, sidestepping her question with a light laugh. “Let’s get to the restaurant first. We can talk once we sit down.”

Reluctantly, Elyse nodded, and they walked side by side. A delicate distance separated them, like two strings on a violin—close enough to resonate together but never quite touching. Friends, yes. Rivals, perhaps. But lovers? Never.

They reached the rooftop restaurant overlooking the town. The waiter led them to a table with a view and handed Elyse the menu.

Before she could reach for it, Edward intervened with a smile. “I’ll take care of this.”

The waiter, without hesitation, passed the menu to Edward, who began ordering with an almost uncanny precision—every dish, from the appetizers to the dessert, tailored to Elyse’s tastes.

“How do you know all this?” Elyse asked, surprised, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Edward didn’t even look up as he finished ordering. “Because I made it a point to.”

His words hung in the air, heavy as a cloud before a storm. Elyse lowered her head, unsure how to respond, feeling as though she had walked straight into something inescapable.

Noticing her reaction, Edward smiled. “You always do this when you’re trying to avoid something—hoping the problem will disappear if you ignore it.”

Elyse immediately lifted her head. “I’m just tired,” she replied, brushing off his remark. “Resting my head, that’s all.”

But Edward wasn’t fooled. “You’ve got more of these little habits than you think. I’ve noticed others, too.”

Elyse felt her guard rise, like walls being hurriedly built to keep out an unwanted visitor. Did he really think that observing her quirks meant he understood her?

Just then, the waiter arrived with the appetizer, one of Elyse’s favorites.

Her eyes lit up, the moment briefly sweeping away her earlier unease. She reached for it instinctively but hesitated, realizing that Edward hadn’t received his food yet. She quietly retracted her hand, not wanting to appear impolite.

Edward noticed, his smile growing softer. “When you see something you love, your whole face lights up. Your joy is written all over your eyes. It’s one of the things I admire about you.”

Elyse frowned, her confusion deepening. “Edward, what’s going on? You’ve been talking in circles all night. Do you really enjoy studying me this much?”

Edward rubbed the back of his neck, sheepish but unapologetic. “Observing someone I care about doesn’t seem like a crime, right?”