Chapter 77

The glow of the phone illuminated Cedric’s happy face. Unable to contain his excitement, he swallowed repeatedly as he quickly typed, "m free. Should I wait until you're done?"

Sienna replied swiftly: "Let's meet at the first intersection at eleven o'clock."

Cedric was overjoyed. "Okay."

Opposite him, Josiah picked up his glass and downed his whiskey in one gulp. Leaning forward, he grabbed the bottle and refilled his glass.

Yosef glanced at Josiah and asked, "Why are you drinking so much? Take it easy."

"Nothing," Josiah said, looking down, his handsome face calm. "Where to next? How about finding a new place to continue?"

Everyone was surprised by Josiah's suggestion, and both Yosef and Thomas agreed.

"Sure," Thomas said, picking up his phone. "I'll set it up then."

"Fine," replied Josiah.

Cedric raised his hand awkwardly. "Uh… I can't. Have fun, you guys."

Yosef looked at Cedric with doubt. "Why not?"

Cedric answered, "I have something to do."

Yosef looked puzzled. "Huh? You said you had nothing going on tonight."

Cedric mumbled, "I have a date."

As Cedric's cousin, Yosef knew him best. Wrapping an arm around Cedric's neck, he whispered, "A date? Judging by your expression, is it with a girl?"

Cedric froze, then suddenly jumped up. "I'm running late, Yosef. I have to go." With that, he hurried away.

Yosef pointed at Cedric's back, laughing. "He's growing up, right?"

With a loud bang, Josiah slammed his cup onto the table and stood up abruptly, heading straight out without a word.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Yosef asked.

"Home," said Josiah.

Yosef was stunned. "What? Is he serious? Didn't he say we should move to a new place?"

Josiah rushed out and, by chance, saw Sienna getting into Cedric's car at the intersection; Cedric looked smug.

Josiah turned away, feeling troubled. "Zaid, go."

"Got it," said Zaid.

Josiah closed his eyes and leaned back. He couldn't care anymore. He thought Grandma had blessed Sienna and Cedric, so there was nothing more he could do.

However, his face showed deep gloom. Maybe he'd drunk too much and felt stifled. He took off his suit jacket, yanked off his tie, and tossed it aside. Even after loosening two buttons on his shirt, it wasn't helping. He was still extremely annoyed; he felt like he was going to explode.

Guided by Sienna, the car stopped at a bustling night market. Sienna apologized, "You're here for the first time, right? I'm sorry, but with my income, this is the best I can afford."

Cedric chuckled, shaking his head. "Why would you think that? Even though I went abroad to study at a young age and haven't been here much, there are street stalls abroad as well, not just fancy places."

Sienna laughed. "Liar. You wouldn't come to a place like this."

Cedric was taken aback, then burst into laughter. "You're right."

"Follow me," Sienna said, leading Cedric into a pizza shop and ordering a pizza. She wiped the table with a napkin. "The pizza here is delicious. You can try it."

Cedric nodded. "Okay."

The pizza arrived. Cedric tasted it and found it delicious. "Yummy."

Sienna smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Thank you for the pumpkin soup, but please, don't buy it for me anymore."

Cedric was taken aback, his expression growing serious. He was nervous. "Don't you like it?"

"Yes," said Sienna.

Cedric was so shocked he couldn't speak. He stared at her blankly. "I'm sorry."

Sienna sighed softly. "Don't apologize. The pumpkin soup is delicious, and I do like it. But please, don't send it again."

Cedric nodded sadly. "I see. You just don't like me."

Cedric wasn't willing to accept it; he hadn't even had a chance for her to get to know him. "Am I really that displeasing to you?"

Sienna said calmly, "Don't say that. You're great, and I'm sure you know it. But we're not suitable for each other, even if you just want to… you know."

Cedric was stunned. Get me laid? Is that how you see me?

"No," Cedric quickly shook his head and waved his hands, speaking urgently. "I never thought that. I don't just want a one-night stand with you, Sienna. I really fell in love with you!"

Sienna thought silently. Well, it's even worse. She sighed. "You should know that we're not a good match."

To Cedric, Sienna was the first girl he had ever liked. From the moment he saw her on the Maze stage, he couldn't forget her. He couldn't give up before he even started. "Are you concerned about your past marriage with Josiah?"

Sienna furrowed her brows, not directly answering. "You should find a girl whose background is similar to yours."

Cedric couldn't accept what Sienna said. "But I can't control myself! Nobody should let a past marriage stop them from being together."

Sienna opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words. She hadn't expected Cedric, so gentle, to express his love so passionately. But precisely because she was moved, she had to turn him down. "Please, forget me."

"Why?" Cedric asked, confused. "Even Miranda supports you in having a new life. Why are you rejecting me?"

Sienna couldn't explain, so she only said, "This is my privacy. Sorry, I'm not planning to start a new relationship. Please don't come looking for me anymore. Your novelty will wear off very soon; you'll forget about me."

She stood up. "I've already paid for this. Thank you for the pumpkin soup. Consider it my return gift, and let's end it here."

With that, she grabbed her bag and walked away without daring to look back at Cedric.

"Sienna, Sienna!" Cedric got up to chase her, but the street was too crowded, and Sienna ran ahead without looking back. Soon, they were separated.

Cedric was at a loss, unable to find her. He stood in the crowd, looking around, and murmured in disappointment, "But what if I can't forget you?"